Food Adventuring Around NYC
Brian Hoffman is a classically trained actor who is now a full-time tour guide, blogger, and food obsessive. He leads food and drink tours around New York City, which not only introduce tour-goers to delicious food, but gives them a historical context. He has written food articles for Gothamist and Midtown Lunch in addition to overseeing this blog and a few food video series, including Eat This, Locals Know, and Around the World in One City. His latest series is an international cooking show with his son which can be found on this site.
Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City I miss Queens so much. Since moving away from Astoria over a year ago, my culinary adventures have not been nearly as diverse, authentic, or adventurous. While I try to visit the borough regularly, I miss …
My search for the best falafel in New York continues…. You can’t find a New Yorker alive today who remembers a time when this city didn’t have pizza, bagels, and hot dogs on every corner. But there are plenty of people who remember the days before falafel. Today, it’s a pretty ubiquitous and iconic New …
Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City SADLY, FRITZL’S LUNCH BOX IS NOW CLOSED. When I first arrived in New York, all of my friends were moving to cheap apartments in this artsy, gritty neighborhood of Brooklyn called Williamsburg. Well, we all know how …
SADLY, BROOKLYN PIGGIES IS NOW CLOSED. When I was little and dragged to some event where I had to wear a suit and tie, I found salvation in the passed appetizers. And my favorite of all those were the pigs in a blanket. It was amazing that the hot dog could be improved upon, but …
Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City When I was younger, my favorite day of the year was the night of the Academy Awards. I even got more excited about the Oscars than I did for my own birthday. All day long, at …
My search for the best falafel in New York continues…. SADLY, SOOMSOOM IS NOW CLOSED. Over the last few years, a string of Israeli-style fast food joints have popped up all over the city, but especially in Midtown. These places are clean and modern and serve hearty vegetarian food (fried eggplant, hard boiled eggs with potato, …
Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City SADLY, NETA IS NOW CLOSED. As soon as we sat down at Neta, we were disappointed. This reservation was weeks in the making and it was mostly so we could try the much buzzed about uni risotto. …
My search for the best pizza in New York continues…. In my hit music video Empire Plates of Mine, I make a joke about Staten Island. I say “Never been, but Staten Island’s gotta have some decent food.” Gothamist gave me some criticism for being oblivious to Staten Island’s food scene. The truth is I …
Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City SADLY, INDESSERT IS NOW CLOSED. I’ve never understood the idea of soup for dessert. Especially in the middle of August. But the Chinese know better, since they have a dish called “tong sui” which translates to “sugar …
Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City I’m not a fan of sequels in general, but I certainly wouldn’t dream of watching a follow-up to a film before viewing the original. Could you imagine how confused one would be by Electric Boogaloo without …
My search for the best falafel in New York continues…. As I continue to do the research, the truth sets in. This falafel search could take me eons. Neighborhoods in the far out reaches of Queens and Brooklyn are home to many Middle Eastern families and that means there are a wide array of restaurants …
Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City Food should be delicious and filling, no doubt, but I get most excited when food is playful and surprising. And if a dish can be all those things at once, then it’s something I’ll be thinking …
Who knew I had a future career in the music industry? I’ve finally dropped my first music video where I take a little inspiration from Jay-Z and Alicia Keys by proclaiming New York City as the greatest food city in the world. I teamed up with the lovely ladies from MVPleez for a musical culinary …
My search for the best falafel in New York continues…. SADLY, HOOMOOS ASLI IS NOW CLOSED. Unless you’re from a Middle Eastern country, you shouldn’t pronounce the word for chickpea puree as “hoomoos” with the long “oo” sound. In this country, we say “hummus.” But the Israeli-Yemeni café, Hoomoos Asli, on the border of Soho and Nolita …
Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City I’ve been hopelessly in love with Wafels & Dinges since we first started working with the truck on our food cart tours 4 years ago. My exclamations to tour attendees that this truck will change your …
SADLY, NEAPOLITAN EXPRESS IS NOW CLOSED. My understanding of Neapolitan pizza is that it must contain San Marzano tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella cheese, type 00 wheat flour, must be rolled by hand, and must be baked in a wood-fired oven. These come from the long set of rules established by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana. Sounds …
SADLY, HYBIRD IS NOW CLOSED. Fried chicken drumsticks. Dumplings. Cupcakes. Slushies. What a strange collection of dishes on one menu. A perfect name for this fast food joint nestled inside Chelsea Market would be “Hybrid”. And that’s what I had been calling Questlove’s ode to things he loves to eat. But then somebody pointed out …
My search for the best beer in New York continues…. Breweries are opening up so quickly in the New York City area that it is almost impossible to keep track. And they’re not just confined to the hip areas of Brooklyn anymore. Singlecut Beersmiths popped up last year, seemingly out of the blue, and started …
Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City Exectuive chefs come and go all the time at restaurants in this city. Even at places with an established and consistent reputation like The Harrison. The Tribeca restaurant is owned by Chef Jimmy Bradley, but over the …
My search for the best falafel in New York continues…. New York City is the city that never sleeps, but certain neighborhoods are definitely more nocturnal than others. Williamsburg, Brooklyn is one of those neighborhoods that’s up all night. Back in the day, it’s where I would meet up with my friends starting at 10 …