Food Adventuring Around NYC
In a neighborhood over-run with bacon egg and cheese sandwiches, it’s nice to have a unique, alternative breakfast option. The long-time favorite Taiwanese haunt Ho Foods (which has expanded since I first visited in 2018) serves a special breakfast menu on Thursday-Sunday. And it’s worth seeking out! A warming bowl of Savory Soy Milk with …
THE PLACE: Laliko sits on a corner storefront in the West Village that has seen lots of food concepts over the last few years. This stylish, modern Georgian restaurant has been here since last spring and I’m hoping it sticks around for at least a few more. They are one of a number of new …
THE PLACE: While in Barcelona this summer, I really wanted to take my family to an old-school churrería where we could get a breakfast of churros and chocolate. It seemed like all the places I had planned for near our hotel were closed for the week we were visiting. I started to panic, but somehow …
THE PLACE: San Sebastián, or Donostia as the locals call it, is a magical place. Not only is it a rich cultural city with incredible architecture, bustling city life, and a pristine beach, but it is arguably home to the most amazing food in the world. In addition to your choice of Michelin-starred restaurants, pintxo …
THE PLACE: Along the Nive River sits a very charming commercial street in Bayonne, France (not to be confused with Bayonne, New Jersey). This is a town in the Basque Country of France that feels as far away from Paris as you could possibly imagine. We had just two nights in this small but fascinating …
THE PLACE: We spent most of our time in Bordeaux in the historic Old Town or the trendy Chartrons District. It wasn’t until the last night that we wanted a low-key meal not far from our hotel and so we wandered over to the area surrounding the Basilica St. Michel. That’s where we discovered a …
THE PLACE: Paris is magical so it’s hard to not discover a gorgeous little bistro with all the atmosphere you’d hope for in an airy local spot in the City of Love. They’re on every corner. Yet La Marine, which was recommended to me by the one and only Peter Shelsky, was even more special …
THE PLACE: For those that have bemoaned the lack of good Vietnamese in New York, I have great news. Banh Anh Em opened earlier this year in that strange area between the East Village, Union Square, and Gramercy. The surrounding bars all have a fratty quality, but this little restaurant with a sizable counter hosts …
THE PLACE: ThisBowl is still as trendy as ever and recently expanded to a second location in Nomad. I predicted them to be the best Sweetgreen a few months back when I wrote about their fresh and flavorful salads, and still stand by that. Although there is something that feels a bit less corporate about …
THE PLACE: I was so excited to somehow score an 8pm reservation at Sunn’s, a cozy hotspot in the Lower East Side that has been tough to get a table. That’s why I was even more anxious than usual when we were running late. It all worked out, thankfully, and we snagged two seats at …
THE PLACE: Places like Ramro did not exist in Astoria when I lived and hung out in this neighborhood decades ago. This is an intimate high-brow restaurant bordering on fine dining with a focus on an under-represented cuisine outside of Queens (Filipino). The service here is top-notch and the few tables are close together, yet …
THE PLACE: Kolkata Chai Co. seems to want to take the spicy, sweet black tea to the heights of the ever popular green tea matcha. This little café opened a few years back in the East Village and has slowly since expanded with small tea shops in a handful of NYC neighborhoods, including the one …
THE PLACE: Dame has been top of my list since they first started previewing their now famous fish and chips during the peak of the pandemic. Since then, this cozy Greenwich Village haunt not only continues to be a hot table in the city but also has become a reliable old standby. THE MENU: British …
THE PLACE: The long lines at Danny & Coop’s in the East Village have not only been because of the general food hysteria in NYC over the latest fad. It also has to do with the fact that this cheesesteak business is celebrity backed. You might not recognize Danny (Danny DiGiampietro, the owner of Angelo’s …
THE PLACE: Chinatown has changed. While you can (and should) still get bowls of cheap noodles and steaming dumplings in the neighborhood, you can now also find yourself in a high-brow modern restaurant taking nods from the likes of Spanish and French cuisine and serving everything from cured tuna and a comté tart to a …
THE PLACE: Just recently transformed from the Filipino restaurant Tradisyon to the bright and airy Uncle Ray’s, this little nook in Hell’s Kitchen is welcoming and comfortable. When I stopped by for an early lunch, I was the only diner and was greeted graciously by the enthusiastic waitress and the chef himself, Sergeant Kiang (“Uncle …
THE PLACE: I’ve always felt like the Spanish restaurants in the city are never as good as the ones I have been to in Spain itself. More so than other countries I’ve travelled to. Eel Bar, which is a hip, clandestine bar/restaurant from the team behind Cervo’s and Hart’s, is the closest I’ve experienced to …
THE PLACE: Man, I miss giving the Cocktail Tours I used to run before the pandemic. Not just because they were awesome and I got to hang out at some of the best cocktail bars in town, but also because I really got to explore the local late night food scene in the East Village. …
THE PLACE: Shortly before the pandemic, I remember stopping by Nowon for a really fantastic bowl of clams in a black bean sauce. It very much felt like a late night bar stop with a burgeoning menu of Asian-influenced bar bites. Coming back all these years later, it was nice to see them in the …
THE PLACE: If you can imagine a Korean diner, Kisa would be it. When it opened in 2024, it was publicized as being inspired by a “kisa sikdang” which are restaurants aimed towards taxi cab drivers. I totally get that, but I’m afraid you won’t find many taxi drivers at this modern restaurant which often …