7.08.2009

more restaurants! c/o Joe

* Balthazar -- SoHo, all-time fave (it's on Prince Street, if I recall). Breakfast, lunch or dinner; it's all good. Not a
wallet-buster. Pretty reasonable, actually.
* Union Square Cafe -- on E16th Street, just off of Union Square Park, spittin' distance from the hotel. Good for a sort of early-ish or late dinner. It can get packed, so you might have to wait or grab a bite at the bar. Not too expensive, but medium expensive.
*' The Brazilian Diner' -- Literally at the corner of E16th and Union Sq. Lots of model types, but decent food. Not expensive.
* City Bakery -- It's on 18th Street now (it used to be on 17th Street), between 5th Ave and 6th Ave. Great place for breakfast-y kind of pastries and/or coffee, small cookies at any time of day. Great, sort of downtown-sophisticaed salad bar-ish type of thing, too. Very reasonable $-wise.
* Friend of A Farmer -- A very charming little home-y kind of restaurant (sort of like Little House on the Prairie, but not so schlocky), just around the corner from the hotel on Irving Place (between like 17th and 19th on the west side of the street). Great little place for a casual, romantic (smirk) dinner. Super on a cold, blustery day. Again, very reasonable $-wise. Shepard's Pie is really good.
* Japonica -- On University Place and E9th Street (I'm pretty sure).
Sushi (!); but they've got other stuff, too.
* Grammercy Tavern -- Probably one of the best restaurants in the city, very consistent, fantastic environment and really comfortable without being stuffy. It's nice and romantic sometimes to have a late afternoon/midday lunch here in the 'tavern' part of the restaurant (as opposed to the dining room). You'll see what I mean if you walk past
it. It's on E19th Street (or 20th), just off of Park Ave South. A little pricey, but well worth it.
* Savoy -- It's in SoHo, on Crosby, I think. Not far from Balthazar. A little sleeper of a restaurant but seriously excellent food.

All of these resaurants (with maybe the exception of Balthazar -- but I would walk it there, too) are literally within walking distance from the hotel, so you shouldn't need to jump in a cab at all. It's a great eating 'hood. If you're up on the Upper West Side check out Cafe Luxembourg (near Lincoln Center) or Sarabeth's Cafe (on Amsterdam in the 80s). On the Upper East Side, try E.A.T. -- a little diner owned by Eli Zabar (he of the famous food shop) -- on Madison in the low 80s (or maybe it's the high 70s), or Fred's -- which is the restaurant on the top floor of Barney's New York (E61/Madison), arguably the most fabulous department store on the face of the earth.

Also, Pasitis in the Meatpacking District for an early lunch.
Casa Havana on 8th Avenue in Chelsea for cheap Cuban food.
Cookshop on 10th Avenue in Chelsea for a good hearty meal.
Billys on 9th Ave btwn 21st/22nd for cupcakes.
Magnolia Bakery is always worth checking out -- UWS and in the Village on Bleeker Street.

Have a great time! xo Joe

1 comment:

  1. Don't forget to drop by H&H Bagels at 80th and Broadway, right across the street from Zabar's. I drop by there at least once and usually several times every trip. Best bagels in NYC. (Popular enough that people order them from across the country.)

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