Foodventure.
NYC Edition
NY Fashion Week is upon us, so we thought we would enlighten you with another NYC Edition post!
There is such a vast food culture in NYC, I wish I had a bigger stomach to experience and enjoy it all. There are many more awesome places that may not be mentioned here, but you can find my other favorite spots in these posts "Markets, Markets, Markets" and "Drink Up". Those great places aside, here are some of my favorite eats in the Big Apple!
Aria(love). Rana. Dickson's Farm. Rosso Pomodoro. The City Kitchen. Shake Shack. Luzzo's. Bangkok Bar. The Meatball Guys. Trattoria Pesce Pasta. The Brass Monkey. Serafina.
One of the first places I ventured to up was right at the border of Chelsea and MPD, of course. It had only been a couple hours upon landing from a redeye, but my stomach was grumbling. So, we found a diner that served one of my favorite comfort food - grilled cheese and tomato soup...and guess what...IT WAS A RAINY DAY!
The Diner is right on the corner there...promise you won't miss it if you are heading right in the heart of Chelsea and MPD.
It was cute little spot to ease into NY dining, but it was just the tip of the iceberg as far as food. The location had me literally staring at the Chelsea building - home to the food network and restaurants you only hear about on TV and just a short walk to the Hudson River. If you want to indulge in some of these more popular establishments, be sure to come early in the morning especially to catch Cull and Pistol, The Lobster Place and The Green Table without a huge line! Or head up the seemingly more low-key places like Rana for some amazing Italian sandwiches and pasta or Dickson's Farm Stand for the best meats in town. You might find some fun gifts there as well! I'll talk about these places in my next post "Cityscape Picnics"- just to keep these posts from becoming a novel.
Eataly in the Flat Iron District had a lot of my favorite places. Not only for their famed coffee and gelato, but for their authentic Italian Restaurants as well. Meet up for cheese and wine with friends at Eataly's heart or catch ROSSO POMODORO restaurant towards the far end. This place has my favorite Napoli-Style Pizza. I first tried this place in Rome, and was overjoyed to run into this place here.
Also, between Union Sqaure and the Flatiron ( I know it's a long stretch), I found this lovely Korean Fusion Restaurant tucked away - it was quaint, quiet(great when you need an escape from the crowd and read a good book or enjoy some conversation with friends), and on the healthier side for the foodie who needs a little break from the butter-soaked everything.
When I was wandering the Time Square area during one of my timed-intern missions, I found this indoor eatery...called "The City Kitchen" that houses a bunch of little, worldly restaurants with a view of the the craziness of Time square from their second floor windows.
Also, on the opposite side of the street, the famous Shake Shack was beaming with lights and people! The burgers smelled and looked divine, but I didn't have the time to wait in line! Definitely gotta try it next time(or if you have, let me know how it was!)!
Looking for a little cozy, private nook that makes you feel like you might have step into some cute little newspaper boy cafe? Check out Piccolo Cafe in Times Square- they have some of the funniest and friendliest baristas! They saw me taking pictures outside, and were already ready for their close-up posing as I walked in!
Feeling Hipster on the lower East Side? Head over to the corner of Orchard and Broome to Irving Farm Coffee Roasters for a cozy coffee/tea and light eats experience with some pretty cool street art around the area. It's just a cool place to walk around - never know what unlabeled restaurants and cafes you might find - there are tons, and it is like you have unlocked a secret every time you head into one! So, go ahead and take a stroll.
And if you could find this restaurant in Chinatown with these soupy dumplings, it would be much appreciated! It was dark, late and it seems as though we might have gone through a back door!
Breakfast? There are so many cool places to go!! But the lines are ridiculous on weekends. Clinton Street Baking Co. had a 3 hour wait...but if you all into pancakes - I suggest you go early. Luckily, we were able to catch the Cornerstone Cafe. It was pretty amazing...anything with mimosas is pretty amazing;).
Got a sweet tooth?
I know I do. And I satisfied it at many places with no problem. Here is just a short list of what I devoured during my stay in NY.
Dominique Ansel. Dunkin’ Donuts. Momofuku’s Milk. Blue Bottle. Williamburg Bakery. Eataly Gelato. Venchi. La Duree (Plan in advance!). Martha’s Country Bakery. Waffles and Dinges. Piccolo's Cafe.
I've been wanting to go to Dominique Ansel's Bakery since Christmas, when my friend got me his book - which was simply amazing. I think I finished it in two days. There was a line out the door and around the corner to get INSIDE of the bakery, but it did not disappoint. All the workers were super friendly and one even posed for a picture as he bruleed some Frozen S'mores(Say what!?) Oh, Yes. A home-made marshmallow filled with chocolate and fresh vanilla bean ice cream made in house. Also, their Madeleines made to order were so warm and heavenly. Every bite made me feel like I was wrapped up in a toasty blanket on a rainy day (it was pretty much 28 degrees F outside).
Momofuku's Milk Shoppe Bakery was also a favorite place since it is home to Karlie's Kookies which were also one of my favorite cookies...and they were almost guilt-free! They were just sweet enough and unique in texture and taste...in all the right ways. It is your modern cookie, so traditionalist heed with caution - but do try it! It's so worth it! I might just have to order some to ship to the west coast!
Waffles and Dinges was originally a food truck (actually...a horse-drawn carriage) based in Brussels(Belgium) that opened it's front doors in NYC. If you love waffles ...especially Belgium Street Waffles and have quite a sweet tooth, this is the place for you. Check out this little guy I got...no more than the size of the palm of my hand...and it was just enough! Of course, you can always opt for the bigger sizes!
Martha's Country Bakery is located just outside of the city in Queens. When you need a break from the hustle and bustle, a morning in Queens is just one of the refreshing answers. Aside from the cute little flea market that opens up on weekends, Martha's Country Bakery offers your home-style-straight-from-grandma's-kitchen-nostalgic-pleasant sweets and food with a country comfort feeling. Dine in or take it to-go for a lovely walk around town to give you some oddly, refreshing homeliness. I can't even describe it properly!
I cannot leave this post without mentioning the pizza . I've searched high and low in the city for a good NY style pizza. And I had quite a few. And the thing I have taken away on my quest for the best NYC pizza is that...it really just depends on YOU. I had Italian-Style, Brooklyn-Style, and "NY"-Style Pizza. Let me know your favorite pizza place in the city! They are all so unique and most have such a unique story -especially the ones that have been passed down from generation to generation.
WHEW. That was a lot of food. But it also came with a lot of walking, skipping, running from train-catching to get there. And it really wasn't just the food that made these places memorable- It was the people I had the honor and pleasure of enjoying good food with. Good food with even better company - I can't ask for anything more.
Be on the look out for our last NYC edition post!
All the best,
Cinnamon
