Best Of Super Bowl Eats
Even if we don’t necessarily love football, we love the opportunity to indulge in support of our peers that do love it. After all, the Super Bowl is the second biggest eating day of the year, only superseded by Thanksgiving. Why should this eating-related holiday only be for football fans? We’re not just thinking about nachos, although a properly executed nacho platter warrants real recognition. In New York City, we can pair our football with all sorts of foods, from Italian to real deal barbeque. And so, as our city again prepares to feed its hungry hordes, we have gathered a list of delicious options for Super Bowl Sunday. Whether you want to celebrate a la Jay-Z, Mario Batali, or an old Irish bartender, we’ve got where to eat, drink, and watch (or at least pretend to) the game.
Birreria
Apparently, Mario Batali and Joseph Bastianich love football as much as any other red-blooded (Italian) American. Which is why you surprisingly can catch the game at Eataly on the roof. There, you’ll find Birreria, a rooftop brewery and restaurant that’s fully heated and covered come winter, so no need to bundle tailgate style. There’s a $50 food and beverage minimum for Super Bowl Sunday where diners can select anything off of a special, game day menu. Options include a Pesce Del Giorno Panini with a fried filet of market fish, lemon aioli and arugula on brioche. If fish and chips on a sandwich doesn’t appeal to you, there’s a range of porky paninis featuring meat from Pat Lafrieda. We’re down with the Probusto, piled with pork and beef sausage, along with red cabbage and mustard on a housemade baguette. Nibbly things include calamari battered in rice flour and a “fritti” of shitake mushrooms. Birreria is a good choice for those who may be more interested in food than football, and are happy to enjoy the afternoon with nary a Coors in sight.
Ainsworth Park
Ainsworth is one of New York’s new upscale sports bars, where the dive bar grows up into something worthy of a red-rope and a door policy. Slick décor, forty antique-mirrored televisions, and proper dining tables make for an atypically chic and comfortable setting. While they don’t have a special menu planned for Sunday, they will be offering their usual roster of American classics with a few surprises. Roasted Bone Marrow, a “Slider” menu, and the ever-popular Truffled Mac-N-Cheese make for more novel options than wings and nachos. But don’t worry, they have those, too. Ainsworth Park has already booked its tables, but will be welcoming walk-ins and there’s plenty of eats at the bar and don’t pass go until you’ve had an order of Fried Oyster Sliders.
Pete’s Tavern
The pub that O’Henry made famous and—subsequently—scores of other celebrity regulars, also claims to be New York’s oldest pub. This is tried and true pub food done well and the price is right, which is just as important. For $50, you can spend the first half of the game, nibbling on pigs in a blanket, jalapeno poppers, and buffalo chicken sliders. Drink all you like. Eagerly await half time—because by then, not only will half the game be over, but they’ll be a celebratory buffet, brimming with Italian American staples. Penne a la vodka, sausage and peppers, and chicken breast marsala will join six-foot heroes. This Super Bowl special isn’t for the epicure, but Pete’s is usually a good time on Sunday afternoons. This weekend shouldn’t be an exception.
40/40
If you can’t watch the Super Bowl like a mere mortal, watch it like Jay Z at his ritzy sports club emporium, 40/40. A multi-level, lounge-cum-restaurant complete with an eighteen-foot tall champagne tower, 40/40 belies the concept of a “sports bar,” even for one owned by Jigga himself. Packages are available for groups of four to ten, but real ballers will go for one of the VIP rooms. Or, you could just walk in—there’s no cover—and order from the special menu tailored for game day. There will be fancified bar food, like Herb Crusted Mac’N’Cheese and Grilled Lobster,Crab Cakes, and the club’s most popular item — the 40/40 Wings. So even if you’re sitting at one of our city’s more stylish, celebrity-strewn sports bars, you can still get your fingers a bit dirty while watching the crowd. And maybe catch some of the game, too.
Bounce
If you want the diversions of a club but can’t score a VIP room at Jay-Z’s spot, the (slightly) more subdued Bounce might be your next best option. Bounce’s handsome room hints towards an older New York; the ceiling is coffered, the booths are diner-esque, and the long bar has brass features. Reservation-only tables are already booked, but the bar is still accepting standing-room-only patrons willing to purchase Open Bar for the night. While latecomers will be table-less, they can still take part in the American menu, which won’t be altered for Super Bowl. Good thing because there’s tasty tuna bites—nuggets of tempura tuna with sriracha aioli, mango, and avocado – and a solid version of Truffle Mac & Cheese. DJ’s will add further distraction if watching the game is not a priority.
Hill Country BBQ
Like a few other contenders on our list, Hill Country is not a sports bar, but a veritable eating establishment that deigns on occasion to air some rabblerousing. The place smells and looks like a real BBQ spot, with a wall lined by fire logs and cowboy boots behind the bar. And like the atmosphere, the food is fun, not fancy, and damn good. Brisket tacos are a nice twist specially dreamed up for Sunday, as is the Hill Country Chili Mac. Or go for “Good Eatin’” with the Pitmaster Plate, which comes with brisket, spare rib, beef rib, chicken and sides. If you need an excuse to eat obscene amounts of barbeque, Super Bowl offers an excellent invitation. Don’t forget to grab a PB&J Cupcake near the end of the game to celebrate the big win or mourn the loss of your team. It’s a win-win situation for you really.
Birreria
200 5th Ave
New York, New York 10010
(212) 937-8910
www.eataly.com
Ainsworth Park
111 E. 18th Street
New York, NY 10003
(212)673-2467
ainsworthparknyc.com
Pete’s Tavern
129 E 18th Street
New York, New York 10003
(212) 473-7676
www.petestavern.com
40/40
6 W 25th Street
New York, New York 10010
(212) 832-4040
the4040club.com
Bounce
55 W 21st Street
New York, New York 10010
(212) 675-8007
www.bounceny.com
Hill Country BBQ
30 W 26th Street
New York, New York 10010
(212) 255-4544
www.hillcountryny.com
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