Best Ice Creams in New York
With summer in full swing, sweets of the frozen sorts are in high demand. While we’d eat ice cream all year round, this is the perfect season to discover new shops, trucks and flavors. Leave it to il laboratorio del gelato to push the flavor envelope with Guinness and wasabi ice cream.
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Blue Ribbon Izakaya – The Sexy Date
Tucked inside the Thompson Hotel on the Lower East Side, Blue Ribbon Izakaya is the newest addition to the Blue Ribbon empire. If you’ve never had the pleasure of dining in an izakaya — that’s Japanese for a pub — this is the perfect place to start. The room itself is sexy and sleek with a mix of communal tables, private tables and a long sushi bar at the center of it all. The menu is humongous, so there’s something for everyone to discover, and in true izakaya fashion, most dishes are small plates, best for sharing with your date. We strongly recommend you venture out of your comfort zone and try delectable nibbles, like Yellowtail Tartare, capped off with a quail egg, and a seasonal Crab Dish with Ponzu Butter. If your date is a fried rice fanatic,...
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Pylos – The Destination Date
Dating can be a bit monotonous if you don’t know what you’re doing. Add some spontaneity and fun to the mix with a destination date. No, we’re not suggesting you scour the internet for cheap flights and hotels with an ocean view room (although that’s not a bad idea). Instead, travel to Greece for the night with a meal at Pylos in the East Village. We love the romantic setting, a white-washed dining room with cozy throw pillows and over 1,000 clay pots dangling from the ceiling above. Pylos serves classic Greek food with a modern edge, like a vegetarian moussaka made with artichoke hearts or grilled haloumi with grappa and grapes. Consulting chef Diane Kochilas is the leading expert on Greek cuisine in America and the menu she’s collaborated on here reflects her love of the flavors and...
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Gramercy Tavern – The Classic Date
When in doubt, stick to the classics. They’re reliable and comfortable, which will help keep calm your pre-date nerves. One of our favorite go-to’s year after year is Gramercy Tavern. No one knows how to charm their guests more than restaurateur Danny Meyer. The impeccable service and cozy dining room never fail to set the mood for a special evening. Tell your date that chef Michael Anthony just won the James Beard Award for “Best Chef in New York City” and they’ll immediately be impressed. Then let his food speak for itself. Start out with the beef carpaccio with anchovy aioli. Or, if you’re looking for something a little lighter, order the Summer Vegetable Soup with Fennel Pesto and Mussels (they’re natural aphrodisiacs…). Then, settle into the Flounder with Sugar Snap Peas and Cucumber Gazpacho, or the Duck Breast...
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The Best Frozen Cocktails in New York
What better way to escape the heat than with a frozen cocktail? Thankfully, the great bartenders of New York have found a way to elevate the standard, icy and oft saccharine sweet drinks to a new level. Gone are the days of simple mojitos, margaritas, and daiquiris. Instead, there’s a plethora of inventive libations, like…
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New York’s Best Ice Cream Sandwiches
New Yorkers have always been serious about their sandwiches. We’ve got everything from Katz’s legendary pastrami on rye to Sara Jenkin’s porchetta on a ciabatta roll. Recently, we’ve become just as serious about our ice cream sandwiches.
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Seasonal Treats: Raspberries
Raspberry season is officially upon us, which means you don’t have to settle for frozen or canned raspberries (gasp!) when a craving strikes. Freshly plucked raspberries are everywhere right now and you won’t just be seeing red.
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Brother Jimmy’s BBQ
Brother Jimmy’s has been keeping the convivial spirit of barbecue alive for over twenty years with authentic North Carolina grub and an atmosphere that keeps the nightlife spirit going strong all night long. Whether it’s the prime sports viewing, casual vibe, or the hush puppies, Brother Jimmy’s seems to have no problem drawing people in and we’re pretty sure their Carolina-bent BBQ menu has something to do with it. ”Put some south in yo mouth” is the unofficial motto at all of the Brother Jimmy’s locations, and we say, why not? Take the starters for example. Southern staples include popcorn shrimp, fried green tomatoes, rib tips and peel and eat shrimp. Still hungry? There’s lots of BBQ to choose from — dry rub ribs, pulled chicken, or sliced brisket – and all of it’s smoked over Hickory wood for anywhere between five and 12...
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Wildwood BBQ
Reminiscent of real deal American smoke shacks, Wildwood BBQ is a reliably lively spot to take part in Carolina-style pulled pork, Kansas City baby back ribs and Texas-Smoked brisket. The space is outfitted with two smokers, wood beams, sawdust, bourbon and beer. While it’s not the best barbecue around, it’s got the whole package from vibe to sports and plenty of beers on tap. The menu choices are endless, but an easy favorite is “The Three Little Pigs,” which includes spare ribs, pulled pork, double-cut bacon, and two sides. While you won’t need them, extra helpings of the housemade pickled jalapenos and Sweet Potato Tots with mustard-molasses sauce are still an essential part of the dining experience here. An all-American classic, the Texas-Smoked brisket at Wildwood BBQ consistently delivers as...
Read MoreVirgil’s
Sure, the Times Square location of this popular BBQ spot might make you a little worried. (It certainly warrants pause.) But, if you can fight your way past the tourists, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. A lot of barbecue in these parts can taste like it’s slathered in sauce and thrown on the grill. Not here. This is deeply smoky barbecue, just like the kind you’d find proudly served down south. And Virgil’s is owned by Artie Cutler, founder of Carmine’s (you know, that Italian place in Times Square that gives you those monstrous portions fit for kings), so you know you won’t be leaving hungry. The beef brisket is by far the shining star on the menu. Be sure to order it with a side of coleslaw (the traditional pairing for brisket) and some collard greens with ham...
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Rack and Soul
Did you know New York boasts a world champion BBQ Pitmaster of its own? Pitmaster John Wheeler and his partner and co-chef, Charles Gabriel, have brought their own brand of BBQ to the Upper West Side. At Rack & Soul, they specialize in ribs and chicken, neither of which disappoint. Each plate of barbecue is artfully smoked for hours over apple wood and charcoal. Plates piled high with BBQ chicken wings, half-chicken, beef short ribs, pulled pork, baby back ribs, and oxtails dominate the tables, along with a host of sides. But it’s not all about the barbecue at this Upper West Side BBQ joint, there’s also fried catfish, fried chicken and oyster...
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Mable’s Smokehouse
Hop over to Williamsburg, step into Mable’s, and dig right into some of the best Oklahoma City-style barbecue in the city. The menu is simple, yet packed with flavor and fixin’s. Diners can pick between beef brisket, St. Louis ribs, or pulled pork, all served as a sandwich or platter. It’s up to you. And everything comes with pickles, jalapenos, Wonder Bread, and a cup of creamy slaw – authenticity right down to the sides. While they’ve got the carnivvores covered, they also cater to the vegetarians among us. I know, I know… seems almost blasphemous at a BBQ joint, right? But trust me, you won’t miss the meat once you bite into the veggie BBQ Sloppy...
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Blue Smoke
From North Carolina to Texas and back, Blue Smoke serves up BBQ classics from every region. Think of it as Pan-American barbecue with Danny Meyer-stamped hospitality to match. If you’ve got ribs on your mind (and let’s be honest, if you’re at a BBQ joint, who doesn’t?), then order the Texas Salt and Pepper Beef Ribs, Kansas City Spare Ribs, or the Memphis Baby Back Ribs. Or better yet, pay homage to each region with the Rib Sampler. For poultry, head straight for the Applewood-Smoked Chicken, smoked “low and slow” over both hickory and apple woods. And the pulled pork is just as enticing, accompanied by pit beans, sesame slaw, and homemade white bread. And don’t forget to check out the jazz club downstairs when you’re done...
Read MoreDinosaur Bar-B-Que
You don’t have to have to truck all the way down south for a real deal roadhouse experience, just head up to West Harlem. In fact, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que has gained worldwide recognition for its way with smoke and sauce, even winning first place on Good Morning America’sbarbecue throwdown. (Not to mention their successful line of sauces and spice rubs sold all over the world and award for best cookbook from the National Association of Barbecue.) But that’s not why we love them so much. It’s the melt-in-your-mouth pork shoulder on the “Big Ass Pork Plate” that will make you realize why this place is so beloved. Then again, their chicken wings are pretty phenomenal, too. We recommend going with a big group, so you can get a smattering of dishes, including Texas Brisket Plate. The brisket is smoked for up...
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Battery Gardens – The Date with a View
If there’s one thing we’ve learned about dating in the city, it’s that you can’t go wrong with a beautiful view. Battery Gardens boasts some of the best vistas in the city with waterfront seating and a clear view of the Statue of Liberty. Start the night in the Beer Garden, reveling in a few, sunset-fueled cocktails. After the sun goes down, grab a table out on the patio under the stars (if the weather permits) or right by the window and order some of their seasonally minded dishes. We suggest splitting the Summer Squash and Herb Pizza or a bowl of the Steamed Prince Edward Island Mussels. There’s lots of great summer dishes, including a Tomato And Cucumber Gazpacho, Baby Calamari and Octopus Ceviche or a simple, but delicious, bowl of Capellini Pasta with san Marzano tomatoes, basil...
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Soft Shell Crab Season
Summer marks the rise of some of our favorite foods, whether it be fresh fruits, summer soups, or chasing down the ice cream truck. For the seafood lover, summer months mean the return of soft shell crabs – and what a glorious return it is.
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New York’s Best Lobster Rolls
For us, summer isn’t really summer until we’ve had our first taste of lobster. And while we love the challenge of cracking open a whole lobster, there are less exhausting ways to enjoy lobsters’ sweet meat. That’s right, that iconic summer sandwich known as the Lobster Roll…
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Seasonal Eatings – Fava Beans
Fava beans are one of the hardest beans to crack. They’re fat and puffy and if you don’t know what to do with them, completely confusing. Not to mention the fact that they’re only available in the summer. While browsing through the local markets this time of year, look for the seasonal beans that look like larger lima beans in knobby green pods.
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New York’s Best Tacos
It used to be that Mexican food in New York ranked far below any you’d get on the West Coast. Despite what your friends in California might say, the city’s Mexican has come a long way, especially in the taco department.
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Best Summer Wine Bars
Summer’s here and the warm weather seems to stir up different boozy cravings in all of us. Some revel in six-packs at backyard barbeques while others prefer dark air-conditioned bars where the tequila flows like water. But for us, summer is all about wine.
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