A Salty Caramel Pecan ice cream sandwich at Stogo in New York City
[Flickr/yuko chan]
Although the Big Apple boasts more fast food, food carts and overall fat-friendly restaurants than I care to count, did you know that New York City is also chock full of delicious places to dine out if you are a health-conscious eater? Manhattan has a lot of amazing restaurant choices these days and your options go way beyond typical vegan and vegetarian staples like tofu and sprouts. If you look hard enough, you will find a bounty of locales that offer gourmet raw food, vegan delicacies and overall healthy options on their menus. From dinner to dessert and, oh yes, all the way to a nightcap, we got you covered with three outstanding organic destinations.
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The extensive beer menu at d.b.a. in New York City
[Flickr/brewguy5262]
All the new cocktail bars may get more attention, but New York also has a smorgasbord of stops for those other alcohol snobs – the beer geeks. Here are four stops for drinkers who are serious about their hops:
d.b.a. – From rare Belgian draughts to Danish porters and cask-conditioned British ales, this East Village pub has arguably the country’s greatest collection of beers. New brews are put on tap weekly, while bottled selections are updated daily. But the best feature is the happy hour, which they have the gall to start at 1 p.m. — right after you roll out of bed at the nearby Cooper Square Hotel. 41 1st Ave.
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The Cooper Square Hotel
The East Village has long been known as the epicenter of New York’s bohemian cool, and the esoteric restaurants in the neighborhood match the funky vibe. For those staying on the east side of downtown Manhattan, be it the Cooper Square Hotel, The Bowery Hotel or Thompson LES, we’ve selected three of our favorites for a reliable bite with an exotic twist. Read More »
Tomatoes in Union Square
[Flickr/anniebee]
New York has plenty of restaurants stocked with local, organic, family-farmed, and otherwise sustainable ingredients. But sometimes it’s more fun to go straight to the source — or at least the farmers who actually grew (or raised) what you’re eating. Here are three greenmarkets worth a stop.
Union Square Greenmarket: Opened in 1976, this year-round attraction is by far the most well known greenmarket in the city. Come by early enough in the morning and you may bump into some of New York’s top chefs as they pick out items for their restaurants. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays feature cooking demonstrations from the likes of Robin Puskas of “Kitchen Caravan,” and on Fridays you’ll be able to sample some fine wines. Union Square West from 15th to 17th Streets. Stay nearby at W New York — Union Square.
77th Street Greenmarket: Open year-round on Sundays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., this fairly new greenmarket is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. Previously located in a schoolyard, the market is now held on a tree-lined street and stocked with produce from local growers like Tree-licious and Terhune orchards. The market also offers specialty Asian products. Columbus Avenue between 77th and 79th Streets. Stay nearby at Excelsior Hotel.
Tompkins Square Greenmarket: Also open year-round, on Sundays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., this East Village market offers occasional cooking demonstrations, family-friendly events, and of course plenty of items to devour. A couple of highlights include fresh strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries from Fantasy Fruit Farm and organic milk, yogurt, butter, and ice cream from Ronnybrook Farm. Avenue A and East 7 Street. Stay nearby at the Cooper Square Hotel.
–Andrew Hickey, of The Brooklyn Nomad.
Bar Pleiades at the Surrey Hotel
Swanky hotel bars are having a renaissance on the New York nightlife scene, perhaps due to the success of Gramercy Park Hotel’s Rose Bar as a destination for VIPs, or thanks to the resurgance in speakeasy-style cocktail settings. Here are six of New York’s newest hotel bars where you can get cozy with a sophisticated tipple or two:
Bar Pleiades at the Surrey Hotel: Brand new following a $60 million renovation, this Upper East Side gem features a black and white Coco Chanel-inspired bar adjacent to Daniel Boulud’s Cafe Boulud. Toast a “Beijing Mule” (roasted Asian pear-infused vodka, yuzu juice, saffron-infused simple syrup, and house-made ginger beer, $15) in a white-quilted private booth. 20 E. 76th St.
Ace Hotel’s Breslin Lobby Bar: The West Coast hipster hotel chain brings its trademark understated cool to a corner of Flatiron otherwise lacking in style. Lounge on velvet couches and plaid chairs while sipping on the Ace Old Fashioned (Partida reposada tequila, agave nectar, Regan’s bitters and brandied cherries, $14) and munch on caramel popcorn. The warm wood interior mixed with taxidermy and antiques offers a library vibe, but the grafitti-inspired mural maintains an urban edge. 20 W. 29th St.
The Standard Hotel’s Living Room: Unless you are a celebrity, a model, or well-connected, you probably won’t be getting into the Bon Bon (formerly the Boom Boom Room), the so-called penthouse of this architectural marvel. But don’t fret, The Standard Hotel offers the Living Room cocktail lounge for the rest of us, and it’s a good spot for an early evening drink. The lounge is filled with ultra-modern furnishings and features DJs Tuesday-Saturdays, overlooks The Standard’s grand plaza. The people-watching is excellent. 848 Washington St.
The Crosby Bar at The Crosby Street Hotel: One of Manhattan’s newest hotels, The Crosby oozes with good taste. Although cocktails here are expensive, starting at $18, the vibrant, luxe decor–especially in the art-filled Drawing Room–justifies the splurge. Enjoy the “Crosby” (muddled raspberries, Granny Smith apple, Chopin vodka, Framboise liqueur, honey, lemon juice, and fresh-pressed apple juice) while you sit in the lap of British elegance. 79 Crosby St.
Ground Floor & Second Floor Bars at the Cooper Square Hotel: This sleek glass behemouth features not one, but two sophisticated bars–a lounge on the ground floor with a sloping black ceiling and an intimate, 30-seat indoor/outdoor enclave on the second floor complete with a fireplace. Drinks include a variety of sangrias and specialty cocktails, like the “Basil 8″ (Ketel One vodka, muddled white grapes, basil, lime juice, and ginger ale). 25 Cooper Sq.
–Selena Ricks of The Dizzy Fizz.
Crif Dogs
[Flickr/Me So Hungry]
Whether you live in New York or you’re just visiting, you’re surely familiar with the lure of the classic New York Hot Dog. And you’re probably also aware that there’s no longer any reason to limit your NYC hot dog intake to those slimy wieners sold from carts in Central Park – or even to the recession special at omnipresent chain Gray’s Papaya. The City has seen a huge boom in specialty hot dog purveyors in recent years, and while some of the trendy spots have gone belly up as quickly as they came, a few of the tastier ones have caught on big-time. Here are four of the best, all helpfully clustered downtown.
Crif Dogs: The epicenter of the trend-let, Crif serves deep-fried dogs topped with foodie faves like avocado and bacon. Get two-trends-for-one by heading through the phone booth downstairs to the speakeasy-style PDT, where off-the-menu hot dogs are named for trendy NYC chefs like David “Momofuku” Chang (slathered in kimchi) and Wylie Dufresne (deep-fried mayo). 113 St. Marks Pl. Stay nearby at the Cooper Square Hotel.
New York Hot Dog and Coffee: Oddly enough, this NYC newcomer actually hails from South Korea, where it spawned 170 locations before opening in the West Village last fall. But be glad New York hot dogs made it to the other side of the world — who else would have thought to create a dog topped with thinly sliced bulgogi beef? 245 Bleecker St. Stay nearby at the Crosby Street Hotel.
Super Hot Dog: One of the newest entries, and also one of the ballsiest. These Kosher dogs come complete with toppings that are anything but — sundried tomatoes, corn relish, and even fresh fruit. Yes, they will actually put blueberries and mangoes on top of your sausage. No, you don’t have to be drunk, but it certainly helps. 111 MacDougal St. Stay nearby at the Washington Square Hotel.
DBGB Kitchen and Bar: You know hot dogs have gone gourmet for good when even A-list chef Daniel Boulud has one on the menu at his newest restaurant. Made from ground beef shoulder, this frank comes on a toasty house-made bun with spicy mustard and fresh relish. 299 Bowery. Stay nearby at the Off-Soho Suites Hotel.
–Brendan Spiegel of Endless Simmer.
