New York City Top 10 (ish) Best New & Classic
Food, Drinks & Restaurants 2021
Brooklyn:
1. Saraghina - Italian, Bed-Stuy
Lots of outdoor seating, incredibly light and airy Neopolitan style pizzas - so charred and fluffy that you'll wonder how you ate THAT much pizza in one sitting without realizing you ate that much. Bakery on the other side of the st also has lots of delicious baked goods from breads to croissants, and they also have fresh pastas and imported Italian goods.
2. A&A Bake and Doubles - Caribbean/Trinidadian- long time staple in the hood - Bed-Stuy
Delicious roti, doubles (which are like little fried bao breads with curried chickpeas on the inside), curries in a homely deli-like setting. Service was extremely friendly, and the prices are super low. The doubles and the potato filled roti we got were generously sized and so soft and fluffy. Loved the doubles' chickpea filling so much. I'd be a regular if I lived in the area.
3. Ali's Trinidad Roti Shop - multiple locations, also in Bed Stuy, and their roti and doubles are just as delicious and PACKED... but service is notably slower.
4. Malai Ice Cream - Carroll Gardens
Indian fusion ice cream. Flavors change seasonally. Their pumpkin ice cream was one of the best spiced pumpkin ice creams I've ever had, and their rose with cinnamon roasted almonds ice cream is my favorite rose ice cream of ALL TIME: just the right amount of floral, with a hint of spice and sweet. it's super well balanced.
5. Lucali - PIZZA - Carroll Gardens
It's expensive, but this is likely MY FAVORITE PIZZA IN ALL OF NYC NOW. OMFG. Everything about this pizza was perfect.
6. Look by Plant Love House - Prospect Heights, BK
Specializes in Thai noodle soups. We had the khao soi, which is probably the closest one in flavor to the ones we enjoyed during our Chiang Mai trip 4 years ago.
7. Rangoon - Prospect Heights, Brooklyn - Burmese
TEA LEAF SALAD IS SO GOOD HERE. Refreshing, herby, crunchy, salty, savory. Lovely outdoor garden seating area and fun exterior, too.
8. Four & Twenty Blackbirds Pie Counter & Bar - Prospect Heights
Matcha custard pie - super flaky crust, custardy, rich matcha flavor
9. Di An Di - Greenpoint, BK
Modern Vietnamese. Hip vibe on the inside. Ample and covered outdoor seating. The banh mi and pork belly filling, shrimp and mango salad were so fresh and delicious. Also love how they have the ordering setup for contactless payment and ordering. Didn't always have much faith in Viet food in New York until spots like this have been opening in recent years.
10. Paulie Gee's Slice Shop - Greenpoint, BK
The best Sicilian - we got the upside down Sicilian called the Freddy Prince, with fresh mozz, tomato sauce, pecorino romano, w/ the most incredible toasty, nutty sesame seed bottom. IT WAS ADDICTIVE.
11. Queen Ann Ravioli - Bensonhurst, BK
Family owned for over 40 years and 3 generations - two types of ravioli, but their most famous is their three-cheese ravioli
Owner was super friendly and chatted me up while I admired their train set in their window
12. Il Fornaretto Bakery - Bensonhurst, BK -
Small and quaint with friendly service. We got the panini bread but after toasting and eating it the next day, we regretted not getting more. Would love to go back and try their focaccia, semolina bread, and prosciutto bread. They sell out fast and oftentimes have crazy lines, and people come all the way from NJ and Long Island to get this bread!
Villabate Alba - Bensonhurst, BK - Delicious cannoli - super crisp, light, airy with sweetened ricotta imported from Sicily. No cameras allowed inside, but it's very homely, lots of decorations and stained glass ceilings. Service is fast and brusque.
13. Mama's Noodle House - Bensonhurst, BK
Run by a husband and wife couple from Guangdong (Canton) - they took over the space from another Chinese restaurant owner. Although they are Cantonese, they decided to do Sichuanese food since it's more trendy now, plus the husband has trained in multiple cuisines and has added some Japanese and Thai twists to their menu. Their wontons in chili oil are super meaty, super generous, with bits of meat in the broth/sauce. Wontons/dumplings are their OG special.
14. Ayat NYC in Bay Ridge BK
Palestinian cuisine - lots of small plates, meat on spits. We loved their labneh, eggplant, and super fresh and flaky flat breads (saj); beautiful murals with some thought-provoking messages inside and out, as well
15. Barrow's Intense Ginger Tasting Room - Prospect Heights/Sunset Park
in Industry City and Japan Village, Japanese eateries inside
Queens:
1. Spy C Cuisine on Austin Street, Forest Hills,
Delicious spicy fish fillets with soft tofu and chilies - spicy, but not too spicy, really well balanced. Super slippery and silky fish fillets! Friendly service.
2. STIX - Georgian - Rego Park
Samsa, lamb kebab. This place isn't cheap, but it is SO FREAKING DELICIOUS. JUST BUY AS MUCH AS YOU CAN EAT. YOU WILL LOVE IT. It is famous in all of NYC.
3. 3 Aunties Market - Woodside
Not a resto, though they do have prepared foods that get rave reviews. Super friendly and helpful service with great recos if you ask. It's a tiny shop, but size is not everything... IT IS FILLED with endless variety of fresh, frozen + packaged goods. I picked up holy basil, galangal, coconut milk, several Thai curries, shrimp paste, and other indispensable ingredients for Thai cooking here. Love this spot and can't miss it when in the area.
4. I love Paraguay - Woodside
Haven't had Paraguayan food until this spot. Friendly and fast service. Chipa guazu - cheese and corn casserole "souffle," empanadas - delicious, and many desserts on menu. We had the passion fruit dessert, which you have to get if it's on offer!
5. Ayada Thai - Woodside
Been here many times, but totally obsessed. Their papaya salad and larb absolutely cannot be missed. Their tom yum goong is likely my favorite in all of NYC. And if you order the dishes Thai spicy... get ready to have your mouth on fire!!
6. Las Americas Bakery, Jackson Heights
Colombian bakery - OMG - pan de bono, bunuelos, freshly squeezed juices. Coffees are supposed to be incredible, too. Mostly Spanish but a little English. Cash only.
Need to also come back for their empanadas, which are super popular.
7. Maharaja Sweets - Jackson Heights
THE PLACE to go for Indian sweets - burfi? rasmalai? gulab jamun? milk cake? Gimme all of them! Great veg snacks, too, like samosas mixtures, too.
8. Thaan - Thai, Jackson heights
Delicious, unassuming Thai food. Loved their Thai fried chicken "hat yai" style.
9. 969 NYC Coffee, Jackson Heights
Owned by a former sushi chef named Oda who worked in restaurants both in Japan and in Manhattan, 969 NYC Coffee is a small locally owned cafe that everyone needs in their neighborhood. They have an extensive coffee and drink menu, plenty of delicious Japanese style sandwiches, fresh onigiri, or Japanese rice balls stuffed with everything from tuna to katsu to even umeboshi, or japanese pickled plum. They also have a nice Japanese snack selection, along with counter seating indoors, plus a small patio in front of the cafe for dining outside. I'll be honest and say I've only ever gotten one thing here between meals, and that is their super thick, tasty, and creamy avocado matcha smoothie - strong matcha flavor with a good amount of sweetness, plus avocado creaminess to complement; what a perfect pairing of flavors! It's lovingly and painstakingly made to order, and it's one of the most luscious, creamiest drinks/smoothies/ice cream indulgences you could get. Make sure to ask for a spoon because you'll definitely need it!
10. Dosa Delight, Jackson Heights
Okay, again, being honest here, we did not go to this spot for the first time during the pandemic. In fact, we've been loyally coming here for over 10 years now, as this spot is our absolute favorite in all of New York City for delicious dosas, idlis, and other South Indian delights. Dosa Delight at the corner of 73rd St and 37th Avenue has been going strong for over 35 years now and specializes in vegetarian and vegan Indian deliciousness. They make the best dosas, from the standard masala dosas to endless varieties of rava dosas, pao bhaji, puris, and the best lassis and Indian sweets! The prices are insanely low, and their service is warm and super attentive. They have limited outdoor seating and are also available for takeout and delivery!
11. District Saigon - Astoria
Modern Vietnamese - beautiful bar and great ample outdoor seating during COVID. The brisket pho is FREAKING AMAZING. It's like the best of both worlds: bbq brisket that is super smokey and tender with long, simmered, full flavored and bodied pho.
12. Tea and Milk - Astoria
Delicious, freshly made teas and boba drinks. They've expanded and now have a location in Manhattan inside Chelsea Market! Loved their taro milk tea - thick, rich, and super creamy. They use real taro (sadly, a lot of places use a gross purple powder mix with artificial flavoring). I also loved their lavender milk tea, as well - just enough floral flavor!
The Bronx:
1. Lechonera La Piraña, 766 E 152nd St, The Bronx, NY 10455 (Mott Haven)
Run by Angel Jimenez and taken over from his parents, he works a day job on the weekdays and runs this trailer to serve up whole pigs on the weekend just to spread the love and deliciousness of Puerto Rican-style lechon, or whole roasted suckling pig. Portions are huge, plus he also has other delicious foods he sells and offers tastings of (rice and beans, shrimp, etc.). Cash only. He's super friendly and unmistakable because he wields a machete to cut the pigs. Always a line!
2. Ruinas de Copan, Mott Haven
Next, we have a Honduran spot on our list that's also in Mott Haven! Named after a municipality in the western part of Honduras that borders Guatemala, Ruinas de Copan is a Honduran delight that can be found in the Mott Haven neighborhood of the South Bronx. The menu at this homely restaurant is HUGE; I couldn't believe how large the selection of dishes was! Since we were on a food crawl, we just got one dish, so we shared the sopa de mondongo, or the mondongo soup, along with a freshly pureed passion fruit juice. Sopa de mondongo is a soup made from diced tripe that is super slow cooked for hours, along with various vegetables. Here, you can see we have some yucca, carrots, onions, and potato. The soup definitely tasted like it was simmered for hours on end, with a really deep, chickeny, porky flavor, and the pork was just fall off the bone. The tripe was also extremely tender, and it was clear that it was well cleaned and prepared. The passion fruit was also extremely refreshing and tart. We requested that they not add sugar to it, so if you don't want sugar, make sure to tell them no sugar! Service was really fast and friendly, plus they have indoor as well as outdoor seating.
3. Cuchifritos, Fordham Heights, The Bronx (multiple locations)
188 Bakery Cuchifritos is another delicious spot we found in the Fordham Heights area of the Bronx! It's a lively and boisterous spot that oftentimes has lines out the door full of eager and hungry patrons, looking to get their fill on all Puerto Rican things delicious from rice and beans, pernil, lechon, to endless fried snacks! "Cuchifritos" literally means "fried pig," though it also generally refers to Puerto-Rican style soul food and the neighborhood takeout spots that sell them.
One of the biggest highlights we got from here was the alcapurria, which is a popular and ubiquitous fritter in Puerto Rico. Typically, the dough surrounding the meat filling is made from a masa made of mixed green banana. It's also usually seasoned with lard, making it super rich, annatto for its orangey color, plus garlic and salt. Once filled with minced meat, it is then deep-fried to perfection, and it's truly a work of art: it's super crispy and crunchy on the outside. OMG, it was SO satisfying to bite into! And the meat filling literally just spills out. It's extremely moist, tender, meaty, and juicy on the inside -- well spiced and just screaming with rich flavor. This little snack is definitely the opposite of "bland!" This specific location when we went last autumn was takeout only, so we ate this on the street, and I could NOT have been happier! I almost was tempted to run back in to get another one, or ten!!
Cuchifritos has multiple locations, and its original spot on 116th Street in Harlem has been around for over 50 years now! You must check it out if you have an inkling for Puerto Rican deliciousness.
4. Elsa La Reina Del Chicharron, Fordham Heights, The Bronx
THE CHICHARRON CRUNCH CAN BE HEARD FROM MILES AWAY. They sell it by the pound. go get it! Multiple locations in the Bronx and in upper Manhattan.
5. Tino's Delicatessen - Little Italy, Arthur Ave, The Bronx
Homely selection of fresh food and packaged goods. Gelato (pistachio) is super rich and nutty. Espresso is not for the faint of heart.
6. Calabria Pork Store - Arthur Avenue, The Bronx
SAUSAGES. SO MANY TYPES. SAUSAGE CHANDELIER CEILING. COME AND BUY and TAKE PHOTOS.
7. Gino's Pastry - Arthur Avenue, The Bronx
These could be my all-time favorite cannoli pastries. Freshly filled, crunchy cannoli. They are tied to me now with Villabate Alba in Brooklyn.