Old Town Bar & Grill

If you are in the mood for a good burger and a few beers in a richly historical setting, I know just the place. The Old Town Bar (45 East 18th Street Flatiron) will amaze you with its atmosphere, quality food, and friendly patrons. This has been a favorite hang out of newspaper workers and other writers for over a century, and sitting at the beautiful bar downing a few pints is a great way to tap into the literary history of New York.

Man on Wire

This is one of the greatest stories in New York history. Philippe Petit, an accomplished tightrope walker, staged an amazing coup in 1974 when he walked between the two towers of the World Trade Center. People who were in the city still remember where they were when they heard about this marvelous feat. Apparently it really marked a shift in attitude towards the World Trade Center, which was not popular until this brought such attention to it.

Last year a movie was made about this accomplishment, Man on Wire. It won an Oscar!

If you haven't seen this movie yet, watch it! Here's a preview.



There's a great article about this on the finding Dulcinea website too.

Supercore

If someone asked me to write up a list of my top ten favorite restaurants in NYC, Supercore (305 Bedford Avenue Williamsburg) would certainly be on it. I really enjoy this place. It's basically a hip but cozy coffeehouse that serves what they describe as Japanese comfort food. The Japanese beef curry stew, slow cooked for four days, is an amazing dish worth seeking out. Also, the mainly Japanese staff is cool with writers hanging out in the garden for hours at a time, using the free wifi, so that's a huge plus. Check out Supercore, one of the best kept secrets in Williamsburg.

Lomzynianka

I like Polish food. I especially like Polish food when I'm in Greenpoint. Lomzynianka (646 Manhattan Ave Greenpoint Brooklyn) might be the best Polish restaurant in the neighborhood, which is to say one of the best in the city. Portions are huge and very affordable. Bigos, baby, try the bigos.

Hop Devil

Hop Devil (129 St. Marks Place East Village) has two major things going for it: a sweet location and an inspired selection of beers on tap. It's also quiet enough to have a conversation with friends, making it a perfect stop on a pub crawl around the neighborhood.

Mei Li Wah

Mei Lai Wah was a venerable Chinatown institution, serving baked and steamed pork buns and good coffee for a tiny price. Last year the health department mandated that this grimy little hole in the wall clean up and modernize; the elderly owners decided to just shut down. Thankfully, it reopened with new owners, fresh décor, and a slightly modified name. Mei Li Wah (64 Bayard Street Chinatown) is still the go-to place for delicious and inexpensive pork buns and coffee. They also serve bubble tea now too. If you have $3 in your pocket and want a delightful experience in Chinatown, grab a couple of pork buns (I like the baked) and a coffee, and go around the corner to Columbus Park.

Pica Pica

It's easy to walk past this place, it's tiny and doesn't look like much. But Pica Pica (392 Broadway Williamsburg Brooklyn) offers one of the great food values in the city. Dominican home cooking is delicious, and Pica Pica serves it up in generous quantities for a pleasantly low price. You get flavorful rice and beans, your choice of stewed meat (be sure to get the goat or the ox), and a cafe con leche for less than $5 total. Pica Pica is right around the corner from the neighborhood branch of the public library, and is one of my favorite places for a quick lunch in the area.

Khao Sarn

I literally only know two words of Thai: 'pet ma', very hot. Most Thai places seem to ignore me when I request my food pet ma. Khao Sarn (311 Bedford Avenue Williamsburg Brooklyn) takes it very seriously, making me cry every time I ask. In my book, that makes this one of the finest Thai restaurants in New York. The proprietor, a gay Thai man, is exceptionally friendly and welcoming, and the food is innovative, fresh, and well-prepared. It's also very affordable. Khao Sarn is clearly the best Thai restaurant in Williamsburg, and is a serious contender to the city-wide title as well.

Bereket

Of all the restaurants in all five boroughs, I go to one more than the rest: Bereket (187 East Houston LES). Open 24 hours a day, serving flavorful Turkish food, Bereket is a culinary standout in an area blessed with a plethora of amazing establishments. Nearby Katz's is a deservingly appreciated tourist magnet, Bereket deserves the same attention for sure.

Grand Sichuan

Oh my god! Hot pot at Grand Sichuan (125 Canal Street Chinatown) is the perfect meal for two. Basically, you get a broth with black pepper corns and red chilis, choose some meats, vegetables, and mushrooms, and cook your own food in it like fondue. The broth gets progressively hotter as it boils down, culminating in a deliciously fiery Sichuan soup. Other offerings, especially those involving pork, are also really worth trying here. But the hot pot! I need it on a regular basis. Do they do hot pot IVs?

Best Pizza in New York?

Pizza is a serious subject for New Yorkers. Here's competitive eater Crazy Legs Conti's take on the best pies in town.

Houston Street

When in downtown NYC, Texas should be the last thing on your mind. So pronounce Houston Street right, please. This is such a fine area, the boundary between LES and East Village, home to hipsters and immigrants for well over a century.

Chinatown

Chinatown is certainly one of the most interesting neighborhoods in downtown Manhattan. It's the largest Chinese community outside of China, and is growing rapidly. Exploring Chinatown is a whole lot of of fun, an experience not to be missed when in NYC.

Aroma

Aroma (145 Greene Street Soho) is a good place to sit down with a book or laptop and have an espresso. Plus they give you free chocolates.

Here's the Sohokind video on Aroma.

Don Pancho

Don Pancho (492 Grand Street Williamsburg). Two magical words that unfailingly make me hungry. I systematically tried the mole offerings at over 20 Mexican restaurants in New York City. This place wears the crown. The mole is simply the best. It's also incredibly cheap, portions are enormous, and the staff is beyond friendly. Sometimes people from lesser cities complain that there's no good Mexican food in NYC. When I get tired of hearing that bogus claim, I take them here. This Pueblano family can cook so well it will shut up even the most vociferous LA braggart.

Big L Teaches Harlem Slang

Any linguistic anthropologists out there studying slang of the early 1990s Harlem? Big L's got you.

Lucky Luciano

Who is Lucky Luciano? Seriously? Why is there not a statue to this man on Second Avenue? I guess KGB Bar will have to do.

Bonita

Bonita (338 Bedford Avenue Williamsburg). Oh yeah. This place is good. If I want some fresh, tasty Mexican food in Williamsburg, this is where I go. They pride themselves on using the highest quality ingredients, and it definitely comes through in the food they serve. Also, their homemade habanero salsa is one of the greatest things I've ever had, very hot and very delicious.

Grimaldi's Pizza

In the ongoing and infamous pizza wars of New York City, one name gets mentioned the most. Grimaldi's (19 Old Fulton Street Brooklyn Heights) definitely serves up some phenomenal pies. If you like pizza, this place is a must visit. It's fun to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan before gorging on this delicious brick oven pizza.

Watch this video and then tell me you don't want some.

Porto Rico Coffee

Porto Rico Coffee might be the best place in the city to buy beans. This is some quality coffee, and the prices are reasonable. I always go to the East Village location (40 ½ St. Marks Place), which is also a good place to get a cup to go when out on St. Marks.

KGB Bar

KGB Bar (84 East 4th Street East Village) is one of the best gritty little bars in the neighborhood. It's spooky, supposedly haunted, and the bar itself was evidently purchased by Lucky Luciano back when the place was a brothel. This building is also home to a vibrant theater scene.

Crema

I know it's kind of pretentious. And expensive. To be honest, I generally am not that impressed by upscale Mexican restaurants. However, Crema (111 West 17th Street Chelsea) has something going for it I can't deny. They serve some of the best mole sauce in the city. The atmosphere is also pretty cool, it's a nice place to have a fancy drink. But seriously, that mole is what makes this place special.

New York on the Cheap: Greenwich Village

Host extraordinaire FantasticBabblings takes us around the West Village. There's so much that's good right around Washington Square Park.

Mud Coffee

You know how I can tell if someone's cool? If they drink Mud coffee. This place serves some of the finest coffee downtown. I go to the Mud Truck (4th Avenue and 8th Street- just outside the Astor Place subway stop at the start of St. Mark's) whenever I'm nearby. I need the stuff.

Their sit down place (307 East 9th Street East Village) is also one of the best coffee houses in an area of the city that has a lot of heavy weight cafes. I like to sit in the garden.

Brooklyn Brewery

Ah, Brooklyn beer, New York's deservedly famous barley-based treasure. By any measure, the Brooklyn Brewery (79 North 11th Street Williamsburg, Brooklyn) makes some of the finest beer in the region.

It's a really fun brewery to visit too. You can sit and have some (so fresh!) beers there, and take a very informative tour.

Here's a random video that shows the general atmosphere of the Brooklyn Brewery on a Friday night.

Tenement Museum

I can't believe how many people I meet in New York who have never heard of the Tenement Museum (108 Orchard St, Lower East Side). They restored several apartments to the way they were when an immigrant family was there, and tell the story of that family. It's pretty incredible. If you go to Ellis Island and don't come you're missing out.

Also, they have really wonderful regular free events! Hear some stories and drink free wine. Maybe I should ask them if I could 'donate' some beer and then drink it there. I'd never miss an event...

SohoKind: Cafe Grumpy

I love this SohoKind promotional series, visiting coffee places in the city. It's so smart.

Cafe Grumpy rocks, by the way. They might have the best coffee in the city. Here's their blog.

This shows their Chelsea location (224 West 20th Street). I like this place, but love the one in Greenpoint (193 Meserole). Best coffee in Brooklyn? Probably.

NYC on the Cheap: Downtown East

NYC on the Cheap is such a great series. I really appreciate the creator's (FantasticBabblings) taste. These two, focusing on the East Village and LES, are particularly interesting to me.

Famous Fat Dave

Famous Fat Dave is a pioneer of culinary exploration in NYC. He's a cab driver who gives tours of what's good to eat in the city, and finds some real treats.

All I Know About Life I Learned From Big L

Who needs a therapist to tell you about life when there's Big L?

Buffalo Cantina

Buffalo Cantina (149 Havemeyer Williamsburg, Brooklyn) is famous for their suicidal hot wings. They also have a very spectacular mole burrito. But the suicidal hot wings... these fuckers are seriously hot. Once I got a medium order and ate them all in one sitting. It burned my lips so bad I looked like I put on lipstick on the train. Then I puked. The next morning I stewed the bones and made a soup out of them. Things weren't the same for a few days...

Here's mister Man V Food on them. Let me just ask, where's my TV show?

New York is Red Hot

Just let the Digable Planets sing it...

Jimmy's No. 43

Oh, Jimmy's No. 43 (43 East 7th Street, East Village), home of underground chic and fine beers... Find this place. It's one of the nicest places to drink in the city.

Brick Lane Curry House

Brick Lane Curry House (306-308 East Sixth Street, East Village) is a sort of mecca for seekers of chili-inspired heat. Their phaal, supposedly the hottest curry on earth, is a big draw. You get a free beer if you finish it. It's hot, but not really that hot. I really like goat phaal though, and the free beer's a nice touch. Note to owners of Brick Lane: for a free serving of goat phaal I'll put some in my eyes!

Laboratorio del Gelato

Laboratorio del Gelato (95 Orchard Street, Lower East Side) makes some of the finest frozen desserts in the city. I'm a big fan of the chili pepper gelato!

Chinatown Ice Cream Factory

On a hot day, not much is better than getting some ice cream from Chinatown Ice Cream Factory (65 Bayard Street, Chinatown) and relaxing in Columbus Park- which is the historical site of the infamous Five Points.

Kossar's Bialys

Want a cheap and delicious breakfast? Stop by Kossar's Bialys (367 Grand Street, Lower East Side) and grab a couple of buttered bialys- they're like bagels crossed with English muffins.

Let me warn you though, guys with black hats and sidecurls get served first.

Eric Ferrara

Eric Ferrara gives some damn good tours of the Lower East Side! This guy is a virtual encyclopedia of LES history.

Paul's Guide to St Marks Place, NYC

I really love St Marks. It might be one of the most interesting streets on earth.

Paul's Guide to St Marks Place, NYC does a great job helping people virtually explore this fascinating street.

Vol De Nuit

Vol De Nuit (148 West 4th Street, West Village) is one of my favorite bars. Anywhere. The selection of Belgian beers is extensive, the mussels and fries are out of this world, and prices are good for this neighborhood. This place also has a really magical atmosphere, I just could sit here all night and be a happy guy. Wait. I have. Many times.

Big L

Big L, representing Harlem, a New York original.

Too bad he died so young.

Carmine's Pizzeria

Want some world-class, gourmet pizza at a really reasonable price? Try Carmine's Pizzeria (358 Graham Ave Williamsburg, Brooklyn). Be really polite though. The large men in the expensive track suits sitting there all day may or may not be involved with organized crime...

Biggie Smalls at 17

Do you really think another city could have created a genius like Biggie?

Subway System

New York arguably has the best subway system in the world.

Meyer Lansky: New York Hero

New York made Meyer Lansky what he was, and vice versa.

Veselka

Veselka (144 Second Ave in the East Village) serves awesome Ukrainian food, strong coffee, and is open 24 hours a day. How do some goat cheese and arugula pierogis sound? I sure do enjoy this place!

New York Sounds Better

Nowhere else sounds so good!

Yonah Schimmel Knishes

If you want to see how good knish can be, visit Yonah Schimmel Knishes (137 East Houston, Lower East Side). This place has been making them for about a hundred years. So good!

Katz's Deli

How are you going to visit New York and not go to Katz's (205 East Houston, Lower East Side)? This place legendary for good reason. I've been an avid fan of their corned beef since I was about six.

I'll let Anthony Bourdain explain.

Sigiri

Sigiri (91 First Avenue in the East Village) is a fabulous Sri Lankan restaurant. I have a hard time finding food hot enough for my rather warped palate, but Sigiri always hooks me up! Try the pork black curry, the crab curry, and a few kinds of hoppers.

South 4th Bar & Grill

South 4th Bar & Grill (90 South 4th Street Williamsburg, Brooklyn) is a real neighborhood treasure. They have free Wi-Fi and good coffee, so its a great place to work during the day. It's also a cozy neighborhood bar, with a good beer selection and reasonable prices. The bartender Adam is seriously talented, and makes everyone feel like one of the guys.

Dumont Burger

Dumont Burger (314 Bedford Ave Williamsburg, Brooklyn) is definitely worth a visit. The hamburgers are really excellent, arguably the best in the city. The DuMac & Cheese, made with huge chunks of bacon, is also amazing.

Bridge and Tunnel Club

The Bridge and Tunnel Club is such a cool project. With thorough collections of photos from each neighborhood, it offers an excellent way to virtually explore all five boroughs.