The first time I ever laid eyes on New York was on a trip when I was very young with my parents and my sister. My dad asked us if we “felt the energy” as we looked upon the skyline for our initial drive in through the Lincoln Tunnel. The energy that my dad was trying to convey was all around us from the taxi drivers beeping their horns, to the people scurrying on the streets and down into the subways or the men selling hot dogs or roasted chestnuts from their carts. But even if we didn’t see all of the activity, there would have been some indescribable excitement that you could just feel without even being there. New York is that kind of place.
When I was 21, I met my husband John, who was born in New York City, and knew that would mean I would get to go up there a lot more often and it definitely was very much part of the appeal right away of being with him. We explored all points of the city, traveling to where he was born and lived in the Bronx to Prospect Park in Brooklyn, not far from where his grandfather lived. Many people only visit Manhattan, but the boroughs offer a great deal more in terms of the general character of the city and the people who make it tick. In Queens we visited Astoria and Jackson Heights. And we took the ferry to Staten Island. In Manhattan, we went to the tip of the island to where John’s dad was from, Inwood. There we visited the Cloisters in Fort Tryon Park. I loved every minute of it and still routinely request that we go to places like Coney Island to experience the real Nathan’s and Totonno’s pizza or to Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn to see where Boss Tweed’s final resting place resides.
As a Bronx-born New Yorker, John doesn’t get all sentimental in the way others probably do (including me) about the city. But he does get excited about the food and always looks forward to our trips to Zabar’s before we leave town. My dad, who was reared in New Jersey for several years, was very familiar with the city and took us to delis frequently for chopped liver and pastrami sandwiches. We always had bagels with a smear of cream cheese and visited one of the oldest Italian bakeries in the city, Veniero’s, for my grandmother Venturella, who lived in a tenement near Little Italy when she came to America from Italy. But from John, I learned about some other important items such as the black and white cookie, which is more like a frosted cake and these special kaiser rolls that native New Yorkers apparently eat for breakfast. We also routinely visited the most storied pizzerias in all five of the boroughs and have introduced the practice to our two boys who are equally intent at trying them all.
I asked John’s grandparents about the history of oysters after checking a book out of the library and learning about places like Lundy’s in Sheepshead Bay, a famous seafood restaurant that closed many years ago, but had 2,800 seats and drew luminaries from all over. I heard all kinds of wonderful stories about what it used to be like from them that made me feel quite nostalgic. I even tried my hand at making Manhattan Clam Chowder, shucking clams by hand, only to learn that John preferred New England Clam Chowder, made with cream.
So where do I start with recommendations on things to do and places to eat? The list is quite lengthy! I am also cognizant that some places may go out of business by the time some of us get to travel again to New York. The pandemic has hit the region quite hard. But as John noted, it’s New York. It will always survive and become stronger and it will always be the place that draws people from all around the world. I am also quite hopeful that some people who left the city due to high rents will come back and bring their creativity and unique spirits to this incredible metropolis. I am proud that two of my grandparents lived in the city and brought their immigrant culture to this amazing melting pot. There have been countless songs written about it, but to me it will always be a song from Annie that says it best: “NYC, you’re standing room only, you crowd, you cramp, you’re still the champ, amen for NYC!”
Restaurants
Note: this is a difficult section to write since many beloved places have already closed or may close in the months to come, but I will share my personal favorites that I believe will remain open as they have for over 100 years in some cases. The restaurants that will survive will do so not because of tourists but because of locals who are a discerning bunch who know what is good when they see it.
Le Bernadin: This is one of those once in a lifetime experiences that everyone must try just once. You can do as we did and go for lunch, which is a bit more affordable. The service is second to none, the preparation of seafood is sublime. Eric Ripert is the chef of this rarefied experience with luxurious décor and truly expert service. I had a tuna dish with foie gras and I just remember how amazing every bite was and how everything was amazingly fresh. It is my fervent hope that it survives as I hope everyone can go and enjoy this wonderful experience.
Gramercy Tavern: My friend Monique and I met here once just to share a bottle of wine and waxed poetic about how amazing this place is from the classic bar to the décor to the warm, cozy feeling it evokes from every pore. It’s legendary for a reason. The ricotta cavatelli, the roasted lamb, and the carrots are of course amazing. It’s all a dream and you will feel happy the entire time you are there and after. Isn’t that what a restaurant is supposed to do? Transport you and make you feel lighter inside? This is probably one of the finest establishments in the city and well worth checking out.
Il Buco Alimentari e Vineria: This place came highly recommended by a doctor I worked with in a previous position and given his enthusiasm, I made it a point to visit with John and have been back a few times since then. It has a really unique set up inside with some communal tables and a market with items for sale. Even better is the food, which is excellent, and some deliciously authentic cocktails made with bitters including blood orange amaro and Cynar, a bitter made from artichokes that I adore. For plates, try the gnocchi or the short ribs. It can get crowded at dinner, so a better time might be lunch, which tends to be when I prefer to go.
Mario’s: This is one of those historic restaurants that everyone must check out. It was established in 1919 on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. I heard about it for years before I finally got to visit for dinner when my sister lived in White Plains. The seafood salad is epic as are the traditional pasta dishes. I am always impressed when any dining establishment gets a meatball right. Sadly, there are a lot of bad ones, but not at Mario’s! I’ve been back to the Bronx a few times since that first outing and everything is just as I remember it. Timeless and delicious.
NY Dosas: There are often lines around the block at this famous institution conveniently located near New York University outside of Washington Square Park. Dosas are Indian style pancakes made out of rice and lentils with delicious, flavorful fillings. The Pondicherry special, which is stuffed with spicy potatoes and fresh vegetables, is a favorite.
Katz’s Delicatessen: Until I met John, I was one of the people going to Carnegie Deli or 2nd Avenue Deli, but that quickly changed when I visited this institution for the first time! It’s 130 years old and is the site of the famous “I’ll have what she’s having” scene in the movie When Harry Met Sally. But even more, it is the best place to get pastrami on rye with mustard and a pickle or a roasted brisket sandwich on a roll with a celery soda. This is old school New York at its best.
Jing Fong: If you want a truly adventurous dim sum experience, try this institution in Chinatown on Elizabeth Street. Here you will find carts aplenty with wares like chicken feet, rice balls and countless dumplings. There was that one time when John and I decided to be more adventurous and get something that wasn’t discernable that turned out to be tripe. Yes, I’m 50% Sicilian, but it is just something I don’t like. A visit to the nearby Chinatown Ice Cream Factory fixed all and we went back to enjoying more of the things we love coming by on those carts!
A Special Word on Pizza
My sister lived in Chicago and I admit I enjoy Chicago pies, which are more like lasagna than pizza in my view, but my Bronx born husband would simply not have it. To him, that is not a pizza. New York pizza is something special. Many people talk about the special water in New York, but to me it’s the skill of the people making it. You can taste the care that goes into the crust which to me, is the epitome of what a good pie is all about. You can have San Marzano tomatoes, fresh basil or oregano, finely crafted fresh mozzarella and the best pepperoni, but if you don’t have a good crust, you are dead in the water. What sets apart the New York pizza crust is how light it is when compared to most pizzas in the U.S. You can have a slice and not feel entirely full. To me, this is the true mark of excellence as it means I can have more pizza! So, in a sea of great places what are the places that stand out? I have made it a mission to visit as many of them as I can and I drive the Irishman, John, crazy! I think he secretly enjoys it though even though he ends up driving us all over the place!
Here is a small list of the ones that have stood out:
Scarr’s Pizza: I really love this place. It has got a retro interior and exterior and unlike many of the spots in town, you can order by the slice. The one nod to modernism is a bottle of Mike’s Hot Honey on the tables.
Motorino – this Neopolitan-style pizzeria has a few locations, but the one in East Village is our favorite. The crust is soft and chewy and shear perfection. I ordered the controversial (in my family) brussels sprouts pie with smoked pancetta. They were very dubious but ended up enjoying it. This is a good place to have a traditional margarita pie. All simple ingredients done right.
NY Suprema Pizza – this spot near Penn Station and Madison Square Garden is well known and has a vast variety of slices on offer. So many, you might be stumped when it comes time to make a choice! If you like simple street pizza, this is the place to come on your way in and out of town!
Joe and Pat’s – this is originally a famous Staten Island institution, but there is a relatively new location in Manhattan in the East Village. Apparently, the owners are related to the folks who also own
Rubirosa, which explains why they offer a similar pizza, the tri-pie, which has a swirl of pesto and the vodka pie. The crust is paper thin and delicious. I would kill for this kind of pizza in Maryland, but it’s best that it isn’t near us as it would be a much more regular thing!
Raimo’s – I had to have this one on the list! It’s located in Hicksville, NY on Long Island (Billy Joel’s hometown!) and is beloved by John and his family, who lived in this area for many years. It truly is a great pizza. The first time I had it, it was ordered with mushrooms back when I could barely tolerate them. Guess what? I ate them with gusto and enjoyed it. Maybe that was the start of my mushroom love? Who can say? The sauce is killer. You can taste the fresh basil. My mom is not a pizza fan (yet she makes good pizza!) but ate this pizza with abandon. That said it all to me.
Sauce Pizzeria – we found out about this one watching Barstool Sports and discovered the host listed it as one of his favorites. So, we had to go! There is a nod to modern times with cauliflower crust offered and extra sauce on the side because some people can never get enough! This is a solid slice though – no doubt about it. Worth checking out if you find yourself in the East Village.
Totonno’s – John and I arrived just as this place opened. I didn’t want to take the chance that we might not get in! It’s located in Coney Island right near the original Nathan’s. It’s 93 years old and the pizza cred is very authentic – in fact, the original owner once worked at Lombardi’s, the first pizzeria in the U.S.! These pies are delicious with an airy crust and top-notch tomato sauce. You know quality when you taste it and this is the real thing.
John’s of Bleecker Street – a hole in the wall place turning out pies with an original coal fired brick oven. No slices, like a lot of the pizza places on this list, but the whole pies are outstanding and feel the closest to the kind of pizza most of us eat. Try a sausage, mushroom, and basil – the best. As a bonus, Bleecker Street is a fun area to shop and purchase food items, like cheese from Murray’s Cheese down the street.
Juliana’s – This came as a surprise to us. We were staying in Brooklyn on a trip with the kids and discovered that it was owned by the original family behind the famous Patsy Grimaldi’s that was founded near the Brooklyn Bridge. I had my mind set on checking that out but heard quality had been an issue since the family sold it. Naturally, I wanted to try the real deal with the real family producing the pies, so to Juliana’s we went. It’s a solidly delicious pizza with all of the things you might expect – fresh, top notch Italian sourced ingredients, and a light and crunchy crust. The location is terrific too. DUMBO is a fun spot and crossing the bridge should be on everyone’s list when they go to New York.
Prince Street Pizza – oh man. I dream about this one. These are the Sicilian style square slices made to perfection. The pepperoni is perfect. There is usually a small line, but it moves quickly. My son Luke and I got our slices and he promptly dropped them on the street. Guess what? We ate them anyway and adored them! Messy or not, they were terrific!
Rubirosa – this is my son Luke’s favorite pizza in New York. He loves the thin crust and the setting, which has a dark interior and is located not far from one of my favorite bookstores in the city, McNally Jackson, in Nolita.
Recommendations
1. Get out of Manhattan. A lot of people are intimidated by New York and seem to think that the island of Manhattan is the only thing worth seeing. On the contrary, there is a great deal more and quite honestly some of the best things to eat are outside of the glittery borough. For example, everyone should go to Brooklyn and have pizza. Some of the most incredible pies to be found are located here. Everyone waxes poetic about DiFara, but to be honest, I wasn’t that impressed. It’s in a hard to get to location and waiting hours for a pizza is not my idea of fun. Try a few other places instead like Lucali near Carroll Gardens (also a long wait, but worth it!), or Juliana’s in DUMBO. Totonno’s in Coney Island or Ops in Bushwick. Did you know that there is another Chinatown in Queens located at the end of the 7 line on the subway in Flushing? It’s actually larger and even more authentic and well worth the trip. Also, have you ever been to Astoria in Queens and tried Greek food? There is an incredible market, Titan Foods, right on 31st Street that is right near the subway. If you want to taste 8 different varieties of feta this is the place to do it. And what about John’s native borough, the Bronx? You can visit the New York Botanical Garden, the Bronx Zoo and an amazing Little Italy on Arthur Avenue. Here some of the restaurants don’t even have menus. You simply state what you feel like and a chef makes a dish for you! Finally, in Staten Island, you can find historic Richmond Town, with its historic buildings and sites dating from the late 17th to early 20th centuries. But here is where you will find some of the best Italian food in the city. Places like Angelina’s Kitchen and Montalbano’s are long time stalwarts and are well worth crossing the Verrazano Narrows Bridge for on a future road trip!
2. Go to the Storied Museums. If you have been to the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) or the Metropolitan Museum of Art, congratulations you have seen two of the most amazing museums in the city. But that should not be the end of your experiences. Have you checked out the Frick Collection? This is the former one-time home of industrialist Henry Clay Frick and it houses his personal collection of old master paintings. What is so unique about this museum is the location itself. Housed in Frick’s former mansion located at 1 East 70th Street, you will get a bird’s eye view of what it was like to be amongst the wealthiest people at the turn of the century in early 1900s in Manhattan. It’s extremely impressive and the film providing history is truly intriguing. I also enjoy visiting the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Guggenheim Museum, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is home to an ever-expanding collection of post-impressionist, impressionist, early modern and contemporary art. It is always an adventure taking the elevator to the top floor and winding your way down the corkscrew corridors to the bottom level. I also adore the American Museum of Natural History, which has one of the world’s largest collections of plants, animals, fossils, minerals, rocks, meteorites, human remains, and human cultural artifacts. The dinosaur collection needs to be seen to be believed. You could not cover the museum in a full day, therefore it will require a few visits in order to see the breathtaking displays. I always bring my kids to the Family Hall of Ocean Life to see the squid and whale diorama. This was depicted in the movie “The Squid and the Whale,” and I always found the last seen very touching where the son realizes all along how much his mother loved him. The kids aren’t impressed by that, but they do enjoy seeing the displays here. Finally, one place that should not be missed is the Cloisters, which is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It’s located in Fort Tryon Park overlooking the Hudson River. It takes its name from five medieval cloisters that were incorporated into the building design and includes more than 5,000 pieces of European art dating from 800 to 1600 CE, with the 12th and 15 centuries being strongly represented. Definitely check out the Unicorn Tapestries, which are one of only two full sets with a unicorn theme in the world. You can take a bus or ride the subway to this northern point of Manhattan, known as Inwood, which is the area where my father-in-law and John’s godmother called home.
3. Do some of the touristy things people recommend. Although it is very expensive and can be crowded in normal times, I highly recommend a trip to the top of the Empire State Building. There is simply no building like it in Manhattan and the experience is one of the coolest things you will ever do. The views on a clear day, are incredible. They don’t make them like they used to, but it’s evocative of the time when it was built. Witness the art deco logo in the lobby at the security desk. It’s fun to look at the building at night and see the colors that the building is lit up in each night. All of the holidays including Christmas, St. Patrick’s Day and others are covered here and occasions like Gay Pride or Breast Cancer week are also well represented. I was in my 40s the first time I took a trip on the Circle Line and boy did I feel like I missed out over the years. The view you get from the water of the city is unlike anything you will see from a taxi. There is no stone unturned. I loved seeing all of the bridges up close and checking out the busy harbor, once the landing place for millions of immigrants from around the globe. And of course, who doesn’t love the Statue of Liberty? I never went inside the statue, but I took the ferry out to the island and walked around as a child to get a closer look at her. Sometimes I get a little scared looking at her, after all she is a symbol of so much. And who could forget Charlton Heston in the Planet of Apes walking down the beach? I love that she came from the people of France to the citizens of America. I try to imagine what my grandparents saw when they came to this country and whether they were filled with hope. I would like to think so and imagine they were also a bit nervous after leaving so much behind. Another thing everyone should do is to go to Chinatown in Manhattan or Little Italy. Yes, these are not as authentic as they once were, but they contain so much history. Go to Chatham Square and stand in the area once known as Five Points, once one of the most crime infested slums the world has ever known. Go to the corner of Grand and Mulberry Streets and check out some of the city’s oldest establishments. Ferrara Bakery opened in 1892. It’s a great place to grab a cappuccino and a cannoli. My grandmother lived in this neighborhood at one time and I imagine it looks a bit different now. On Mulberry is Umberto’s Clam House, a restaurant, where in its original location on this very street, Mobster Joe Gallo was gunned down. In fact, mafia history is all around you here. Mafia bosses John Gotti and Vincent Gigante practically made this neighborhood their second homes. But that’s all changed now. Now, you will find hawkers attempting to draw tourists into restaurants. Some of them including Emilio’s Ballato, Rubirosa, or Lombardi’s are well worth checking out. But many are places where the cooking is less authentic and more to the tastes of the masses. Do yourself a favor and try the tie-dye pie at Rubirosa. It’s my son Luke’s favorite!
4. Visit Central Park. My sister and I used to love the original movie Arthur (1981) with Dudley Moore. In that movie, Arthur, a very wealthy millionaire, has a driver, Bitterman, who often takes him through the park, because he “loves the park.” That’s how we feel about it too. It’s an essential stop on any trip to the city with something for everyone. You could get lost quite literally there for a day and not come up for air. I recall a trip where we went up to the Reservoir and walked down to the Ramble, a lush woodland area and over to the Lake. It doesn’t feel like you are in the largest city in the United States. Instead, you feel like you are in a gorgeous natural habitat with birds, turtles and other forms of wildlife all around you. I love the rock formations that have been there for centuries and the trails that run through the area. I read somewhere that it is one of the most filmed locations in the world, and it’s easy to see why. One time, I visited the headquarters for a publishing house that happened to overlook the park and it was amazing to see it from such a lofty vantage point. It truly is immense and takes up a large area of Manhattan. But it’s only the fifth-largest park in New York City, behind Pelham Bay Park, the Staten Island Greenbelt, Van Cortlandt Park, and Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. If you can, I highly recommend walking in the park, renting a boat at the Loeb Boathouse and enjoying brunch or an evening drink at the Tavern on the Green, which has a bucolic setting within the park and is an iconic landmark.
5. Go to Chelsea and Essex Markets. There are truly some fascinating markets that every visitor should try to check out just once. I am enamored of the Chelsea Market, which also happens to be the headquarters of the Food Network and has a fascinating history as the former Nabisco factory where the first Oreo cookie was produced. That’s pretty cool, right? But more than that, it has a wide range of eateries including a seafood shop, the Lobster Place, serving some of the city’s best lobster bisque and an amazing taco kiosk, Los Tacos No. 1. I also enjoy L’Arte del Gelato, which offers something you usually find in Sicily only, gelato in a brioche. And finally, Miznon is an authentic Tel Aviv style street food eatery offering a falafel burger and lamb kebab that is to die for. The Essex Market was originally established by Fiorello La Guardia to get some of the pushcart vendors off the streets and the building stood for decades until a recent effort to refurbish it made it into a gleaming, modern and stunning addition on the Lower East Side located at Essex and Delancey Streets. There are no shortage of vendors to check out, but if you can’t fit everything into your first visit I recommend going to Shopsin’s, Arancini Bros, and L.E.S. Ice Cream Factory. The Lower East Side is well worth a turn if you have never visited. This is one of my personal favorite neighborhoods in the city. The Tenement Museum is a really interesting look at how immigrants once lived. I recall mentioning to John’s grandmother that we were visiting the museum and I asked if she had ever been. Her response was priceless. “I don’t need to see it, I lived it!”
6. Visit Unique Spots ‘Only in New York.’ One of my absolute favorite places in New York is a store called Kitchen Arts and Letters. It is a store solely devoted to cookbooks. It’s located on the Upper East Side and is a really fun place to check out if you are like me and are obsessed with food and cookbooks! I also enjoy Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks, a shop near the East Village, which offers used cookbooks. You can find some really unique items here that you might have seen when you were young but haven’t seen since. Another place I love to visit is Kee’s Chocolates. These are handmade chocolates made with unusual flavors like black sesame, balsamic or black rose. The owner has moved from her original location, but what remains the same is the devotion to fine ingredients and delicious products. Well worth seeking this out if you should find yourself on the Upper West Side. As an anglophile with a healthy obsession in all things British, I love visiting Myers of Keswick and grabbing my Cornish pasties, bangers and sausage rolls here. The kids love this place as much as I do and know that I will not be able to resist grabbing a lot of the real Cadbury chocolates when I visit! The oldest apothecary in the U.S, is located on Sixth Avenue in Greenwich Village at C.O. Bigelow Apothecary and contains a wide range of medicines, balms and salves as it has since it was founded in 1838. Apparently, Thomas Edison and Mark Twain were treated here. It’s a really interesting spot to explore and worth the trip. I also have to recommend Idlewild Books, a travel bookstore on 7th Avenue that has some wonderful guidebooks on spots around the world as well as books on languages. Finally, I’m saving the best for last – Zabar’s. What is Zabar’s you might wonder? To me, it is a lot of things, but it is mainly a food emporium that sells bagels, smoked fish, cheese, and olives. Of course, that’s just a very small selection of what they sell. You can basically find just about anything and it is all delicious! I love going for the unusual jams and jellies, the knishes, smoked meats and prepared foods. They sell amazing babkas and prepared soups of all kinds. They also have an upstairs selling all kinds of kitchen items. This is the one place where we were able to find a hard-boiled egg tray, similar to what is offered on bars in France. It’s also always the last stop we make in our car before we drive home. John always parks and me and the boys run inside to grab what is needed. Sometimes we have a lot of impulse buys, but everything we bring home is devoured pretty much immediately. It’s been around for over 80 years and is an institution on the Upper West Side. I stayed in a hotel not far from here just so I could walk to it more easily. This and all of these places are the institutions I love and that you don’t find anymore. Thankfully for all of us, there are still some devoted people who are keeping these traditions alive and providing services that are unique to New York or handed down from generations. This is why these places are so important.
7. Go to the Storied Bars and Elegant Cocktail Lounges. Have you ever enjoyed a Bloody Mary? Did you know it was invented at the St. Regis King Cole Bar and originally called a red snapper? Surely, you have heard of the Cosmopolitan? That drink was popularized and named at the lively Tribeca water hole, the Odeon. Naturally, if you have ever had a Manhattan, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that has origins in New York as well, coming possibly from either the Manhattan Club or an undesignated spot on Broadway, according to some sources. There are many more famous drinks from New York, but making a pilgrimage to some of these historic and elegant lounges is a must when in New York. My personal favorite is Bemelman’s Bar in the Carlyle Hotel, which bears the name of artist Ludwig Bemelman, the author of the Madeline series of books and the muralist responsible for the art adorning the walls. This is the kind of place where you might see a celebrity or bump into a friend from the other side of the world. Dear Irving is another spot with rooms all containing different themes. One is art deco and another is pastel pink. You simply press a button upon arrival and a waiter shows up to take your drink order. Finally, no trip to New York is complete without going to Grand Central Station and ordering a drink at the Campbell. This was once the office of American financier John W. Campbell, a member of the New York Central Railroad's board of directors. Enjoy superb cocktails, super professional waiters and a magical location while you enjoy a tasty libation.
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