Dear eaters and readers,
Welcome to your pulse check on the food and hospitality scene in New York.
We are in that part of summer that New Yorkers resist (e.g., Ryan just published that he escapes the city in August to wander about Fairfield County’s farmers markets and wind across the Northeast for roadside eateries).
But if you aren’t leaving, then stay, lean in, eat it up.
Late summer produce is at its most succulent. The last few tomato martinis beckon. Figs are full and buoyant and blanketed on almond cake. The parks are all perched with people. It’s still hot and slick out there. Thirst, thirst!
This is summer’s last stand, so stand with it.
P.S. for Outpost readers! I’m Kayleigh, a food, restaurant, and culture writer based in New York. I cover New York’s restaurant scene with this very series, Food & Hospitality Things I’m Into, alongside writing for publications like Food & Wine and Eater.
Here, you’ll read about restaurants that persist past the news cycle, food that is craveable and curious, and people who are committed to the art of welcoming others.
This is what’s on my mind in the food + hospitality world right now, as we head into this weekend and toward the home stretch of this border month.
New York Food and Hospitality Things I’m Into Right Now:
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The burger and martini, baby. You’ve heard it before: A burger + martini is my favorite celebrity wedding this summer. And the fall and winter and spring. Here’s my current trusty rotation:
Raoul’s. Be willing to wait in line, but trust that the 12 — yes, only 12 — burgers available are worth it. You can only order them at the bar.
Lord’s. There are ALSO only 12 burgers each weekday evening at this fan-fav English bistro. Hard-to-get works, I guess. The soft, pillowy pretzel bun glistens, the Welsh rarebit cheese punches, the white onion bites. It’s sexy and intimidating.
Milly’s. This is my new neighborhood haunt in Bed-Stuy with a pickled pepper sauce burger. Mwah.
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Emmett’s on Grove. If you really want the best deal here, go for the happy (and a half) hour for the $9 martini. Magic! But you can only sit at the bar for the deal. The Emmett’s burger comes ready with relish, peppers, ketchup, and tomato — all decked-out and dressed up how I like it.
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Speaking of martinis, if you haven’t had a tomato martini this summer, speak now or forever hold your peace. Don’t expect a tomato martini to bite like a dirty martini. It’ll be smoother and rounder, with a blend of savory, saline, and vegetal components. Ask your bartender how they concocted it; they’ll nerd out. Here’s where:
At Chez Fifi, the uptown French bistro, get the olive-oil washed tomato martini.
At The Wooly in Nolita, run the clarified caprese martini.
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At Cote in Flatiron, pair the tomato martini with the Butcher’s Feast.
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Stars, the 12-seat, walk-in-only wine bar your chef-adjacent friends are lining up for. It obviously has a spectacular wine program, but earlier this summer, the team launched a coffee program with a custom-made blend from Maru Coffee and cutie beignets in a box! Plus, an espresso martini at night ;)
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Katie Parla’s Rome cookbook and Popina’s backyard. I got lucky and got to eat dishes straight from the cookbook at Popina’s event a few weeks ago. Popina’s back patio is next-level, and James hosts rotating events there all of the time. Keep an eye out.
popina back patio -
The allure of the perfect shuck. My friend dates an oyster shucker and she’s never been happier. It might be time to learn a new skill, fellas. Also, all the oyster shucking scenes from the new Bourdain movie, Tony, have me in a bit of an oyster spiral. Watch, learn, and slurp here:
Zig Zag Oyster Bar — I’m so ready for Brooklyn’s brand new oyster bar, from the team behind two of my favorites in the city, Eel Bar and Cervo’s.
Dean’s — The Guinness x oyster shooter combo here is a must, must.
Baby Oyster at Frog Wine bar — The last summer oyster pop-up here is this Sunday, August 23rd. Baby Oyster, a roaming seafood pop up, brings a distinct blend of Peruvian, Mexican, and Japanese flair to ceviche and oysters.
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Slushy, soft serve, repeat. On Saturday, August 22nd, Spring Bar is hosting a 4-course icy treat tasting, with Korean, Chinese, Taiwanese, and Egyptian flavors.
If you can’t snag a $28 ticket, just swing around the corner to the relatively new Lai Rai for a Vietnamese natural wine bar x ice cream parlor. There’s corn, banana leaf, and fish sauce caramel ice cream.
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The cabbage rolls at Thai Diner. Yes, they’re turkey-stuffed AND the best dish there. Who would’ve thought turkey would be so glam? They’re even better dining alone with a good book, too.
cabbage rolls at thai diner Gjelina’s second floor in NoHo. I have a soft spot for Gjelina — it was one of the first “cool” (what’s cool?) restaurants in Los Angeles I went to when I was 18. Its NYC outpost is on Bond St, offering guests two gorgeous, sweeping floors. Ask for the second-floor table near the windows. Order two hidden hard-hitters: a glass of Mencia and the small plate of mushrooms. It’s a good place to go when you don’t know where to go.
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The Nolita x Chinatown corridor with some of the best cafes in the city right now. If you know me, you know I love Milkweed, a warm, homey Australian cafe in Chinatown. Josh, Sam, and Jacob make a semi-touristy area feel like home.
But in that same little Nolita/Chinatown arena, you have Park at Kims, the new Frenchette, the (over)hyped Caffe Paradiso, the backgammon cafe 7 Spring, Madhappy’s Pantry, and Cafe Integral. When you don’t feel like drinking, do a coffee tour here.
Off-Menu Hospitality Things I’m Into Right Now:
Artists-in-residence at hotels. I recently interviewed the general manager of the new Airelles Palladio Venice, and he told me this exquisite luxury hotel has an artist in residence. At this Venetian palace, her name is Costanza Alvarez de Castro. Into it!
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Open-mic readings + gatherings.
Elizabeth Street Garden hosts Sunday poetry readings.
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On August 26th, Dream Baby Press is hosting a party, PLUS a live reading in collaboration with the Seaport Museum. It’s not just any live reading though; you’ll hear from Jemima Kirke (swoon!!).
jemima kirke <3
One Love Community Fridge. This food-centered nonprofit places community fridges across cities to provide fresh food + nourish communities at no cost. You can see a map of community fridges all around New York here. They’re collaborating with The Little Grenjai for a Summer Block Party later this month to raise funds.
Cutting the minimalism and getting eclectic. I recently heard Audrey Gelman, the owner of Hudson Valley’s countryside escape The Six Bells Inn, speak about her obsession with little miniatures. Her inn is a patchwork dollhouse. I’m in awe of people’s whimsy, people’s innate curiosity being the actual fuel for their hospitality concept. From a small food pop-up to a whole hotel, hospitality is an extension of our weirdest, most eclectic selves. It’s timeless because it’s trend-less.
Talk soon + eat well <3
Kayleigh
