Walking through the Lower East Side around 10 o’clock at night without a few cocktails reveals a completely different city. Glowing neon signs illuminate the dark, dirty streets, as trendy individuals smoke cigarettes outside trendy city hot spots. Dirty French, located on Ludlow, embraces the neighborhood, with a bright pink sign marking the front of the restaurant. Gorgeous hostess great you with a warm smile, … Continue reading Dirty French
Bagels and New York City are synonymous. It’s the greatest city in the world’s claim to fame, citing the delicious New York City tap water as the reason you really can’t get this kind of crunchy goodness anywhere else. So when a brand new little bagel shop on the Lower East Side grabbed the attention of the entire culinary world, all foodies knew something big was … Continue reading Black Seed Bagel
From the moment you walk into the narrow doorway of Taqueria LES, you know they mean business. Los Angeles decor covers the walls, with Dodgers flags and famous celebrity mug shots lining the bar. LA rules the taco world, and Taqueria knows they need to show respect to the master. The explicit list of rules on the back of the menu proves they aren’t messing … Continue reading Taqueria LES
Shrimp with the heads on. That was the one requirement for my sister, Amanda’s birthday dinner with me in the city. It’s an oddly specific request, and one that needed to be filled. A simple Google search for this type of a delicacy is not the simplest feat, but fortunately FourSquare came to the rescue. We made our way through the streets of Chinatown, past … Continue reading The Boil
Who would’ve thought Gin and Tonics could be so fun? The vibe at Cata, a relatively new addition to the Lower East Side, makes the art of drinking and eating tapas completely different then the rest. Twenty-two different varieties of Gin and Tonics fill an entire long menu. You’ll find numerous traditional Spanish dishes, each with their own playful presentation and slightly twist. You’ll also … Continue reading Cata
Beer lovers rejoice at Top Hops, a craft-brew shop and tasting bar on the Lower East Side. The establishment doubles as a store and bar hang out creating a warm and vibrant atmosphere that’s really all about the suds. Ted Kenny, a former Anhuser-Bush sales executive, left corporate America to open the shop of his dreams. Over twenty rotating drafts flow in pint size glasses … Continue reading Top Hops Beer Shop
It’s become slightly cliche to love The Stanton Social, a Lower East Side restaurant that began the small plate phenomenon almost a decade ago. But even though the restaurant now attracts a slightly different crowd – a slightly older clientele mixed in with attractive foreigners – the food still keeps this Chris Santos’ first venture a fan favorite. His second restaurant, Beauty & Essex, has … Continue reading Stanton Social
Banh Mi Saigon easily blends into the landscape of Grand Street. Brightly colored signs with both Chinese and English lettering mark each shop, with the lingering smell of fish filling the air. Shop owners carefully watch their unrecognizable merchandise sitting on metal shelves outside the storefronts, as I walked down the street, sticking out like a sore thumb with my canvas backpack and pale skin. … Continue reading Bahn Mi Saigon Bakery
Every dish you can think of seems to be getting some kind of gourmet face lift. Cupcakes, Mac & Cheese, and now Wraps. Wolfnights on the Lower East Side manages to convert a would be stoner’s paradise into a totally acceptable place to stop for a wrap on your way to work. After Little Munster ran out of grilled cheese at 9pm (a travesty!) my friend, … Continue reading Wolfnights
Late on a Saturday night, I texted my friend, Vildana asking for an inexpensive, yet fun, place for dinner in her neighborhood, the Lower East Side. Immediately, she responded Barrio Chino with tons of exclamation points, followed by elaborate descriptions of the margarita choices I needed to try. Trusting her insight, my friends Rachel, Amanda and I hopped on the subway to try our luck … Continue reading Barrio Chino
The Political Foodie 