The Tippler
This bar sits discreetly under Chelsea Market in a reclaimed, century-old basement. The resulting ambiance is elegant with an old-timey vibe, buzzing with the young and hip Meatpacking crowd. The Tippler’s food offerings are basic, with small plates, pickles, and sandwiches, but the extensive cocktail list is reason enough to venture there. It’s edgy and witty, referring to shots as Fast & Furious, mixing chocolate vodka with the juice of a blood orange in the “Weeping Gypsy,” and featuring some frozen slushies. Their “Gin and Chronic” is an innovative take on the classic gin highball. The drink’s ingredients – gin, hops, spiced lime, and tonic – belie how elaborate it is. Garnished with a dried conical hop and a wedge of lime, this drink is complex, full of notes of spices and citrus.
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One Stop Beer Shop
Brooklyn’s One Stop Beer Shop has an impressive beer menu with options like cream ales, porters, and gluten-free brews. But this is not one of those beer bars that just offers beer. Given the fact that it’s called the One Stop Beer Shop, inclusion is key, and they embrace beer cocktails whole-heartedly with the eleven beer cocktails on their menu.
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Death and Company
Death and Company is one of the city’s cult cocktail spots, one of the drinking establishments that helped bring back the world of speakeasies and old school cocktailing. The bar is notorious for its supply of bitters, infused spirits, and sweet syrups. The drink menu is expansive, you might even say it’s encyclopedic, featuring everything from punch to Juleps and tequila-based drinks. They even have a selection of intricate beer cocktails, lovingly referred to as “Noble Hops.”
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The Breslin Bar & Dining Room
This ultra hip bar, tucked into the equally hip Ace Hotel, offers a cool ambience and a drool-worthy menu from the creative mind of April Bloomfield. Pair some of her inventive bar snacks, including the Boiled Peanuts Fried in Pork Fat or the Sea Salt and Pepper Crisps, with one of the Breslin’s outstanding beer cocktails.
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Fatty ‘Cue Manhattan
Fatty ‘Cue has a knack for bringing some unusual flavors together to create curiously killer combinations. There’s the Crispy Lamb Breast with Cantaloupe, the Dorade with Sugar Plums, and the Poached Chicken with Pickled Jalapeño. There’s a running theme here. Zak Pelaccio likes to marry some type of succulent meat with a bit of citrus, something sweet, or a little heat. One of our favorite pairings at Fatty ‘Cue is the Bacon and Clams, an ensemble of Manila clams, house-smoked bacon, pickled chili, and curry leaf, with a dose of ginger and shallots added at the end for good measure. Giving new meaning to Surf & Turf, it makes a compelling case for swapping out the steak and lobster for...
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Alta
If you’re looking for a quirky tapas bar, Alta is a no brainer. In true tapas style, the menu is devoted entirely to small plates, but they’re not limited to Spain. Alta’s menu is inspired by flavors from all over the world. There’s Fried Goat Cheese with lavender honey and Stuffed Grape Leaves filled with chicken confit and jasmine rice. They’ve even got a Pastrami Ravioli on the menu. But if there’s one dish at Altayou absolutely must order, it’s their Bacon Wrapped Dates and Olives. Of course, we’ve heard of bacon-wrapped dates before, but Bacon-Wrapped Olives? That’s a new one. Both the olives and dates are stuffed with almonds for a little added crunch then wrapped in super smoky bacon and served. It’s probably a good thing this dish is served as a small, shareable plate, because we could keep nibbling...
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Beauty & Essex
Chris Santos has always managed to walk a fine line between kitschy and cool, andBeauty & Essex is no exception. Just beyond the faux pawn shop is a super sexy, bi-level space with sixties decor, a two-story chandelier, and champagne flowing in the ladies room. A place this sexy ought to have sexy finger food. Santos rises to the occasion with grilled shisito peppers, roasted bone marrow and beet carpaccio. The Grilled Cheese, Smoked Bacon, and Tomato Soup Dumplings are a playful spin on the classic Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Combo. Except here everyone gets their own Chinese soup spoon, which comes with a crispy, cheesy dumpling, topped with bacon sprinkles, in a teeny pool of sweet tomato soup. Slurping is not only acceptable, it’s the most proper way to eat this comforting, sexy, and downright delicious...
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Traif
There’s something oddly endearing about this irreverently non-kosher restaurant, located smack in the middle of a Hasidic neighborhood in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The cheeky name sets the tone for the menu, studded with pork and shellfish, but there’s one dish that we just can’t stop eating. And surprisingly, it’s on the dessert menu. We’ve heard that chef Jason Marcus knew from the start that he wanted a bacon-inspired dessert, but Bacon Doughnuts? That’s just genius. The light, buttermilk doughnuts are coated with a dulce de leche glaze, sprinkled with bacon bits, and served with a scoop of coffee ice cream on the side. The combination of the buttermilk, bacon, and coffee gives the dish a breakfast-for-dessert vibe, and we’re loving every last bite And what better way is there to end a meal than with some...
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Having your own forager may be a badge of honor nowadays, but Print was one of the first restaurants in the city to pioneer the trend. As a result, their menu is hyper seasonal and lined with locally grown, organic produce. With devotion to such high quality ingredients, that probably means their Maple Sticky Buns are somewhat good for you, right? Well, we’re going to keep telling ourselves that as we devour Print’s devilishly good baked goods. Pastry Chef Heather Carlucci-Rodriguez starts with a light and fluffy bun, adds crunchy bits of maple-glazed bacon, and finishes the whole thing off with a drizzle of maple-butter glaze. And remember, the bacon is from Mountain View Farm in upstate New York, in case you need to explain to your friends why you’re eating a second… or third sticky bun. But our guess is that they...
Read MoreCrif Dogs
There’s plenty of places (and corners) to grab a hot dog in New York, but none rival this funky hot dog stand on Saint Marks Place. Two childhood best friends started this place back in 2001 after going on a two-year tasting tour to sample some of the best hot dogs on the East Coast. The resulting menu features dogs, like the Philly Tubesteak (a lot like a Philly Cheesesteak) and the Garden State (wrapped in ham and covered with chopped pepperoncini, American cheese, and mustard), but our favorite is Crif’s Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dog. Get one Bacon-Wrapped Dog “Spicy Red Neck-style” with chili, cole slaw, and jalapeños or breakfast-style with melted cheese and a fried egg on top. Or you can keep it simple and get it with lettuce and tomato for a one-of-a-kind take on the BLT. No matter which...
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