Where to Eat (RED) Drink (RED) Save Lives this June

If you’re anything like us, you eat out way more than you should during the course of any given month.  But this June, you have an excellent excuse to spread your dining dollars around at spots throughout New York City — because so many local establishments are participating in Eat (RED) Drink (RED) Save Lives.  The edible counterpoint to Bono’s ongoing RED initiative — to raise money and awareness for the fight against AIDS — participating restaurants are offering special, red-themed menu items throughout the entire month, with proceeds going to the organization.  So while you can’t go wrong with whatever eateries you choose to patronize, we’ve narrowed down the field to six, don’t-miss spots, including Mario Batali’s Babbo, April Bloomfield’s The Spotted Pig, Wylie Dufresne’s Alder, and more!

Alder: Alder should already be at the top of your must-visit list, now that Wylie Dufresne has taken charge of the kitchen. And when you stop in this month, you’ll be able to pair highly creative dishes like Boudin Corn Dogs and Ovaltine Ice Cream Cake with a Drink (Red) cocktail, made with cachaca, campari, lime and red wine.

Babbo: Mario Batali actually helped organize NYC’s own Eat (Red) Drink (Red) campaign, so every one of his restaurants is taking part in some way or form.  It’s a great incentive to visit his original West Village trattoria, Babbo, for an elegant Wagyu Carpaccio (featuring meat from co- Eat (Red) organizer, Pat LaFrieda), paved with black truffles.

The Spotted Pig: April Bloomfield has also involved her stable of NYC restaurants in the Eat (Red) campaign; including her regularly James Beard award-nominated The Spotted Pig, currently offering two items — delicious Deviled Eggs or the rosy-hued Don Felipe cocktail.

Maya: Drink (Red) at Richard Sandoval’s upscale Mexican restaurant, Maya, by ordering multiple Mojito Fresas; flavored with fresh, juicy strawberries.

The Meatball Shop: It’s easy to Eat (Red) at the Meatball Shop, as long as whatever you order comes smothered in the tasty house marinara, including beef, pork, chicken or veggie Meatballs, stuffed into sliders or layered over pasta or salad.

Smorgasburg: Brooklyn’s premier, al fresco food market, Smorgasburg, has involved itself in the Eat (Red) campaign in a big way, by recruiting a number of its vendors to offer dishes. So make a day of it, and contribute to the cause by gorging on Duck Confit from Duck Season, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches from Milk Truck, barbecued Brisket from Mighty Quinn’s and more.