Dinner and a Movie NYC Guide: Landmark Sunshine Theater Edition
It’s the classic night out, going for dinner and a movie (or reverse it: a movie, then dinner). Even here in New York City, where there’s always 20 million things happening, it’s still one of our favorite date-night plans… or when the kids are willing to hang out with us on a Saturday night… or when we go out with friends… or… well, you get it. We do the dinner-and-a-movie night a LOT, and have no problem taking a subway or two to really do it right. Glenwood residents living in apartments in Manhattan may not even have to travel that far.
Anyway the point is this: about once every other a week or so, we’re going to add an entry to the Glenwood Dinner and a Movie NYC Guide, featuring the Landmark Sunshine theater, a movie theater we frequent and an array of close-by dining options.
Seeing a Movie at the Landmark Sunshine Theater on the Lower East Side
East Houston Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues. Opened 2001. Five screens.
Getting there (in descending order of closeness): F train to Second Avenue; 6 train to Bleecker; R train to Prince.
Pros of Landmark Sunshine Theater: Reliably first-rate slate of indie movies, as well as your hipper foreign films and documentaries. Stadium seating in three of the five screens, good sound in all, plenty of legroom, comfortable seats that have held up well. Solid selection of high-end concessions like caramel popcorn, Art Bars organic chocolate, vegan cookies, Peet’s Coffee, wasabi peas, etc. and a worth-it rewards program, the Film Club: buy ten tickets, get one free, plus monthly concessions specials.
Cons of Sunshine: The upstairs bathrooms always and inexplicably smell like mildew. A recent policy change forces you to mingle chaotically in the lobby (a ploy to increase concession sales?) before your movie is seated. But these are minor quibbles. The Landmark Sunshine Theater is the best theater in town.
The Dinner Side of Dinner and a Movie NYC Night
The East Village and the Lower East Side are both within striking distance of the Landmark Sunshine Theater so there are dozens of very good eating choices. This is great for Glenwood residents of Tribeca Bridge Tower, Liberty Plaza and Barclay Tower who are even closer to these spots. Here are just a few of our choices.
South Brooklyn Pizza East Village
A hole in the wall in the East Village on 1st Avenue and 7th Street, South Brooklyn Pizza has excellent slices. There are regular slices (two cheeses, basil) and square (meat, cherry tomatoes, other goodies), both with a wonderfully crisp/chewy crust. A bit of a hike to the Sunshine, but we crave these freshly made beauties so much that we’ll leave the house a little earlier to eat here.
Little Muenster
Fantastic selection of complicated grilled cheese sandwiches–gouda and pastrami! oaxaca and sweet corn! stilton and pear!–all pulled off with aplomb. Good soup, too. Little Muenster is located On Stanton between Orchard and Ludlow on the Lower East Side.
Móle Restaurant West Village
West Village Mexican classics, “authentically” (and skillfully) prepared. Dessert alert: if you’re a flan fan, Móle Restaurant’s is not to be missed. Móle Restaurant West Village is located right around the corner from the Landmark Sunshine theater, on Allen Street.
Georgia’s Eastside BBQ
Georgia’s Eastside BBQ East Village is nothing spectacular, but we’ve never been disappointed by the ribs here, and the sides have always been solid. Georgia’s Eastside BBQ is located on Orchard just south of Houston, Lower East Side.
Sauce Restaurant Lower East Side
From Frank of Frank’s fame comes Sauce: great pastas, great salads, great meatballs, all in a party-like atmosphere. Sauce Restaurant on the Lower East Side is located at the corner of Rivington and Allen. Note: cash only.
Prima NYC
East Village restaurant Prima NYC offers up deftly cooked fish–the scallops have been perfect every time we’ve ordered them, which is every time we’ve gone–with sophisticated sides, in a pretty, low-key setting in the East Village. Fancy cocktails as well. On 1st Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues.
DBGB Kitchen & Bar
Downtown Manhattan restaurant DBGB Kitchen & Bar serves up meat, meat, and more meat, via Daniel Boulud. Is the blood sausage the best thing on the menu? Maybe. A boisterous, banker-ish scene, and you can spend a lot here if you’re not careful. East Village: On Bowery and Houston.
Pulino’s NYC Bar and Pizzeria
Keith McNally throws a terrific pizza (and pasta) party every night at Pulino’s NYC Bar and Pizzeria. Pulino’s NYC is located on Bowery and Houston. All of the Antipasti good, too. And the Insalte? Sì, anche un bene.
Dinner and a Movie NYC Ends With Dessert
Il Labatorio del Gelato
Il Labatorio del Gelato is located just three blocks east of the Landmark Sunshine Theater on Houston and Ludlow. Offers both the expected and the more interesting flavors. Most important, it’s the best gelato on the Lower East Side, and even though it isn’t technically “ice cream” it still makes the list of the best ice cream in NYC.
Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery
The cupcakes have slipped a bit of late, but if they have the Scutterbotch brownies, get one. Also good: the Chocolate Bomb pudding. Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery is located on Rivington between Essex and Norfolk.
Let us know, please, if you have any favorites that we missed!
Posted in Downtown, NYC Dining | Tagged DBGB Kitchen & Bar • dinner and a mo • Dinner and a Movie NYC • Georgia's Eastside BBQ • Il Labatorio de Gelato • Landmark Sunshine Theater • Little Muenster • Lower East Side • Móle Restaurant West Village • Prima NYC • Pulino's NYC Bar and Pizzeria • Sauce Restaurant Lower East Side • South Brooklyn Pizza East Village • Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery
