SoPo NYC Downtown Restaurants Need Our Support
Pete Wells, chief restaurant critic for the New York Times and possibly the most important restaurant critic on the planet, substituted this week’s usual restaurant review for a love letter guide of where to eat downtown in NYC. It also makes an impassioned plea for all New Yorkers to make a special effort to patronize the great restaurants in downtown NYC, all of which lost power and some even suffered serious damage from Hurricane Sandy. As a result some establishments lost a week’s worth of revenue as well as their entire stock in the following days and weeks without power. Wells is hardly alone, plenty of other bloggers and critics have also voiced their support for struggling downtown restaurants including the Village Voice’s Fork In the Road crew, whose drew up an amazing comprehensive list of 100 Reasons to Eat and Drink Downtown in the area he calls, ‘SoPo’ or South of Power.
In addition to all of the excellent New York City downtown restaurants we’ve discussed here before, we thought this was a good time to recommend a few other SoPo favorites of ours. These restaurants have served us great meals in the past and, we hope, will continue to do so far into the future.
Downtown Restaurants Glenwood Loves
Pig and Khao, Aldea, Murray’s Cheese Bar, Perla, Barbarini Alimentari, this place suffered a lot of and may not reopen for some time but totally deserves all of your love the moment it does. Amazing, Kin Shop, Georgia’s Eastside Barbecue, Num Pang, Prima, Victory Garden Soft-Serve, The Wren, and Bianca.
Downtown Restaurants Glenwood Suggests You Love
Mission Chinese Food
One of the best new restaurants of 2012, this deceptively divey-looking spot on Orchard Street will make your face explode; with heat… and pleasure.
Bobwhite Lunch Counter
Is this the best fried chicken in New York City? Possibly. Terrific southern eats in a super-casual environment on Avenue C. Our advice, no matter how full you are, get the pecan pie bread pudding with homeade whipped cream. It's totally worth it.
Mile End Sandwich
Jewish deli food by way of Montreal, on quiet, cobblestoned Bond Street. Everything's great here, but if you only go once, get the Pastrami and the Poutine.
Buvette
Jody Williams' lovely little French spot on Grove Street. We tried most of the menu here, the Cog au Vin, the Oxtail Marmalade, the Poulpes aux Olives–and loved it all. Especially the Chocolate Mousse.
Back Forty West and Back Forty
Both of Peter Hoffman's farm-to-table restaurants on Prince and Crosby, on Avenue B, respectively are fabulous. The Soho spot however, makes the perfect oasis during Soho holiday-shopping jags.
Pok Pok Phat Thai
There are three things on the menu at Andy Rricker's hole-in-wall joint on Rivington Street, and all three will make you happy. We believe the Kuaytiaw Khua Kai will make you happiest.
Rosemary's
Arrive early to avoid the scene (and celebrities!), devour as much you can from the surprisingly gently-priced menu. A lively little trattoria includes a scerene roof garden.
Northern Spy
It's High Line stand is closed for the season, so go to the restaurant proper on East 12th Street for the super healthy, veggie-heavy always-a-pleasure fare.
Joe's Pizza
Year in and year out, this Carmine Street slice joint makes our Best Pizza in Town list. Get one plain, one pepperoni then snag a stool by the front window and you are in classic NYC pizza heaven.
Sullivan Street Bakery
Jim Lahey's newish cafe on Ninth Avenue in Chelsea has all all sorts of sweet and savory bread-based delights. Also: coffee. And: beer. Next door is his equally good pizza place, Co.
Posted in NYC Dining | Tagged Downtown NYC restaurants • Downtown restaurants • Great restaurants in NYC • New York city restaurant guide • SOPO • Where to eat in NYC
