my favorite spots in nyc

eating, drinking, existing, etc.

Before I lived in Brooklyn, I didn’t usually visit a spot more than once. I prided myself on my willingness to seek out something new, rarely sinking into the comfort of the familiar. So when I moved there, I expected my drive to conquer my to-eat list would only intensify in a walkable city with too many options for what to consume, but here I am, nearly a year later, having visited several spots more than once and loving that I’ve grown to be ok with that. After all, you choose to live somewhere with hopes that it will eventually feel like home, and nothing says home like having your places.

Read this as recs if you wish, but this is only a list of places that mean something to me. Because if I’m going to go somewhere more than once, it’s because there was something about it! I’m going to get cut off with the amount of photos in here, so open it up in your browser for the full list, which includes restaurants, coffee shops, bars, and honorable mentions that I would’ve revisited with more time.

Restaurants 

Trinidadian food in Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights: I recommend them ALL. You simply cannot go wrong! If you want seating, then Trini Girl or A&A. My favorite roti may have been from Ali’s. My favorite overall is probably A&A; in addition to a veggie roti and/or double, get the pholourie, these fluffy balls made of split peas and flour, served with tamarind chutney. Trinidad Golden Palace and Royal Bakery also offer plenty of baked goods and Trinidadian-Chinese food.  

Buntopia: A refuge by Myrtle-Broadway for sushi and bun burgers. It’s where I’d take a vegan or non-vegan because they have plenty of options for every kind of eater. I think their vegan sushi is almost comparable to Shizen in SF but at a more affordable price point! Sit in their garden, where each table is behind a wooden door, allowing for peaceful conversations or a solo dining experience that is as solo as it gets. They also have rice bowls and ramen, but after trying a bit of everything, I definitely lean toward the sushi and their oyster bay bun burger.

Tofubox: The menu is a tad overwhelming with a glorious variety of dim sum, vegetables, mushrooms, tofu, and innovative meat alternatives. But that also means you can go again and again and never run out of fun things to order! 

Yia Yia’s Taverna: I just went to Greece so when I say Yia Yia’s is still some of the best Greek food I’ve had, I mean it. Their dolmades are big and filled with WARM (rare!), perfectly moist rice. They also have some traditional Greek dishes that I hadn’t heard of before. My favorite is the imam, silky stuffed baby eggplants. 

MáLà Project: I’m a sucker for the peaceful home page of their website. And I’m a sucker for Sichuan dry pot, where you pick whatever you want from a variety of any veggies, noodles, mushrooms, and tofu, coated with a unique sauce made of 24 herbs and spices. Obviously I love spice, but I’d take it down a notch here to enjoy it more. 

Bunna Cafe: I’ve had better Ethiopian food, but Bunna still rocks. The lunch special is $12.50 for 4 items on a bed of injera, which is pretty hard to beat. The vibes are also perfect, with books lining the walls and a coffee ceremony.

Spicy Moon: The Sichuan restaurant with three locations that is probably familiar to anyone even slightly interested in NYC’s vegan scene. It’s popular for a reason though! My favorites: wontons in chili oil, cumin style, and 3 cup.

Superiority Burger: Not everyone loves Superiority Burger…or so I hear…but I do. Tbh the title burger is just ok but their focaccia and collard greens sandwich is stellar!!! I also love their TLT, starring a thick slab of fried tofu. And gelato, with flavors rotating weekly. Go for lunch to be seated immediately or wait for dinner for the full menu.

More restaurants in the final section!

Coffee & drinks

With restaurants, there are so many options that I might as well try something new most of the time, but with drinks, I find the atmosphere to be just as important as the drink. After all, most places are going to have cappuccinos. It’s just a matter of where you drink said cappuccino. Sometimes when I ventured out to try a new coffee shop to spend 3 hours at, I felt a tiny pang of regret that I didn’t just go to my usual neighborhood spots, which are confirmed gems. So here are my favorites in my neighborhood and other neighborhoods I frequented. 

I love passionfruit the most

Coffee 

Passionfruit - The floor-to-ceiling windows that welcome the light even on dreary days. The way they have decaf. (I learned decaf is less common in New York, fitting the stereotype that New Yorkers wanna GO.) The way their matcha is really good for a coffee shop. (My matcha standards have been lowered here to say the least. But still!) The way it’s three easy blocks away. I have eavesdropped at Passionfruit, I have written at Passionfruit, I have almost cried at Passionfruit, I have dreamt at Passionfruit. All with a blueberry cardamom cappuccino in front of me, threatening to cool down, but you know how they (Nicole Kidman) say heartbreak feels good at AMC? Even lukewarm coffee feels good at Passionfruit. 

Nook - The place to waste three hours of a slow morning or afternoon or evening (they do it all) in Bushwick…if you can grab a spot. They also have events and beer and wine at night! (I went to Monday’s women’s writing group once. It was cute! I also went to trivia once and it was hard but fun.) 

Chez Alex - The go-to for a coffee and pastry moment because they have at least 10 vegan pastry options that are not muffins or banana bread! I adore the rose pistachio cake and coffee cake. 

Clementine - I will always remember the day I woke up in a funk, walked 45 minutes to Clementine, savored a vegan croissant and cappuccino while people watching, stopped by Dreamery, the vegan gelateria next door, and walked back. Peak sadness! The outdoor seating area feels very Paris, not that I know what Paris feels like, but I’d imagine. They also do cakes, savory pastries, sandwiches, and bowls.

Not as Bitter - The fruit latte spot that just opened in East Village! It’s across the street from Apollo Bagels, so you already know the two must be paired together. I did not ever expect to consume papaya and durian in my coffee, and maybe it sounds like tropical fruit and coffee don’t belong together, but THEY DO. 

Brooklyn Kolache - My favorite Bed-Stuy coffee shop. They have sweet and savory Czech pastries that I haven’t tried, so the reasons I love it are the ube latte and cozy back room.

Public Records - When I was promoting my pop up, multiple people congratulated me because they knew Public Records is a big deal in the nightlife scene so that was nice of them. I didn’t get a chance to visit Public Records at night (clearly it must be wonderful) but their coffee is lovely, with vegan pastries from L'imprimerie and an exciting daytime menu. 

Nippon Cha - My favorite matcha in NYC is at this spot in Williamsburg! Kijitora is a close second and has been getting lots of attention lately, but I’m still partial to Nippon Cha. I usually pair it with reading a book at McCarren or the Beacon’s Closet in the same area. 

Cholita - Founded by an Ecuadorian brother and sister duo, they serve Ecuadorian, Peruvian, and Puerto Rican coffee. I went to this Ridgewood coffee shop twice in my last two weeks and really regretted not visiting earlier. The raíces latte is PERFECT, with cinnamon, star anise, and panela. (P.S. You might as well head around the corner to While in Kathmandu for Nepalese food while you’re at it!)

Bars 

I rarely enjoy paying for drinks because they’re like the price of a nice meal these days, but these are spots that are more than just a bar. Sure, a low-lit bar with people laughing and talking can be great, but how about laughing and talking in addition to playing games or browsing books or watching movies?

I’m now realizing that almost all of these are in Bushwick, and I’m biased, but I feel like a lot of cool places are.

The Keep - Bushwick-core at its finest, though this is technically in Ridgewood. They have board games! And super cool decor that I never get tired of looking at. It’s close to the clubs and is the perfect place to start or end the night.

All Night Skate - Ok yes, they have drag shows and arcade games and a shimmery disco ball and frozen palomas and the crowd’s vibes are too good but can I just say…the TACOS. The pulled mushroom tacos! 

Syndicated Bar Theater Kitchen - It’s a movie theater! And it’s a gorgeous one with a smaller theater and screen, but don’t let that deter you - still a stellar cinematic experience. Tickets come out to $10 and their food/drinks are also on the more affordable side. (The cauliflower wings were fire!) Even if you don’t want to watch a movie, you can linger outside and enjoy the high ceilings and nice lighting and movies playing silently on the walls, setting the mood.

The Tiny Cupboard Comedy Club - A Bushwick comedy club that describes itself as an ”affordable underground indie stand up comedy club” and that sounds about right. I remember laughing A LOT. One guy in the audience came during his 3 hour layover at JFK which is absolutely crazy…the confidence is inspirational.

Molasses - It’s a used bookstore bar with coffee and wine so duh, obviously I like it. Very limited seating and no laptops after 8pm. 

Talea - Going to Talea marked my transition to liking beer. There was a cake-decorating workshop going on when I went, so they really do it all. 

Ten Bells - My roommate and I got to know each other at their happy hour back in October, so it means something to me! During happy hour, $7 wine (and it’s good!) and $10 martinis in a cozy setting.

all night skate and syndicated!

With more time…

This is the part where I cheat and tell you where I would’ve revisited if I had more time. 

Fuska House (+ all the fuska trucks in Jackson Heights + more momos in Jackson Heights + everything in Jackson Heights. Did I mention I love Jackson Heights?)

Antidote - Chinese small plates that aren't lying about the chili symbols on the menu. Their spicy cabbage was made for someone like me. Near Domino Park!

Oasis - A big meal with plenty of vegan options for less than $10 in the more gentrified part of Williamsburg is rare, to my knowledge. Love the spinach pies!

B&H Dairy - I could totally see this becoming a regular casual lunch spot in East Village to visit by myself or with one friend (one and only one - a bit cramped for any more!) to devour pierogies and soup. Bonus points for the juice! You can pick 3-5 fruits/vegetables out of nearly 20 options.

Anixi - This impressive vegan restaurant would become the place to take anyone who visited me. It’s a mediterranean spot with some classics but also plenty of unique dishes. I remember loving their taramasalata and spinach boureka!

Malai - I cannot stand paying for Van Leeuwen (because a single scoop costs as much as a pint of their ice cream at any grocery store), so the warmer weather had me venturing out to Cobble Hill to have the South Asian-inspired flavors at Malai! Always paired with a slow walk down Smith Street, which has plenty to mosey through, including one of my favorite thrift stores, Unearth Vintage.

Coco Boys - Some of the best vegan ice cream I’ve ever had was at this cart that is sometimes outside of McCarren, managed by an enthusiastic mustached man who chronicled his journey securing durian from Thailand…and I believe him because it was amazing!

A few more that I’m lazy to write about but also loved: Tokuyamatcha & Onigirazu Bar (good matcha + Japanese snacks + botanical garden across the street), Manousheh (sweet and savory Lebanese flatbreads), Cuts and Slices (Black-owned pizza spot with exciting pizzas), Uptown Veg (vegan soul food in Harlem), Cho Dang Gol (Korean stews), Chiangmai Diner and Glur (Thai with exciting vegan options).

I’ll miss New York, both my pocket of it and the ease of transporting myself across neighborhoods to try as much as I could. Writing this and scrolling through my camera roll for pics really brought me back, even if it was just for a little bit.