Located near the scenic waterfront in Brooklyn, the now-legendary Grimaldi's Coal Brick-Oven Pizzeria offers excellent pizzas and other delicacies. Cooked in a brick oven, the pies emerge crispy, fresh, and pleasantly charred. The toppings always consist of choicest ingredients, including delectable sausages, bacon, meatballs, vegetables, and mozzarella cheese. Other dishes on the menu include a variety of fresh salads, desserts, calzones, along with an impressive beer and wine list. Over the years, Grimaldi's has earned its share of faithful customers, who consider this to be the best pizza in New York City.
Located in the heart of White Plains, The Lazy Boy Saloon & Ale House has been a downtown institution since opening in 1994. Domestic and international craft beers, bottled brews and over 40 drafts on tap comprise arguably the best beer list in Westchester County. Enjoy a chilled pint with award-winning bar fare of timeless American favorites like burgers, sandwiches and pizzas. On Wednesday and Friday nights, this place comes alive with live gigs by local talent.
Principally a live music venue, The Long Beach Inn devotes plenty of energy to creating a wonderful concert schedule for music enthusiasts on Long Island, with great results. Special nights all week long tempt guests to satisfy their hunger at the restaurant - try Taco Tuesday - or dance to DJ mixes and happy hour acoustic sets before enjoying performances by great East Coast bands. See website for details and photo galleries.
McSorley's is a Cooper Union landmark that first opened its doors around the Civil War. It is one of the former operating bars in the city. McSorley's serves two unique beers, McSorley's Lager and McSorley's Cream Stock Ale, and they are served two mugs at a time. Inside, you'll find sawdust on the floor and historic bric-à-brac alongside photos and news clippings. The menu is decent, with delectable appetizers like hearty cheese plates. Just be sure to keep the pub's centuries-old motto in mind: "Be Good or Be Gone!"
Balthazar is a fabulous recreation of a typical French brasserie: bold, loud, and exciting. The space is dominated by red leather banquettes with retro mirrors, giving it a spacious look. The restaurant is a venture by Keith McNally, who also owns Pastis in the Meatpacking District. It offers breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner menus as well as special inventories for desserts, wines, and after-hours. You will find items such as grilled lamb T-Bones, duck confit, and crisp Berkshire pork belly. The Sunday Brunch is particularly popular.
Blind Tiger has been around for many decades, and a tight-knit circle of loyal patrons still frequent this place, which has humbly remained a favorite drinking destination for locals and newbies. The reason Blind Tiger continues to stay on top is because of their carefully crafted beer selection coupled with some of the best pub grub you'll find in New York. With an idiosyncratic choice of more than 20 draft beers, plus crazy bottled varieties, beer snobs will be left spoiled for choice. The food menu is nothing fancy, but there's something for everyone - sliders, salads, sandwiches and tacos. The happy hour lets you have a good time without having to break the bank.
Founded by an enterprising Lithuanian immigrant, The Village Vanguard is one of the oldest jazz clubs, given that its been around since 1935. Today, a sizable international crowd packs the club, enjoying the great music and acoustics, an informal New York camaraderie, and a good selection of beer and cocktails. Musical giants from Leadbelly to John Coltrane to Wynton Marsalis have played here, and fresh talent, including "name-dropping artists" can be heard in this fabled Greenwich Village basement seven days a week.
Ardesia is a popular wine bar that has a patio with brightly colored flowers where one can spend a warm evening. There are around 30 wines to choose from, categorized into Old World and New World. The food is freshly prepared at the venue and consists of charcuterie, cheese and imaginative snacks to increase the appeal of the wine. Spend a lovely evening under the stars, amidst brightly colored flowers, with a glass of wine in hand.
A stylish beer garden in Brooklyn, Covenhoven has a variety of locally brewed craft beers available on tap. This lively bar also showcases an impressive beer and ale collection at the back, while a blackboard in the front lists the beers available. With its walls decked in decorative plates from vintage NYC breweries for nostalgic effect, Covenhoven is the perfect hangout for drinks after work or just a Saturday night soirée. The specialties include Hill Farmstead Harlan, Burlington Barista, and Burlington Folk Metal Stout.
Indulge the geeky side in you by visiting Caveat, an interesting and unconventional events space on the Lower East Side of New York. Founded by science lovers, it is made fit to host anything from storytelling sessions, science talks, stand up comedy shows, poetry slams to trivia competitions and more. Its state-of-art technology and excellent sound system also make it an ideal venue for the recording of podcasts, a panel debate or discussion, or company meetings. This laidback space also comprises a bar area where you can sip on craft beers and savory wines and gorge on delicious pub fare while engaging in a stimulating event. This unique space is welcoming of big ideas and as per their tagline, you will definitely go back home smarter.
A popular jazz club, Birdland is dedicated to Charlie Parker, a famed jazz musician nicknamed Bird. Located on West 44th Street, this place is all about soulful jazz music. Well spread with simple decor, the food here is typically spicy Southern cooking. The sirloin steak with gravy and the pork medallions with collared greens are worth trying. Musical greats like John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and, of course, Charlie Parker have all performed here. All in all, Birdland is a great place for jazz music. The club also features a restaurant and bar, as well as a variety of special events and performances.