Stuff to Do

AllNY.com's look at things to do in NYC written by New Yorkers for New Yorkers and serious New York tourists.

Ways to Honor Black History Month in New York State

Black History Month is a time to celebrate the African diaspora and the contributions and achievements of African Americans. Also known as African American History Month, each February gives us a starting point during which we can recognize the importance of the community in U.S. history. Here are some ways to commemorate in New York City and New York State.

Honor the Path to Freedom

Courtesy North Star Underground Railroad Museum © NYSDED-Photo by Darren McGee

New York State’s Path through History initiative offers an opportunity to learn about and visit the hundreds of museums, parks, galleries and other destinations that tell the important story of African-Americans in New York and the role they played in US history. Within its interactive website, the Underground Railroad shares information about abolitionists who aided thousands of enslaved people to freedom and includes key locations from Brooklyn to Buffalo where history was made.

Harriet Tubman National Historical Park © NYSDED-Photo by Darren McGee

Suggested stops are New York’s newest state park Sojourner Truth State Park in Kingston, the Travel with Tubman Trail or the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center where historic struggles and achievements come to life.

For more information about New York’s Black history, visit https://www.iloveny.com/things-to-do/path-through-history/.

Celebrate the Artistic Achievements of the Community

Will Liverman © Jaclyn Simpson

Presented in collaboration with the Metropolitan Opera at Alice Tully House at Lincoln Center, operatic baritone Will Liverman will perform selected songs from his Grammy-nominated album Drams of a New Day showcasing renowned Black composers across generations. The performance is on February 15 with tickets starting at $30. Liverman will be accompanied by pianist Paul Sánchez with a special performance by Lady Jess on violin.

Lady Jess Courtesy Lincoln Center Presents

The concert is part of the acclaimed “Lincoln Center Presents” program.

Courtesy The Colored Musicians Club & Jazz Museum

For a different kind of immersive musical experience, music lovers should visit The Colored Musicians Club & Jazz Museum in Buffalo. Slated to get a multi-million dollar facelift this spring, the museum will add rooms for music lessons and visiting musicians. Created in 1918, the club is a designated national preservation site and is the only remaining African American Musicians Club in the country.

Lenny Kravitz © Mark Seliger

Join Grammy Award-winning rock star Lenny Kravitz and photographer David Hindley with GQ’s Mark Anthony Green in a conversation about the legendary early years of Kravitz’s life in music and his new book, Lenny Kravitz: The Formative Years 1989-1993. As Kravitz recorded and toured for his first three albums — Let Love Rule, Mama Said, and Are You Gonna Go My Way — Hindley was charged with capturing the international star as he was coming into his own. The program is online through the 92^nd Street Y on February 16.

Or, take in a show at the famous Apollo Theater in Harlem, the home of Black cultural performance in New York City.

Courtesy Harlem Fine Arts Show

Harlem Fine Arts Show (HFAS) will celebrate its 15th year of being the largest traveling arts show featuring artists from the African Diaspora. The 15th Anniversary Celebration: Celebrating Art and Culture in America will show the works of more than 60 artists of African, Caribbean, and Black descent over a three-day cultural experience and festival from February 24-26 in New York City. Curator for the show is Debra Vanderburg Spencer, the award-winning and museum-trained curator and art historian who has worked with the National Endowment for the Arts, the William J. Clinton Foundation and institutions such as Harlem’s 125th Street Improvement District, New York Foundation for the Arts and the Harlem Arts Alliance.

Dine at a Black-Owned Restaurant

Jasmine's Caribbean Cuisine courtesy Times Square Alliance

Opened during the pandemic and still going strong, Jasmine’s Caribbean Cuisine on Restaurant Row is a tropical-themed oasis co-owned by Jasmine Gerald. The restaurant honors a variety of Caribbean cultures and serves a menu inspired by the cuisines of Dominica, Antigua, St. Thomas, Trinidad and Jamaica with recipes that have been handed down from generation to generation.

Courtesy Jasmine’s Caribbean Cuisine

The restaurant was awarded the Black Plate Award for the best in Black culinary excellence. The restaurant serves two of my favorite Jamaican dishes, ackee and saltfish, and Jerk chicken.

Swediopian at Hav & Mar credit Clay Williams © Clay Williams

Chef Marcus Samuelsson and the Hav & Mar team will offer a distinctive prix fixe menu every Monday in February. Ingredients from the menu at the Chelsea, NYC restaurant will be sourced from Black-owned or managed companies. Purveyors and their resulting dishes include appetizers Beef Tartare with top round from Prince Abou’s Butchery, Queens, NY and Swediopian, a salmon dish cured with spices from Workinesh Spice’s from Burnsville, Minnesota. Mains are Addis York with purveyor Café’s, Queens, NY, an exciting dish with injero, fried chicken and soft boiled egg; and Umi’s Udon with ingredients from Workinesh Spice’s. For dessert, diners will be treated to the unusual combinations found in Corn Husk Chocolate Pudding or Apple Persimmon Crisp, both thanks to Striped Lion Rum’s from Woodbury, New Jersey. The cocktail menu continues the theme using Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey’s 1884 Tennessee Whiskey, Jack From Brooklyn’s Sorel Liqueur, Uncle Waithley’s Ginger Beer and a float of Equiano Rum, the world’s first African and Caribbean rum..

To add to the festivities, the restaurant will invite guest hosts for each dinner including Klancy Miller, author of For the Culture: Phenomenal Black Women and Femmes in Food (February 6); Thelma Golden, Director and Chief Curator of The Studio Museum in Harlem (February 13); Harlem fashion icon Dapper Dan (February 20); and visual artist and creator of the restaurant’s We Are From the Water installation, Derrick Adams (February 27).

Indulge in a Sweet Tradition

Courtesy Make My Cake

Aliyyah Baylor has set the baking world on fire, growing Make My Cake into a global sensation, which draws tens of thousands of worldwide visitors. Her third- generation family-owned business is celebrating 27 years with a thriving shop at the flagship West 139th Street and second Upper West Side locations in Manhattan. She also is also a generous philanthropist who is committed to improving the lives of New York City’s seniors and children. Ms. Baylor sits on the board of City Meals-on-Wheels and Black Women for Black Girls Giving Circle. She also received a Distinguished Business Woman of the Year Award from The Harlem Arts Council for her dedication to community service across New York City. Make My Cake bases its creations on the recipes of family matriarch Josephine Smith, combining traditions of Mississippi and Alabama with “Harlem soul.” Make My Cake serves pies, cobblers, cakes, cupcakes and cookies with the ability to customize everything. Signature creations include German Chocolate Cake, Red Velvet Cake, and local favorite, the Sweet Potato Cheesecake.

Support Black Entrepreneurs

From hoteliers and restaurant owners to artists and artisan spirit makers, Black entrepreneurs are charting new paths.

Courtesy The Lorca

Book a stay for an unusual vacation at The Lorca a collection of contemporary mountain retreats in the Catskills and Adirondacks from sisters Corianna and Brianna Dotson

Courtesy Seasoned Delicious Foods

Hudson Valley’s Seasoned Delicious Foods in Lake Katrine is a line of Caribbean-inflected seasonings to create Caribbean island dishes using gluten free, vegan, and non-GMO food products. Their café incorporates these products as well as ingredients sourced locally.

Courtesy BLACK MONARCHY

Founded by Phylicia Dove, Buffalo-based BLACK MONARCHY is a boutique that curates the vividness of globally cultural clothing and jewelry made of raw authentic materials and authentic fabrics. Their pieces, largely African-inspired, have diverse origins that also include India, America, Mexico, Indonesia and Thailand and are designed to be one-of-a-kind.

Courtesy Harlem Hops

Harlem Hops is Manhattan’s first 100% African-American owned NYC local craft beer bar. The bar has just been nominated for a James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar.

Foodies, Get Your Forks Ready! It’s Restaurant Week (er, Restaurant Month) Again in New York City through February 12

This year 515 restaurants are giving foodies a chance to enjoy some deep discounts while tucking into wonderful chef creations. Offering two-course lunch (starter and main, or main and dessert) and three course dinner (appetizer, entrée, dessert) prix fixe menus priced at $30, $45 and $60 with some variations, these New York City eateries invite you to sample their culinary wizardry without breaking the bank. Fortunately, the “week” lasts until mid-February so you have time to choose. Check the details as some meals are only offered on certain days. And, no worries, none of these will give you an experience like the one “enjoyed” by invited guests at Le Menu — you can still order a hamburger at some, no strings attached.

Here are 23 exceptional choices for your consideration for Winter Restaurant Week 2023.

Courtesy David Burke Tavern

David Burke Tavern’s three-course Restaurant Week dinner is priced low at $45, offered Tuesday through Sunday. You’ll be able to try Burke’s signature entrees like DB brined and roasted chicken with toasted faro, wild mushrooms and kale; and wild mushroom ravioli with its intriguing combination flavor profile of parmesan, sage, pomegranate and chocolate balsamic. All can be complemented by a selection from the special Restaurant Week $40 wine list. Three sides are also being offered for a reduced price of $15. The restaurant offers a $30 two-course lunch Restaurant Week menu as well.

Seeds and Weeds credit Hallie Burton

New York City has recently announced the arrival of the Tin Building, the sprawling culinary marketplace at The Seaport brought to life by Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Weekly lunch specials can be found at four of the building’s new restaurants: T. Brasserie, a French brasserie; The Frenchman’s Dough, where freshly made pizzas and pastas are served daily; House of the Red Pearl, a sexy fine dining restaurant serving Chinese-inspired dishes; and Seeds and Weeds, a sustainable and artisanal plant-based eatery focusing on using the fresh ingredients of the day. Seeds and Weeds also offers a Restaurant Week dinner.

Courtesy The Fulton

Nearby, set in the heart of the Seaport with stunning river views, The Fulton serves up Restaurant Week lunch and dinner menus featuring the celebratory-feeling petit seafood plateau of oysters, shrimp cocktail and sashimi; and mains such as ume sesame crusted salmon. And, here’s where you can order a French take on a hamburger, Fulton’s Gruyère cheeseburger au jus.

Street Performers Courtesy Mercado Little Spain

How about a movie with your specially priced dinner? Mercado Little Spain from superstar chef Jose Andres is hosting Monday Movie Nights on the big screen at Spanish Diner, extending beyond the end of Restaurant Week until February 27. Grab some complimentary popcorn and settle in to watch a selection of Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar movies while munching on Spanish Diner’s beloved huevos rotos (broken eggs) and fricando de ternera (traditional Catalan beef stew). Movies are shown at 7:30pm with a lineup of Bad Education, Volver, Parallel Mothers, All About My Mother, Julieta and Matador. Come prepared to read subtitles and have a great time. Not enough evening entertainment? On Thursday evenings from 6-8pm, Mercado Little Spain is bringing in street performers who will roam the market space.

Courtesy Tavern on the Green

You can’t find a prettier place to dine at than Tavern on the Green. Tavern’s $45 lunch includes a choice of appetizers such as Tavern black bean soup, baby spinach salad and grilled portobello mushroom flatbread. Entrées include pan-roasted medallions of monkfish and Angus skirt steak. For just $15 more, you can enjoy a lovely dinner including additional appetizer choices like caramelized garlic shrimp and a three-leaf salad. Dinner offerings include hearth-baked Chatham codfish and mustard-crusted organic chicken breast. For dessert, there’s New York cheesecake, warm apple crisp and carrot cake.

Courtesy Piggyback

Who doesn’t want to enjoy a cocktail tasting with their Restaurant Week special? Piggyback, sibling to the Lower East Side’s Pig and Khao by Chef Leah Cohen, is an Asian-inspired gastropub in Chelsea. Tuesday through Friday, diners can enjoy a three-course lunch prix fixe menu for $28 or a three-course dinner experience for $60 from Tuesday through Saturday. In addition, a vegetarian prix fixe dinner option is offered for $50 per person. Highlights include lumpia Shanghai, Malaysian fried chicken and sticky toffee cake. For those not observing Dry January or if you’re dining in February, Piggyback also offers a cocktail tasting for $32 per person.

Courtesy The Grid at Great Jones Distilling Co.

Whisky drinkers can add a flight of spirits to their meal at The Grid at Great Jones Distilling Co. At this restaurant within Manhattan’s first whiskey distillery since Prohibition, you’ll enjoy a three-course prix fixe menu along with a Great Jones Distilling Co. whiskey flight of three signature whiskies, all for only $45. The menu takes advantage of the season with mushrooms in their porcini mushroom veloute appetizer and the forest mushroom fusilli. Dessert is a fabulous sticky toffee pudding that blends perfectly with a whiskey. This is also the home of another delicious NYC burger, served with Great Jones bourbon and bacon jam. There’s no way to lose here!

Baar Baar © Noah Fecks

Baar Baar, a modern Indian gastro pub located in the East Village, offers a well-priced opportunity to sample Chef Sarkar’s homage to regional Indian cuisine. For Restaurant Week, the restaurant has put together a three-course dinner for $45, Monday through Friday and Sunday. There are many exotic choices to tempt you to be adventurous including pork belly or lamb keema Hyderabadi to start, beef short rib curry or bronzini Paturi with Bengal mustard cream for mains, and carrot halwa cake with phirni mousse and saffron-pistachio ice cream for dessert. As a bonus, you also get a canape and choice of side.

Courtesy IRIS

Inspired by the rich culinary traditions of the Mediterranean, talented Chef John Fraser explores the cuisine of the Aegean at IRIS, drawing upon his Greek heritage and admiration for Turkish cuisine. The special menus include the likes of delicata squash flatbread or grilled octopus with candied citrus to start, moussaka and branzino fillet entrees, and fig sorbet and pistachio baklava for dessert. The restaurant’s wine program covers Turkey and Greece offering an extensive e selection of vintages from the two countries as well as from other areas of the world. IRIS is perfectly located for those planning to attend a performance at Carnegie Hall or a Broadway play.

Courtesy La Marchande

Moving from the Mediterranean to France, La Marchande is Chef Fraser’s modernized take on the French brasserie in a FiDi location convenient for those working in the Wall Street area. Signature dishes show off Fraser’s global dexterity with French onion dumplings in mushroom consommé, hanger steak with shiso chimichurri sauce, and apple tarte tatin for dessert.

Fandi Mat © Andrea Grujic

Brooklyn’s Fandi Mata is a bi-level, industrial space featuring a Mediterranean-inspired menu. Specials here are a $60 three-course menu and $30 bottle of wine. The menu features appetizers such as spice-crusted tuna topped with ginger Champagne sauce and tahini, and burrata and heirloom tomato salad with spiced date jam, mint, pistachio and pea sprouts. For your mains, creative dishes include ribeye with bone marrow with black pepper sauce, lamb tagine, branzino en papillote, or one of Fandi Mata’s signature pizzas. Dessert is a surprise – it’s the chef’s selection.

Courtesy Lincoln Ristorante

Have you been dying to see the inside of the new David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center? Here’s the perfect restaurant for your pre-concert or post-concert dinner. Onsite Lincoln Ristorante presents an authentic Italian feast for $60. Choose among burrata, frito misto, or a romaine salad with anchovy-garlic dressing to start your meal. For your entree, order the gnocco alla romana with oxtail and shitakes. You can also opt for spaghetti cacio e pepe served with shaved cured egg yolk. Finish with a sweet warm pear and raisin crostata with grappa caramel or pinola al chocolate.

Courtesy IXTA

If Mexican is your preference, you won’t be lacking for choices at IXTA, the Mexican Cocina and Mezcal Bar on the Bowery. The restaurant offer an elevated twist on the traditional flavors of Oaxacan cuisine for $60. Choices include guacamole and flautas dorados to begin, followed by half organic roasted chicken with housemade mole poblano and sesame, braised short ribs, or enchiladas divorciadas. For dessert, you’d be remiss if you didn’t order the restaurant’s fabulous tres leche cake.

Courtesy The Mermaid Oyster Bar

For some delicious fun in Times Square, The Mermaid Oyster Bar is participating with Chef Michael Cressotti’s well-priced, $35 lunch menu and $45 dinner menu. First-course choices include fried Point Judith calamari with hot peppers, lemon and Old Bay aioli; “Dressed” Naked Cowboy oysters (every visitor to Times Square knows him!) with ponzu sesame and nori; or smoked salmon “Niçoise” with haricot vert, cooked egg and cured olive vinaigrette. Entrees include blackened fish tacos with pico de gallo, cilantro crème and slaw; and mussels Fra Diavolo with crushed tomatoes, Calabrian chili and arugula. Add a sweet finish to your meal with a Key Lime tart or salted caramel soft-serve ice cream.

Courtesy Vestry

Über-prolific Chef Shaun Hergatt offers an elegant take on Restaurant Week at his Michelin-starred restaurant, Vestry, with a three-course dinner menu for $60, Monday through Friday. Starters include Carnaroli rice risotto with saffron, tomato confit and pine nuts; or celeriac soup with hot panna cotta, parmesan tuile and extra virgin olive oil. Entree options such as potato gnocchi with wild mushrooms, vin jaune and chives; and Wagyu beef with shitake mushrooms, potato purée and miso-mustard are offered. Dessert choices include Guanaja chocolate with passionfruit and cacao nibs, and homemade cheesecake with honey crisp apple.

Courtesy MIFUNE

Beloved midtown Japanese MIFUNE will be offering a three-course dinner for Restaurant Week. Also a Michelin-starred restaurant, MIFUNE focuses on Neo-Washoku cooking, with the chefs’ signature style an infusion of French culinary techniques and flavors into Japanese cuisine. The typically omakase menu changes for each seating but is sure to be a standout.

Courtesy Dowling's at The Carlyle

Notch the class quotient up at Dowling’s at The Carlyle with special lunch and dinner menus. Chef Sylvain Delpique’s menus include choices such as carrot-coconut soup with pumpkin seeds, mint and basil oil; and tuna tartare with avocado, lemon cream and taro chips. Vegetarian s can choose roasted acorn squash with curried pepper sauce for their main course while omnivores can pick from Faroe Island poached salmon with horseradish cream and asparagus, chicken paillard or lobster Caesar salad. This is where you can also have an exquisite burger, Carlyle style. At dinner, the entrees shine with Peking duck and Steak Diane flambéed with cognac. For a sweet finish, don’t miss the restaurant’s lovely crepes Suzette served tableside or their raspberry soufflé for dinner. That’s true class.

Courtesy Archer & Goat

One of my favorite “finds,” Harlem’s Archer & Goat draws culinary inspiration from the husband-wife owners’ Latin American and South Asian heritages with a menu built around flavors and ingredients from Puerto Rico, Ecuador and Bangladesh. Their three-course $30 dinner is a true bargain and is available Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Try the elaborately prepared crispy Brussel sprouts with cilantro chimichurri and pickled chilis; roasted carrots with tamarind chutney, sesame seeds and dill; arugula salad with spicy chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumbers, and pickled red onions for starters. Follow with Goan shrimp curry or vegetable curry with turmeric rice, zucchini and cabbage slaw; chicken Vindaloo arepas with cucumber raita and cotija cheese; or vegetarian-friendly portobello mushroom arepas with cilantro chimichurri. For dessert, the “chef-wouldn’t-give-me-the-recipe” flan de Celeste with rose whipped cream is a knockout.

Courtesy Benjamin Steakhouse

Steak lovers aren’t left out. Benjamin Steakhouse serves a $45 weekday lunch menu items including, wedge salad classic Caesar salad, junior New York sirloin, grilled Norwegian salmon, New York cheesecake and more. On weekdays also, the restaurant’s special dinner menu, priced at $60, lets you choose from more steakhouse favorites like fried calamari, sizzling Canadian bacon, filet mignon, chicken parmesan and carrot cake.

Courtesy Merchants Cigar Bar

Making sure there’s something for everyone, clubby Merchants Cigar Bar on the Upper East Side is participating in Restaurant Week at their midcentury-styled lounge. To celebrate, in addition to their every day menu, the cigar bar presents a special dinner for $60 including deviled eggs, chicken lollipops, short rib pumpkin ravioli, garlic-ginger prawns, strip steak, lava chocolate cake and more.

The full list of restaurants can be found at nycgo.com.

Dry January, Damp January and Mocktail Week – Celebrating in New York City

Have you made your New Year’s resolutions yet? Even if it’s past January 1, there’s still time to do something nice for yourself.

Dry January, Damp January and National Mocktail Week (January 8-14) all seem to be taking over our lives this month. As we recover from overindulging during the holidays, there seem to be plenty of options to help us retrench. Damp January is a newish concept, a , if you will, for those not quite ready to take the plunge into total abstention. Its concept is simple: tone down your drinking and you’ll put yourself in a healthier place. But for the rest of us who have experienced or want to experience the benefits of a month (or longer) without alcohol, there are many options that go beyond National Mocktail Week to help you survive a sober month. If you find you like the results, there’s no need to stop on January 31. Or maybe just moderate until Sober October arrives.

You won’t be alone. According to CGA research, an agency specializing in the food and drink industries, about 35% of legal aged adults in the U.S. participated in Dry January in 2022, an increase of some 15% from the previous year. Perhaps the excesses of the pandemic period have motivated people to take the NA (non-alcoholic) plunge. But whatever it was, bars, restaurants and drink manufacturers have responded with many zero-proof choices to fill in the taste and variety blanks as you enjoy socializing and relaxing without alcohol.

Booze-free Bars and Mocktails

New York City invites you to dabble in innovative drink and flavor combinations with a baker’s dozen choices.

L’Amico - Crimson & Clover Cocktail © Jason Hedges

Laurent Tourondel’s L’Amico shows off the versatility of zero-proof Seedlip spirit, using Seedlip Grove in a Crimson & Clover mocktail, adding fresh blood orange juice, lime juice, honey/clove syrup and club soda. It pairs beautiful with any of the restaurant’s pasta dishes.

Sama Street - Same Same but Virgin © Eric Medsker

Pan-Asian Sama Street, in Brooklyn’s trendy Greenpoint neighborhood, offers a selection of Asian-inflected mocktails that are sure to make you look cool and satisfy the urge to imbibe. Try their humorously named Same Same but Virgin, a novel blend of spicy ginger turmeric tea, Coco Lopez, lime juice, fish sauce, mint and dill sprigs for a dramatic beverage served in a blue ceramic fish. Or the Baby Buck, a spin on Sama’s famous Shanghai Buck , a fresh cocktail made with winter melon tea syrup, lime juice, angostura bitters, and topped with ice and ginger beer.

Dante © Steve Freihon

Popular NYC cocktail bar Dante has curated a cocktail experience for those withholding from alcohol for Dry January. Special NA (non-alcoholic) cocktails include the Fall Fox (Seedlip Spice, pear shrub, and London Essence ginger beer), Dante Spritz (Lyre’s Italian Spritz, Classic N/A Prosecco, San Pellegrino), the Espresso Shakerato (Three Spirits Nightcap, Lyre’s Coffee Liqueur, simple syrup, espresso, rose water and saline), and an NA Cosmojito (lime, Dante Cranberry, simple syrup, mint leaves, and orange bitters).

Rosa Mexicano - Mango-Ginger Refresco © Cody Rasmussen

Rosa Mexicano helps you tame the fire of their spicy cocina with a Mango-Ginger Refresco, a cooling combo of mango purée, lemon, chia seed and ginger beer. It’s offered at their multiple locations in the city.

Courtesy Hideout at Gallow Green

At the Alpine-decorated Hideout at Gallow Green, the month goes dry with two refreshing mocktails, the Dry Northern made with pomegranate juice, citrus and soda, and the Dew Drop, a mix of ginger, grapefruit juice and rose lemonade.

Berries & Bubbles Courtesy Ocean Prime

Playing off its near-Broadway location, Ocean Prime is all about theatricality with its signature Berries & Bubbles. The Instagrammable libation is made with Sprite, marinated blackberries, fresh lemon and dry ice smoke.

Courtesy Skylark Lounge

Soak in the city views instead of alcohol from the 30th floor at the Skylark Lounge. Master Mixologist Johnny Swet takes full advantage of winter flavors with his Harvest Honey Lemonade, a dreamy mix of pear puree, honey syrup, apple cider and lemon juice.

NR - Ginger Soda © Zenith Richards

Not-so-secret speakeasy/restaurant NR offers their acclaimed ramen and small bites menu along with their cocktail magic turned NA. Mocktail offerings include the Ginger Soda with a blend of ginger, house-spiced syrup, ginger ale and lime. For something bitter, the Bitter Sweet has Bitter Sweet Non-Alcohol Spirit, pineapple, pomegranate, elderflower and tonic.

Courtesy Oiji Mi

Michelin-starred contemporary Korean restaurant Oiji Mi offers a mocktail menu worthy of its acclaim. Addressing both plant-forward and zero-proof trends, the Peter Rabbit is made with carrot, orange oleo, Meyer lemon, and vanilla bean ice cream. A new version of Mexican horchata, the Jatchata is made with pine nut, cinnamon and vanilla.

Courtesy The Ivory Peacock

The Ivory Peacock, an elegant new cocktail bar in NoMad/Chelsea dedicated to all things gin, offers a zero-proof gin cocktail this month. The Super Lemon is made with Clean & Co. ‘gin,’ lemon cordial Fever-Tree Mediterranean tonic, and mint oil.

N.A.GRONI Courtesy Celestine

Capitalizing on the popularity of the non-alcoholic botanical aperitif Ghia, DUMBO’s Celestine pairs a Negroni mocktail with its Mediterranean-inspired menu. The N.A.GRONI features Amass “Riverine” N.A. Gin from California along with Ghia and verjus, a tart juice made from pressing unripe grapes.

Courtesy Alice

At Alice in the West Village, the Italian and seafood restaurant serves up fancified mocktails with aromatics, tinctures and various zero proof spirits that mimic the real thing. Order your baked lobster or oysters paired with Prima Pavé Rose Brut sparkling AF (alcohol-free) wine or a mocktail like the Body Language, mixed with Pathfinder, a zero-proof, fermented and distilled spirit, date molasses, grape syrup, lemon, and spritzed with rosewater for an aromatic finish.

Courtesy Madame George

Spirits specialist Madame George adds a few mocktails to their New York-themed cocktail list. Try the Mulberry Blend, a malty and caffeine-rich concoction of Lyre’s American malt, Lyre’s amaretti, lemon juice, cola redux, and Manhattan Special Espresso soda.

Fun at Home

You’ll need to check the web for online sites to purchase these NA beverages for your home enjoyment, but many are available on Amazon. Others are available at liquor stores and grocery stores, so you’ll have no trouble keeping your refrigerator stocked during the month.

Courtesy Uncle Waithley’s

A non-alcoholic small batch ginger beer, Uncle Waithley’s Vincy Brew, Ginger Beer with Scotch Bonnet Pepper is a refreshing beverage and an ideal mixer enhanced and balanced with pepper.

Kombucha Mixed Berry Courtesy Remedy Kombucha

Remedy Drinks is a great Dry January choice for kombucha fans. Remedy has a line of tasty Ginger Beer and Kombuchas that contain no sugar and taste like seltzers with organic acids and antioxidants. Rotate their ginger beer, mixed berry, peach and raspberry lemonade flavors for a variety-filled, gut-friendly month.

Courtesy De Soi

Inspired by the French ethos of pleasure and restraint, De Soi is a line of sparkling, ready-to-drink non-alcoholic aperitifs created by Katy Perry and award-winning Master Distiller Morgan McLachlan. Reminiscent of a light-, medium-, and full-bodied wine, De Soi’s three flavors, Golden Hour, Champignon Dreams, and Purple Lune, layer botanicals with natural adaptogens.

Courtesy MIXOLOSHE

MIXOLOSHE is a new female-founded beverage brand of ready-to-drink non-alcoholic, low-sugar beverages and spirits with tempting flavors like Orange Old Fashioned Cosmic Bitter Spritz, Blueberry G&T and Tropical Smoky Margarita.

Courtesy Cut Above

For beverages you can drink straight or mix, Cut Above is a line of zero-proof gin, mezcal, agave blanco and whisky. The website includes many mocktail suggestions such as Tommy’s Skinny Margarita, a NA Old Fashioned, and the Naughty & Nice Punch made with their mezcal, fresh fruit and sparkling water.

Courtesy Stone Hollow Farmstead

I’ve always found that a Virgin Mary or, as some call it, a Bloody Shame tastes pretty darn good given all its pickled vegetables, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce and other peppery ingredients. Red or green Bloody Mary mixes from Stone Hollow Farmstead in Alabama have nailed them with their own farm veggies. And, I’m not kidding you, you won’t miss the vodka. Or the hangover.

Seedlip © Meryl Pearlstein

Other mocktail favorites for your at-home dinners include creatively layered beverages with a base of Seedlip, a distilled, non-alcoholic spirit, made with botanicals. There’s Spice 94, herbal Seedlip Garden 108 or citrus-based Grove 42. The website inspires your creativity with recipe suggestions or take a cue from the mixology wizards at La Societe at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Downtown SoMa who mix Seedlip Garden with lemon, basil syrup, elderflower and elderflower tonic to create their refreshing Nonna’s Garden, or from Denver’s Tamayo with their Non-Collins, mixing Seedlip Grove with strawberry, lemon, mint and sparkling water.

Courtesy Lyre’s

Two other base liquors give you many opportunities to express your NA creativity. Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic spirits offer a range of wines and liquors to add plenty of variety during the month. They will ship premixed cocktails like their non-alcoholic G&T or the Dry London spirit, an NA gin, American Malt, a NA classic bourbon malt wherever you live. Liqueur and aperitif fans can try their Italian orange, a NA red Italian bitter aperitivo style drink, or Amaretti, a NA nutty amaretto liqueur. There are many choices to tempt. Ghia gives you the option of a full-bottle aperitivo or canned spritzes in flavors like ginger and line and salt.

Courtesy Clausthaler

Clausthaler craft non-alcoholic beers taste just like the real brew. The German brewery has the pedigree, too, as they are an exclusively N/A brewery in existence for more than 40 years with a patented process for making beer that doesn’t create alcohol. There are dry-hopped beers, IPAs, and, for a kick, try their grapefruit beer.

Courtesy HOP WTR

Offered in three flavors, Classic, Mango and Blood Orange, HOP WTR is a non-alcoholic brew of crisp, bold hops, sparkling water and mood-boosting adaptogens and nootropics crafted without calories or sugar. The tasty beer alternatives are bright and refreshing, perfect for Superbowl parties or anytime during Dry January or beyond.

Courtesy Surely

Love California wines? Sonoma Valley has a lovely alcohol-free wine collection. Surely’s non-alcoholic wine is made from wine with the alcohol removed. A favorite is their non-alcoholic cabernet sauvignon, bold and full-bodied, and made with 100% Sonoma Valley grapes.

Gift a Kit for the Month

Courtesy Raising The Bar - Zero-Proof Subscription Box

Keep it coming with Raising The Bar – Zero-Proof Subscription Box. DIY cocktail creations that keep on giving is the name of the game with this program. You can subscribe for as long as you want for creative alcohol-free beverages shipped to you directly. Boxes are themed with fun names like “Love Potion,” and each kit makes a minimum of four drinks.

Courtesy Something Else

For another package of Dry January goodies, non-alcoholic brand, Something Else, is offering a bundle fora month of fun and renewal. The Best January Kit comes with a six-pack sampler of NA sippers: Kally, a verjus-based sipper, and Lili, a sparkler that is all bubbles and no booze; a candle; gratitude journal; herbal tea; and a digital guide.

Damp January instead?

Courtesy Sommarøy Spirits

If you haven’t yet made the full zero-proof commitment, that’s not a problem.

Sommarøy Spirits are a new line of lower-proof premium spirits with 1/3 less alcohol so you can drink in moderation for a Dry-ish January. Look for them at Whole Foods.

Courtesy HEAVENSAKE

The first lifestyle sake brand, HEAVENSAKE is all natural, gluten-free and three times less acidic than wine. Junmai translates to pure in Japanese, and taking inspiration from the rosés of Provence and the lightness of Champagne HEAVENSAKE Junmai 12 is no exception. With notes of salted caramel, cacao and kumquat, this 12% ABV sake can be used in low-alcohol cocktails such as highballs and mules to replace full-strength spirits.

Courtesy Sunny with a Chance of Flowers

With only 85 calories, 9% alcohol and zero sugar across the entire product range, Sunny with a Chance of Flowers is a new wine line made with fully ripened grapes that pass through a special filtration system to carefully remove the alcohol,. Try their Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Rose, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Closing This Month: A Dozen Broadway Plays and Musicals

Broadway has come back in a big way, with many openings, some lasting and some with very limited or shortened runs. A new crop of shows is scheduled for March, but, in the meantime, here are the ones that you absolutely shouldn’t miss. They’ll be closing some time in January.

Almost Famous © Matt Murphy

Almost Famous – Did you love Cameron Crowe’s 2000 film about a would-be reporter coming-of-age in the world of rock musicians and rock groupies (here called Band Aids)? The play is pure fun and does a pretty good job of replicating the roles in the movie. It’s a shame that it’s closing – there’s some great talent here, with quite a few of the players making their Broadway debuts. Make yourself look cool (to paraphrase a key line in the play and the movie)and grab tickets while you can. Happily for us, the original Broadway cast recording with music and lyrics by Tom Kitt will be released on March 17. Closing January 8, Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre .

Beetlejuice Alex Brightman and Company © Matthew Murphy

Beetlejuice – Another theatrical adaptation of a beloved film dating from 1988, “Beetlejuice” has been a play with multiple lives, closing during the pandemic and being kicked out of its theatrical home. Then, led by strange teenager Lydia Deetz and demonic Beetlejuice, it rose from the dead, if you will, to a second Broadway theater. Alex Brightman is pretty darn incredible, especially in the opening scene. It’s a shame that he suffered a concussion during the last week of the show’s run and missed numerous performances. There’s still a tiny bit of time to see him in the lead role from Tim Burton’s wonderful movie before the play is lowered into the ground for good. You’ll be dancing to “Day-O” as you leave the theater. Closing January 8, Marquis Theatre.

Into the Woods © Matt Murphy and Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade

Into the Woods – Those of us who saw this remarkable show, stripped-down and star-studded, at New York City Center Encores! recognized the power it had. It was no surprise that, with its amazing cast, it moved to Broadway. There, with several cast changes, it ate up the stage with Stephen Sondheim’s fabulous music and lyrics and James Lapine’s mash-up of three Brothers Grimm fairytales,” Little Red Riding Hood,” “Rapunzel” and “Jack and the Beanstalk.” If you miss this limited run, and you shouldn’t, you can watch Meryl Streep’s tantalizing turn as the Witch in the 2014 movie. Closing January 8, St. James Theatre.

The Roundabout Theatre Company's 1776 © Joan Marcus

1776 – A beauty of a musical, first produced in 1969 and revived by the Roundabout Theatre Company in 1997, “1776” received an uneven makeover in 2022, reversing genders and including a multiracial transgender, non-binary, and female cast. The huge Roundabout production, which doesn’t quite fit the stage at the American Airlines Theater, seems shrill and disjointed compared to its predecessors. Nonetheless, if you like American history and enjoy the wonderful tunes of Sherman Edwards, a history-teacher-turned-songwriter, you have just a little time to see “1776.” Frankly, I’d prefer that you listen to the original cast album than the over-the-top renditions in this show. I’m glad I saw this, but some things are better left untouched. In this case, I have to ask, “Why?” Closing January 8, American Airlines Theatre.

A Strange Loop © Marc J Franklin

A Strange Loop – Pulitzer Prize winner, Michael R. Jackson’s “A Strange Loop” engendered mixed reactions from those who saw it. Some loved it, some hated it. Some were irritated by it. The Tony winner for Best Musical is a story about a wannabe playwright named Usher currently serving as an usher. The play that this young, gay Black man is writing explains the “loop” title of the show. It’s about a young, gay Black man who is a theater writer. Bawdy, racy scenes add a strange vibe to what could have been a more provocative tale of personal development. Maybe just get the Broadway cast recording instead. Closing January 15, Lyceum Theatre.

Death of a Salesman © Joan Marcus

Death of a Salesman – It seems that every few years someone decides to revive Arthur Miller’s American tragedy about the American Dream. This time, the Loman family is African American and the story is one of both equality and opportunity. It’s still a long show, lasting approximately three hours, but it’s one where the time factor is insignificant. I wish this play were staying longer (it’s a limited engagement) – the cast is superb (Wendell Pierce, Sharon D. Clarke, André De Shields) and the play deserves to be seen or re-seen. Closing January 15, Hudson Theatre.

Courtesy Mike Birbiglia

Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man & The Pool – Storyteller Mike Birbiglia came to prominence with his off-Broadway show, “Sleepwalk with Me” in 2008. Since then, he has performed various autobiographical comedies off-Broadway as full performances or as tryouts for a new show, as he did with “The Old Man & The Pool.” If you missed it at the Cherry Lane Theater in 2019, now is a good time to laugh along with Mike as he describes his experiences as a middle-aged man during the final weeks of his Broadway run. Closing January 15, Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center.

The Music Man Hugh Jackman & Sutton Foster © Julieta Cervantes

The Music Man – Covid-plagued “The Music Man” was a highly anticipated revival of the beloved 1957 show starring Robert Preston as Professor Harold Hill. With star power provided by Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster, Meredith Wilson’s musical was good, if not amazing. But you still enjoy the songs and the old-time warmth. And who doesn’t love watching Jackman and Foster ham it up in the wonderful “Marian the Librarian” scene? You have one more week to see this pair show off their chemistry and singing and dancing. Closing January 15, Winter Garden Theatre.

Ohio State Murders © Richard Termine

Ohio State Murders – You don’t have much time to see Audra McDonald in her tour de force performance as a writer and lecturer coming to terms with the murders of her twin daughters. The play is told as a story by McDonald and also stars Bryce Pinkham as the professor turned mentor, friend and lover. Closing January 15, James Earl Jones Theatre.

Topdog/Underdog © Marc J Franklin

Topdog/Underdog – The Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, originally performed on Broadway in 2002, has returned for a limited engagement. The story about sibling rivalry and obsession focuses on Lincoln and Booth, two brothers eerily named by their father as a joke about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Closing January 15, Golden Theatre.

The Collaboration – This short-lived Manhattan Theatre Club production depicts the 1984 collaboration between Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat on a modern art exhibition. Closing January 29, Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.

The Piano Lesson – A stunning revival of August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, originally staged in 1990, “The Piano Lesson” is the fourth play in Wilson’s ”The Pittsburgh Cycle.” Playing a pivotal role in the story of family relations, the family-heirloom piano becomes a living memory of times past and present issues. Don’t miss it – with Samuel L. Jackson, Danielle Brooks and John David Washington, this powerful play is one that you will remember for a long time. Closing January 29, Barrymore Theatre

New Year’s Eve in New York City: 2023

We’ve all had enough of 2022, right? And the awful freezing weather isn’t helping much. If you’ve already gotten rid of those bad memories at Good Riddance Day in Times Square, made your wish on the Wishing Wall for next year and you’re prepared to put your New Year’s resolutions into play, it’s time to party like it’s 1999 (apologies to Prince). Let’s say goodbye to the past and move forward with wonderful and festive memories.

Watch the Ball Drop at Home or with a Personal Escort (No, It’s Not What You think)

An online event for those who aren’t willing to join the hordes in chilly Times Square on New Year’s Eve, the New Year’s Eve celebration will be livestreamed along with non-stop merriment and music. Click here to get notified about details for the webcast.

Courtesy Brooklyn Delicatessen Times Square

The new Brooklyn Deli Times Square will offer live entertainment, a five-course prix-fixe menu featuring an elaborate buffet and an “escort” to view the ball drop in Times Square. Brian “Mr. Taptastic” Davis and his group of NYC Musicians will be joined by Broadway’s Haley Lampart (Kinky Boots) for all-night eats and entertainment. Just before midnight, you’ll be escorted to watch the Times Square festivities from a less crowded location. To reserve, email newyearseve@thefiremangroup.com.

New Year’s Eve Midnight Run and Fireworks in Central Park

The Annual Emerald Nuts Midnight Run is ready to kick off again this year at midnight on New Year’s Eve. Starting at 10pm, Central Park will be alive with DJ Music and Dancing, a Costume Parade and a spectacular Fireworks and Laser Show. Then, at midnight, the 4M Race winds its way through the park, finishing near the entrance to Cherry Hill. Dress warmly and enjoy the festivities .Dancing and the costume contest will be held at the Central Park Bandshell, just south of the 72nd Street Transverse in Central Park.

Eat, Drink and Be Merry – International Style

New Year’s Eve in New York City is back and many restaurants have sent out invitations to come and enjoy in person. Here are some of the international options for you to consider.

Courtesy GG Tokyo

I miss Tokyo a lot, and the Golden Gai district is certainly one of the liveliest parts of the city. New York’s version, GG Tokyo in the Park South Hotel, invites you to celebrate the New Year with a party to remember. With its Japanese-inspired cuisine and cocktails, GG Tokyo will offer an open bar from 9pm to 12am with an extensive Champagne and spirit list, a Tarlant Champagne toast, hors d’oeuvres for the first hour, and a DJ to keep the spirits high. Tickets are available on Tock. The party will run from 9pm until 1am.

Courtesy Sushi by Boū

I can’t get enough of Japan and here’s an option to keep you feeling “bougie” à la japonais on New Year’s Eve. Modern speakeasy-inspired /omakase concept Sushi by Boū is offering a Bou-gie 17-course seating with a New Year’s Eve party package. At New York City locations in Nomad, Chelsea and Flatiron at 11pm, guests can enjoy an omakase experience that includes 2023 glasses, party hats, noisemakers, beads, and a Champagne toast at midnight.

Courtesy Sushi by Boū

For the ultimate experience, you can choose to ‘check in’ at Sushi Suite 1001 for a 17-course omakase at their 11:15pm seating that comes with a sake flight as well.

Balvanera - Photo Credit Mark Zhelezoglo

Argentina is known for its lively music and dance and Balnvanera does it up Punta Alta-style to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Authentic dishes, special for the evening and created by Chef Fernando Navas, include New Year’s Eve langosta with Maine lobster, black trumpet butter, frisée salad; panqueques with dulce de leche; and other specials. There will be two seatings at the Lower East side restaurant: an early dinner starting at 7pm, and a second one at 8:30pm that takes you through the New Year’s Eve countdown with party hats and noisemakers.

Courtesy IXTA

For a Mexican fiesta, IXTA on the Bowery is holding a noche filled with Champagne, cocina mexicana and mezcal. The trendy Tulum-themed restaurant and mezcal bar will celebrate New Year’s Eve with a DJ, live entertainment, three-hour premium open bar, passed hors d’oeuvres, a Champagne toast at midnight and live viewing of the Times Square festivities. Tickets can be purchased at Posh.

More Dining and Parties

Courtesy Blackbarn

At Nomad’s farm-to-Table, American restaurant Blackbarn, Chef John Doherty is once again teaming up with Executive Chef Brian Fowler to create a special New Year’s Eve menu featuring a la carte choices as well as a prix fixe menu with or without wine pairing. Menu highlights include foie gras terrine, Black Barn tomahawk steak for two presented tableside, Dover sole, and rum butterscotch pudding. The party continues until 1am.

Courtesy The Fulton by Jean-Georges

To ring in 2023, The Fulton by Jean-Georges at Pier 17 will be offering two seatings for their five-course prix fixe menu. Upscale choices include caviar service, white truffle tagliatelle and seared wagyu tenderloin. The waterside restaurant sits on the East River with beautiful skyline views of both Manhattan and Brooklyn.

9 Jones - Photo Credit Andy Stark

New York’s newest supper club, 9 Jones, will be ringing in the New Year with Champagne and caviar and an elegant prix fixe dinner with two seatings. Guests enjoying the six-course dinner will have with the option for Caviar Bump and a glass of Champagne or a bottle of Champagne and a two-ounce caviar tin served with accoutrements. The Cocktail Trolley will be available for bottle service with top shelf Champagne options served tableside. 9 Jones’s modern Greek menu includes options such as spice feta with warm pita, lobster bisque, grilled octopus, truffle butter pasta, and butter-poached lobster tail. Dress attire is elegant like the menu, and televisions at the West Village club will be live streaming the festivities all night with the ball drop.

Courtesy Arlo SoHo

Arlo SoHo is transforming their entire hotel into a New Year’s Eve multi-floor extravaganza with a variety of experiences throughout with multiple DJs, dancers, acrobatic performers and robots as well as a four-hour open bar, endless bites and more. The evening also includes access to speakeasy Foxtail hosting a midnight balloon drop and rooftop lounge Art SoHo. Tickets are available via Eventbrite . The hotel’s lovely restaurant Lindens is available for a dining with a prix fixe menu including signature Parker House rolls, honeynut squash ravioli and roast chicken, offered with optional wine or cocktail pairings.

Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge - Courtesy TAO Group Hospitality

Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge at Moxy Times Square’s seasonal holiday pop-up, the Pink Winter Edition: Frosted Edition, offers a spectacular view of New York City and the Empire State Building along with white frosted details, a carousel glistening with more than 25,000 rhinestones, and a sparkling white gondola.

Courtesy The Cauldron NYC

The Cauldron NYC downtown has a crazy party night in store with a four-hour open bar from 10pm – 2am, two hours of passed hors d’oeuvres and witch hats. There will be a livestream of the ball drop, a live DJ, a drag show and plenty of additional tricks. The party doesn’t have to end when you leave, as you’ll be given a special potion and grilled cheese to take home or to your next destination. Standing tickets and table reservations are available. For table reservations, email nycbar@thecauldron.io. For standing tickets, buy them online through Eventbrite.

Courtesy CHELSEA TABLE + STAGE

CHELSEA TABLE + STAGE will present a special immersive New Year’s Eve Celebration “The Romp on 26^.”From 9pm until 1am. The soiree will feature The CT+S Follies, fresh from Burlesque Nights at the dining and music hot spot, with performances by Seedy Edie and more. Patrons will enjoy an open bar, passed delights, and a midnight toast. General admission tickets include Burlesque performers, dancing to the music of DJ A Ball, a limited menu, passed hors d’oeuvres, and a bubbles toast at midnight with a balloon drop. Various packages are available with bottle service and tables offered. Black tie suggested. 21 and over only . Tickets are available through Eventbrite.

Courtesy The Sandbar Rooftop

The Sandbar Rooftop will offer its second annual “Beach White Party” from 9pm until 1am. Come dressed in your best beach chic whites and ring in the New Year. Guests will experience views of Manhattan’s cityscape while relaxing in the Fashion District’s “beach” on the 23rd floor of the Hilton. Open bar, DJ and dancing, a bubbles toast at midnight, and light bites are offered. 21 and over only. Tickets are available through Eventbrite.

Courtesy Paris Cafe

The newly revamped 150-year old Paris Cafe in the Seaport welcomes you to join their list of notable guests past and present including such luminaries as Thomas Edison, Teddy Roosevelt , Jimmy Hoffa and Lauren Bacall. For New Year’s Eve, the restaurant will host a “ Midnight in Paris” dinner party followed by open bar, bottle service and live entertainment along with a DJ, saxophonist, magicians, dancers and Champagne.

Courtesy Wiggle Room

For the late night party, Wiggle Room bar in the East Village will keep the vibes happening until 3am with sets by DJs Babybro and Ben Baker and an open bar for all-night dancing. Tickets are available through Eventbrite. Cocktail highlights the spicily named Hot Lava, made with Milagro tequila, Ayuk pasilla, pineapple, toasted sesame, lime and hot honey; and the Wiggle ‘Tini, a potent combination of Nordes gin, Ketel One vodka, cherry blossom vermouth and Champagne vinegar.

And for New Year’s Day

Courtesy The Poetry Project

The Poetry Project’s 49th annual New Year’s Day Marathon is live again this year, starting at 2pm on January 1 and continuing until 1am at St. Marks Church with non-stop readings and performances from more than 153 poets, writers, artists, musicians, actors and dancers around the world. Don’t tune out if you don’t like poetry — the event is filled with music sets, cooking segments, films and other theatrical bits to keep you entertained into the next day. The Marathon will take place over two five-hour periods with an hour break in between. The sections of the marathon will be ticketed separately with a limit of 300 tickets per section. Tickets are $25 per section in advance, $30 at the door.

To help with your hangover, these three brunch specials at Mercado Little Spain will bring much-needed (and delicious) relief.

Lena Courtesy Mercado Little Spain

At Leña, a restaurant dedicated to paellas and grilled meats over live fire, enjoy scrambled eggs with roasted seasonal mushrooms and morcilla sausage and tortilla de patatas con caviar, a Spanish potato and onions omelet served with caviar, perfect for soaking up whatever you might have imbibed the evening before.

Spanish Diner Courtesy Mercado Little Spain

Inside the all-day Spanish Diner, you can munch on Ibérico Benedict eggs, made with Ibérico hollandaise sauce and jamón Ibérico or mollete de tortilla de patatas, a Spanish potato and onions omelet sandwich served on a crispy bun with piquillo peppers and aioli.

La Barra Courtesy Mercado Little Spain

Tapas specialist La Barra serves up tortilla vaga con caviar, an open-face tortilla with potato chips and caviar and bikini de queso y trufa, a truffled Spanish cheese sandwich.

8 Delicious Places to Enjoy a Hanukkah Meal in Brooklyn and Manhattan

Hanukkah is right around the corner, from December 18-26, and there are eight glorious days to nosh. Here are eight delicious options to help you celebrate this holiday which recalls the miracle of the oil.

Katz’s

Courtesy Katz’s

Allow Katz’s to do the cooking this year and enjoy the ambiance of a homemade dinner celebration without the cooking hassle. The iconic New York City deli in the Lower East Side lets you bring the feast to your home. With Katz’s Deli Hanukkah Dinner Package you’ll get homemade matzoh ball soup, crispy mini latkes, knishes and noodle kugel. The package, which serves four, includes Katz’s famous hand-carved pastrami and juicy brisket, plus all the fixings to make their classic Reuben and legendary pastrami on rye sandwiches. Order a delicious chocolate babka for dessert. Local delivery and free nationwide shipping will make this a true Festival of Lights. Should you decide to eat in, the famous (“I’ll have what she’s having”) deli will add pickles and other goodies to your meal….free of charge.

Balaboosta

Courtesy Balaboosta

The West Village restaurant is a favorite for Middle Eastern dining. For Chanukah, you can indulge in a special holiday meal with Chef Einat Admony’s quinoa and potato latkes, sfinge donuts, and restaurant favorites like fried olives with homemade labneh and Yemenite Soup. Balaboosta’s new location makes it easier than ever to book a table at the popuar eatery.

12 Chairs and Sherry Herring

Courtesy Sherry Herring

Israeli cuisine is featured at the two sibling restaurants, both with a pedigree from Tel Aviv. For the holiday, you’ll feawst on ltakes, served with sour cream, onion, scallions and chili (if you like), smoked tuna with harissa flakes, and the restaurant’s special white fish salad. Sherry Herring is located on the Upper West Side and serves all-kosher food, while 12 Chairs will appeal to those in Brooklyn or Greenwich Village. We thank this group for taking care of all our disparate geography!

Agi’s Counter

Courtesy Agi’s Counter

Cozy Agi’s Counter in Crown Heights specializes in Jewish and Eastern European foods and is the perfect place to enjoy a holiday meal – you have eight nights to choose when. Try the café’s potato pancakes, topped with applesauce and sour cream, or upscale it with caviar or white anchovies. Chef Jeremy Salamon takes inspiration from his Hungarian grandmother, Agi, 96 years old and still providing guidance.

Breads Bakery

Courtesy Breads Bakery

Popular Breads Bakery knows how to make chocolate babka and other Jewish treats. But, for Chanukah, they’re all about sufganiyot, the special jelly-filled, fried donut that symbolizes the unexpected lasting of the oil. Try their variety of flavors including traditional strawberry, passionfruit, vanilla and chocolate. The bakery’s five locations in Union Square, Lincoln Center, Rockefeller Center, and Bryant Park and on the Upper East Side have you covered.

Mile End Delicatessen

Courtesy Mile End Delicatessen

A favorite in Boerum Hill (Brooklyn) for their Montreal-style bagels, Mile End features latkes during Chanukah. Available for in-house dining, local delivery, and pick-up, the latkes come in basic latke form, on bagels, and as a complete meal such as the Mont Royal with latkes, smoked salmon, sour cream and tobiko. You can also order Hanukkah catering from the deli with dishes such as braised brisket, caramelized onion kugel, chicken schnitzel, and, of course, latkes.

Veselka

Courtesy Veselka

Ukrainian all-nighter, Veselka, is popular among the out-and-about set not only for their borscht and pierogis but also for their super non-oily latkes. With just the right potato punch, these latkes will become your favorite all year long, any time you’re hungry. Order ahead so you don’t lose out if you’d like to have these at home, too – they freeze well until you want to eat.

Pages

Recent Posts

About the author

Stuff to Do

Ways to Honor Black History Month in New York State

Harlem Hops is Manhattan’s first 100% African-American owned NYC local craft beer bar. The bar has just been nominated for a James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar.

Foodies, Get Your Forks Ready! It’s Restaurant Week (er, Restaurant Month) Again in New York City through February 12

Dry January, Damp January and Mocktail Week – Celebrating in New York City

Closing This Month: A Dozen Broadway Plays and Musicals

New Year’s Eve in New York City: 2023

8 Delicious Places to Enjoy a Hanukkah Meal in Brooklyn and Manhattan

Pages

Recent Posts

Tags

About the author

Stuff to Do

Ways to Honor Black History Month in New York State

Harlem Hops is Manhattan’s first 100% African-American owned NYC local craft beer bar. The bar has just been nominated for a James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar.

Foodies, Get Your Forks Ready! It’s Restaurant Week (er, Restaurant Month) Again in New York City through February 12

Dry January, Damp January and Mocktail Week – Celebrating in New York City

Closing This Month: A Dozen Broadway Plays and Musicals

New Year’s Eve in New York City: 2023

8 Delicious Places to Enjoy a Hanukkah Meal in Brooklyn and Manhattan