Perfect Places
Consider this a Spotify Wrapped of where I am eating and drinking in New York
I recently returned from a two month romp in the woods of New Zealand. One of the great things about romping is that you get very hungry, and as a result, eat a lot. As delicious as ramen and bars of chocolate are, conversation on trail often turned to the places my friends and I were most excited to eat at once we returned home. As I reflect on my city after being gone, I wanted to pay tribute to my favorite places to dine, drink, and cavort in NY. Not only are these places favorites of mine, I believe them to be perfect. Perfection to me is the confluence of good, hot food that arrives in a timely manor, hangability, and consistency, both in terms of the food and atmosphere. I’m not telling you this is the best meal you’ll ever have (although it very well could be). These are just the places I return to time and again.
Most of these spots are in or around my neighborhood, so please keep in mind that maybe the Cozy Burger or a $1 slice at Mo’s wouldn’t taste as good if you commute 45 minutes to get it. There is something so wonderful about stepping outside and catching a vibe in a few minutes. These places are familiar – I recognize the staff, I imagine (hope) they recognize me. I wonder if I am as much a character in their universe as they are in mine (doubtful).
In no particular order, I present the following:
Mo’s General
Mo’s does a really great grandma pie. The dough borderlines focaccia, but with a super crispy bottom characteristic of a New York slice. The sauce is good, and if you should so choose, the pepperoni cups perfectly. Mo’s also slings an especially peppery caesar salad and excellent soft serve. Their frozen painkiller (piña colada with a little o.j.) might be my favorite drink in the city. And they introduced me to an all time summer bev – the spaghet or Nascar Spritz as its called over there – a Miller High Life topped with Aperol.
The space feels cute and sexy at the same time (a hard line to toe) decked out in red and white checkered tablecloths. They always have a movie playing on the tv behind the bar and in the warmer months serve food and drinks out of a window to their perfect outdoor dining set up. Something about a to go window gets me every time. The place is equally as good for a date, pre-going out, or post-gaming small plates when the plates were a little too small, especially between 10 pm and 12 am when they sell any slice still available for $1. It is cozy in the winter and lively in the summer. The staff is nice. There are always attractive people in there. I’ve been there twice in the last week alone. Perfect birthday party pizza.
The Commodore
I haven’t decided if The Commodore is a bar with really good food or a restaurant with really good drinks – the spot initially pulled me in with their comprehensive list of frozen cocktails (can you sense a theme here?), pickle salad, and fried chicken. The chicken is shatteringly crispy and served with biscuits and three different things to dip it in, which objectively is the right number of sauces. Stay for the nachos and a brisket dip sandwich that my friends and I agreed this past weekend is the sleeper hit.
The Commodore boasts a perfect spot to sit on the sidewalk and people watch (and let people watch you – a phenom friends of mine have coined sabszing). It’s north facing so you can experience an entire sunset. Good at any and all times of day and days of the week; it is open until 4 am every night, making it an ideal spot to both start and end an evening. J Lee waxes poetic about the place and I agree. The staff is a little scary and the interior feels like the belly of a pirate ship, but that is part of its charm and precisely why you should go.
Thai Diner
A surprise to none. This is a place I do travel and wait for because it is that good. When I say good I don’t mean its the most authentic Thai or the most inventive. However, it is good every time and everything on the menu is good. It is a fun place to have an awkward fourth lunch-date and it is also a fun place to have a 9 pm dinner on a Friday where you split a cocktail pitcher with one other person. I crave it almost always.
Their vegetarian substitutes are also genuinely good. I once got sneak-attacked by a new friend who was veg and didn’t mention it until we were talking about crab fried rice and still thoroughly enjoyed my meal. Get the Khao Soi, disco fries, and don’t skip dessert, but really you can’t go wrong with an order here. The inside is decked out in glass-block and rattan and the toilet is black. I don’t usually bother with reservations here, put your name down an hour before you want to eat and get a drink or window shop nearby.
Cozy Royale
I once came here with 15 people on Glizzy Royale 2024. It was walk-ins only and not only did they seat us with gusto, they did it almost immediately. The host did call us rat bastards, but in an endearing way. I’m not advising you do the same (15 people is too many for almost any New York City Restaurant), just illustrating the quality of service here. In the event you are dining with a normal amount of people, Cozy is a good place for a first date or girls’ night – it feels private but not overly intimate.
During both happy and late night hours, they dish out a $10 smash burger + fries and $10 martinis, although I am partial to their regular pub style burger. The rest of the menu is pretty classic pub fare and is delicious. Their tartare, french onion soup, and salads go hard and the meat comes from the butcher shop down the street owned by the same people - I am all for a vertically integrated venture. If you have room, get the sticky toffee pudding. Cozy’s interior looks like a hunting lodge if it was owned by a lib Brooklynite (non derogatory), and true to its name, is extremely cozy.
The Fly
The Fly earns an honorable mention (only because I’ve only been once). This is the same restaurant group of Cervo’s and Hart’s fame, restaurants that are all notably good at what they do. The inside of the restaurant is cavernous, like a scaled up old timey pub (think Game of Thrones minus the scurvy and war) and the wine list is longer than the menu. The menu, in all of its perfect glory, is just roast chicken, two different dipping sauces, potatoes, and various vegetables. It is imperative to go with a group large enough where you can order the whole menu. For me this was three people (including one very hungry boy). The restaurant was filled with people celebrating birthdays, an overall joyous vibe. I can’t wait to go back.
I will go to the fly w you!!!!