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Eater
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Eater
The Best Street Food in the West Village
New York is a damn expensive city, and no more is that evident than in the picturesque Greenwich Village and the West Village in particular. The affluent neighborhood is lined with cobblestoned streets brimming with luxe developments, high-end boutiques, and the West Village Girls fulfilling their Sex and the City aspirations. It wasn't always this way: But these changes have impacted its dining scene, where restaurants are reflecting what the newer crowds are seeking: see-and-be-seen places with stylish and often expensive food and drinks to match, much of it sit-down. But between the corner restaurants, bakeries, takeout windows, and quick-serve spots, there's plenty of excellent — and actually affordable — street food to be found. So the Eater NY team headed into the West Village for a food crawl, with a mission to find the best handheld snacks, grab-and-go bites, and under-$20 meals in the neighborhood. Lin & Daughters comes from Becky Lin, a first-time restaurant owner who opened her spot in 2023. Here, she's making home-cooked staples like beef noodle soup, grandma's peanut butter noodle salad, spicy cucumbers, and more. But it's the array of dumplings that are most satisfying – and portable – whether it's the pan-fried chicken curry number ($13.49), cumin beef, shrimp, or Lin's pork and chive dumplings ($12.49). Grab an order or two for a people-watching snack in the park. 181 W. Fourth Street, near Jones Street —Melissa McCart State fair corn dogs aren't the first food-on-a-stick that comes to mind when I think of New York street food, yet they're my go-to order when I frequent my beloved Cowgirl (formerly Cowgirl Hall of Fame), the longtimer since 1989. What amounts to a deep-fried corn muffin exterior surrounds a snappy little cocktail dog for a perfect $6 beer snack (or two for $12). There's also Frito pie and catfish fingers, but the corndogs are the best throwback, particularly when it comes to summertime savory snacks. Order some for takeaway and duck into this restaurant that's a reminder of the way the West Village used to be: quirky, eclectic, and cheap. 519 Hudson Street, at West 10th Street — Melissa McCart Cariñito Tacos is a fusion-y taqueria hailing from Mexico City for a summer pop-up in an empty storefront — which, as these things go, I have to assume is a preview of something longer-term they are exploring in New York. As far as other hot new taco spots go, this is one of the more expensive ($7.50 to $9 each), with tacos ranging in varieties like a play on Katz's with pastrami, as well as Thai-flavored tacos with shredded pork belly, mint, and rice powder — all served atop a cornhusk blanket. Not all of them are worth it, bhe best value is the take on the Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme (one of a handful of places that pay homage to the original), which comes with Sichuan-spiced brisket and pork, Oaxacan cheese, avocado, fermented beans, and cabbage slaw. It's eat at the standing counter here – or on the street. Grab plenty of napkins. 86 University Place, near East 11th Street — Emma Orlow It seems like there's a gelato shop on every corner of the West Village, and debating which is best is like trying to decide who wrote the summer's best beach read. So instead of recommending a favorite gelato flavor, let's take a look at Gelateria Gentile's granita. Much like the corn dog, granita transports the person eating it, in this case, to an Italian summer. Stick with classics like lemon or coffee, in a cup or with brioche ($8.50). And if there's cantaloupe as the flavor of the day, order that, too. (This location of Gentile is so tiny that it's a given you're going to eat it on the street.) 43 Eighth Avenue, between Jane and Horatio streets — Melissa McCart What is there to say that hasn't already been said about the burrata slice ($5.50) at L'Industrie? This second location of the famed slice shop in Williamsburg has lines that have followed from Brooklyn. Yes, this is New York City, so yes, you can get a decent, cheaper slice without waiting in line in pretty much every neighborhood. But L'Industrie isn't about decent; it's about excellence. If you are interested in a taste of one of the standard bearers for pizza's new wave in New York, then it's worth queuing up for. It's crispy in all the right ways, but creamy from a bountiful serving of burrata. It's a total coincidence that it opened just down the street from the second location of Mama's Too. Together, this has made for one of the most important pizza corners in New York. And, possibly — not to be dramatic — the world. 104 Christopher Street, near Bleecker Street — Emma Orlow The motto here is rice-free burritos, which means none of the filler and all of the goodies. Takeout-only Son Del North first opened on the Lower East Side, before expanding with a second location in the West Village, and immediately catapulted to one of my favorite all-time New York burritos, doing justice to flour tortillas (yes, they make them themselves). I like the carne asada and the shrimp burritos, but at $9, the gooey bean and cheese is a filling and affordable move. Pre-order to beat the wait, and then post up at a bench at Demo Square across the street. 26 Carmine Street, at Bleecker Street — Emma Orlow Is this some of the best Indian food in Manhattan? Not necessarily, but the order-at-the-counter Taco Mahal has been really important to me over the years as one of those reliable, easy spots that have become all too rare. Taco Mahal provides naan and roti folded like a taco for a quick bite you can snarf down. Their best deal is a three-roti deal for $14 with filling options like chicken malai, sag paneer, and channa masala. There are seats both indoors and outdoors, which makes it easy to get in even at primetime on the weekend before a night out, no matter the weather. Ignore the fluorescent lighting. 73 Seventh Avenue South, West Village — Emma Orlow Wandering around NYU territory, I ducked into this tiny deli to grab the $12 chopped cheese sandwich. It's a very long sandwich on a sesame seed hero — enough for two meals for me — making the price well worth it. Co-owner and chef Antonio Barbieri knows what he's doing when it comes to food — he had been the executive sous chef at the fancypants Eleven Madison Park, before switching gears with this sandwich shop. The well-structured sandwich is evenly proportioned with cheesy, saucy chopped beef, crispy shredded lettuce, and slices of tomatoes. I was also glad for the bottle of Crystal hot sauce that was readily available because I needed just a little more spice in the sandwich. While there's minimal seating — two sets of double stools along the window — the tables make for a fun activity because you can browse through all of the pop culture stickers on the counter. 218 Thompson Street, near West Third Street, Greenwich Village — Nadia Chaudhury The baked empanada mini-chain has a location right near the IFC Center, making it a good stop for a budget meal before seeing an indie movie. At $18.45 for a box of three, you can pick whichever empanadas you want. I got the classic Argentine malbec beef (which had a nice zip from the olives), the ooey-gooey ham and mozzarella, and, my favorite of the bunch, the smoked pulled chicken empanada made with well-balanced barbecue sauce. The empanadas themselves are flavorful enough that the extra order of chimichurri sauce for 50 cents isn't needed. On a nice day, it's pleasant to dine at one of the two tables out front. The 333 Sixth Avenue, near West Fourth Street, West Village — Nadia Chaudhury The Japanese bakery had been on my radar since it opened last year, so I was happy for the excuse to stop by. For my savory option, I went for the chicken katsu sandwich, which is $13 for the whole thing and $7 for half. The sandwich is filling, with fluffy milk bread and juicy breaded chicken, and everything is gluten-free. The cute, vibrant pop-colored setting doesn't hurt either — it's good for a photo or two. 31-33 Carmine Street, at Bleecker Street, West Village — Nadia Chaudhury I've been a fan of the Iraqi-owned Moustache Pitza since it was at its old location in the West Village (the original first opened in Brooklyn in 1988). A couple of years ago, it relocated to a bigger spot where there's plenty of space for dining in. If you're ordering for a group, shareables like labne and pita will go over well, but for takeout solo dining, the move here is the merguez sandwich, with spicy lamb sausage, lettuce, and tomato, which is very portable ($18); there's also a vegetarian-friendly falafel sandwich version at $12, a fraction of the cost. 29 Seventh Avenue South, near Bedford Street, West Village — Emma Orlow The splendor that is Tashkent's first Manhattan location will astound anyone feeling the weight of rising food costs in New York — as it's very easy to get out for under $10 here. This one-of-a-kind Eastern European supermarket has five locations in New York, including its famous Brighton Beach one, making it a well-oiled machine that still puts a lot of care into its food (there's a whole kitchen in the basement that keeps food moving and fresh upstairs). The by-the-pound salad bar, which includes items like plov and carrot salad, is fun. But the best street food item for a picnic in nearby Washington Square Park, probably their samsa, a Central Asian pastry with a variety of halal-friendly meat fillings and vegetarian options (like one with pumpkin). 378 Sixth Avenue, at West Fourth Street — Emma Orlow See More: Cheap Eats Dining Out in NY
Time Out
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
This wildly creative Michelin-recognized taquería from Mexico City just landed in NYC
A little love is coming to downtown Manhattan and it's bringing Sichuan-spiced pork, gochujang-slathered Crunchwraps and some serious street food cred ot the area. Today, May 5, Cariñito ("little love"), a Michelin-recognized taquería from Mexico City with a bold Southeast Asian twist, will open its first-ever New York City location as a six-month pop-up at 86 University Place in Greenwich Village. Known for its globetrotting pop-ups in Paris, London, Singapore and beyond, Cariñito's long-awaited NYC debut will feature a menu built for the local crowd, including the Cariñito Crunchywrap—a crispy, chili-charged homage to the late-night Taco Bell staple—and the What She's Having taco, a Katz's deli-inspired pastrami brisket creation with a cheeky When Harry Met Sally nod. 'We're thrilled to bring Cariñito to New York—a six-month adventure filled with tacos that carry chilango soul, mezcal, great wine and cumbia,' partner Joaquin de la Torre tells Time Out. 'We're even bringing in our tortillas from Mexico City for maximum flavor.' Expect more menu standouts from the eatery's original CDMX hits, like the herb-loaded Issan taco with Thai pork belly and toasted rice powder, plus vegetarian gems like the eggplant Laos taco and cauliflower pibil. Sides include sweet corn ribs drenched in madras butter and Guacathai, a punchy remix spiked with fish sauce and herbs. On the drinks front, Cariñito keeps it irreverent with rotating natural wines, mini Coronitas, Mexican Coke and the occasional vino guest star via pop-ups with visiting winemakers. The Greenwich Village activation takes over the former El Cantinero space, a 35-year-old Mexican cantina best remembered for its cameo on Sex and the City (season 4, if you're wondering). Now reimagined by Mexican architect Sofía Betancur and CDMX design studio Agrio, the moody, lived-in interior is gritty, transportive and full of soul, just like the tacos.
Los Angeles Times
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
‘Top Chef's' Mei Lin returns to fine dining at 88 Club
At 88 Club, planks of artful shrimp toast, piles of chewy mung bean jelly noodles and clay pots of mapo tofu spin on well-lighted marble lazy Susans. This is Mei Lin's take on Chinese banquet dining, and it marks a big return for the 'Top Chef' and 'Tournament of Champions' winner. After closing their lauded contemporary Chinese restaurant Nightshade, and focusing on Sichuan-spiced fried chicken sandwich shop Daybird, Lin and business partner Francis Miranda are returning with a more formal, full-service restaurant for the first time in five years. 'Having Daybird and doing the fast-casual thing was fun, but being in a kitchen and creating food for [88 Club's] type of setting is even more fun, and it gives me a lot of creative juices to do a little bit more,' Lin said. At 88 Club, Lin is serving the kind of food she grew up eating and cooking but preparing and plating it with a bit more refinement — and in a sleek, low-lighted, marble-adorned setting in Beverly Hills. In comparison to the fine-dining cuisine of Nightshade, where mapo tofu took the form of lasagna and tom yum spice dusted her take on the bloomin' onion, Lin said her approach to 88 Club is more broadly familiar and more straightforward. 'It's very unapologetic and it's straight to the point, and that's the whole approach to the entire menu,' she said, adding, 'It's a lot of the flavors that you know, just turned on [their] head a little bit. It's nothing that you haven't seen before, but it's done to perfection.' Lin and her culinary team, which includes chef de cuisine and La Dolce Vita vet Nick Russo, cook glossy cha siu made from Iberico pork, rotating through cuts and serving it with a dollop of hot mustard. There's fried whole sweet and sour fish, its sauce poured tableside. Plump wontons practically burst with prawns and bamboo shoots, all swimming in a fragrant chicken stock. For dessert, Lin whips up almond tofu with seasonal farmers-market produce; jasmine milk tea custard buns; a creamy mango coconut sago with tart pops of pomelo; and a light ginger ice cream topped with a chewy almond cookie. The bar area, which includes five seats and lounge tables, offers a pared-down menu of the dining room's full offerings. (Maybe, Miranda hints, Daybird could pop up in the space one day to bring the Westside a taste of Lin's numbing-spice fried chicken.) In the background of running Daybird, Lin and Miranda began planning the restaurant over the last two years. Leading up to the launch, they scoured flea markets for Chinese antiques, art and plateware. 'We kind of always have the idea in the back of our heads of doing some classic Chinese flavors,' said Miranda, who is also an owner of Trophies Burger Club and Lock & Key. Diana curated the wine program, which includes rieslings to pair with the aromatic Chinese food, while Kevin headed up cocktails and nonalcoholic concoctions that re-create classics with a Chinese tinge: The Long Island iced tea riffs on a Hong Kong-style lemon iced tea, and the dirty martini uses house-fermented mustard greens and their brine. 88 Club is open Tuesday to Thursday from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 5:30 to 11 p.m. 9737 S. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, (310) 968-9955, A string of new restaurants recently opened inside the Original Farmers Market, adding to the color and variety of the historic 91-year-old destination. For Kamila Zymanczyk, who immigrated from Poland five years ago, it was love at first sight. She and her family knew they wanted to open Stara Pierogi & Sausage there. 'We were looking for some Polish Eastern European cuisine [in L.A.], and we couldn't find many,' she said. 'We thought there should be something else, another place, and we went to the [Original] Farmers Market. We fell in love with this place.' Zymanczyk grew up cooking at home with her great-grandmother, her grandmother and her mother; most of the dishes served at her casual food stall are made with their traditional recipes. She and her children handmake pierogi stuffed with a range of fillings; fresh paczki, or doughnuts; nalesniki, or crepes; schnitzel; and griddled imported kielbasa sausages with onions. Nearby, the full-service Savta — which originated in New York City — serves California cuisine with a European bent. Founder Vincent Benoliel offers wood-fired pizzas; crispy artichokes with panko and lemon cream; linguine vongole with bottarga; steak frites with green peppercorn sauce; chicken with honey and hummus; clams au gratin and more. Upstairs, Benoliel's new hand-roll concept, Sora Temaki Bar, serves classic sushi hand rolls and sashimi in addition to specialty temaki that include panko-fried oysters with ginger tartar sauce; toro with caviar and Santa Barbara-caught uni; plus seared Japanese Wagyu with garlic chips and tare. On April 25, Mediterranean restaurant Theía — previously located farther west, in Beverly Grove — will reopen in the Original Farmers Market under new ownership. The latest iteration will feature dishes such as grilled lamb skewers, lobster cavatelli and chocolate mousse baklava, along with live entertainment including DJ sets, belly dancers and acrobats. Stara Pierogi & Sausage is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m; Savta is open Sunday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sora Temaki Bar is open Sunday to Thursday from noon to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from noon to 10 p.m. 6333 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, After bringing his vibrant Sri Lankan cuisine to Van Nuys and Tarzana, and then closing both locations, Kurrypinch chef-owner Shaheen Ghazaly is giving Hollywood a taste. Longtime fan and business partner Dr. Nimesh Rajakumar teamed up with Ghazaly to reopen Kurrypinch, this time in a larger and more central location. The Sri Lankan-raised, Pakistan-born Ghazaly meticulously grinds his own chile pastes each morning and painstakingly makes his own roti, all in the name of spreading the allure and awareness of Sri Lankan cuisine. He and his team serve kiribath-inspired coconut milk risotto with mahi mahi, Ghazaly's signature ghee mashed potatoes, avocado juice, weekend-only biryani and more. The East Hollywood restaurant features a six-seat chef's table overlooking the grill, plus roughly 50 seats in the dining room. Kurrypinch is open Tuesday to Friday from 5 to 10 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m., then 5 to 10 p.m. 5051 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 407-6176, After more than a decade of waiting, the team behind Chinatown staple the Little Jewel of New Orleans opened its adjacent cocktail bar for mint juleps, grasshoppers, hurricane cocktails and more. Since Little Jewel's launch in 2014, owners and husband-and-wife team Marcus Christiana-Beniger and Eunah Kang-Beniger focused primarily on the operations of their New Orleans-ode restaurant, which is famed for its po'boys, debris fries, gator sausages and other specialties. But all the while they dreamed of opening the Evangeline Swamp Room next door, waiting to begin construction. Now, after years of readying the space and replicating the scene of a French Quarter watering hole, Christiana-Beniger and Kang-Beniger — along with business partner Evan Mack — serve classics and regional specialties such as the Ramos gin fizz, the vieux carré and the sazerac, alongside frosty, strong libations and a pared-down food menu from the restaurant next door. Look for charbroiled oysters, po'boys, skillet crawfish mac and cheese, fried frogs legs and fried okra, plus special events, including live music and crawfish boils. The Evangeline Swamp Room is open Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday from 5 p.m. to midnight, and Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. 701 N. Spring St., Los Angeles, (213) 620-0461, After seven years of street vending and pop-ups, some of the best tacos in Los Angeles now have a permanent storefront. Angel's Tijuana Tacos operates more than a dozen stalls spread across Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire, filling freshly hand-pressed corn tortillas with trompo-singed al pastor and other specialties dolloped with generous scoops of guacamole. Its first bricks-and-mortar location, in Anaheim, features indoor seating and hand-painted murals, and offers all of the signatures found at the street stands, such as tacos, quesadillas, vampiros, burritos and meat-piled baked potatoes. There are also a few notable additions: Micheladas can be found only at the bricks-and-mortar, along with French fries that come loaded with cheese, guacamole and your choice of meat — an occasional special at limited stalls. Angel's Tijuana Tacos restaurant is open in Anaheim Sunday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to midnight, and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. 3436 W. Lincoln Ave., Anaheim, Last year, one of L.A.'s most popular smashburger operations expanded from Santa Monica to Studio City, its bright orange-and-red building a beacon for short rib smash burgers, dipped soft-serve cones and tallow fries. Now it's launched a third outpost, and this time it's even farther east. Heavy Handed's signatures can now be found in Silver Lake, taking over the former All Day Baby space with new retail items from owners Max Miller and Danny Gordon as well. In Silver Lake, the wine list skews more natural, funky and experimental, tailored to the neighborhood; the location also features multiple TVs broadcasting a range of live sports, and seats roughly 55. The late-March opening marked the debut of Heavy Handed's take-home buckets of bread-and-butter pickles and squeeze bottles of 'heavy' sauce, which can also be found in Santa Monica and Studio City. Heavy Handed is open daily in Silver Lake from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. 3200 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles,
