FOFC Tourism: NYC Restaurants near SoHo

[wade moore]

My wife and I are taking a trip to NYC in March. Looking for some very specific recommendations.

We are taking the train to Penn Station. We are staying at the Courtyard SoHo just slightly south west of Washington Square.

Our intention is to walk for everything. We have some books/etc of Walks that we are using to walk around SoHo, Greenwich, etc.

However, looking at restaurants - especially for dinner - is a bit overwhelming.

My wife and I are I'd say "beginner" foodies. Maybe slightly higher than that. So I'm interested in really good NYC restaurants. At least one dinner I don't mind being fairly expensive.

So, for dinners we'd probably be going back to the hotel to change after walking the entire day, so I'd be looking for something within say 30 minutes or so walk of the hotel.


So - with that being said, any thoughts? I go to look and I'm just overwhelmed by the options, so some personal recommendations might help.

[Logan]

The good and bad thing is that 30 mins walking from SoHo can really cover a lot of areas. Personally I can help you more with East/West Village. One place that jumped to mind that I've been to recently and would probably fit the "foodie" mold is Kingswood on W 10th.

I haven't been to Catch but have wanted to try it after hearing about a great meal from my fiancee's friend. The chef is a Top Chef guy. Been fairly hard to get a weekend reservation.

Will give you some more suggestions when I can.

[BillyNYC]

Am more into ethnic stuff, so none of these are really upscale...but still tasty and some are a bit "foodie". Suggestions can fill pages, but a few which come right to mind:

Touristy as it may be (and appears on lots of Food Network shows about pizza), I'm a fan of Lombardi's on Spring St. for pizza. Lombardi's Pizza

In Little Italy, I like Benito II for the classics: Benito II Italian Restaurant in New York's Little Italy and Ferrara's for a cannoli.

A bit further south is Chinatown. Xi'an Noodles serves food from a western region of China, so the flavors are different from most Chinese food you get anywhere else. They have 2 locations in Chinatown and one in the East Village (although I've only been to the one in Queens, I'd imagine the menus are similar): Xi'an Famous Foods - Liang Pi Cold Noodles, Lamb & Pork Burgers - Flushing/Chinatown/East Village NYC

For dessert, you HAVE to stop at The Chinatown Ice Cream Factory. Lots of exotic-y flavors. Please please don't order vanilla or chocolate! Chinatown Ice Cream Factory

[wade moore]

Keep 'em coming.

Another thing - I want a New York Bagel. I read a review of a place right next to the hotel that was horrible, so need another place. Is there a specific regional chain or anything to look for?

[Logan]

H&H Bagels is the staple. Don't think there's one very close to you, I believe the original is on the West Side Highway in the 40s and there's another (claiming to have no affiliation) on 2nd between 80th and 81st (I used to live a block from here). Personally I'm more a fan of Pick a Bagel...Ess a Bagel and Tal Bagels are pretty good too.

But honestly, I think NYC bagels are incredibly overrated. Of course, coming from another part of the country you might think they're the greatest thing ever. But I prefer virtually any bagel I can get in Jersey over NYC and that's not my Jersey price talking. They're more airy, nice and crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside. NYC bagels are too dense and are smaller.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Logan

H&H Bagels is the staple. Don't think there's one very close to you, I believe the original is on the West Side Highway in the 40s and there's another (claiming to have no affiliation) on 2nd between 80th and 81st (I used to live a block from here). Personally I'm more a fan of Pick a Bagel...Ess a Bagel and Tal Bagels are pretty good too.

But honestly, I think NYC bagels are incredibly overrated. Of course, coming from another part of the country you might think they're the greatest thing ever. But I prefer virtually any bagel I can get in Jersey over NYC and that's not my Jersey price talking. They're more airy, nice and crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside. NYC bagels are too dense and are smaller.

Well, considering I have one bagel place within 30 miles of me, I'll take what I can get .

[Marc Vaughan]

No idea if its near SoHo or not ... but my wife won't forgive me if I don't pimp out the Cup Cakes/Cheese cakes at Magnolia's Bakery, she's addicted ...

(and yes they deliver throughout the US ... was handy for Becca's last birthday)

[wade moore]

Might have to check that out Marc.. looks like there's one about 12 blocks south.

[grdawg]

Originally Posted by wade moore

Might have to check that out Marc.. looks like there's one about 12 blocks south.

Well since you said you are close to Magnolias (and yes I would definetly get a cupcake there), you are not too far from the Corner Bistro. It is just a bar that serves burgers, but some say it is the best burgers in NYC.