In-store dining spots
Despaña
You'll find a deli on almost every NYC block, many serving ho-hum sandwiches. At this SoHo boutique specializing in the foods (saffron, salts, and cheeses) of Spain, there's also a hidden lunch counter serving tapas, bocadillos (sandwiches), and pintxos (small-plates appetizers). 408 Broome Street; 212-219-5050;
Web:
despananyc.com
Boutique Coffee Shops
Abraço
The Big Apple is in the midst of an all-out coffeehouse boom. Among the best is this tiny East Village spot that serves espresso and individually dripped coffee (made with Counter Culture beans), irresistible olive oil cake, and perhaps the tastiest frittata in town. 86 East 7th Street;
abraconyc.com
New Places for Hot Dogs
Dogmatic
At this inspired street-cart-turned-fast-casual-restaurant near Union Square, your choice of sausage (sustainably raised lamb, pork, chicken, turkey, beef) and sauce (truffle-Gruyère, mint yogurt, etc.) are stuffed inside a mini baguette toasted on the inside with a heated spike. 26 East 17th Street; 212-414-0600.
Web:
eatdogmatic.com
Wine Bars
Terroir
Paul Grieco and chef Marco Canora own this funky East Village spot near their popular Hearth restaurant. If you like your wines esoteric (Casamaro Blanco from Spain, Zweigelt from Austria) and your bar snacks edgy (sage leaves stuffed with lamb sausage, turkey wings tossed in agrodolce sauce), this is the place.
413 E. 12th St.; 646-602-1300
Brunch Spots
Frankies 457 Spuntino
This is the quintessential Brooklyn restaurant—tin-pressed ceiling, exposed brick walls, laid-back service, and simple but stellar food. Sit in the backyard, sip a glass of Soave, and savor the best BLT you'll ever have.
457 Court Street, Brooklyn
T: 718-403-0033
Beer scene
Studio Square
Set in the cobblestone courtyard of an erstwhile factory in Queens, this 30,000-square-foot beer garden holds up to 1,800 bibulous guests who come for the 20-plus European and American brews on tap. The kitchen churns out beer-sopping fare like oversize hamburgers, long sausages, and even sushi. 35-33 36th Street, Long Island City; 718-383-1001; studiosquarenyc.com
DBGB Kitchen and Bar
Michelin-starred super chef Daniel Boulud sets up shop downtown with this homage to meat and beer. Pork-belly-topped burgers and superlative sausages (try the blood and pig's head sausage) complement the extensive beer list (24 on tap and 63 bottled) with a decidedly Belgian slant. 299 Bowery; 212-933-5300; danielnyc.com
Biergarten
Besides great views and a convenient Meatpacking District location, The Standard hotel also has New York's hippest beer garden. The menu, designed by Michelin-starred chef Kurt Gutenbrunner, includes fat, flavor-packed sausages and plus-size pretzels that go down nicely with the three Teutonic brews on tap. The Standard, 848 Washington Street; 212-645-4646; standardhotels.com
Radegast Hall & Biergarten
A retractable roof, a rustic wood-bedecked interior, 13 Central European beers on tap (including the crisp Czech pilsner Krusovice Imperial), and hearty fare like duck breast and Hungarian goulash. What's not to love about this spacious Williamsburg beer garden named for the West Slavic god of hospitality? 113 North Third Street, Brooklyn; 718-963-3973; radegasthall.com
Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden
Open 91 years, this is the granddaddy of Big Apple beer gardens. Leafy "Bohemka," as Czech expats admiringly call it, packs up to 1,000 beer swillers on warm days to linger over hearty Central European pub grub such as dumplings and Prague-based lager Staropramen. 29-19 24th Avenue, Astoria; 718-274-4925; bohemianhall.com
Beer Table
At this diminutive beer-centric spot in Brooklyn's brownstone-laden Park Slope neighborhood, the food complements the beer and not the other way around. Butter beans and bacon on bread, and beef stew pair well with the 25 globe-spanning brews, some pricey enough to inspire sipping instead of guzzling. 427B Seventh Avenue, Brooklyn; 718-965-1196; beertable.com
Blind Tiger Ale House
More than 50 beers by the bottle and 28 on tap. Craft, imported, Trappist. Don't bother asking for Bud Light here. When New Yorkers are looking for a hard-to-find beer, they hit up this wood-bathed West Village pub, a new location for the lively and crowded 14-year-old bar. 281 Bleecker Street; 212-462-4682; blindtigeralehouse.com
Der Schwarze Kölner
The name "The Black Cologner" is a reference to not only the soot-stained Gothic cathedral in Cologne, Germany, but also the owner, Dale Hall, a longtime Cologne resident of African descent. Large windows (which open to the street), floor-to-ceiling potted plants, and wooden folding chairs give the place a beer-garden feel. There are 18 German beers on tap, along with a small selection of wurst and cheese. 710 Fulton Street, Brooklyn; 347-841-4495; derschwarzekoelner.com
Bia
Prolific chef-restaurateur Michael "Bao" Huynh's homage to Vietnamese beer-drinking prowess inspires indulgence and adventurous eating. Wash down crispy Berkshire pork belly or the lobster in tamarind sauce with one of a dozen Asian beers available (or plan to visit Bia during brunch, when for a mere $15, you can happily consume as much beer as you want for two hours). Orchard Street; 212-780-0010; biagarden.com
Fuente:
www.bonappetit.com
