BRONX
There's a zoo here. The Yankees. The Botanical Garden. And a street called Arthur Avenue where you could spend a wonderful afternoon eating Italian food or shopping to make a meal somewhere. We say afternoon, 'cause we know someone's already told you that you will get mugged or beaten up if you are here after dark, which is probably not true. But maybe in your case it is.
Borgatti's Ravioli & Egg NoodlesNOTE: The "
" means we highly recommend these joints.BORGATTI'S RAVIOLI & EGG NOODLESBest, freshest ravioli around for over 70 years. 632 E. 187th St., 718-367-3799.CALABRIA PORK STOREGrocery-shop here and make a meal for whoever is hosting you. Known for its sausage, soppressata, prosciutto, and Italian canned tuna. 2338 Arthur Ave., 718-367-5145.MIKE'S DELIIn the Arthur Avenue food market. Get the eggplant-parmesan hero. 2344 Arthur Ave., 718-295-5033.ROBERTO'SHuge portions at this fancy-pants Italian joint mean only one thing: Bring a group, and pass, like, three dishes. 603 Crescent Ave., 718-733-9503.›QUEENS
If you fly into LaGuardia or JFK, you'll pass through parts of Queens—home of every single cab driver in the city— and probably never come back. That's just wrong. Some of the best food in the city is here. To be honest, that's really the only reason you'd trek back out here. What? You're going to go to a Mets game? To try and find George Costanza's parents' house? Mmmkay. PS: Nothing here is very expensive foodwise.
BOHEMIAN HALL & BEER GARDENThis is a nice outdoor beer garden in Astoria. It claims it's the only one in the city, but that's kind of taking liberties with the definition of drinking beer without a roof over your head and some sort of topiary or foliage nearby. Anyway, you probably won't be eating much here, but they have the usual German stuff. 29-19 24th Ave., 718-274-4925.JACKSON DINERLegendary Jackson Heights Indian restaurant with buffet-style [at lunch only?] eating for those so inclined. If you like Indian food, make every effort. We'd marry this place if we could. 37-47 74th St., 718-672-1232.KABAB CAFÉChef Ali doesn't give a shit about a menu at his Egyptian/Moroccan diner in Little Egypt. You'll eat what he is cooking. And he'll talk you through a few things until you agree. Then he'll take his sweet-ass time cooking it, and you will love it. Closed Mondays. 2512 Steinway St., 718-728-9858.LITTLE PEPPERChinese Sichuan joint noted for their tremendous cumin lamb. Everything here is hot, hot, hot. Suffer through it. 133-43 Roosevelt Ave., 718-939-7788.LOS PORTALESThe tacos al pastor here slay. Get them with salsa roja. 2508 Broadway, Astoria, 718-204-6736.
PhiloxeniaPHILOXENIAThis is a giant Greek restaurant that, to be honest, we have never set foot inside, but everyone we know who has ever lived in Queens told us about it repeatedly. 32-07 34th Ave., 718-626-2000.ROTI BOTI SHAHEENGreat cheap Indian/Pakistani place that stays open very late. 7209 Broadway, Jackson Heights (there're two Roti Botis in Queens but this is the one you must go to), 718-476-6516.STATEN ISLAND
This is the most exotic, shat-on, underrated, ignored borough in New York. No one gets off the fucking plane at JFK and says, "Take me to Staten Island." It's home to Wu-Tang Clan, the free-lovin' Ganas commune, a Republican congressman who fathered a love child outside of DC, a Yankees minor-league team (with an awesome stadium whose backdrop is the Manhattan skyline), at least one annual fireman and/or cop beating or murder whodunit, and a whole lot of good food and fun bars. You owe it to yourself to drive over the Verrazano Bridge once in your life. And take the ferry here.
KILLMEYER'SNine German draft beers are served by the liter, and about fifty more come in bottles. Their mammoth beer garden is open Thurs.-Sun. And on Wednesdays you can get a platter of various wursts for $10.95. Killmeyer's also employs an oompah band. 4254 Arthur Kill Rd., 718-984-1202.
There's a zoo here. The Yankees. The Botanical Garden. And a street called Arthur Avenue where you could spend a wonderful afternoon eating Italian food or shopping to make a meal somewhere. We say afternoon, 'cause we know someone's already told you that you will get mugged or beaten up if you are here after dark, which is probably not true. But maybe in your case it is.
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If you fly into LaGuardia or JFK, you'll pass through parts of Queens—home of every single cab driver in the city— and probably never come back. That's just wrong. Some of the best food in the city is here. To be honest, that's really the only reason you'd trek back out here. What? You're going to go to a Mets game? To try and find George Costanza's parents' house? Mmmkay. PS: Nothing here is very expensive foodwise.
BOHEMIAN HALL & BEER GARDENThis is a nice outdoor beer garden in Astoria. It claims it's the only one in the city, but that's kind of taking liberties with the definition of drinking beer without a roof over your head and some sort of topiary or foliage nearby. Anyway, you probably won't be eating much here, but they have the usual German stuff. 29-19 24th Ave., 718-274-4925.
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This is the most exotic, shat-on, underrated, ignored borough in New York. No one gets off the fucking plane at JFK and says, "Take me to Staten Island." It's home to Wu-Tang Clan, the free-lovin' Ganas commune, a Republican congressman who fathered a love child outside of DC, a Yankees minor-league team (with an awesome stadium whose backdrop is the Manhattan skyline), at least one annual fireman and/or cop beating or murder whodunit, and a whole lot of good food and fun bars. You owe it to yourself to drive over the Verrazano Bridge once in your life. And take the ferry here.
KILLMEYER'SNine German draft beers are served by the liter, and about fifty more come in bottles. Their mammoth beer garden is open Thurs.-Sun. And on Wednesdays you can get a platter of various wursts for $10.95. Killmeyer's also employs an oompah band. 4254 Arthur Kill Rd., 718-984-1202.