@grubstreet
Grub Street
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Dim sum restaurant · Chinatown
"A 125-year-old Doyers Street dim sum landmark, this is Chinatown’s oldest restaurant and a long-standing institution whose reputation had sagged by 2010 until Wilson Tang took over—after Fred Tang bought the building from Wally Tang on the condition the restaurant stay open—and brought it back to life, drawing crowds and attention and turning it into a successful tourist destination. Vincent Tang joined in 2015 and tensions grew into legal battles; after a 2023 settlement split the empire (Vincent running the original location, Wilson the newer offshoots) while sharing company control and a bank account, a fresh 2024 dispute over a Vincent-produced documentary that scrubbed Wilson’s role and over reimbursement invoices led to allegations that Vincent withdrew $90,785.94 without consent. A judge granted Wilson a preliminary injunction ordering that the money be returned, his bank access restored, and the account reactivated, even as both cousins insist they’re responsible for keeping the restaurant going—with Vincent saying the disputes have held his operation back." - Chris Crowley
Restaurant · West Village
"Once a Prohibition-era haunt said to have birthed the phrase “getting 86’d,” this notorious West Village hideaway tossed overserved patrons out a side door to avoid police attention; the heavy green door with its metal-grilled peephole endures, and the space remains haunted and hallowed, inspiring successor tenants to trade on its history." - Matthew Schneier
Italian restaurant · Los Feliz
"A tiny, beloved Italian restaurant in Los Feliz where I spent years meeting up with writer friends — I even wrote much of my second novel there — punctuating work spurts with meatballs and Italian tuna salad. They were welcoming to us, and that Italian tuna salad, made without mayo and heavy on herbs, comes scooped over tender lettuces with hunks of avocado and tomato and a soft-boiled egg; it’s the template I crave at home." - The Editors, Ryan Inzana
West African restaurant · Central Harlem
"A weekday lunch date spot where the ginger juice was exceptionally spicy and delicious, the Poisson Yassa’s seasoning was just right, the rice soft, and the pickled vegetables tangy. On our favorite server’s advice we swapped our usual Moules Frites Africana for the Provençal and I became a fan of olives alongside mussels; I even said yes to bread to chase the last broth despite trying to limit simple carbs." - The Editors, Ryan Inzana
Pizza restaurant · Oklahoma City
"Best for a slice when I’m in Harlem and want something quick and satisfying." - The Editors, Ryan Inzana
Mexican restaurant · Hamilton Heights
"A quickly buzzy uptown brunch spot run by a couple with an adorable toddler, and the food lives up to the hype: the Masa Pancake with strawberry compote (we’ve also had it with peaches and blueberries — always good), the Tortilla con Huevo that’s a very crispy corn tortilla with an over-medium egg over a blistered sheath of hoja santa, and Onion Tinga Quesadillas. The vegan fajitas were new to us and could use more heat, but the mushrooms had a nice crisp." - The Editors, Ryan Inzana
Korean restaurant · East Village
"Home to Duck Bulgogi that I consider top-five duck in the city; when the duck-holiday mood strikes, this downtown spot is on the short list." - The Editors, Ryan Inzana
Pizza restaurant · Bushwick
"A Mexican restaurant I used to frequent for happy hour in my early 30s that surprised me on a return visit with starters that sang — Calabacita Rostizada that put my own roasted squash to shame, a Fluke Aguachile Rojo with a proper kick, and a Tamal de Camaron that made me homesick by recalling the stewed-beef tamales of my childhood. I even indulged in my old favorite, a spicy mezcal margarita, though the tacos and veggie enchilada we ordered for mains were just okay." - The Editors, Ryan Inzana
African restaurant · Midtown West
"A true clubstaurant energy that hits all my nostalgia buttons — Amapiano and Afrobeat blasting, hookah available tableside, women in bodycon and heels, and purple and Black décor that makes it feel like a night out. The food, billed as a tantalizing West-African fusion, delivered: jollof with fried fish, Red Stew with fish, a whole roasted branzino with plantain, and the surprise star, “Lagos Pasta” with grilled salmon that was basically a classic Rasta pasta. It felt like the people’s Tatiana, and I left giddy-tired the way you do post-club, even though it was only 11 p.m." - The Editors, Ryan Inzana
Sushi restaurant · Midtown West
"An omakase counter in Koreatown I slip into on off-hours by myself precisely because I never encounter a line; I just missed the last seating this time thanks to the train, but it remains my quiet, no-wait sushi fix." - The Editors, Ryan Inzana