Midtown Lunch

When you walk into the Imperial Coffee House, you feel like you’re stepping into a Norman Rockwell painting, but then the men behind the counter start their schtick and you’re back in NYC. This is perhaps the least fancy place to eat lunch in Tribeca, and the prices are also some of the cheapest downtown with the menu topping out at $8. This is the place to go for a no-frills meal of greasy food.  Read more »

While walking by the corner of West Broadway & Warren where The Bigger Place is, I noticed a brand new bright yellow awning was up with a new name: Mariachi’s. Never fear if you’re a fan of the place’s food, as a glance at the signboard outside and menu in the window showed no obvious changes, and one dish even still had the name “Bigger Place” in it. Not sure why they changed the name, but it seems cosmetic.

Not all street meat carts serve a seafood option, and even if they do it’s usually an afterthought and not offered every day. One of the best versions in the Financial District can be found at the $5.50 Lunch Truck on Ann St., with a spicy Eritrean spin on white fish. Among the meat-heavy menu at the Halal Gyro Express cart there is the option of “fish over rice” and that is where the description ends. Everything else I’ve had at this cart featuring Afghan food has been good so I had faith in the seafood.  Read more »

• Who has the best wonton soup in Chinatown? [SENY]
• We may see an uptick in fancy hot dogs. [Eater NY]
• Sweetgreen appears to be way behind schedule. [Tribeca Citizen]
• Financier’s selling special macarons for charity. [Grub St.]
• I’d totally eat at this list’s Calamarvelous. [FitR]

When The Hummus & Pita Co. opened its second NYC location downtown I wondered what their crowning glory would be. I had an enjoyable chicken shawarma sandwich where the meat was almost outshined by the vegetables stuffed in alongside. Based on the strength of that meal, I decided to stop into the shop on Chambers St. (btw. Broadway & Church) for round 2. Once again, I was seduced by a spinning cylinder of meat.  Read more »

Do not go to Shorty’s if you are on a diet. I mean, if you are trying to watch your girlish figure, a cheese steak is probably not at the top of your list of things to eat for lunch. The shop on Pearl St. (btw. Coenties Slip & Broad) has salads and some “lighter” hoagies on the menu, but for me the danger lies in knowing that Shorty’s has some really great fries to go along with your meat, cheese and bread gut-bomb. Did I mention these fries involve romano cheese?

Read more »