I’m back! A special thanks to Becky Hughes for covering last week as I put the final touches on our big, colorful guide, “Where to Eat in New York City This Summer.” Have you checked out the beautiful interactive map yet?
Over the past three months, New York Times food writers have assembled dozens of recommendations that will keep you busy (and full) all summer long. We have food crawls through neighborhoods, tips for eating at major beaches and parks, ideas for weekend trips and more. We ate across all five boroughs and beyond to bring you familiar and delightfully unfamiliar options. It’s been a labor of love, with Mark Josephson, who edits this newsletter every week, getting us all across the finish line.
I’m already thinking about next year’s guide. But for now, here’s what I have on my personal bucket list for summer 2023.
Even after 10 years of living in New York, I haven’t come close to experiencing everything summer here has to offer. This year I want to enjoy the city like a tourist. It’s been years since I’ve visited the Museum of Modern Art, and I want to check out the new Georgia O’Keeffe exhibit. I’ve also heard that the new wing at the American Museum of Natural History is a feast for the eyes.
And believe it or not, I’ve never been to Governors Island. Please don’t shame me — I’m ashamed enough as it is. I can’t wait to spend a balmy afternoon on one of its green expanses. I already know where I’m going to eat: Carreau Club. It’s a weekends-only extension of the club of the same name in Industry City, where locals gather to play pétanque. (Sorry, pickleball.) You can chuck a few boules, sip a cold one and enjoy sandwiches provided by Court Street Grocers at their pop-up before heading to the island’s lookout point.
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Cocktails on Roosevelt Island
Speaking of islands, this is also the summer I finally visit Roosevelt Island. Robert Simonson, who frequently writes about bars for The Times, really sold me on the Panorama Room, a high-flying cocktail lounge on the 18th floor of the Graduate Hotel. It has views of Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn, and a tidy menu of bites, including caviar nachos and a raw bar. And yes, I will be taking the tram.
Finally, I’m strongly considering a day trip to the four-year-old Shirley Chisholm State Park, which I glimpsed on a drive along the Belt Parkway while reporting for our summer guide. It’s the very definition of bucolic — an accomplishment, considering it was once a landfill — and perfect for a picnic and a hike, possibly followed by an after-party at the nearby Dave & Buster’s.
After Labor Day, the unofficial end to summer, you’ll find me eating my weight in zeppole at the Feast of San Gennaro, celebrated this year from Sept. 14 to Sept. 24. I’ll probably stick to a weekday afternoon because I’m a big crowd hater, like most self-respecting New Yorkers.
I would love to hear what’s on your summertime eating and drinking to-do list. Email me at [email protected], and you may see your suggestions featured in a future newsletter. Wishing you all a lovely summer!
In Other News …
A little follow-up to last month’s reader questions: Two people emailed me to sing the praises of the carciofi alla giudia at Lattanzi Cucina Italiana, in Midtown (also great for a pre-theater meal). Another reader cited Cafe Fiorello, near Lincoln Center, as a prime carciofi destination.
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This week, Pete Wells reviews Stretch Pizza, the latest restaurant from the chef Wylie Dufresne. He finds the pizzas wanting, but the appetizers and desserts top-tier.
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Openings: Mercer Kitchen has been replaced by Sartiano’s, with the chef Alfred Portale as culinary director; the butchers Erika Nakamura and Jocelyn Guest are bringing their skills and a full menu to Due Madri, now open at Pier 57; and Frenchette Bakery will leave TriBeCa for the Whitney Museum of American Art this fall.
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Sean Sherman, the influential Indigenous chef, will receive this year’s Julia Child award from the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts.
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Tejal Rao explores the rise of brand-driven origin stories in film, including “Flamin’ Hot,” the new movie about the beloved Cheetos spinoff.
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