Walking down the streets of New York City your nose is bound to pick up some of the delicious smells wafting out of the restaurants lining the streets. These smells are a lovely break from the often overpowering smell of the trash and sewers, but hey you win some you lose some. Having spent about two months in New York now, I’ve tried quite a few restaurants, especially during quarantine when I couldn’t get any groceries. This being said I’ve tried my best to eat in as much as possible because New York is pricey, even groceries are robbing me blind. As hard as I’ve tried to be a fiscally responsible member of society, I have failed many times and splurged on a meal out. Here is a list of the top three places I’ve eaten thus far.
- Emmy Squared Pizza
This place was actually recommended to me by the head of the New York Arts Program. My roommate and I had to quarantine for ten days earlier in the month, and on the last day of our isolation she very generously offered to buy us pizza. We told her we really didn’t have any place in mind so she suggested Emmy Squared Pizza. This restaurant has several locations in New York as well as other states in the east. We of course got delivery since we couldn’t leave our room. My roommate and I are both fans of white pizza which does not have tomato sauce. We both got the “Good Paulie” pizza which had caramelized onions, sausage, and smoked gouda on it. We enjoyed the pizza so much that we ordered the exact same thing again two or three days later. The crust was the perfect thickness; not too thin, but not too thick and fluffy either and it still had a nice crunch. I would highly recommend Emmy Squared Pizza.
- Tacombi
I discovered this place one day out on a walk around the Upper East Side. I was immediately drawn to the restaurant because the building looked like it was straight out of a Wes Anderson film; perfectly square and covered in bright colors. I took a picture and told myself I had to come back to try the food. Turns out the restaurant has a ton of different locations throughout New York and each restaurant looks so unique and retro. One night I had a real hankering for Mexican and I dragged my friends along with me. I got pork tacos and please believe when I said they were incredible. I will say the portions are rather small so make sure you order at least two (I got three). I also have to give a shoutout to their marketing team because I’m obsessed with their branding. The restaurant brands itself as a tropical vacation destination and when you get their business card it looks like a retro postcard from a beautiful getaway in Mexico.
- Court Square Diner
I put Court Square Diner on this list for aesthetic reasons. The food was good, but not life-changing good. This diner was located in Queens, and it was the first restaurant I got to sit down and eat in. From the outside and inside, this place looked like your typical retro diner. The diner sits on a corner tucked under a bridge, but with its silver exterior and neon lights, it’s hard to miss. On the inside you have your typical bar with stools that I could imagine sitting at and ordering a black cup of coffee (if I drank coffee straight up). When we sat down, half of the table ordered lunch items and the other half ordered breakfast items. It was a very cold day, and a cup of coffee and french toast just sounded right to me.
