Family Friendly New York
Tuesday, May 31st, 2011As a father of two young girls, I have finally reached an important milestone. Gone are the days of having to wolf down a meal in order to carry a misbehaving child out of a restaurant so that my wife can finish her meal in peace. Gone are the days of children going under the table to antagonize their siblings. Gone are the days of asking my daughters, “Do you want a cheeseburger, mac and cheese, or chicken fingers?”
Now my children want the grown up menu. These kids want to go to the restaurants that serve grilled artichokes with garlic aioli and roasted pork belly. We still have to remind them to chew with their mouth’s closed and to place their napkins on their laps after being served. But most importantly they are respectful of those who serve us our food.
Now I can travel and not have to worry about childcare while I go out and dine. The girls can now join us in exploring great restaurants.
With that being said I planned a trip and we went to New York City.
The following represents my list of restaurants that we visited and enjoyed.
Reservations Required – Drop everything and start calling.
Cool place to get some excellent beers and gourmet sausages. This is a smart casual restaurant that has great pots and pans on display donated by some of the best chefs in the city.
The classic French bistro made famous by Anthony Bourdain. This is a great place to get some straightforward French food like steak and frites.
Momofuku Restaurants – can’t go wrong with any of these restaurants. Straightforward and good.
A fun family restaurant. The entrance is like an Italian railroad station and when your table is ready the train departure board shows your name. Great little pizzas, simple pastas, and great cured meats.
The classic New York Steakhouse where you can only get a steak medium rare. A steak for two can feed a family of four. Make sure sure to get the house bacon and leave room for dessert, which they serve with a big bowl of freshly made, whipped cream.
No Reservations Accepted
Great sit down pizza joint in Greenwich Village.
I love this place. Every neighborhood should have this type of Gastro Pub. Good food and good people.
Decent tacos. Not as good as Los Angeles but it does the trick.
If you’re hustling to get to a Broadway show and it’s too late for a sit down dinner. Try this pizza stand in the heart of the theater district. This place hits the spot. Get yourself a big slice of pizza and make sure to tip the boys.
When you find yourself shopping around Soho and you need a little bit of pickup, drop into Vosges Chocolate for a great bite of gourmet chocolate or drink.
For a complete list of my favorite restaurants in New York City check out my Google Map. Get lost in New York and access via your smart phone for the nearest good eats.
View SimpleFoodie New York Restaurants in a larger map.