My New Book—Ice Cream: A Global History

Vareli in Morningside Heights is a Welcome Addition to the Upper West Side Dining Scene

If you don’t mind wading through clots of soused Columbia Students, Vareli in Morningside Heights is a nice spot for some of the best food on the Upper West Side.
The restaurant, which specializes in Mediterranean-themed small dishes dishes and tapas, is situated on the ground floor of the building that also houses that long-time Columbia [...]

Cascabel UWS: Tacos Disappoint But Other Dishes Shine

Before Hurricane Irene, Cascabel on Broadway at 108th Street was one of the few restaurants in the area that was open. That was also true immediately after the storm had sped north to New England. So I wound up eating there twice in two days.
The tiny place was a mob scene, filled to overflowing with [...]

Upper West Side: Henry’s Signs Up to Support School Gardens

Upper West Side: Henry’s and 20 other restaurants sign up to support New York’s school gardens.

The Best Hot Dog In the New York Area

What’s the best hot dog in New York? Well, you’ll have to travel a bit to find it. For this beautifully-flavored and sauced hot dog, you’ll need to hop the Jitney or rent a car and travel out to the North Fork of Long Island. There, at a food truck operated by the award-winning  North [...]

Restaurants for Valentine’s Day on the Upper West Side and Elsewhere in New York

Especially in this down economy, restaurants are hungering for your business on Valentine’s Day. On the Upper West Side, there’s a bumper crop of places to go.
I personally would rather skip the whole hyped-up Valentine’s Day eating out thing and prepare a cozy dinner at home. Why brave the mobs at the restaurants, the often [...]