FOOD & DRINK
EDDY BUCKINGHAM, RESTAURATEUR AND PUBLICAN
“The hospitality scene in New York right now is absolutely electric.”
With the thousands upon thousands of dining options in the Big Apple, it pays to hit up someone who knows. And that someone is Eddy Buckingham, co-founder of Tuxedo Hospitality (tuxedohospitality.com), responsible for NYC restaurants Chinese Tuxedo and The Tyger, as well as hip joints Peachy’s Bar and South Soho Bar.
The former Melburnian says there’s never been a better time to dine out here. “The hospitality scene in New York right now is absolutely electric,” he says, adding that if you only have time for one meal, make your way to Raoul’s (raouls.com). “It’s basically Paris through the New York lens. It’s been open since the ’80s, has a great wine list and is probably the coolest restaurant I’ve ever been to.”
If you’re in want of a digestif after your steak au poivre
(aka pepper steak), Eddy recommends Holywater (crewny.com), a hidden bar in the Tribeca neighbourhood. “It’s down some stairs behind a discreet door… you’d miss it if you didn’t know it was there,” he says.
For a late-night bite, Eddy would have you hit up Mother’s Ruin (mothersruinnyc.com). “It’s open till 4am, so it’s where hospitality types tend to congregate,” he says. “They do a great late-night crisp chicken burger, and the drinks are exceptional.”
And if it’s people-watching you’re after, Eddy says Indochine (indochinenyc.com) is the place to be: “On any given day, you’ll find generations of interesting New Yorkers dining there. It’s a real scene.”