BLOCK PART Y
Time to visit these newly hip strips in and around the city — before they lose their curb appeal
BROADWAY, HAMILTON HEIGHTS
Between the (controversial) expansion of Columbia University into the nearby Manhattanville neighborhood and millennials discovering the cheaper rents, Broadway between the 140s and 150s — in parts a still-gritty stretch — teems with new life.
Head to the Honeywell (1) (3604 Broadway; 646-861-0489), a boîte decked out in 1970s décor. Munch on Swedish meatballs while sipping a Disco Inferno, whose smoky notes come from fire-toasted cocoa butter. It’s from the team behind the block’s Harlem Public, which has a big brunch crowd, and At the Wallace.
“What keeps me here is the people,” says co-owner Lauren Lynch. “I love the melting pot and the community fabric.” Mamasushi (2) (3569 Broadway; 646-682-7879), Inwood’s popular Japanese/Dominican fusion eatery, is now also on Broadway. Not everyone can claim to have eaten a
Peje y Parcha roll topped with salmon tempura and sweet plantain. ROKC ( 3) (3452 Broadway; ROKCNYC.com) features six bowls of ramen, including the Kyoto, with pork belly and egg. Plus, there are creative cocktails and a raw bar. Nearby, the Handpulled Noodle (4) (3600 Broadway; 917-262-0213) just added hearty drunken noodles to its menu.
For Italian, Bono Trattoria (5)
(3658 Broadway; 646-682-9249) is a brick-walled dining space that draws crowds for its wood-fired pizzas and pastas.
Visit the area in daylight as well. Fuel up on a cappuccino and a bacon bird’s nest — a savory egg pastry — at Hamilton’s Bakery ( 6) (3570 Broadway; 646-755-8385) and then pop by the Gitler & ___ gallery (7) (3629 Broadway; 212-951-1466).
“I thought it’d be fun to showcase the art you [used to] need to go downtown for,” says owner Avi Gitler.
The free ferry ride to Staten Island is the best deal in town. And just a short walk from the terminal lies Van Duzer Street, in the historic Stapleton neighborhood.
A hotbed of local art and music before the 2008 recession, it’s once again catering to the artists who live there with a spike in new cafes, eateries and bars. Craft House ( 1) (60 Van Duzer St.; 718
442-3433), which has brews and barbecue, will also soon be home to the Kills Boro Brewing Co.
“The businesses on Van Duzer Street have always felt like they were the most authentic experiences around here,” says Sean Torres, marketing manager of Kills Boro, who also lives on the street. “It’s definitely picked up here the last few months. A lot of young people just out and enjoying themselves.”
The Hop Shoppe ( 2) (372 Van Duzer St.;
718-448-3400) serves craft cocktails and a formidable burger. Patrons will be delighted by its superhero-decorated taps and back room with skee ball. Duzer’s Local (3) (387 Van Duzer St.;
646-479-5965), a cozy cafe, serves treats like olive-oil cake, soups and sandwiches — think savory-sweet goat cheese and figs on a croissant. A market up front sells eclectic pantry goods and bulk candies.
Your sweet tooth can also be satisfied at Pastry Lover’s Choice (4) (370 Van Duzer St.; 917-830-0146), a bakery where everything is made from scratch each morning. Get a taste of the borough’s diversity via world-cuisine local favorite Vida (5) (381 Van Duzer St.; 718-720-1501). Staten Island is home to the city’s largest Sri Lankan population, so you might want to try Lakruwana (6) (668 Bay St.; 347857-6619), a Sri Lankan spot that offers all-day weekend buffets.