Family Friendly Dining in NYC
It may seem difficult eating out with a huge list of food allergies (see my post about living with food allergies), but the plus side of is that we usually only eat at spots with fresh ingredients and the least amount of preservatives added. Long story short, we only eat the good stuff. New York City is full of probably a million places to eat. I was so pleased to discover that all the places we decided to eat at were both, accommodating to food allergies, and kid friendly too! We got an Airbnb in Brooklyn which is full of Family friendly places to eat. Anywhere you go out, you will see parents with a kid in tow. Manhattan is a little bit on the yuppy d.i.n.k side (stands for double income no kids. I learned that term from a river tour guide in Amsterdam, and hung onto it ever since). Its got a super cool and trendy vibe, which can be intimidating when eating out with kids. The good news is that everyone eats dinner later in Manhattan so everything is pretty much family friendly if you go to dinner around 5 pm. That doesn't sound too early for you parents, does it? We really loved it because we had also every restaurant to ourselves at that hour. Here are my favorite spots that we ate at in Brooklyn and Manhattan that are a.) SUPER tasty b.) family friendly c.) allergy friendly.
This little Italian joint in the Cobble Hill area of Brooklyn is so delicious! Wood fire cooked pizzas, fresh pasta's, and yummy hearty salads are abundant here. I highly recommend the signature pizzas with truffle cheese and thick strips of prosciutto. They Deliver too, but recommend eating there because the food is so much more enjoyable fresh from the kitchen.
I would say I'm on the verge of having an addiction to a good cup of joe. This place is an espresso lovers dream come true. These guys have the espresso roast DOWN. The menu is small but perfectly curated espresso drinks. They also have a restaurant in the back, but unfortunately it was not super easy for our allergies so we couldn't try it out. My favorite drinks here were the latte and mocha (insert drooling emoji here). We had to buy a bag of beans to take home with us as a souvenir. Can someone from NYC please send me more? Better yet, East One BKLN can you open in Huntington Beach CA?
We rolled Alice right up to the table in her stroller at this convenient cafe located on the 5th floor of the MOMA. We were seated right next to the terrance with a lovely view of the MOMA grounds and the cityscape which made the sounds of a fussy baby completely bearable. Probably one of the more stuffy places that we ate at, but still kid friendly because of the bustling museum atmosphere. They were also super accommodating with food modifications. I had a delicious smoked chicken curry salad and Taylor had a hearty nicioise salad. If you're planning a trip to the MOMA, plan lunch here!
I just had to visit this place when we were in NYC. This eighty year old Russian tea room and restaurant is an icon. It is located adjacent to Carnegie Hall and couple blocks from Central Park. Furnished in red upholstery, gold foiled ceilings, and antique oil paintings, you are instantly transported to another world and another time. If you know anything about me, I love that kind of stuff. I love nostalgia and I love going places that feel like a whole experience. This is one of those places. Come here around 5 pm for dinner if you're going out with the family. We were the only people in the restaurant and were able to enjoy our dinner before the manhattan dinner patrons started arriving. We ordered the Borscht (Russian beet soup) that had such unique flavors of sweet beets and bacon (yes its made with bacon!), and it was served with a small flaky beef pirozhok or traditional Eastern European meat pastry. Taylor had a PERFECTLY seasoned and grilled filet mignon. Alice absolutely loved the pirozhki and sour cream (mostly just the sour cream). I highly recommend getting a russian style pot of tea with sweet cherries. I personally wish wish this place had more eastern european dishes and desserts, but if it's your first time trying eastern european cuisine, this is a great place to go.
The first time I visited this parisian tea house patisserie and restaurant was at location on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées in France. It was here that I discovered my beloved Ladurée violet tea. A tea that you can only order when you dining in here (why Laudree, whyyy?). So when i found out that there was a Ladurée in SoHo, I made the family decision to walk 2 miles through Manhattan to order some violet tea with dinner. Pro Tip- Make sure you make reservations if you are eating out in Manhattan on a Saturday night. We had to wait 40 minutes before getting a seat, but it was worth the wait. This restaurant is also pretty family friendly and they have the cutest french style high chairs for the babes. Dinner is delicious and you must order dessert here. Alice and I recommend some macarons and of course, violet tea.
Organic produce, grass-fed sustainable meats, and tons of allergy friendly options at this cobble hill breakfast and burger spot. Taylor loved it so much he ordered TWO collard greens wrapped burgers.
If you're from California and you're visiting the East Coast, its likely that there will come a day when you are crave some good old fashioned Mexican food. If you find your self on the Upper West Side of NYC, be sure to check out Cafe Frida. Delicious and interesting (Im talking about mashed chipotle plantains as a side dish) Mexican food with a vegan and allergy friendly menu. This spot is located right across from the Museum of natural history so you plan to eat here during your trip to the museum!
This is classic New York City Delicatessen. The portions here are so freaking humungous. Im talking about Matzah ball soup with matzahs as big as softball, Reuben sandwiches that are piled high with fresh thick cut pastrami and swiss cheese, and side orders big enough for the whole family to share. The super laid back atmosphere is perfect for the family who feels on edge at every mealtime. Alice was able to yell and toss her food around (I tried to control it, I swear) without any of the employees or other patrons even batting an eye. This joint is packed pretty much all day but the service is fast. I would definitely come here again.
This was our last dinner spot before flying home and it really was the GRAND FINALE of the trip. As you might have noticed I love myself some cuisine from the motherland and this spot did NOT disappoint. The Russian Samovar is an authentic Eastern European restaurant AND Piano bar. The Pianist even asked Alice to help him play the piano haha. There is a Lounge upstairs and a whole separate vodka bar across the street (but thats for date night without the babes obvs). I love the moody french cafe inspired decor and red accents. Here you will find all the Eastern European goodies like pelmeni, borscht, piroshki, beet and pickled herring dishes galore (super Russian). The best part is that they served a full menu of Eastern European desserts! I ordered some Russian tea with cherries and my favorite Medovik which is a decadent layered honey cake. You can find my recipe for an allergy friendly version of this cake on my last blog post!
I can honestly say that New York City is one of my favorite places that I have traveled so far. I know that we will come back. I'm hoping that next time we come here we can bring Grandma for a date night out or perhaps...dare i say it...travel solo without the baby? Probably not. I <3 NYC!
Love,
Sofia