Where Chefs Eat in NYC

Food media from people who’ve actually worked in the industry.

If you want to know where to eat and drink — you ask the chefs, the bartenders and the restauranteurs. That’s the theory that led us to creating Eating With Experts at least.

Before moving into food media, Lauren and I both worked in hospitality and we’d always tap up friends in the industry for dining and drinking recommendations. Somehow, that morphed into its own video series and now, this newsletter.

We like to eat everywhere from hole-in-the-wall Thai spots to fancy Michelin star restaurants, so the chefs we chat to are from a range of those places. Sometimes you’ll be getting cheesesteak recommendations, sometimes it’ll be for high end sushi, but either way it’s from those in the know, plus a little input of our own along the way.

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CHEF, WHERE DO YOU EAT ON YOUR NIGHT OFF?

This is the question that kicked things off for us and one that has brought a whole variety of recommendations, usually leaning to the more casual side.

Chef Daniel Lee — Le French Diner

188 Orchard St, New York, NY

This intimate restaurant on the Lower East Side is no reservations and perfect if you’re looking for a last minute date night spot. Casual, well executed menu.

The order;

• Bocca de Nice

• Hanger steak with gratin dauphinois

• Green salad

Chef Sal Lamboglia from Cafe Spaghetti — Lucali

575 Henry St, Brooklyn

As an Italian-American New Yorker, of course he was going to choose pizza for his night off! Lucali is located near to Sal’s restaurants (Cafe Spaghetti, Swoony’s and Sal Tang’s) in Carroll Gardens and it really is one of the best, drawing in crowds for their walk in only tables. Though the NY Times recently left them off of their 22 Best Pizza’s in NY Right Now.

The order;

• Pizza with spicy peppers and onions

• The Calzone - definitely a sleeper hit on the menu.

Chef Alain Ducasse — Superiority Burger

119 Avenue A, New York, NY

The legendary chef took us by surprise in suggesting this casual vegetarian spot. At one stage he trialed a plant based burger spot in Paris but it didn’t take off, so maybe it’s a taste of what could’ve been, I’m sure he doesn’t lose any sleep over it though, with his 21 Michelin stars.

Chef Ben Siman Tov from Buba Bureka — Thai Diner

186 Mott St, Nolita

With a catering company, a new bureka shop and a big online following to manage, it’s a surprise Ben has much time to dine out but when he does, he loves to visit Thai Diner. This Thai-American restaurant was also picked by Chef Suzanne Cupps from Lola’s.

The order;

• Pea shoots

• Scallop carpaccio

• Papaya salad

• Crab fried rice.

Chef Luis Herrera from Ensenada — Sofreh

75 St Marks Ave, Brooklyn

When we interviewed Luis, the recommendations did not stop - he definitely loves to eat as well as cook! For his night off he likes to get Persian food at Sofreh in Prospect Heights.

The order;

• Eggplant & whey dip

• Ash stew

• Half duck fesenjan

• Lamb shank

• Pomegranate ribeye kebab

• Tahdig

• Saffron rice and rosewater ice cream sandwich.

Mike Puma from Gotham Burger — Il Posto Accanto

190 E 2nd St, New York, NY

We knew we had to visit when Mike said ‘It tastes like your mother’s making it out of her kitchen.’ This Italian restaurant is hardly talked about but has such a warm, homey feel and a menu built around fresh market ingredients.

The order;

• Grilled calamari

• Market salad

• Linguine vongole

• If it’s Sunday, the lasagne is a must.

Chef Giovanni Porto from r40 — Achilles Heel

180 West St, Brooklyn

With his Argentine-inspired restaurant r40 just over the border in Queens, Chef Gio is a big fan of Greenpoint’s Achilles Heel. It’s an ideal little neighborhood bar / restaurant from the team behind Diner, Borgo and She Wolf Bakery.

The order;

• Crudo

• House salad

• Fried chicken

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