Restaurant Week in New York City is a great way to explore midtown Manhattan restaurants, but what about the wonderful properties in the Outer Boroughs, or off-the-beaten-path in Manhattan? Serious foodies will want to make time for the seventh annual one-day-only Choice Eats, a Village Voice-sponsored food fest that runs for four hours on March 25.
The event, held at Pier 36 (otherwise known as Basketball City), gathers several lesser-known outer borough restaurants together in one room. Foodies can sample fare from (at least) 26 different eateries, which city website Gothamist notes includes veggie cuisine from Dirt Candy, South African dishes from Kaia Wine Bar, smoked meats from Fletcher's Brooklyn Barbecue and sweets from Robicelli's. Food fest "stalwarts" like Luke's Lobster, The Meatball Shop, Jimmy's No. 43 and Red Hook Lobster Pound will also be represented.
Good to know: VIP tickets are available for an extra hour's access to the food before the main crowd gets in, access to a dedicated lounge, a gift bag and a souvenir glass.
Gothamist has the following tips for attendees:
- Arrive early and be in the front of the line.
- Hit up the super trendy spots first. (Anything with the word "lobster" in the name is going to go fast, the site notes.)
- Don't focus on the "name" restaurants.
Visit choiceeats.villagevoice.com for tickets.