NY Vibe in TriBeCa
Eileen Asks:
“I am meeting one of my oldest friends who just moved to tribeca for dinner. He lives close to chambers & church, which isn’t the greatest part of the city for food at all. Do you have any suggestions for a restaurant in the area that is walking distance? I think the most important thing I’m looking for is a warm ambiance and a classic NY vibe.”
I’ll give you a few of my favorite options, not knowing what cuisine/price point you’re looking for…
My favorite ‘neighborhood’ place in the area is Max on Duane, near Greenwich. It’s great Italian food that’s really laid back yet warm and inviting. Kind of Tuscany meets downtown Manhattan… The pastas are great and there are usually some very good specials (look for the ravioli…mmm). The prices are surprisingly low for the area and quality.
Another great TriBeCa gem is Blaue Gans on Duane, near W. Broadway. I love the space - a lot more sleek and modern than Max. The food is German… great house-made sausage and also some really great, more inventive dishes on the menu. They should be doing some fun things for Oktoberfest, too!
My last suggestion feels like an old New York classic (even though it hasn’t been around all that long…). City Hall - actually right next to Blaue Gans on Duane. The food is very good… a fantastic raw bar and some good, straightforward steak and the like. There are certainly some better steakhouses in the city, but their space is quite stunning. It just oozes of old downtown NY and the tables are luxuriously far apart from each other. They have a great wine list, too… but it’s certainly not a steal.
I didn’t even plan on it but I ended up with three suggestions all on Duane st. I think they would all fit the bill… depending on what kind of NY vibe you’re looking for… City Hall is really classic, Blaue Gans is sleek and fun, and Max is very warm and friendly. Thanks for the question and please let me know what you choose and what you thought!
