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72nd Street Bagel

72nd Street Bagel 1 Bagels Kosher Breakfast American Upper West Side

I have never made a trip to Massachusetts to visit my daughter without first stopping at 72nd Street Bagels. And, whenever she is in town, her family's first choice for breakfast comes from the same place. We all know that there is nothing as good as a New York bagel.

This particular shop has been around since "a long, long time ago," in the words of its owner, Ahmed. Though he only took over in 2002, the establishment has been churning out bagels for the Upper West side for decades. Ahmed, who has had experience running delis and convenience stores, was careful not to change too much about the eatery, though he did add a few menu items. The bagels, he told me, are made fresh every day by the same man who made them before Ahmed even got involved with the kosher food business. "Our bagels are rated number three in the whole city of New York," Ahmed proudly stated, pointing to the amazing press, hanging on the wall, which the bagel shop has received.

Not only were they written up in the New York Times in 2009, but 72nd Street Bagels also made an appearance in the United Airlines Magazine, which brought in a lot of tourists. Ahmed told me that "everyone came in wanting the scallion and cream cheese bagel" that was mentioned in the piece. Thanks in part to these articles, customers find their way to 72nd Street from everywhere. There are local regulars, people who come uptown from Brooklyn, clients who order bagels from Boston, and visiting Israelis who come in to taste the fluffy rings of dough. And even with the rising rents, Ahmed asserts, "I never overcharge for anything – even shipping."

Ahmed is a large part of why the business does so well. He is in the kitchen, cooking with his own hands most of the time. "More or less everybody knows me," he said. It is always a good sign when the staff also eats the food, and Ahmed loves to eat at 72nd Street Bagels. "But mostly the mini bagels - because of my diet!"

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72nd Street Bagel 1 Bagels Kosher Breakfast American Upper West Side
72nd Street Bagel 2 Bagels Kosher Breakfast American Upper West Side
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72nd Street Bagel 9 Bagels Kosher Breakfast American Upper West Side

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Malachy's Donegal Inn 1 Bars American undefined

Malachy's Donegal Inn

With its prime 72nd Street location, I have passed by Malachy's Donegal Inn almost daily, but had never stepped inside. I was always waiting for the day when I would be working on this street, so that I could go in with the Manhattan Sideways team and have a good time. And that is exactly what happened. "Looks can be deceiving, believe me, " owner Bill Raftery immediately said when we popped in during the lunch hour in the middle of the week. He continued to speak lovingly and confidently of his pub, which has been in business since 1989. "This bar has the best pub food of any like it in the area, " Bill stated. Looking around, we were pleased to find the old wooden bar packed from end to end. According to Bill, most of his lunch customers are crew guys from local theaters like The Beacon and Lincoln Center, and "they are loyal. " Engaging in conversation with more than a dozen men and women, we learned a lot about Bill, and the warm environment that he has built. As Bill continued to serve people from behind the bar, he spoke of how much the neighborhood has changed since he purchased Malachy's. On Saint Patrick's Day, the area used to be blanketed in green bar-goers. "You could not move in this neighborhood the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. There's nothing like seeing them blow up those balloons. " Hikes in parking and travel costs have drastically reduced business on both of those days, he lamented. Still, he brightened up when pointing to the crowded bar, and said how his regulars are certainly devoted customers. Quite busy, he told us to stop by for a drink sometime soon, and headed into the kitchen.

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The Ribbon 1 American undefined

The Ribbon

I walked into Ribbon, the new dining experience from Bruce and Eric Bromberg, on their "friends and family night" and was immediately impressed. One of the waiters, Alex Bar-av, explained to me the history of the building. It used to be the Hotel Franconia, built in the 1920s by Arnold Rothstein, a famous Jewish gangster best remembered for "fixing" the 1919 World Series. The Hotel Franconia became known as the only place where people could drink openly during the Prohibition, since Rothstein paid off the cops. To celebrate this quirky heritage, Ribbon's 200 seat restaurant has a private room called the "Arnold Rothstein Room. " Softly glowing cases of whiskey bottles on the walls add to the speakeasy-like feeling in the dark-wood room while also highlighting Ribbon's expansive whiskey collection (there are ninety-five types of whiskey on the menu). When I returned to the restaurant as an invited guest a few days later, Alex took me to see the darkened strip on the floor underneath a row of tables where the old bar used to be. He explained that when they gutted the space, the builders found the Hotel Franconia's original wood floor. The faded frescoes on the wall, now covered in glass, are also from the 1924 hotel. Alex is not alone in his in-depth knowledge. He told me that the employees are constantly being quizzed on their ability to give the facts to customers, not just about the food, but about Ribbon's story. Since my personal visits with Alex, I have had several terrific dinners at Ribbon, but it was especially nice when I came by with the Manhattan Sideways team and Alex brought out a collection of dishes for us to try. Laying them on tables made of repurposed wood from a Brooklyn warehouse floor, he served us a sextet of different kinds of deviled eggs, each with its own taste sensation, and a white bean hummus. The cauliflower covered in spicy buffalo sauce was my personal favorite. It is no surprise that the food is as good as it is, given that the Bromberg Brothers have twenty years of success in the culinary world behind them. "They know what they're doing, " Alex smiled. I mentioned to the others that I had not seen the cauliflower on the menu before, and Alex quickly chimed in to say that the menu has changed since the restaurant first opened. "We take customer feedback very seriously, " Alex shared, explaining that the food offerings were adjusted according to diners' comments. Ribbon is also known for a great raw bar, their fried chicken served only on Sundays and Mondays, their prime rib, and their hamburgers. Alex emphasized that this is a family friendly place. Despite the great skill of the staff, he pointed out that Ribbon is not considered "fine" dining. Instead, he referred to the restaurant as "elevated dining. "

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The Emerald Inn 1 Irish American Beer Bars Late Night Eats undefined

The Emerald Inn

The Emerald Inn had its home on Columbus Avenue and 69th Street since 1943, but in 2013, the family was unable to renew their lease. Charlie, the current owner, pointed out the "Emerald Inn" sign on the wall that came from the original bar. Although a third generation American citizen, we found Charlie to be Irish through and through. He explained that his great-grandparents, who started the Emerald Inn, grew up in the same town in the county of Galway, but that they magically met here, in the Bronx. Every May, Charlie does his best to travel to Ireland, and in return, his Irish relatives have visited him and his bar in Manhattan. He announced, "They have liked what they've seen. "Charlie has tried to maintain the Gaelic charm that his father, grandfather and great grandfather brought to the Inn. The menu continues to include Irish favorites like corned beef, fish and chips, and bangers and mash, but also offers some American classics like burgers and Reubens. "We do a solid lunch – everything is good here, " Charlie said proudly. As he poured a pint of Guinness like a pro, waiting for "the black stuff" to settle before filling the glass, I asked him a bit more about his family. I learned that his grandfather is still alive, in his eighties. Charlie told me that his grandfather used to be chummy with Hugh Downs, a former 20/20 ABC TV news magazine host who frequented the bar, along with many other ABC celebrities. Charlie remembers coming to the bar when he was as young as three years old. Once he hit working age, he slowly rose from dishwasher to waiter and then to bartender before taking over the bar from his father, who is now in semi-retirement. On a subsequent visit to the Emerald Inn, I was able to see all three generations together. Each man shares the same sense of humor and geniality. An excellent sense of hospitality clearly runs in the family, since all three men showed the same amount of friendliness and humor towards the Manhattan Sideways team, offering them plates of "Irish lasagna" and chicken marsala, which warmed the team's stomachs (along with the generous pitchers of beer! ). Charlie confided that he was worried when the rent on the previous location doubled, causing him to have to search for a new home. "We were very beloved in the neighborhood, " he informed me. They found the current location entirely by chance – Charlie's father was driving by as the previous owner was clearing out. He noticed a commotion, recognized that the space had been a bar, and immediately snagged it. Charlie was pleased to say that two years later, the bar has both gained new customers and retained many of their old ones. "There's a mix of everybody, " Charlie said matter-of-factly. "People are still finding us two years later. " One group that keeps coming back is the New York Ballet. They use Emerald Inn as their neighborhood hangout, but are a little disappointed with the low ceilings in the new location. "They used to be able to dance on the bar, " Charlie laughed. He then admitted that many of the dancers have known him since he was very little. "They still call me 'Baby Charlie, '" he said with a grin.

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Alice's Tea Cup 1 Breakfast Tea Shops Brunch American undefined

Alice's Tea Cup

Across the park and nine streets north from the 64th Street location, Olivia, a member of the Manhattan Sideways team, was still visibly excited to be sitting down to breakfast at Alice's Tea Cup. Though she loves each of the teahouse's three "chapters, " the 73rd Street cafe is the original - and the first one she visited as a young teen. She shared stories with me of coming here and marveling at the tiered Afternoon Teas that would arrive at her table, filled with scones, finger sandwiches and sweets. She questioned whether or not she might have been a bit too old at fifteen to celebrate her birthday here and then spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around New York blowing sparkle-filled bubbles, dressed in a pair of shimmering fairy wings acquired from the tea shop's front room, which is filled with whimsical retail items. On our visit to Alice's, Olivia, now a mature twenty-five, had her usual - a pumpkin scone with a personal pot of tea - while Tom, our photographer, ordered "the biggest coffee" they had. It arrived in a mug "the size of Tom's face. " Olivia pointed out all the Alice in Wonderland themed decorations that she remembered from previous visits, including a quote from the character of the Duchess written in fun purple font along the walls and an angry painting of the red queen in the bathroom, telling employees to wash their hands or "Off with your head! " Her favorite little decorative touch, however, was on the swinging door into the kitchen. There is a giant keyhole window, suggesting that maybe, like Alice, the diners had shrunk to the size of mice, and would be swept away into a magical land, scones and teacups in hand.

More places on 72nd Street

Lost Gem
Tip Top Shoes 1 Mens Shoes Women's Shoes Family Owned undefined

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Malachy's Donegal Inn 1 Bars American undefined

Malachy's Donegal Inn

With its prime 72nd Street location, I have passed by Malachy's Donegal Inn almost daily, but had never stepped inside. I was always waiting for the day when I would be working on this street, so that I could go in with the Manhattan Sideways team and have a good time. And that is exactly what happened. "Looks can be deceiving, believe me, " owner Bill Raftery immediately said when we popped in during the lunch hour in the middle of the week. He continued to speak lovingly and confidently of his pub, which has been in business since 1989. "This bar has the best pub food of any like it in the area, " Bill stated. Looking around, we were pleased to find the old wooden bar packed from end to end. According to Bill, most of his lunch customers are crew guys from local theaters like The Beacon and Lincoln Center, and "they are loyal. " Engaging in conversation with more than a dozen men and women, we learned a lot about Bill, and the warm environment that he has built. As Bill continued to serve people from behind the bar, he spoke of how much the neighborhood has changed since he purchased Malachy's. On Saint Patrick's Day, the area used to be blanketed in green bar-goers. "You could not move in this neighborhood the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. There's nothing like seeing them blow up those balloons. " Hikes in parking and travel costs have drastically reduced business on both of those days, he lamented. Still, he brightened up when pointing to the crowded bar, and said how his regulars are certainly devoted customers. Quite busy, he told us to stop by for a drink sometime soon, and headed into the kitchen.