There are lots of ways to celebrate Dad on this festive day, but what better way than with food? We’ve got a little something for every type of Dad on our top 5 list. Pick one and enjoy celebrating the paternal men in your life with some good eats.
1. Stanton Social– 99 Stanton Street
My Dad’s personal favorite, Stanton Social is good for dinner or brunch, or anytime really. The sleek downtown tapas restaurant serves delicious small plates that will make you wish you had more. Some of our favorite dishes are the French Onion Soup Dumplings, Potato and Goat Cheese Pierogies, and the Red Snapper Tacos. If you are more of a sweet brunch type of person – go with the pancakes. Whether you choose the Caramelized Banana or Oreo varieties you’ll be sure to leave happy. Don’t forget to top your meal off with their LES Bloody Mary. They are a very busy restaurant so make your reservations ASAP for Fathers’ Day!
2. Risotteria Melotti– 309 E 5th Street
This Gluten-Free pick is for my Father-in-law. We are always looking for places with good GF options for when he’s in town and Risotteria Melotti was one of our best finds so far. This small East Village restaurant makes up for in charm what it lacks in space. With a specialty restaurant such as this, there is really nothing on the menu that’s a bad choice. They do few things and they do them well. One of the best dishes on the menu, in my humble opinion, is the Funghi Misti. It’s a mixed mushroom risotto and it is to die for. The risotto is perfectly cooked, of course, with a creamy texture and topped with a variety of meaty mushrooms. This is one of the vegetarian and GF dishes that I would happily eat any day of the week. For dessert I highly recommend the Tiramisu. It’s rare to get a GF option in this cake but Risotteria Melotti does it by using gluten-free vanilla cakes instead of lady fingers. They are currently taking reservations for both dinner and brunch for Fathers’ Day.
3. Carbone– 181 Thompson Street
If my Grandpa was still with us he would have absolutely loved Carbone. This classic Italian restaurant serves traditional Italian favorites in an unpretentious ambiance. I’d start with the Pasta Fagioli. For those of you that are unfamiliar this is almost like a soup, but with less broth, made with pasta (usually ditalini) and cannellini beans. Some versions have a chicken broth base and others a tomato base. Either way, it is hearty and delicious. For your entrée I’d recommend the Veal Marsala or the Tortellini al Ragu. You will feel like you’re sitting in your Grandparents’ kitchen while you enjoy this food (or in someone’s Grandparents’ kitchen, if you aren’t Italian!) They open at 5pm on Fathers’ Day so make a reservation for dinner and enjoy some classic food.
4. Veselka– 144 2nd Avenue
My Grandfather-in-law was a huge fan of Borscht so naturally if we were celebrating this Fathers’ Day with him we would go straight to Veselka. This eatery is a diner-esque, Ukranian restaurant that serves up cultural favorites that you can’t find anywhere else. Borscht, for example, is a beet soup of sorts. It is a very traditional Ukranian dish that can be served hot or cold. Veselka is serving it cold right now for the summer months. If you decide to go for brunch, I recommend the Salmon Latka Eggs Benedict. It is exactly as it sounds, with potato pancakes taking the place of the English muffin element and the smoked salmon in place of the Canadian bacon. You will not be disappointed. Veselka is a casual choice for Fathers’ Day so if your dad isn’t the polo and khakis type then this would be a good choice. They don’t take reservations but they are open 24 hours a day so go whenever you like and celebrate Dad or Grandpa Ukranian style.
5. The Palm (Tribeca)- 206 West Street
If your Dad isn’t picky but you want to treat him to an extra special meal, try The Palm. The Palm is an institution that began in New York but now has over 20 locations. For Fathers’ Day we are recommending the Tribeca location as they still have reservation spots available for lunch and dinner. No matter what you order at The Palm you will get perfectly cooked food in extraordinary quantities. Try sharing a 5lb Lobster or a 36 ounce New York Strip Steak with your Dad. They are both a part of The Palm’s most signature dishes and both tremendous. I recommend starting with a classic Wedge Salad that is served with Danish blue cheese, toasted walnuts, bacon, cherry tomatoes, chives and fried onions and ending with the out of this world Flourless Chocolate Cake. Neither you nor your Dad could possibly leave here hungry. No matter what you do to celebrate make sure all the fathers in our lives are fed well. Enjoy your holiday!
