Shawarma Shabazi
688 Amsterdam Ave., near W. 93rd Street
212-580-3770
One of the great on-the-go cuisines, the falafel, is even greater in summer at this wondrous glatt kosher joint drawing on the rich foodways of Israel. While nothing can replace the memories of Jerusalem transplant Ezra Cohen—a true artist of the falafel platter and proprietor of the late Azuri Cafe in Hell’s Kitchen—Shawarma Shabazi is still very praiseworthy. Whether one chooses pita, laffa (wrap), or plate, their falafel, chicken shawarma, schnitzel, and sabich all come with an unlimited choice of toppings, including hummus, tahini, schug, amba, chopped salad, sumac onions, red cabbage slaw, pickles, spicy tomatoes, fried eggplant, and more. Like the tiny Azuri was, Shabazi is small, and closed for Sabbath, so time your hunger accordingly. Though mostly for takeout and delivery, when space is available, customers can eat at Shabazi’s next-door sister restaurant, the popular—and kosher—Talia’s Steakhouse.
Papaya King
206B East 86th St., near Third Avenue
[no telephone, no website]
Deposed by the construction of a 17-story residential building in April 2024, the venerable hot dog monarch reinstalled itself, after some real estate grief, in July of that year in a space almost kitty-corner from its former home. Oh, how East Siders rejoiced, with their howls of delight so loud and resounding soon the whole city took notice. And for good reasons. The loss of such an institution—opened by Constantine “Gus” Poulos, originally from Athens, Greece, in 1932—didn’t just pain the neighborhood, it pained everyone who ever savored their delectable (and once very affordable) dogs and quirky but oh-so-satisfying beverages. How did a Greek New Yorker rise to the throne of papaya king, a tropical fruit that can hardly be grown in the US outside of Florida? Such are the mysteries of modern foodways—let’s just be glad he did. The new location is cleaner than the old one and, at press time, lacks any public phone number, website or active social media. Some might wonder if, lacking these erstwhile necessities of life and commerce, Papaya King really exists. This reporter, wiping the mustard off his hands, assures you it does.
Empire Diner
210 Tenth Ave., near 22nd Street
212-335-2277
One of the quintessential railroad-car-style diners, this long-popular West Chelsea institution continues to live up to its acclaim. This is no small relief, for when this reporter was but a child himself, he wondered about the railroad-car diners like the Empire. How the heck did they do that?! Did there used to be more train tracks here, or did railroads sell their retired passenger cars, which were later moved? The answer, though slow in coming, was that railroad-car diners were always ersatz, and simply followed a design that was both affordable for restaurateurs and popular with customers. (The Empire is reputed to be a 1946 Fodero Dining Car model.) In the 1940s, Manhattan may have had a dozen, maybe two dozen, such establishments, mostly sited—like the Empire—in or very near industrial, shipping, and warehouse areas. Though the longshoremen and the freight handlers who worked the nearby High Line are long gone from this part of Chelsea, the diner ethos remains: quality American grub at decent prices with an emphasis on breakfast, which at the Empire is served until 4pm, a boon to parents and late risers alike. For the drinking set, the Empire—unlike many diners of the Manhattan’s working-class past—offers an enticing selection of tequilas, scotches, cocktails, and mocktails. Bottoms up!
Vezzo
178 Lexington Ave., at E. 31st Street
212-839-8300
Quick lesson in branding: Vezzo is a superb thin-crust pizza place in Kips Bay, and one of a family of such establishments run by the appropriately named Gruppo Thin Crust, co-founded by Antonio Gomez and his business partner, Jonathan Tweedy, in 1999. Like the Marx Brothers—Groucho, Chico, Harpo, Zeppo, and Gummo—who grew up in Yorkville when they weren’t on the road playing vaudeville, all the Gruppo Thin Crust locations end in “o,” the others being: Posto (Gramercy), Spunto (West Village), Gruppo (East Village), Tappo (Chelsea), Brado (Brooklyn Heights), and Trovo (Kips Bay). Why thin-crust? As an aficionado of the form, including as it’s practiced at such thin-crust heroes at Joe & Pat’s on Staten Island, this food reporter can tell you that it’s great to have all the virtues of pizza without getting weighed down by even the best and fluffiest regular crust, let alone a heavy Sicilian-style slice. Vezzo further helps with portion control by offering 9-inch and 16-inch pies, in a wide variety of traditional and innovative styles. Estimable salads, sandwiches, and small plates are also available.
Pecking House
83 Henry St., near Forsyth Street
646-360-3351
Bock-bock! That’s the sound of a chicken, which is a bird whose popularity can’t be overstated. Indeed, one might rightfully call New York City “chickentown” for the abundance and diversity of fowl its restaurants now offer. In Manhattan, where once kosher chickens reigned supreme, one can nearly travel the culinary world on chicken alone, especially if you like it fried and spicy. Enter Pecking House, a small shop with a hilarious sign, nestled in the shadows just north of Mechanics Alley and the Manhattan Bridge. That’s just one thing about chicken lovers: They’re not afraid to show it (a fact also exemplified by the terrific Vietnamese chicken pho specialist, Pho Ga Vang, on nearby Market Street). The brainchild of Eric Huang— whose Taiwanese-American family ran the Peking House in Fresh Meadows, Queens—and Maya Ferrante, a former co-worker of Huang’s at Gramercy Tavern, Pecking House offers a personal, Sichuan-influenced spin on Nashville-style hot chicken. Quarter chicken, half chicken, and a number of chicken sandwiches anchor the menu, which also offers some cauliflower dishes; a mushroom po’boy; a “ma po tofu molete sando” with spicy yuba, avocado, and onion; and some provocative soul-food-inspired sides.