HaniOmarKhalil

The lines grow ever-longer here; I guess word has been going around that the search for the Best Burger in New York really ends here. The beefy blend of ground brisket is just the right size, and-coupled with a Purple Cow and a Peanut Butter concrete- is just what the summer ordered.

And apart from their inexplicable use of lettuce, they also have the closest thing to real bona fide Chicago-style hot dogs in this city. Trust me, I’ve looked

If you can hazard the wait.

If you’re going to pay more than you really should for tapas and sangria in NYC-and you undoubtedly will-then you really could do far worse than this 16-seater in the West Village. I ordered delicious, garlicky gambas, perfectly succulent New Zealand lambchops, and tender beef skewers in an unobtrusive red wine reduction. Sangria comes in three varieties-red pear, white peach, and sparkling strawberry-each of which more than did the trick, though purists might detract. You can even get black current-cranberry Lambda straight from the bottle. True, I paid through the nose. True, I was not as drunk as I’d liked to have been after two sangrias. But the superb food, extremely attentive staff, and cool surrounds (they make the most of a tiny space on a bustling street), make the dining experience more than worthwhile.

Three words: Chocolate Beer Shake! The perfect elixir for 90-degree weather and an even better accompaniment to the delicious burgers and hot dogs served up by this little Red Hook/Carrol Gardens outpost. Schnack’s motto is “Hot Dogs and Cold Beer”, though sadly they are now B.Y.O.B. This should not discourage from sampling their delicious 1.5 oz burgers-called Schnackies-that are billed as sliders but are actually far more beefy and substantial. The frank selection ranges from Black Angus Beef to Kielbasa and, like the burgers, come accompanied with any range of toppings on the gamut from sauerkraut to jalapeno garlic mustard. The onion rings and cheese fries are also popular, though I didn’t try them. All in all, a great place for real simple food and well worth the hype!

Manhattan’s oldest Mexican restaurant is also probably its best. Instead of the Nuevo Mexicano pretenses of Rosa Mexicano and Mama Mexico, you get instead a real museum piece of 1960’s Retro-Mexico. The margarita list is small but unbeatable (especially the house special tamarindo), and the bar provides with warm tortilla chips and cinammon-infused salsa. And that’s before you even get to order any of the appetizers! An ideal date spot if you’re feeling generous : )

“Vegetarian Soul Food” is the handle for this place, but really it’s so much more than that, offering chicken parms, buffalo wings, and jerk spiced seitan to satisfy even the most sanguine of carnivores. I took my lifelong vegetarian friend here and all she could say was, “I swear to god I’m eating meat!”"

Your hangover meets its match at this 24-hour East Village mainstay specializing in substantial pancakes, challah french toast, spicy kielbasa, and irresistable pierogis.

You may have a hard time getting a seat . . .or finding finger Mac n’ Cheese in the city. Blue Smoke’s rendition is (predictably) smokey . . . and just a precursor to the many savory BBQ dishes populating the menu. The rib sampler offers the K.C., Carolina, and Texas renditions, while the Chipotle Chicken Wings appetizer is an entree in itself. Whatever you order, try one of their Bourbon selections or one of their potently sweet margaritas (Blood Orange especially)

At the end of ally in the Lower East Side lurks one of the finest, and most crowded, spots in the area. Freeman’s serves up a solid selection of American fare in a setting reminiscent of an English hunting lodge. You may have to settle for a seat at the zinc bar, but your filet mignon, artichoke dip, and brownie sundae will not suffer one bit. The cocktail selection is without equal in the LES.

A solid bistro/jazz bar disguised as a friendly neighborhood watering hole, this cozy little corner of Alphabet City offers a wide variety of panini, salads, cheese plates, and other fine bar food, with some of the best cocktails in the city. Brooks spins out jazz standards several nights a week on the piano.

The lighting is always moody and the bartenders are always super-nice.