As NYC & Company’s “See Your City” ad campaign spotlights offbeat neighborhoods for adventurous residents to explore, the same opportunity is there for groups, including flexible new options for F&B experiences.
“We’ve really adopted a broader definition of tourism,” NYC & Company CEO Fred Dixon recently stated about marketing Gotham globally as a five-borough destination.
That definition includes meetings and events. For example, last fall, the new 28,000-square-foot, glass-walled Brooklyn Expo Center opened in historic Greenpoint, a neighborhood previously far off the group radar. Yet, right after opening, Brooklyn’s first-ever convention venue began hosting major events such as StarChefs.com’s ninth annual International Chefs Congress. Featuring more than 100 globally renowned chefs, mixologists and sommeliers, the three-day expo was large-scale all the way—in an entirely unexpected location.
Countless other local establishments in the city, along with neighboring Long Island and Westchester County, offer group options such as private or flexible space and catering, providing attendees a true “Welcome to the Neighborhood” experience.
New York City
From old-school classics to enterprising start-ups, Manhattan’s menu and dining venues span every direction.
Opened in 1980, The Odeon defines retro-Gotham cool. Small group reservations are possible for lunch and dinner at this hopping Tribeca brasserie, with new breakfast service ideal for morning meetings.
Another ’80s institution is Meatpacking District draw Tortilla Flats, where convivial co-founder Andy Secular hosts weekend groups of up to 15 (party plan required) or weekday groups of roughly 40. Along with Mexican fare and margaritas, the festivities include long-running nighttime bingo on Mondays and Tuesdays and trivia games on Sundays.
Midtown’s 1902 Algonquin Hotel was once the haunt of Dorothy Parker and her legendary Round Table. Now part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, this historic meeting spot includes the fabulous Blue Bar. Opened in 1933 and so christened by actor John Barrymore, this elegant cocktail lounge can seat 40 for private gatherings or 80 for standing receptions.
On Midtown’s East side, The Roosevelt Hotel pours specialty cocktails at its rooftop lounge mad46, available for private events.
In Times Square, the reborn The Knickerbocker hotel debuted in 1906 on then Longacre Square. Claiming birthrights to the martini, this Gilded Age treasure’s modern makeover includes dining from master chef Charlie Palmer and the event-capable rooftop St. Cloud bar.
Also in Times Square, four-time James Beard Award-winning chef Todd English lends his culinary prowess to Ca Va Brasserie at the InterContinental New York Times Square, drawing pre- and post-theater goers for its modern take on the traditional French brasserie. There is a private area for cocktail receptions for up to 225 attendees or seated dinners for up to 240 guests.
In Lower Midtown, Hill Country is a high-energy BBQ restaurant with a mobile catering trailer and flexible event space at its roadhouse-style venue, live music included. At Lower Manhattan’s tip, Pier A Harbor House stands as a new three-story venue housed in an 1886 landmark, private space included.
Projects destined to redefine “local” in Manhattan include the proposed Museum of Food and Drink, featuring edible exhibits, while celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain’s forthcoming Bourdain Market promises some 50 street food vendors in a colossal food hall on Manhattan’s Pier 57.
Brooklyn Bound
In booming Brooklyn, historic Bay Ridge has its own Restaurant Row along upper Third Avenue. At 2015 Michelin-recommended Tanoreen, chef-owner Rawia Bishara’s celebrated Middle Eastern-meets-Mediterranean fare is a siren call to foodies. Along with catering, there is semi-private space for up to 20 guests.
With groups now touring once-intimidating Red Hook, Van Brunt Stillhouse is a popular option for tasting artisanal spirits, with function space for up to 40 guests. Nearby, Raaka Chocolate offers factory tours and classes in handcrafted chocolate making.
Before Prohibition hit, Brooklyn produced 10 percent of America’s beer. In the 1980s, Brooklyn Brewery revived this brewing glory while anchoring then blighted Williamsburg’s transformation into an international sensation. Adjacent to the Brooklyn Bowl entertainment venue, the brewery offers tours, tastings and 4,000 square feet of post-industrial event space.
PageBreak
Gastronomically diverse Queens is home to The Astor Room, the speakeasy-style reinvention of the original 1920s commissary at the national landmark Kaufman Astoria Studios.
“Guests come for the authentic atmosphere of original details such as the marble staircase and painted wall tiles,” says executive chef Nathaniel Felder, whose Southern-inspired menu is also part of the draw. Available for buyouts, the restaurant accommodates up to 200 people for events, outdoor garden included.
Boasting four Michelin-starred restaurants, including M. Wells Steakhouse, Queens is also home to Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden. Established in 1910, this Astoria landmark is the city’s oldest beer garden, offering space for private parties.
In The Bronx, iconic Arthur Avenue is like a trip to Italy without the jet lag. Roberto’s Restaurant offers rustic Italian fare and ambience plus private function rooms, while no-reservation sibling Zero Otto Nove is a movie-set replica of a Rome eatery. Fun, too, is the outdoor raw bar at Cosenza’s Fish Market. Across from Van Cortland Park, Michelin-recommended Jake’s Steakhouse flexibly accommodates groups from 20 to 60 people.
Once considered the “Riviera of New York City,” Staten Island’s recently restored South Beach Boardwalk offers group-capable restaurants that include South Fin Grill, with outdoor seating overlooking the ocean and Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. Close to the bridge, 1921-era Italian treasure Basilio Inn is the borough’s oldest restaurant, with private space for up to 100.
Long Island
Fertile Long Island is the definitive farm-to-table and ocean-to-table draw. As Joan LaRosa, director of sales for the Long Island CVB notes, “Our chefs have embraced their surroundings to bring groups the best culinary experiences.”
Championing the farm-fresh approach is Guy Reuge, long-time executive chef at restaurant Mirabelle Tavern, located in Stony Brook’s historic Three Village Inn. Currently on the James Beard 2015 shortlist for Best Chef, Northeast, Reuge has been called “France’s gift to Long Island.” Offering banquet space for up to 200 people, the restaurant is near several hotels and international conference destination Stony Brook University.
Perched on the historic wharf in seaside Greenport, Scrimshaw can host up to 20 for private dining, or buyouts for up to 80. Also catering events, chef-owner Rosa Ross offers flexible group menus, and this fall will offer cooking classes for groups of six at her cottage-farmhouse.
Another scenic waterfront draw is Wave Seafood Kitchen at Danfords Hotel & Marina in Port Jefferson, offering private space for groups.
Housed in an 1842 mansion, Bridgehampton’s luxurious meetings-capable Topping Rose House serves fine cuisine using vegetables and herbs from the on-site garden, and also offers groups private space. In Smithtown, chic Insignia is a Wine Spectator honoree featuring a two-level glass wine room, with buyouts or private dining for up to 100 people.
Globally renowned as a wine destination, Long Island flourishes with some 60 vineyards and 30-plus wineries, mostly on the North Fork. In Riverhead, Martha Clara Vineyards offers a private tasting room, barn and outdoor festival space for up to 2,000 people. Beer lovers are also well served, with the renowned Blue Point Brewing Company in Patchogue, offering tours and tastings.
Westchester County
Bordered by the Hudson River and Long Island Sound, New York’s leafy neighbor to the north offers epicurean excellence.
“Westchester County is home to some of the region’s best chefs, who show off their amazing talent by using products grown locally year-round,” says Natasha Caputo, director of Westchester County Tourism. “So, we encourage planners and groups to ‘Meet Me in Westchester’ for an amazing culinary experience to complement their business stay.”
Last month saw the fifth edition of Westchester Magazine’s weeklong Wine + Food Festival, with host venues including 42 The Restaurant, the panoramic perch atop Westchester’s tallest building, The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester tower in White Plains. The two-level space is available for 400-person buyouts.
Star participants included Peter Kelly, whose quartet of restaurants includes Xaviars X20 on the Hudson . Situated on the Hudson’s sole remaining Victorian-era pier, the glass-walled restaurant features stellar views of the George Washington and Tappan Zee bridges, and also serves up sushi at its Dylan Lounge.
Other riverfront venues include Harvest on Hudson in the village of Hastings on Hudson, and for beer connoisseurs, The Peekskill Brewery.
Bordering Connecticut, Port Chester’s culinary emergence includes laidback Bar Taco, accommodating 230-person buyouts, and Mario Batali’s Tarry Lodge, with private dining for up to 100 people.
Longtime NYC resident JEFF HEILMAN once sent a visiting team from Texas Tourism and the Dallas CVB—including star Texas chef Kent Rathburn—to Noodle Pudding, one of his favorite Brooklyn restaurants. They raved about the experience.
