"For lunch, which, for the nature of my business, is my favorite time to go around to interesting and off the beaten path restaurants in New York City, a great place with counter service on 11th St. and 2nd Ave. is Momofuku Noodle Bar -- great soup and a major hang out for chefs and people in the restaurant business. Barbuto, in the West Village, is lots of fun. If you like Italian, Lupa in the Village is definitely one of the best. For lobster rolls, try Mary's Fish Camp – fantastic, and Fatty Crab on Hudson St. – funky place, great food. I love these places because aside from great food, they represent the most innovative ideas in restaurants. So, if you have two or three hours during the late morning / early afternoon, you can try a few of the places one after the other, like we New Yorkers do."
[more]Pino Luongo, Restaurateur & Author
The Meatpacking District
The Meatpacking District is a small area on the west side of Manhattan that runs from the Hudson River to 11th Avenue and includes West 13th, 14th, and 15th Streets; Little West 12th; and Gansevoort--all now a-glitter in fashionable shops and cafés, including Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen. The area is known for restaurants as well: Florent, the neighborhood’s first love, is kept company by Buddakan, Del Posto, Pastis, and Frank’s. The Gansevoort is the chic hotel in the neighborhood--a lovely contrast, or complement to, a rowdy evening of shots and beers at Hogs & Heifers.