New York City is a melting pot of various cultures from many generations, all nestled in historic districts scattered throughout the city. Through these cultures, New York food scene has evolved into this quintessential food capital that it has become today. One such area is the charming, iconic and extremely delicious neighborhood of Greenwich Village that you can eat your way through. The tour I have listed below will unlock the secret food haven of this historic district while strolling through its quaint streets. Since there are a number of vendors to visit, I highly recommend ordering only one item and sharing between yourselves, so you have room in your stomach to try all. This Greenwich Village Food Tour starts at the heart of the village which is Washington Square Park. The closest Subway Station is at W 4th Street.
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NY Dosa - This famous New York Dosa food truck can be found within Washington Park from Thursdays - Sundays, starting at 11am. Having heard so much about this food truck on the internet, it took us 3 tries before we could locate him. Although Google says that the food truck opens at 11am, there was already a line of about 10 people when we arrived on a Saturday at 10:15am. By noon, expect a 1-2 hour long wait in a line that snakes around the park. The Dosa Man runs out of batter and stops taking orders by 1pm each day. His staples are Mysore Masala Dosa, Uttapam, Pondicherry Dosa and samosas. As you start this food tour, try the Uttapam, which is a thick savory crepe with vegetables mixed in it, with chutney and sambar on the side. We did not think the food stood up to the hype, but YMMV. Pro Tip : Before going, check NYDosas on Instagram, where he announces each day if he is open or not.
Mamoun's Falafel : Mamoun’s falafel opened here on MacDougal Street in 1971. It was New York City’s first falafel restaurant, and one of the first places to serve Middle Eastern food in the United States. Pretty obviously, from the name, they are best known for their falafel. If you are looking to keep it sample sized, you can order just a side a falafel (3 little falafel balls). It will come with two options for a sauce. The tahini sauce is very mild and perfectly complements the falafel. Their dark red house chili sauce is not for the timid. We tried their falafel sandwich with hummus - it was so delicious that we wished we had not shared it between us.
Artichoke Pizza : This pizza chain can be found throughout New York. This one on MacDougal Street opened in 2010. While they have several great slices available here, the star of the show is the artichoke pizza. Nothing about it is traditional New York pizza, from the thick crust to the artichoke cream sauce, but it is delicious. This sauce is a family recipe, and the ingredients are a closely guarded secret. According to the owners, there are about 25 ingredients and each batch takes about 8 hours to make. It is all worth it though when you try the pizza. It is pretty rich, so this is a great thing to bring along a friend or two for, to share.
Cafe Wha ? : This unassuming venue on MacDougal Street, is a legend in the music world. It was originally opened as a coffeehouse by Manny Roth, uncle of Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth. Café Wha was a place for new talents to hone their skills. Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen, Lenny Bruce and Richard Pryor performed here early in their careers. A basket was passed around, and many of these now legendary performers received no more than tips. Mary Travers of Peter, Paul, and Mary started here as a waitress. Bob Dylan's first performance in NYC was at this Cafe. Now this has become a local hangout for live entertainment and are open Wednesday through Sunday and offer the usual pub fare on their menu.
Faicco's Italian Specialties : Faicco's on Bleekers Street, has been around since 1940s, and is a specialty shop that caters to home chefs making any Italian dishes. They also have a take away counter in the back, making specialty sandwiches and other treats. My recommendation for a quick bite is their rice balls or arancini. Arancini, from the Italian word for little orange, is said to have originated in Sicily in the 10th century and is now made all over Italy. It is a ball of risotto, cheese, and spices coated with fine breadcrumbs. Faiccos offers these with meat or without, so order whatever sounds best to you. It is a great shop to look around for a while - I found it to be a miniature version of Eataly!
Bleecker Street Pizza : This corner spot at Bleeker and 7th Street, is home to one of the best slices in the city. Bleecker street pizza opened 11 years ago and quickly made a name for itself with their Nonna Maria Pizza. In Italian, Nonna means grandmother, and that is where this recipe originated. The Nonna Maria slice at Bleecker is a faithful representation of her recipe. It starts in the morning with San Marzano tomatoes that go into a fresh batch of house-made sauce. Each pie has plenty of fresh basil and is finished with Parmigiana Reggiano cheese, imported from Italy. This cheese costs over 1000$ a wheel and is on every pie in Bleecker Street. The bumps on the bottom of the crust are a mix of freshly made bread crumbs, Romano cheese, and spices, another original part of Grandma's recipe. Grab any slice that looks good to you, but the Nonna Maria is a must-try!
Molly's Cupcakes : Mollys is at the other end of Bleecker street from Bleecker Street Pizza. When you walk into Molly's Cupcakes, it is supposed to feel like going back to school. The tables and chairs are reminiscent of school desks, there are textbooks, board games and lunchboxes as decor, and playground swings to sit in. The front of the store is painted to look like a yellow school bus. This all points to the origin of this bakery. Molly was the name of the owner’s 3rd-grade teacher. For every student’s birthday, she baked cupcakes and brought them into school. This bakery is named in her honor, and a portion of their profits go to support educational organizations here in New York. So eat up- it's for a good cause. If you are looking for something small, they have cake pops, and mini Molly's - little mini cupcakes. You can customize your own cupcake, choosing from a list of cake flavors, frosting flavors, and toppings (including vegan flavors). They also have some cupcakes that they have created, with various toppings and fillings. Some favorites are the chocolate sea salt caramel and the peach cobbler. Molly’s has been named Best Cupcake in New York by numerous sources and won the competition show Cupcake Wars. We tried the Decedent Chocolate, and true to its name, it was rich in the most delicious, finger-lickin' chocolate cream.
There are so many other restaurants and eateries to experience in and around Bleeker Street and beyond, that Greenwich Village deserves multiple visits. Hope this small food tour intro tempts you to try out all the great food the rest of the Village has to offer!
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