By: Amy Rosner By: Amy Rosner | June 17, 2021 | Food & Drink,
With Father’s Day weekend quickly approaching, here are some of the most classic NYC spots to treat your dad to a thank you meal—and for once, he’s not paying.
113 MacDougal St. / Website
Described as a “celeb-magnet hot ticket tavern," Minetta Tavern is the place to be. Even if your dad isn’t the "scene" type (shoutout Dad), he will most definitely make an exception for this French institution in Greenwich Village. The black-and-white checkered floors, dark mahogany brown countertops, vibrant red leather-lined booths, and traditional white tablecloths will transport you to 1937. The old-school vibes are so on point. This sense of nostalgia is perfect for dad, especially on this sentimental day.
Let’s not forget about the award-winning food at New York City’s most coveted tavern; food that was good enough to touch the palettes of literary legends, Ernest Hemingway and E.E. Cummings. Most people come here for the famous Black Label burger, and you and your pa should, too. Vetted as one of the best burgers in all of Manhattan, the Black Label burger ($36) is proof that less is always more. Prime dry-aged beef cuts. Caramelized onions. Bun. That is all, and it’s mind-blowing every single time.
See also: The 9 Best Steaks in NYC, According to Gotham Burger Social Club
Various locations / Website
Italian food enthusiasts will defend Il Mulino to the grave. Known as the best classic Italian cuisine Uptown, Il Mulino is the mecca of vongole oreganata (baked clams with bread crumbs), lobster ravioli and scampi fra diavolo (a fancy shrimp scampi). Yes, this place is extravagant. Yes, the prices are high, and yes, it’s almost impossible to get a reservation here, even if you’re Beyonce and Jay-Z, but despite all of that, the melt-in-your-mouth food and high-class ambiance deserve to be celebrated over and over again. What better way to celebrate dad than to bring him to New York’s most delicious Italian institution? The line wrapped around the corner will be worth the wait. Il Mulino is the type of indulgence you don’t want to miss.
Many New Yorkers roll their eyes when clients invite them to The Palm for martinis and filet. The Palm may sound cliche, but it’s absolutely nothing of the sort. The Palm is more than your run-of-the-mill steakhouse—it is a temple of fine dining, lobster, and some of the best New York strip you will ever put in your mouth. The flash-fried crispy onion strips will send an instantaneous signal to your brain saying, “Give me more.”
Famous for its walls bedecked with celebrity caricatures, the Palm’s atmosphere immediately sets them apart from other upscale steakhouses. The celebrity-lined walls make the Palm a little less stuffy, and a little more approachable. Keep an eye out for George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Reese Witherspoon. A couple of your dad’s favorite sports players are definitely there as well. Open your wallets wide and your mouth even wider, and take a trip down Hollywood memory lane with your old man.
So there you have it, the best places to celebrate your dad on his special day. Let him choose where to wine and dine this time!
Photography by: Yuhan Du / Unsplash