5 Foodie-Heaven Neighborhoods in Uptown Manhattan

5 Foodie-Heaven Neighborhoods in Uptown Manhattan
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Eating in New York can be an overwhelming experience, if only because of the sheer choice available. According to the city government, there are approximately 24,000 restaurants across the five boroughs, representing nearly every cuisine on earth, from inventive fusion cuisines to more traditional, authentic tastes brought here by immigrants from every corner of the globe.

One area that has seen an explosion in restaurants is upper Manhattan. Today, the area is home to a wide variety of cheap, affordable cuisine, from tasty, homestyle Dominican food to soul food reimagined for the digital age. Let’s take a look at four areas of upper Manhattan, and some of their standout cuisines and restaurants.

1. Inwood/Washington Heights

Though these two areas are technically separate neighborhoods (running from West 150-190th Streets, Washington Heights is just south of Inwood), they are very similar. Both neighborhoods are bordered by the scenic Hudson River, feature a large Hispanic population, predominantly from the Dominican Republic, and are a quiet, comfortable retreat from the hustle and bustle of lower and midtown Manhattan.

Needless to say, both Inwood and Washington Heights are chock-full of delicious Dominican restaurants; you won’t go very far to find specialties like mangu, boiled, mashed green plantains (or mofongo, its savory, meat-stuffed cousin); flaky, heavenly pastries made from tropical fruits like guava; crispy chicharrones, or fried pork rinds served with yucca and lemon; and an assortment of slow-cooked stews, served over the ubiquitous accompaniment of rice and beans.

Standouts include Malecon, El Lina, and Esmeraldo Bakery, three of the many family-owned restaurants common to the neighborhood. And the best part? After you eat, you can take a stroll through Inwood and Washington Heights’ historic, safe streets, walking along wide parks, and the Hudson or East Rivers.

2. North Harlem

Harlem proper gets all the attention for its Red Roosters and its Sylvia’s, but Harlem’s northern regions are the real secret sauce.

With offerings from Soul Food to Chinese Hand-Pulled Noodles, Harlem’s northern region is a hotbed of eclectic culinary activity. Famous Fish Market is a great example of this, a taste of a Harlem that once was. This cash-only entity is notorious for their ridiculously large, ridiculously fresh heapings of jaw-dropping seafood.

It’s no surprise that there’s such a diversity of food offerings in North Harlem, the region was always a melting pot. After all, this was the location of the classic ballrooms, like the Savoy, one of the first venues that encouraged black and white patrons to dance together (now the Savoy Park Apartment complex).

3. Hamilton Heights

An up-and-coming neighborhood that is starting to wrest the spotlight away from Harlem’s dramatic revitalization, Hamilton Heights is a treat for foodies. Its tree-lined streets offer a melange of tastes at once foreign and familiar, ranging from regional Western Chinese cuisine to classic Italian and even new American.

Restaurants of note include the Handpulled Noodle (whose intense, cumin-flavored fare gives Xi’an Famous Foods a run for its money); Harlem Public, a rare establishment that features both a lively atmosphere and delicious, creative eats, such as pop-rock margaritas and house takes on more traditional cuisine (peanut-butter covered burgers and pulled pork mac-and-cheese); and Trufa, a cozy neighborhood bistro serving traditional Italian.

4. Manhattanville

Home to parts of Columbia University, Manhattanville sits just south of Washington Heights, spanning the area from West 123-135th Streets, between the Hudson River and Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard. For many years, Manhattanville was torn between two identities: as an industrial center, Manhattanville was the entry for cargo and materials headed to Manhattan Island’s more southerly districts, while its distance from the frenetic pace of lower and midtown Manhattan made it a desirable area for families.

Today, however, the area is being transformed by waves of migration and an influx of new businesses and construction. As a result, when it comes to food, Manhattanville is one of the more diverse areas of upper Manhattan. Upscale new American restaurants like Clay and Friedman’s sit alongside neighborhood stalwarts like Amy Ruth’s (famous for their chicken-and-waffles) or Sylvia’s Restaurant. Ethnic restaurants also abound; thanks to Manhattanville’s significant immigrant populations, the neighborhood is dotted with a range of traditional African cuisines, from Ethiopian to Senegalese.

5. Morningside Heights

Sitting as it does on the dividing line between Harlem and Manhattan, Morningside Heights is an interesting neighborhood. Once the home of cultural and literary greats like George Carlin and F. Scott Fitzgerald, today, Morningside Heights is undergoing a transformation, fueled by the expansion of Columbia University and residents displaced by higher rents and costs further south.

Though it’s somewhat smaller than Manhattanville and Hamilton Heights, Morningside Heights does feature a surprising diversity of cuisine. Because of the multi-ethnic student population, there is a huge concentration of cheap, filling, and delicious foods from around the globe, ranging from Mexican taquerias to Chinese food trucks. Cute sidewalk cafes also abound; in warmer weather, brunchgoers sit outside, enjoying the breeze and the company of friends and loved ones, while families and pets stroll around the lush gardens and parks.

Though it’s been overshadowed by more rapid changes in Brooklyn and Queens, upper Manhattan is slowly coming into its own right, both as a residential and culinary destination. In fact, living (and eating) in a neighborhood in transition is a wonderful draw: you’ll find comparatively lower rents and costs alongside a strong, robust veneer of authenticity and community spirit.

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