Hell’s Kitchen Local

The food is amazing and the service is always friendly. The vibe is lively and welcoming, making it a great place to relax and enjoy a meal. Whether it’s their pollo adobado, spicy mezcal paloma or their delicious guacamole, I always leave happy!

Lately, walking through Hell's Kitchen can feel a bit bittersweet. We’ve watched so many beloved neighborhood shops, bars, and staple restaurants close their doors for good. The landscape of the neighborhood shifts so quickly, and it’s easy to feel a sense of loss for the places that used to define these blocks. But passing by Mama Mia on 9th Avenue — 55 years and going... It serves as a beautiful reminder of resilience and community.

Amy Scherber opened her bakery on 9th Avenue in 1992, when plenty of people doubted a small, hand-built business could make it in this part of the city. More than 30 years later it is still here, still turning out some of the best bread and pastry in the neighborhood, and still the kind of independent shop that gives Hell’s Kitchen its character instead of another bank branch.

Reliable, hearty and consistently excellent. Their pad kee mao, the drunken noodles with tofu and mixed vegetables, is my comfort food of choice. When I am under the weather or just exhausted, this is my go-to spot for delivery.

Baking is something I genuinely enjoy, so I love walking into Amy’s Bread and smelling the freshly baked bread and pastries. It often inspires me to go home, get back into my own kitchen and try making something new.

I was close friends with Jim Houghton and his wife, Joyce. Jim was the visionary who started Signature Theatre, and though both he and Joyce have now passed away, their presence is woven into the very fabric of that space.  Every single time I walk into the complex, I am struck by a wave of beautiful memories.

Well this should have been on top too but it is not in Hells Kitchen — what an amazing place to see some of the best photography in NYC. Soho Photo Gallery is New York City's longest-running member-run, artist-operated photography cooperative, founded in 1971 by a group of New York Times photographers.

Everything about Lincoln Center brings joy to my heart. I have so many wonderful memories there. Amazing people work here, the programming is world-class, and there always seems to be something happening that brings the community together. Whether it’s a play, concert, or ballet, I’ve never left disappointed. And in loving memory of our dear friend Ann Dineen, we’ll always cherish our Lincoln Center memories.

It has such a cozy environment that feels like home. The Sicilian food is delicious, and their gnocchi is simply amazing! It’s the perfect spot to unwind and enjoy some comfort food.

Hell’s Kitchen Park is a real neighborhood park, made even more so by the local volunteers who help maintain the plantings, and those who promoted the new mural on the east building facing the park. This is exactly the kind of public space this City needs more of. It became one of my favorite places and a core memory from this campaign: standing in that park surrounded by the labor leaders and rank-and-file members from the unions backing this race, looking out at a crowd of working New Yorkers who built this city and still fight to make it work for everyone. That’s the coalition I’m running with, that’s the neighborhood I’m running for, and Hell’s Kitchen Park is where it all came together.