Hell’s Kitchen Local

We order pies from The Little Pie Company for every major holiday, especially Thanksgiving. It is at the heart of our family’s celebratory traditions. This last year we lost my mother-in-law and having that tradition of the pies from The Little Pie Company to honor her on her favorite holiday was so key for our family.

I love the square-sliced pizzas from Claudio’s. They’re crispy, cheesy, and hit the spot every single time. Plus, they stay open late, which makes them one of my top go-to spots after a long day. Honestly, their pizza beats a lot of the more “famous” New York places.

I love bringing relatives here for breakfast when they are in town, or stopping by with my co-workers for brunch after an early morning matinee. Great pancakes!

The Vanilla Gorilla Cafe is my go-to coffee shop for meeting up with friends. It’s spacious and bright with great beverages and bakery treats. My current favorite is the Hot Cinnamon Spice Tea.

If you’re lucky enough to catch a show here, you’re guaranteed a great time. The 52nd Street Project does so much for children and our community. The mentorship they provide—connecting kids with professional theater artists and helping them develop their creative voices—is truly remarkable. I would absolutely recommend seeing a performance there.

As a rescue dog mom, any dog run is my happy place but I particularly like the one at DWC. I bring my dog Bailey here and in his younger years he could run for hours. Now 14, he just enjoys the canine company. It’s one of those places where you always end up chatting with neighbors and dog people are the best people. In a neighborhood like ours, I value having a space like this to just be outside and unplug.

Angelina’s bombolones are the best. I like to get two and share with whomever I am meeting with: usually a glazed and one of the many filled flavors.

I am a beer-on-tap drinker. Rudy’s is wallet-friendly, unpretentious and welcoming to everyone. No attitude, no judgement. Easy to strike up a conversation. Rumored to have been a speakeasy. One of New York’s first liquor licenses. And the pig in front is iconic!

I love this place. In a sea of chain stores in Port Authority, this shop is an oasis of creativity. It’s filled with one-of-a-kind clothes and accessories from local designers. I always pop in to see an ever changing stock of unique pieces. I love that it’s in Port Authority.

I’m so grateful to have a wonderful, knowledgeable, caring vet, Dr Liff, so close to home. My fur baby Starr gets so much love from everyone there when we go.