How To Eat Well During The U.S. Open
You've read the predictions (even Brad Gilbert's), have committed the draw to memory, re-watched McEnroe videos on YouTube, and started dreaming about your seat at Arthur Ashe. There's something palpable in the air; something wonderful is imminent. Yes, with the end of summer always comes the magical two-week run of the U.S. Open.
(Photo courtesy of Flickr/mirsasha)
Hotels, too, are welcoming tennis fans with open arms by offering U.S. Open packages from the Meatpacking District to Midtown. So, where to go if you're here for the tennis, but want to dive into the food scene, too? Where can you make sure your friends watching that gripping five-setter on TV at home are amply jealous? We've got you covered.
Sleep: There are plenty of fabulous hotels in New York, but a handful are offering worthwhile U.S Open deals. To sleep among like-minded tennis fiends, head to:
Gansevoort Meatpacking District and Park Avenue: The "Gans, Set, and Match" package offers Champagne, sliders for two, two Lacoste polo shirts, Gansevoort caps, and unlimited weekly Metro cards. Starting at $462/night in the Meatpacking District, $492/night on Park Avenue.
Sanctuary Hotel: We wouldn't tell you to stay in Times Square if it weren't for this U.S. Open package, which offers two nights of luxury accommodations (with free upgrades), skincare by Serena Williams kit, Team "Rafa" shirt (Federer fans need not apply), complimentary access to The Sports Club/LA, and an unlimited weekly Metro card. Starting at $499/night.
Hotel Jolie, Williamsburg: Hankering for a stay in Brooklyn? Book a room at Hotel Jolie with their U.S. Open Tennis Special, which includes complimentary breakfasts and Metro cards for easy to-and-from transport.
Eat: Whether you're dining around your chosen hotel or sneaking out of the tennis center for some delicious Queens eats, there's plenty to keep you fully satisfied. Read on for our top recommendations.
Queens: The order of the day in Flushing, Queens (the setting of the tennis center) is Chinese food. Places you absolutely shouldn't miss (you did come all this way...) are Imperial Palace for the crab with sticky rice and lamb chops, and Spicy & Tasty for the deep-fried boneless spareribs with salt and
Sripraphai (pictured) for unforgettable pork leg with mustard greens and the fried soft shell crab or to Sun Mary Bakery if delicious and cheap coffee and sweets are what you're after. (Photo courtesy of Maryse Chevriere)
Now that you've had a taste of Flushing, you're not too far from the famed land of authentic Greek cuisine — Astoria, Queens. If you make one stop in Astoria, turn to Agnanti where the Greek salad, grilled octopus, and the cheesy saganaki can and should be unabashedly devoured.
Last, but certainly not least, your taste buds will thank you for finding a table at Jackson Diner in Jackson Heights, Queens. It may not sound like an Indian restaurant, but the authentic and mouth-watering samosas, onion kulcha, and paneer drive the point home.
Manhattan: Staying downtown in the Meatpacking District is a guaranteed good (and delicious) time. Munch on much-lauded Malaysian fare at Fatty Crab, enjoy chef Jonathan Waxman's succulent chicken at
Barbuto, and imbibe at The Standard's beer garden (pictured). (Photo courtesy of Flickr/Global Voyager)
If you chose Gansevoort's Park Ave South location, you're in for treats at ABC Kitchen and Beecher's, with classic and innovative cocktails waiting for you at Raine's Law Room nearby.
Further uptown, near the Sanctuary Hotel, you've got choices like Esca, Yakitori Totto, and the newly opened uptown location of Alfama, which serves Portuguese fare for dinner and has coffee and Portuguese pastries from a side window during the day. Find a rollicking good time at J'z, a karaoke bar nearby or go old-school at the Russian Vodka Room, where you can try their flavored shot sampler.
Brooklyn: Staying in Williamsburg opens up a whole new 'hood to explore. Enjoying a well-documented surge of fantastic food and drink, Williamsburg is home to must-try's like Roebling Tea Room for dinner, Fette Sau for barbecue, Five Leaves for brunch, and Blue Bottle Coffee for your morning (noon, night) fix.