Los Tacos No.1 in Chelsea Market has run Tijuana-style hand-pressed tortillas in New York City since 2013. Adobada off the trompo, carne asada, daily aguas frescas.
Signature: Adobada taco, Carne asada
Order: Adobada al pastor, three tacos with pineapple.
Tip: Order at the till, eat standing at the counter. The Hudson Yards outpost is less crowded for the same taco.
Ayesha Nurdjaja's Israeli-Mediterranean room on Ninth Avenue runs hearth-baked saluf in Chelsea, New York City. Lamb shawarma, hummus masabacha, charred peppers.
Signature: Saluf bread, Lamb shawarma
Order: Saluf with house labneh and zhoug.
Tip: Weekend brunch runs the saluf with eggs. Walk-ins at the counter from 17:30 every weekday.
El Quijote at the Hotel Chelsea has poured Spanish drinks since 1930 in New York City. The 2022 restoration kept the Don Quixote murals and the original tiled bar.
Signature drink: Spanish gin and tonic
Food: Spanish kitchen
Tip: The bar takes walk-ins; the dining room needs Resy. The Iberico ham and the gin and tonic on the bar is the pre-dinner combo.
Chelsea Market on Ninth Avenue runs an indoor food hall in the old Nabisco factory in New York City. Los Tacos No.1, Lobster Place, Sarabeth's, Doughnuttery, daily lunch crowd.
Tip: Avoid noon to 14:00 on weekends; the corridors fill. Los Tacos line moves fastest; Lobster Place is the slow seat.
Ayesha Nurdjaja's Chelsea Israeli room serves a saluf-and-eggs brunch in New York City. The hearth-baked saluf is the centrepiece; spreads, zhoug and labneh on the side.
Order: Saluf with sunny eggs and zhoug.
Tip: Brunch starts at 11:00 weekends; the first hour books up six weeks out. Walk in at 14:00 for an easy seat.