By Aadhya Ramineni ’19, A&E Editor

Although I haven’t been to every restaurant in Manhattan, I spent two weeks in New York and went to about 25 restaurants. Googling “best restaurants near me” while on the freezing streets of New York was worth it when I found restaurants like Spice Symphony, La Boqueria and my new favorite brunch location: Friedman’s. Here’s a closer look at what makes these three restaurants the best of all the restaurants I visited.

1.      Friedman’s

·       Amazing Service: People at Friedman’s keep up with the city’s bustling nature, while also staying cool and collected. Employees are kind and helpful, giving their attention to every customer even though the restaurant is always full. When my mother left her phone at the table, an employee ran out in 10-degree weather to give it to us.

·       The Food. Duh: Not only is their food delicious, but they also have a wide variety. Everything from pancakes to tacos. Try their savory avocado toast and fresh squeezed orange juice for breakfast. Their sandwiches are also phenomenal.

·       No Reservations: Although Friedman’s is always packed (especially during brunch), you can walk in and expect to be seated in under 15 minutes. They don’t take any reservations, so its nice for those of us who have issues planning.

·       Gluten Free Menu: There is probably something very wrong about the way wheat is cultivated in this country, because suddenly everyone is allergic to gluten. But never fear Friedman’s is here! My mother is allergic to gluten and this was her favorite restaurant we went to, because it’s among the few restaurants that can make almost everything on their menu gluten free.

2.      Spice Symphony

·       They’ll Change How You View Cauliflower: Although I like most vegetables, I’ve never enjoyed eating cauliflower until I tried crunchy cauliflower at Spice Symphony. Please try this amazing appetizer and thank me later. 

·        Indian and Chinese fusion- Praised by The New York Times for its “marriage of Indian and Chinese cuisines”, Spice Symphony perfectly integrates two of my favorite types of food. What’s better than eating chili chicken while sipping on mango laasi?

·       Probably Near You: After a day of shopping on 5^th Avenue or exploring Times Square, Spice symphony is only a 5-10 minute drive and doesn’t have too long of a wait.  

3.       La Boqueria

·       They Make Brussel Sprouts Taste Heavenly: I was worried when the waiter insisted I try their tapas Coles de Bruselas, but those were the best tapas I’ve ever had. The Barcelona Bowl is also popular. 

·       Not Too Busy: At least when we went to the one on the Upper East Side, during lunch time, it was nice and quiet. 

·       Good Service: As I indecisively searched the menu the waiter was very patient and made excellent recommendations. 

·       Many Locations: Don’t feel like taking a cab all the way across Manhattan to dine? Well thankfully La Boqueria has 3 locations across Manhattan: Upper East Side, Midtown and SoHo.