Savoring NYC's tastes of late summer
The lobster roll at Red Hook Lobster Pound in Brooklyn. Credit: Ramsay de Give
OK, this is it -- Labor Day Weekend, the unofficial end to summer. If you're not headed out of town for the holiday, we suggest a fine fare-thee-well to the season with some of the best summer foods to be found in the city.
1. KEY LIME PIE
WHAT Don't you have to go to Florida for that? Save the airfare and head to Steve's Authentic Key lime pies on the waterfront in Brooklyn. You can order a 4-inch single serving tart or a 10-inch pie to bring home. Or take our advice and get the "swingle" -- a key lime pie on a stick, dipped in chocolate and frozen. Now if that isn't the perfect summer dessert, what is?
WHERE 204 Van Dyke St. in Red Hook, Brooklyn
INFO $5 for a "swingle," 718-858-5333, stevesauthentic.com
2. LOBSTER ROLL
WHAT It's Maine vs. Connecticut at the Red Hook Lobster Pound, where you can order your roll with mayo, celery and spices (ME) or just lobster and butter (CT). The setup is no frills -- a few picnic tables set up in a garage -- but the lobsters are fresh caught in Maine, and even the top-split buns come from Down East.
WHERE Red Hook Lobster Pound, 284 Van Brunt St. in Red Hook, Brooklyn
INFO $16 for a lobster roll, 646-326-7650, redhooklobsterpound.com
3. STEAMERS
WHAT The clams at Grand Central Oyster Bar come from Long Island, but it's worth a trip into the city to slurp them down in the glorious vaulted dining room of this iconic 1913 restaurant. While you're at it, you may as well order some oysters from the raw bar.
WHERE Grand Central Station
INFO $10.95 for a plate of clams, 212-490-6650, oysterbarny.com
4. HOT DOG
WHAT There are hot dogs to be had all over the city -- settle for a dirty-water dog from a pushcart if you must -- but we're partial to the Vienna all-beef flat-top dogs straight from the griddle at Danny Meyer's Shake Shack. Yes, the lines are outrageous. But it's Labor Day -- everyone's out of town. Now's your chance.
WHERE Madison Square Park, near Madison Avenue at 23rd Street
INFO "Shack-cargo" dog $4, 212-889-6600, shakeshack.com
5. ICE CREAM
WHAT Whether you're a plain vanilla and chocolate type, or adventurous enough for black mission fig or rhubarb, there's a flavor for you at Il Laboratorio del Gelato. The ice cream, sorbet and gelato are all handmade in small batches at this sleek industrial space on the Lower East Side.
WHERE 188 Ludlow St. at East Houston Street.
INFO Average scoop $4, 212-343-9922, laboratoriodelgelato.com
