There’s no shortage of culinary experiences during the spring in NYC, from Smorgasburg to Madison Square Eats. But aside from those behemoths, there are a few other culinary fests on my radar.
Taste of Greece will be my first stop, hosted by City Winery on May 13 ($75, sold out but wait list available, 7-10 p.m.; 155 Varick St.). There’ll be Greek food and wine, of course, with bold vintages and tasty bites by the city’s top Greek spots such as Thalassa and Kefi. Athens natives Irini Haridou and Nikos Plios will also provide Greek music.
The city’s oldest food fair, the Ninth Avenue Food Festival returns May 16 and 17 (Ninth Avenue between 42nd and 57th streets). Find samples from avenue standbys like Chelsea Grill, Daisy May’s BBQ and Burgers & Cupcakes during the 15-block culinary celebration in support of City Harvest and Food Bank for NYC.
On May 19, I’ll be at STREETS Eats at the Astor Center ($150, 7-9:30 p.m.; 399 Lafayette St.). Countless chefs and restaurants will be on hand, presenting their version of Southeast Asian street foods, including Wylie Dufresne, Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow (The Meatball Shop), Leah Cohen (Pig & Khao) and PJ Calapa (Ai Fiori). Sweet Afton cocktail experts will keep the event spirited, while OddFellows’ Thai iced cream will keep it sweet. Proceeds support STREETS, a hospitality school for disadvantaged youths in Hoi An, Vietnam.
Or head to Taste of Sunnyside, also on May 19 ($35, 5:30-8:30 p.m.; Queens Boulevard between 45th and 46th streets) for samples from 26 neighborhood restaurants, including Michelin and Bib Gourmand darlings Salt and Fat and Venturo Osteria. Be sure to keep an eye out for the area’s two new Tibetan restaurants, Tibetan Dumpling Café and Punda Tibetan Restaurant.
Ariel Kanter is an editor at Gilt City.
