The GG Restaurant Report: July '25
Combing the boroughs for the best.
From cash-only Caribbean bakeries on White Plains Road to white tablecloth spots in Manhattan, we eat all ways. High, low, in between. Every month, we’re putting together a list of where to break bread. Drop your recs in the comments. You might see your name in the next roundup.
Huda
637 Driggs Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Book here
Levantine heat with a homestyle hand. Garlic-heavy, spice-forward, this ain’t shy food. Order the carrot salad and the charred eggplant lingers. Vibes are Brooklyn-soft: low lights, warm hearts. Shout to the staff who treat you like you already came through last week. Peep the Free Palestine stickers by the register, proof that this place is about more than the plate.
Atoboy
43 E 28th St, New York, NY 10016
Book here
Modern Korean in NoMad, plated like a flex but still full of soul. A la carte if you're here for a quick trip but do the tasting menu if you want the full story. The truffled corn is illegal in some states (not really but it should be). Chicken’s crispy, saucey, all the right kinds of wrong. Natural wine heavy, clean lines, service that glides.
Jackson Hole Diner
69-35 Astoria Blvd N, Queens, NY 11370
Walk-in only
Originally called Airline Diner, only 10 minutes from LaGuardia. Family-owned and operated for decades and they kept their retro vibe with jukeboxes at every booth. The thing about diner food is it always hits. And theirs is good. Everything is made to order by cooks in the middle of the space. Any mob movie aficionado will recognize this spot from Goodfellas. Real diner energy. No fuss, just food that hugs. Support these spots before they vanish.
La Morada
308 Willis Ave, Bronx, NY 10454
Walk-in only
Oaxacan flavors with deep roots and deeper politics. Family-run, activist-owned. Mole that’ll rewire your palate: layered, rich, spiritual. Open 10 to 5 and perfect lunch move. They cook like they mean it, and they do.
Thai Diner
186 Mott St, New York, NY 10012
Book here
Another diner makes the list but a different kind. Diner vibes flipped with Thai fire. Getting a res feels like winning the lottery but the prize is coconut curry. The khao soi is the hero here: crispy noodles, silky broth, comfort food with a kick. Finish with Uncle Boon’s famous coconut sundae, coconut gelato topped with candied pecans.
Lloyd’s Carrot Cake
6087 Broadway, Bronx, NY 10471
Walk-in only
Bronx-born legend. Lloyd started baking carrot cake in Harlem until he nailed the formula: moist, fluffy, not too sweet. Been holding it down since ‘86. Family’s still running the show after Lloyd’s passing in ‘86. This is sacred pastry. If you know, you go.
Çka Ka Qëllu
2321 Hughes Ave, Bronx, NY 10458
Book here
Bronx Albanian spot with Dua Lipa cred. Rustic, real, and rooted. Rustic decor, traditional dishes, big portions. Get the ajvar starter, a roasted red pepper spread that’s a staple in the Balkans, and sarma, another staple of stuffed cabbage with ground meat. Three locations but the Bronx one got heart.
Have you had the burek at Tony and Tina's Pizzeria, 2483 Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. Definitely don't have the pizza (not great), but the burek (cheese, spinach and cheese, meat, pumpkin) are killer. Traditionally eaten with the house made yogurt, but I've never gotten the connection and just eat my burek straight. You can do a comparison on bureks, by going to the less hole-in-the-wall Luna Cafe at 601 E. 187th St (corner of Arthur Ave). They aren't highly rated, but their bureks are great (different style from T&T's). The problem for both is they took over old Italian spots and when people go in expecting pizza or Italian pastries (which Luna used to serve), they are very dissapointed. You've got to go Albanian in both.
Ripe. Vibes. Not in 1 of the 5 but still hits after its reopening. Border BX n Mt V. Plantain Boat, Pepper Shrimp, Big ass jerk steak.