The Who:
The story behind Los Tacos No. 1 is a familiar one. Friends living in New York missed their favorite food from their hometown and couldn't find it in the city. So they created it themselves.

In the case of Los Tacos No. 1, the food is authentic style tacos.  And the three friends are Tyler Sanders, Christian Pineda, and Kyle Cameron who hail from Southern California and Tijuana. After moving to New York to study at the New School of Architecture & Design, they found themselves in the unexpected place of being restaurant owners.

They shopped the idea around to investors, but only had luck when they heard that Chelsea Market was looking for a Mexican food option. They opened their stand in 2013 and they've opened a second location, been populated with huge lines, and are often referred to as the best tacos in New York.

Tourists and locals alike wait in line at both the Chelsea Market location and the more recent one just off of Times Square to get a true taste of Mexico. 

The What:
The menu is incredibly simple at Los Tacos No.1. You get to choose between chicken, beef, pork, or cactus in either a taco or quesadilla. Everything we've tried (including the fried quesadilla) has been incredible. We especially love the adobada (the spiced pork) that is shaved off a spit of roasting meat and pineapple. It harkens back to the food the Lebanese immigrants brought to Mexico in the early 20th century.

The tacos are available with flour or corn (gluten free) tortillas and can be topped with a range of guacamoles and salsas that can be mild, medium, or spicy. You can then cool down with some of their traditional aguas frescas like jamaica (hibiscus flower) or horchata (rice milk with cinnamon). In the morning, both locations sell breakfast burritos from a pushcart. They're only available Monday through Friday, so be sure to get up early to try them.

Neither location has a place to sit. But tacos are meant to be quick and easy to walk with. You could find a spot somewhere in Chelsea Market or stand along the tables in the Midtown locations. Nevertheless, these are definitely the most authentic and delicious tacos we've tried in Manhattan. That's why you could very well encounter them after our High Line & Chelsea Tour or on the Midtown Sights & Bites.

The Why:
While there are great spots in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, Manhattan had been lacking for some serious tacos. You could find them at bodegas and food carts, but until Los Tacos No. 1 came around, great authentic Mexican tacos were not nearly as accessible. Now you have great local, well-prepared food just steps from some of the most tourist heavy neighborhoods in the city. 

The Where:
Los Tacos No. 1
​75 Ninth Avenue (Inside Chelsea Market)
New York, New York 10011
(212) 256-0343

229 West 43rd Street
New York, New York 10036
(212) 574-4696

​​​Click on the title for more info.

The Who:
In 2017, Brian Grummert and Leslie Feinberg joined forces to take over the neighborhood bar Subject. Brian had worked at the bar under the previous owner Matthew Rush and lived in the neighborhood. Matt tragically passed away in 2016 and the fate of the bar became uncertain.

Leslie had been operating Prohibition Bakery, which has been a highlight of our Craft Cocktail Tour from the very beginning, at a storefront one block over. Right around the time the landlord of that storefront decided to raise the rent, Leslie was forced out of the space. Having a background in the bar industry, she joined forced with her friend Brian to keep Subject running. And she moved the base of the cupcake company to the bar.

The What:
Some locals remember this as a Phish bar. Matt was a huge fan of the jam band and would live-stream any of their recorded shows. Today it has a slightly different vibe. The theme of subject is fittingly books and stories. The menu is laid out by different chapters and all their check presenters are actually books written by one of the bartenders.

One thing that has not changed is the focus on quality ingredients and strong techniques when it comes to making cocktails. We stop by the bar on Monday nights of our Craft Cocktail tour and we love introducing people to cocktails like the Hot Not Cray, a winning combination of tequila, ancho chili liqueur, grapefruit, and lime or the boozy Society Street, which features bourbon, cognac, sweet vermouth, and peach liqueur. 

Subjct is always lively with a wonderful mix of locals and provides a comfortable vibe to hang out, have incredible drinks, and mingle with some local culture. 

The Why:
Subject is a place that is not listed in any of the cocktail guidebooks about New York, but it's a warm, welcoming neighborhood bar with pinball machines, board games, and an amazing staff. And the most incredible part is in this modest comfortable setting, you will find drinks as good and as well-constructed as at any of the hot spots with hour long waits around the city. 

The Where:
Subject
188 Suffolk Street
New York, New York 10002
(646) 422-7898

​​​Click on the title for more info.