Fun Places to Try This Weekend in NYC
All summer long, we’ll be recommending where to eat and drink to take advantage of a New York summer weekend, including great patios, one-time pop-ups, and easy day trips, updated every Friday. Have a pick for us to include?
Giglio Feast 2024: More properly known as the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Feast, this 10-day-long festival and street fair has been happening in Williamsburg since 1887, and we always seem to hear about it after it’s over. Well, this weekend is the festival’s second and final one, and the giglio — a 65-foot-tall statue with a band playing at its base, along with other assembled church and festival officials — will be lifted and “danced” through the streets by around 80 doubtlessly sweating individuals beginning 2 p.m. on Sunday. But every afternoon and evening (including today) the giglio is available for inspection, and dozens of vendors sell Neapolitan festival food, including sausage-and-pepper heroes, cannolis filled when you order them, and freshly fried zeppole tossed in a paper sack and sprinkled with powdered sugar. 275 North 8th St, at Havemeyer St, Williamsburg.
Veniero’s: I’m a huge fan of old-fashioned ice cream parlors with a dine-in menu and the curvy ice cream parlor chairs. Veniero’s, open since 1894, is a variation on it: long on charm, a respite from summer heat, and a fine place to order a sweet treat — perhaps in lieu of dinner. Stop in for a cannoli, a fruit tart, or a slice of Sicilian cheesecake, paired with a shot of sambuca dressed with coffee beans. The people watching here is A+. Open until 11 p.m. weekends. 342 E. 11th Street, at First Avenue, East Village.
Roberta’s Manhattan: Who knew that the area around Penn Station could become a destination, or at the very least a satisfying stop before heading off to the train? The sprawling deck at the newly open Roberta’s Manhattan anchors next door to the new standalone Los Tacos, soon to open Anita Gelato, and a pickleball court. Head past the downstairs R Slice location for Roberta’s cushy seating on the deck outside with a dramatic backdrop of the neighborhood skyline. Order from a menu of natural wine pours, cured meats, roasted vegetables, porchetta, and whole pies, of course. 1 Penn Plaza at 33rd Street, Midtown.
