Outdoor seating and a classic French brasserie menu at Cercle Rouge
Locale: Tribeca
Theaters: BMCC Tribeca PAC and Tribeca Cinemas
The open kitchen at Upstairs at Bouley Bakery & Market (130 West Broadway) could provide a great second act to your artsy film. You can opt for fresh sashimi, or select from a wider, seasonal (and not- necessarily-Japanese-inspired) menu, which is updated with fresh ideas from the nearby Bouley test kitchen.
Whether it’s for some serious comfort food, or just a slice of homemade apple, cherry or banana cream pie, check out Bubby's (120 Hudson St.)—even the ice cream here is made from scratch.
Don’t kick yourself for failing to book at Nobu (and thereby rounding out your De Niro–Tribeca experience): Head to the no-reservations-required offshoot Next Door Nobu (105 Hudson St.) and try the sashimi tacos, toro tartar or simply trust the chef with an omakase—chef’s choice—starting at $100 per person.
Alternately, you’ll find a lively bar, outdoor seating and a classic French brasserie menu at Cercle Rouge (241 West Broadway). Plus, nouveau-Italian ROC Restaurant (190-A Duane St.) will be whipping up film-themed cocktails and offering a free dessert to festival ticket-holders from each night’s screening.
And if you're feeling really optimistic, you can try your luck at recently opened hot spot du jour Ago, De Niro and chef-partner Agostino Sciandri's Gotham spin-off of their L.A. trattoria, which checks in at De Niro’s Greenwich Hotel.
Locale: East Village
Theaters: AMC Village VII and Village East Cinemas
In the East Village you’ll have no trouble finding international flavors to match the foreign art-house masterpiece you’ve just soaked up. Wanna scratch that Neapolitan itch? Head to Lil’ Frankie’s (19 First Ave.) for rustic Italian fare and a wood-burning oven that churns out tasty pizzas, and also gives whole roasted chicken and eggplant the perfect once-over.
For a cornucopia of cookies and cakes, stroll to Veniero’s (342 E 11th St.) They’ve been serving up some of the best cannoli, mini-cheesecakes and fruit tarts in the village for more than a century. Don’t be afraid of the line, since takeout runs fairly quickly. Or check out the table service—you can always order an espresso to go with your sweets.
If you’ve never had the delightful Venezuelan stuffed flat corn bread known as an arepa, go straight to Caracas Arepa Bar (93½ E. Seventh St.) Or, if you’re game for something special, walk east a couple of avenues to Back Forty (190 Avenue B), a fairly recent addition, bringing haute market-fresh cuisine to the neighborhood.
MORE EATS: CITY HALL, GREENWICH VILLAGE AND GRAMERCY—>
