Having grown up in NYC there are few places that remain completely unchanged from my childhood, Barney Greengrass being one of them. Founded in 1908, but in it’s present location on Amsterdam Avenue since 1929, Barney Greengrass is an iconic Upper West Side landmark. Last week I was overcome with nostalgia for a taste of old New York so my son and I made the trek in to the city for lunch.
Over the years we have maintained the tradition of shipping a big box of Barney Greengrass delicacies to our home out West to enjoy on New Years day, and while those treats are always delicious, nothing compares to actually dining in house and soaking up the atmosphere. After almost 100 years in the same spot Barney Greengrass has developed a lustre of NY history, which I mean in the best way possible; do not come to Barney Greengrass and expect an aseptic environment, there are decades of memories (and a bit of dust accumulation) both inside the dining room and behind the deli counter.
We arrived at 11:30 am and expected to breeze right in to be seated, but the large tables seemed to be saved for regulars so we had to wait a few moments for a smaller table to turn over. Rather than eat in the traditional dining room we opted for seats in the middle of the action with a clear view of the smoked delicacies.
Barney Greengrass makes no concessions to gluten free diners (nor did I expect them to) so I very happily ordered scrambled eggs (glistening with a very generous amount of butter) and perfectly sliced Western Nova on the side. Perfection.
Feeling a need for some additional comfort, we decided to get a side of cheese blintzes (I ate the filling) which were just as good as my grandmother used to make filled with lightly sweetened Farmer Cheese and served with a generous dollop of sour cream. Pretty close to divine.
My son opted for the Sable platter with both a toasted bialy and bagel which he supplemented by nabbing some of my Nova.
Our meal turned out to be just the dose of old NY that I needed. I could have sat there all day watching people from every walk of life, from young to old, enjoying their personal trips down memory lane. If you haven’t been recently, or have never been before, I urge you to go. It may be just what you need!