United States

New York City 

Food

Caribbean

Ghetto Gastro

Powered by ideas on community and Blackness, this culinary trio have been shaking up the culture of the Bronx and beyond. With their new book, 

 is taking the art of cooking to new heights.

Their first-ever book is a celebration of Black culture; a tome of recipes and art that also dives into pieces on inclusion, race, access, and how food can be a tool for empowerment.

Sharing their extensive knowledge of NYC, in this guide Ghetto Gastro's let us in on their favourite restaurants around the capity city.

Highbridge is a neighbourhood in the Bronx that's connected to Washington Heights in the Upper Manhattan by way of the pedestrian high bridge. The blending of cultures across this physical landscape is rich and the patties have a nice sweetness and a spicy punch. They also take some time, because you'll need to ferment the plantains for the filling for up to one week, which adds a tangy depth to the flavour.

For $4 or $5, any short-order bodega cook can style it how you like it, but the classic build is ground beef cooked down with white onions and American cheese, then topped with tomatoes and shredded lettuce on a hero or roll. Like a lot of foods that emerge from neighbourhoods and cultures where many are systematically deprived of wealth, the chopped cheese is a blue-collar dish, [with] it's social complexities. As the class makeup of the Bronx and Uptown has shifted to attract the richer, whiter populations in recent years, the chopped cheese found its way into the hands of folks who didn't grow up on it like we did but rather often "discovered" the sandwich, and, naturally, loved it. 

This place opened as Brother Roy's Green Garden in 1983 at a different location (it's always going to be Brother Roy's to us), but the juice bar is a beloved, Black-owned gathering place that promotes health and wellness. For youth used to seeing smoke shops and liquor stores on countless corners, this West Indian spot is where you find like-minded people knowledgeable about nutrition. Brother Roy's is across from an elevated train, facing the New York Housing Authority's Gun Hill Houses. The energy is chaotic on the streets. In the shop it's like an oasis. You smell fresh fruit. You hear patois that reflects Caribbean roots. 

The hood Chinese restaurant is ubiquitous in Black hip hop culture. For decades, references to dishes have appeared in song lyrics; there's even a brown and green Timberland boot that's been dubbed "beef and broccoli". The tan joints are called "sesame chickens". These are not the spots where you look for traditional Cantonese dumplings or classic Sichuan noodles. You're gonna find chicken wings next to egg foo Yung. Chinese sweet tea served in plastic quart containers. Everything comes in a to-go box because even if the spot is large enough for tables and chairs, you're probably not staying long. 

A popular seafood restaurant in City Island, across the street from Johnny's Reef, these restaurants have a serious cult following. 

Highbridge Plantain Patty

Related Guides