Lunch near house of hoops, Harlem?

[leah66]

this store is at 268 W 125th St

we will be making a trip to Harlem to visit this place but I would love to turn it into a foodie trip as well. Can you recommend a casual lunch spot near here, fairly cheap but tasty, we love vietnamese, italian, indian ( not food carts though as we will be visiting in autumn or winter ) or perhaps any great food places I could browse in while the boy spends his money on the basketball gear?

thank very much

[Uptownflavor]

Here are the links for the other restaurants I recommended. Again, these are not in the immediate neighborhood but worth trying if you get a chance. If your going to grab a bite while he is shopping then you will likely wind up at a Manna's, Uptown Juice Bar or possibly Mo Bays. The first two are relatively inexpensive, as is Taste of Seafood and Roti Plus. You can also sit outside the State building and enjoy your food if you don't want to eat in. Enjoy.

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Sylvia's
328 Lenox Ave, New York, NY 10027

Cafe Largo
3387 Broadway, New York, NY 10031

Melba's
300 W 114th St, New York, NY 10026

Piatto D'Oro II
1 E 118th St, New York, NY 10035

MoBay
17 W 125th St, New York, NY 10027

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
646 W. 131st Street, New York, NY 10027

Roti Plus
2345 8th Ave, New York, NY 10027

Floridita
3219 Broadway, New York, NY 10027

Billie's Black
271 W 119th St, New York, NY 10026

Talay
701 West 135th Street, New York, NY 10031

Hudson River Cafe
697 W 133rd St, New York, NY 10027

Uptown Veg
14 E 125th St, New York, NY 10035

A Taste of Seafood
59 E 125th St, New York, NY 10035

Manna's
2331 Frederick Douglass Blvd, New York, NY 10027

[leah66]

thanks alot for all the websites, I will check out at work today..the west indian caribbean options sound interesting, as that will be new for us.

[Uptownflavor]

Since you will be in Harlem, I recommend that you try some places that have Harlem flavor. Harlem is not known for any of the cultural cuisines you mentioned. If you must have Italian, you can go to the newly opened Piatto D'oro. Otherwise, if you want to dine in the general vicinity of the store my top choice is Mo'Bay. You can sit and relax for a while with a choice of Caribbean or Southern cuisine. If you like vegetarian options cooked in ways that you never imagined possible you have to go to the Uptown Juice Bar. They will blow your mind with their choices. You won't even know you haven't eaten meat. There is also plenty of seating in the back. If you like fish and seafood there is Taste of Seafood. If you want to just grab and go (and have a selection of choices) you can go to one of the many Manna's that have deli style steam tables with Asian, Southern, Caribbean and other options. Then, there is the old tourist standby Sylvia's for soul food (though most foodie wouldn't recommend it). Also, since you seem to like spicy, try any of the number of West Indian and Caribbean places like Roti Plus (if they are still there.)

A couple other sit down options that are not on 125th Street but still in the neighborhood are Billie's Black and Melba's. Most of these places have a website if you to check them out. You also have the option of heading down towards the river for the assortment of relatively new places like Hudson River Cafe, Dinosaur and Talay Thai. They are under the aquaduct. I'll link those as well. On the way you also have Floridita which makes really good spanish food.

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Sylvia's
328 Lenox Ave, New York, NY 10027

Piatto D'Oro II
1 E 118th St, New York, NY 10035

MoBay
17 W 125th St, New York, NY 10027

Uptown Veg
14 E 125th St, New York, NY 10035

A Taste of Seafood
59 E 125th St, New York, NY 10035

Manna's
2331 Frederick Douglass Blvd, New York, NY 10027