Feeding a 13-year Old Boy

[Attknee]

Hello Everyone, visiting from Toronto for 2 nights in April with my GF and her 13-year old son. I have no kids and therefore no experience in feeding them and also don't know NYC restaurants. We are staying in midtown Manhattan with no car, but with good feet and are happy to take public transit.

I would appreciate both lunch and dinner recommendations. He loves wings, pizza and the usual foods for 13 year olds. Even deli. To be fair, he also enjoys a bistro style restaurant, good food but not too fancy.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[Jane A.]

Angelo's Pizza (57th bet. 6th & 7th Aves.) Great thin-crust pizza, wonderful salads for the adults, and a few entrées. http://www.menupages.com/restaurants/...
Avoid the Angelo's on Broadway bet. 53rd & 54th. It's not as good. Agree with the other poster to ask her son what kinds of foods he'd like to try while he's here. You might be (happily) surprised.

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Angelo's Pizza
117 W 57th St, New York, NY 10019

[peter j]

+1 for Angelo's on 57th.

If the boy is fairly adventurous:

Dos Toros - quesadillas
DBGB - sausages
Bon Chon - Korean fried chicken
Fish Tag or The Breslin - lamb burger
Otto or Lupa - pasta
Chikalicious - desserts
Lady M - mille crepe cake

For bistro - Ballthazar, Odeon

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Lupa
170 Thompson Street, New York, NY 10012

Otto
1 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10003

Odeon
145 W. Broadway, New York, NY 10013

ChikaLicious
203 E 10th St, New York, NY 10003

DBGB
299 Bowery, New York, NY 10003

The Breslin
20 W 29th St, New York, NY 10001

Dos Toros
137 4th Ave, New York, NY 10003

Bon Chon Chicken
325 5th Ave, New York, NY 10016

Fish Tag
222 W 79th St, New York, NY 10024

[msny98]

Agree on Bon Chon
Blondies on the UWS for regular wings
I'd recommend John's or Artichoke Basille for pizza
Shake Shack in Times Sq is good
Dinosaur BBQ would work too

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John's Pizzeria
278 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10014

Blondie's
212 W 79th St, New York, NY 10024

Artichoke
328 E 14th St, New York, NY 10003

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
777 W. 125th Street, New York, NY 10027

[maxine]

How about Korean BBQ. It have found that fun with kids as it is adventurous, but you can also get great steaks, and you will be near manhattan's Koreatown on 32 nd street.

[rkaene]

My boys love Kefi. So do I.

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Kefi
505 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY 10024

[yebo]

Agree with Quine about including the teen in priorities, decisions.
If he is not grossed out by weird things (to use another generation's words), a big cart dim sum place, where he gets to look at everything and choose, could be fun (Idon't know how much of this there is in Toronto, of course; this might be ho-hum so disregard.) While the cart places are often criticized here, I think it is for the level of the food. In your situation, as long as food level is adequate for evrybody, it could be fun and memorable. For this purpose, I nominate Jing Fong.

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Jing Fong
18 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10013

[Attknee]

Yes, you are right. He is pretty much a meat and potatoes type kid. But we have gone to dim sum and he did enjoy some of the dishes. Sushi, likely not, but Thai, I think he likes. I will certainly give him input but I know he would enjoy a real NYC style pizza experience. I see that both Keste and John's have been suggested for pizza. Any thoughts on which is the best?

[gutsofsteel]

John's is not even in the same league as Keste.

[JMJD]

Keste is more like the pizza you would get in Italy....John's is more of a NY style pizza experience. You may want to try both. Search the boards for recommendations for NY style pizza, but places like Keste, Motorino and Co are a different kind of pizza.

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Motorino
349 E 12th St, New York, NY 10003

[gutsofsteel]

I think it really depends on the kid. I have taken children younger than that to Eleven Madison Park and they loved it...what are the kid's preferences?

I tend to think that kids rise to the occasion...

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Eleven Madison Park
11 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10010

[coasts]

Keste for pizza
Shake Shack for burgers
Rub BBQ for wings and barbecue
Ippudo for ramen
East on 3rd Ave for conveyor belt sushi
Yakitori Taisho for, um, yakitori

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RUB BBQ
208 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10011

Yakitori Taisho
5 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10003

Ippudo
65 4th Ave, New York, NY 10003

Keste Pizza & Vino
271 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10014

[Quine]

You haven't given us alot of information about his taste and adventureness. And since he is 13 and probably has very "strong" opinions, have you asked him? You would probably score points for making him a part of the decision making. Any 13 yo does want to definatey have that foot in on the decisions. NYC is great place to explore different world cuisines, in native based neighborhoods.
I think a Chinatown walking tour would be a great way to spend a morning into afternoon, with a serious look at what may be fun to eat for lunch. So much to see! So many taste to try, and for me a great adventure.

[JMJD]

Katz's for deli....order pastrami (don't go and order turkey or silly things like that)
Pizza -- search the boards, NYC pizza is better than Toronto pizza
Balthazar or Pastis might be fun for a trendy/bistro kind of night.
Shake Shack also seems appropriate given the age.
To stretch -- maybe a steakhouse? Keen's could be fun and there are many other options.

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Keens
72 West 36th St., New York, NY 10018

Shake Shack
Madison Ave and E 23rd St, New York, NY 10010

Pastis
9 9th Ave, New York, NY 10014

Balthazar
80 Spring St, New York, NY 10012

[pbjluver]

www.menupages.com

[Attknee]

Unfortunately I have no way of judging the quality of the restaurants listed in menupages and so I am asking for your suggestions. Which ones do you recommend?

[pbjluver]

the restaurants all have a star rating

I thought this site would give you an idea of what is available in each section of the city.
And also the price. The reviews help too.

Definitely Katz's for deli
John's Pizzeria on W. 44th Street
Many delicious Thai places in Hell's Kitchen...9th Ave in the 40's.
Shake Shack for delicious burgers and shakes

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Katz's Delicatessen
205 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002

Shake Shack
Madison Ave and E 23rd St, New York, NY 10010

John's Pizzeria
260 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036