NYC Restaurants: Sit Down To Some Mother's Day Food News

NEW YORK CITY — As Mother's Day inched closer and closer, New York City got a very apropos addition to its food scene: a soup doula.

To be more precise, a postpartum doula opened a soup pick-up spot in Brooklyn, but loyal readers of Patch's ongoing weekly roundup of food news will get the gist.

This week's food news — beyond the upcoming Mother's Day and the aforementioned soup doula — included a local bar being named the best in North America and a whole buffet of restaurant openings.

Of course, this tiny Patch newsroom couldn't fit in everything from the city's stuffed food scene. But we tried, and we'll be back next week for more.

Did you book a Mother's Day brunch reservation?

We have good news and bad news, children.

The bad news is it's likely too late at many places to reserve a table for Mother's Day brunch in the city. The good news is that your mom still loves you (we hope).

For those willing to give it a late try, Patch compiled a quick guide.

We also have an "only in New York" gift guide for Mother's Day, if you're interested.

• Mother’s Day 2023 Brunch: Reserve Now In NYC
• 4 Mother's Day Gifts That Scream 'Only In New York'

Drink up, New York lushes.

A New York City bar is the best in North America.

Also, 11 other watering holes made the "50 Best Bars" list. Most of those spots were in Manhattan, but a beloved Brooklyn cocktail bar was both shaken and stirred to find itself on the list.

And, while we're talking about lists and rankings, check out the Midtown and Hell's Kitchen eateries that Eater deemed so "classic" that "every New Yorker must try."

• This NYC Bar Is The Best In North America, New Top 50 List Declares
• This Park Slope-Area Bar Is One Of Best In North America: Ranking
• 4 Midtown Restaurants Deemed 'Classic' That All 'Must Try:' List

It's not a week in New York City without a cornucopia of new restaurants opening.

This week saw the Soup Doula herself — Marisa Mendez Marthaller — open up shop in Brooklyn.

Other openings that unfolded or are soon-to-come included a retro Asian pop bar in Long Island City, a new Nuts Factory location in Queens, an affordable burger and breakfast joint in Brooklyn and another Gregorys coffee.

And local government board meetings in Washington Heights, Inwood, Midtown and Hell's Kitchen gave locals a taste of what new restaurants, bars and clubs could be opening.

• Soup Doula Opens New Shop In Bed-Stuy
• Retro Asian Pop Bar Opens In Long Island City
• Nuts Factory Opens Second Queens Location In Astoria
• Affordable Burger & Breakfast Joint Opens In Bed-Stuy
• Gregorys Coffee Opens Its Doors In Forest Hills
• Tapas Spot, Bar And Grill Opening In Inwood And Washington Heights
  
• New Midtown & Hell's Kitchen Restaurants: Two — Or Three — New Spots

Love festivals, outdoor eating and Queens?

This batch of food news is for you.

An outdoor market, a food and music festival and a food and arts market — which are all separate things — are coming to Queens as soon as Saturday.

And this news isn't Queens, but a celebration is in order for VeganHood in Harlem. The restaurant marked its one-year anniversary and received recognition from the city.

• Weekend Outdoor Market Coming To Bayside's Bell Boulevard
• Over 30 Restaurants Will Be At Bell Boulevard Food, Music Festival
  
• Forest Hills Brings Food, Arts Market To Yellowstone Boulevard
• Harlem Vegan Eatery Honored By City At Its 1-Year Anniversary

As always, some food news was just stomach-turning.

Concerns over listeria prompted a voluntary recall of kale, collard and collard greens in six states, including New York.

And a book cafe, juice spot, and Korean and Middle Eastern eateries all got shut down by city health inspectors this week.

• NY Listeria Concerns Prompt Recall Of Kale, Spinach, Collard Greens
• NYC Restaurants Ordered Closed May 5 - 12