Midtown Munchies: The Cannibal Beer & Butcher
The Spot:
The Cannibal Beer & Butcher
The Scene:
An intimate restaurant (with a back garden!) to escape to anytime.
The Scoop:
This cozy midtown restaurant opened in the 21st century, but it transports you back another era, when everyone had their favorite neighborhood butcher. Cooks prepare the meat behind an open counter, giving the feel of an actual butcher shop.
On a recent, mid-afternoon visit, an even mix of ladies and gents filled the bar area inside. It looked like the perfect spot to arrive solo and meet a fun crew. But we made a beeline to the back patio seating—a rare find for New York City restaurants. It’s got a rustic vibe, with wooden picnic tables, cobblestone floors and bicycles hanging on the walls. (Worth noting: the patio is heated come wintertime, so don’t let cold weather stop you from checking it out!)
Unsurprisingly, meat dominates the menu (lamb tartare, kielbasa sausage, lardo and a 50-day dry-aged ribeye are a few examples). There are a few surprises too, like the general tso’s pig’s head—with broccoli rabe and scallion salad—and the bone marrow brulee, served with scrambled eggs and marinated mushrooms.
But vegetarians need not worry. Some of the tastiest dishes we tried were all about the veggies, like the roasted sunchokes and beets, pickled vegetable plates, parmesan cauliflower and seasonal salads (ours had peaches and tomatoes).
The family-style seating on the patio makes it a great place to bring a group of friends. If the food’s not enough to tempt them, mention the mind-boggling selection of beers. There are more than 400 domestic and international brews, many of them stored in refrigerator cases as soon as you enter the tiny eatery.
From center to clockwise, tomato and peach salad, tuna tartare and pickle plate
Tuna tartare served with fresh arugula, $15
Patio seating at The Cannibal
The Cannibal seating area
Lamb and gruyere sausage in cumin yogurt, topped with carrots and salsa verde, $14
Details:
The Cannibal: 113 East 29th Street, Monday – Saturday 11 am to 11:30 pm and Sunday 11 am to 10:30 pm.
