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If we’re thinking about some of the best parts of New York City (don’t get us started), the food scene and literary scene are up there as justifications for why we put up with some of the city’s less attractive qualities. And New York’s food and literature scene goes far beyond just reading a bestseller written by a local author at a cool bar. The city’s bars, restaurants, and bookstores host food-focused literary events year-round, blending two creative industries that often intersect. Cookbook launches, chefs reading from their memoirs, interactive tastings and more take place nearly every night in the city. Here’s what you can’t miss this fall:
Franklin Park Reading Series
September 14 at 8pm; free
This long-running event featuring local writers, poets, authors, and more literary stars fills up the Crown Heights beer garden with literary lovers on the second Monday of every month to sip what’s on tap, listen to readings, and discuss all things books and writing. Admission is free, and a monthly raffle allows guests the chance to win participants’ newest books.
Foods of La Frontera with Pati Jinich
September 17 at 6:30pm; $185
It’s a rare and lovely treat to be able to taste a chef’s cookbook recipe just as she wants to serve it, and such is the case at a Platform by James Beard event on September 17th. Chef, TV host, and bestselling cookbook author Pati Jinich will host a dinner celebrating her latest title, Foods of La Frontera: Recipes and New Taste Frontiers from Both Sides of the Border. Tickets start at $185 for a multi-course menu with beverage pairings, plus a Q&A.
No God But Us Book Club
September 18 at 7pm; free
Boyfriend Co-op’s September book club pick is No God But Us by Bobuq Sayed! The meeting is free to join at the sapphic Bushwick collective from 7–9pm on September 18. The bar offers wine, beer, cocktails, and mocktails, plus a full Middle Eastern menu.
Wine Education and Tasting
Various dates in September
Liz’s Book Bar in Carroll Gardens hosts a plethora of evening events, including nights aimed at singles mingling, art workshops, readings, and more. On Friday, September 18th, the Wine Between The Lines series will offer a Wine 101 workshop, reviewing essential wine vocabulary (what is an acidic wine, exactly), along with multiple tastings, led by Liz’s in-house bartender, Zoe.
Happy Snacking, Don’t Die Book Launch
September 21 at 7pm; $43.55
On September 21, Alexis Nikole Nelson, also known online as Black Forager, will discuss her new book with local Brooklyn forager Marie Viljoen, who leads foraging tastings around New York City. Learn about how to eat and enjoy what grows abundantly and naturally in our environment, without poisoning yourself in the process. Books is Magic is hosting the event at First Unitarian Congregational Society in Brooklyn Heights. Tickets start at $44 and include a book.
The Culinary Life: Crafting Narrative and Memoir Through Food
September 27 at 2pm; free
On September 27 at 2pm, the Brooklyn Book Festival will host a discussion between esteemed food writers about their craft. Brigid Washington, author of Salt, Sweat & Steam, and Zahra Tangorra, author of Extra Sauce, and Tanya Bush, author of the narrative cookbook Will This Make You Happy, will be moderated by Lisa Donovan, author of Our Lady of Perpetual Hunger. The event is free to attend.
Tiffanie Barriere Presents Good Spirits
September 28 at 6pm; $70
Bibliotheque in SoHo will convert its hybrid bookshop cafe to a cocktail venue for the evening to celebrate the new book by mixologist Tiffanie Barriere! The event will feature a cocktail tasting to pair with the book, with the option for guests to purchase a signed copy. Tickets start at $35.
Cuban Soul with Chef Mika León
October 6 at 6:30pm; $185–$250
She beat Bobby Flay, cooked for 24 hours straight and competed in Guy's Grocery Games, among other Food Network shows. Now, the Miami-born, Cuban-raised chef Mika León debuts her first cookbook, Cuban Soul: 100 Vibrant Recipes from Mí Cócina, with a special dinner at the James Beard Foundation. Hear from León and her family, who inspired the book, and sip on Havana Club cocktails while sampling dishes from the soon-to-be-released tome.
The Girl Who Became King Book Launch
October 7 at 7pm; $32.66
Top Chef contestant Melissa King will discuss her new memoir about becoming a famous queer Chinese American chef at New Design High School on the Lower East Side in partnership with Chinatown’s Yu & Me Books. All pre-purchased books will be signed. Tickets are $33 and include the book.
Sweet Nothings Literary Salon
Oct 13 at 8pm; free
Book Club Bar’s new Bushwick location hosts a monthly literary salon on the second Tuesday of every month. Head over on Tuesday, September 8th and again on Tuesday, October 13th at 8pm to listen to writers share their work with the community or submit online to perform your own writing. The event is free, with drinks for sale.