Marcia Gagliardi

Ahhhh, brunch. One of the most debauched meals of the week, typically involving drinking something alcoholic, usually designed to help cure any “morning after” ills, often leading people back to where it all started: tipsy. Oh, and sometimes eating something, too. But what cocktails make the perfect brunch cocktails? You may know how to make a Manhattan expertly, and how to make a daiquiri that blows people’s minds—but those don’t go so well with eggs. What does? Here are 11 of the most popular and classic brunch cocktails you’re liable to see in brunch patrons’ hands, and since humans have been drinking for a very long time, you’ll be happy to discover many of these cocktails have a deeper history than you may be aware of. Cheers. (And if you’re looking to push your boozing beyond the brunch hour, check out our general boozer’s guide to the any-time-of-day cocktails you need to know.) RECOMMENDED: See America’s best cocktails

Whether you’re an aspiring home bartender who wants to know how to make a dark and stormy that will blow minds away, or a barhopping cocktail lover ready to learn about why great cocktails taste, er, great, here are 10 cocktail books that will help up your game, deepen your knowledge, and definitely make you very, very thirsty. (You’ll want to pair these books with the 10 items every expert home bartender should own.) Our list of cocktail books starts with a little cocktail history, then moves on to bar techniques and inspiration, and finally to a few technique-driven books at the end for consumers who want to step closer to the bartender pro zone. And if paper-and-binding is a bit too old-school for you, check out our guide to the best cocktail apps around. Cheers! RECOMMENDED: See America’s best cocktails

We’re all about cold noodle dishes: In NYC, the top Asian restaurants prove that noodles are a dish best served cold. Whether you’re looking to cool off with a leisurely meal of sautéed catfish and pickled daikon-topped vermicelli from one of the best Thai restaurants in NYC or a quick bowl of Szechuan-spiced wheat noodles from one of our favorite Chinatown restaurants, you’ll be sure to find your chilled dish of choice right here. And if you need further refreshing, why not cap off your meal with some of the best ice cream NYC has to offer. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best Japanese food in NYC

San Francisco’s 24-hour restaurants and late-night diners are sadly an endangered species, but as long as the bars keep pouring, the clubs keep hoppin’ and the night owls keep hootin’, there will always be a need for after-hours spots where you can grab a greasy bite (including breakfast) after last call. While you shouldn’t expect culinary greatness at 3am, at least you’ll find something to sop up and counteract whatever it was you were consuming throughout the night. Here are our favorite 24-hour restaurants for those early mornings when you're just not ready to go home.

People have been getting wildly creative with pastries of late (not to mention pies and pancakes)—and now it’s the croissant’s turn. A perfectly baked croissant is in and of itself a feat of extreme skill gained from years of honing the craft, and of course using the finest ingredients. But there are definitely some next-level croissants happening out there, with bakers throughout the U.S. coming up with some really creative twists on the buttery wonder (it helps to be less bound by tradition than the French!). And voilà! You now have plenty to hunt down.

Americans have deep-rooted nostalgia for classic sweets ranging from cupcakes to doughnuts to chocolate chip cookies to the perfect slice of pie. But then we have the pastry chefs and bakers who are dreaming up the next-level desserts and creative pastries and inventive Viennoiserie that make us stand in long lines and take pictures of them—just look at what they’re doing to croissants. Some bakers are dreaming up completely new hybrids or creations, while others are taking tradition and then modifying or riffing on it. Here are some of the most popular baked goods from around the country, and thanks to social media, many have earned quite the rock star status—although these are more about a sugar high.

This place on a desolate strip of Bayshore is one of those spots that always makes people say to themselves, “I wonder what it’s like in there.” The interior is dingy vintage, with fading signage and a retro Formica counter, but it’s also lovable—plus there are old mini jukeboxes at the tables, plus a bigger jukebox, too. You’ll also find a pool table, pinball machines and a full bar. The owner, George, is notorious for offering a shot of ouzo, so be prepared. Stick with classic breakfast plates, but really, keep it simple and your expectations low. Cash only.

This place has multiple locations and different names (All Star Café, or All Stars Donuts, make up your mind!), and the offering is all over the map, too. Doughnuts? Yup, they have those (try the maple bacon or sugar-cinnamon twist). But did you expect to find a chicken teriyaki rice plate? Or wings and sandwiches? They serve those, too. The scene can vary widely depending on which location you’re hitting: SoMa (cash only!) features clubbers while the Marina is more bro-centric, and the tidy old school Inner Richmond location has a bunch of walking wounded from the Irish and dive bars in the area. We give them big points for the breakfast bagels, and a huge sausage, cheese and egg croissant.

Doughnuts sound good anytime, but the real score at Happy Donuts is their croissant sandwiches with egg, cheese and either sausage, bacon or ham—you can get a bagel sandwich too, but the buttery croissant is the move, especially at 3am. Folks who work early or late are known for fueling up here as well; depending on which location you’re at, you can expect some prime people-watching.

Like Lori’s, this retro diner is a nostalgic throwback to the ‘50s—but it’s actually legit, because it opened in 1947 and was even used for scenes in American Graffiti. There’s quite the Marina bro scene after last call, but tourists staying at the motels along Lombard are also attracted to the bright lights. As for the menu, you should get a Melburger (they use grass-fed California beef—it’s a sign of the times) and there are even poached eggs on avocado toast. There are also BLTs, a fried egg sandwich and milkshakes. Play rock & roll off the mini jukeboxes on the tables while you eat.

Another late-night hotspot near Union Square bars and Ruby Skye is this 24-hour joint that has quite the unexpected menu. You’ll find a French croque monsieur, penne in marinara and pumpkin pancakes, plus some healthy options too, from whole-wheat tortillas for your quesadilla to organic salads. Nope, this isn’t your usual greasy spoon. The waitresses have seen it all, from cops to clubbers. The interior has a bit of a zany 1980s feel, with booths by the window that offer a view of the circus outside. Or snag a seat at the counter if you’re looking for a more quiet dining experience.

This Union Square diner bordering the Tenderloin feeds all walks of life, 24 hours a day, from hungry tourists to throngs of partiers after they leave the nearby club Ruby Skye, which lets out at 4am on the weekend. All-day breakfast, with decent hash browns, is the popular pick, but don’t ask for any poached or boiled eggs—they don’t serve any. Blame the diner’s illustrious and dark history: in 1997, a cook shot and killed a waitress after an argument over an order of poached eggs. (Maybe go for one of their Niman Ranch beef burgers instead.)

Big props and love to this classic 24-hour diner, whose authentic vintage style is a rare and special breed. It has been feeding Castro boys and tipsy drag queens for over 40 years, but night owls come from all over town to fuel up while taking a seat in one of Andy’s red swivel chairs and booths. Nothing hits the spot like their Monte Cristo, but the chicken fried steak and biscuits with country sausage gravy are favorites, too. And then there are the banana chocolate chip pancakes, which are perfect even at 3am.

Dominique Crenn opened this chic and natural oasis in an unexpected part of town, but it only adds to the feeling of calm once you step inside from the busy bar scene nearby. Her three Michelin star restaurant is in homage to her father, an artist, and her menu is delivered to guests in an envelope as a poem. Crenn’s highly personal menu unfolds with exquisite seafood, paying homage to the little jewels of the sea that they are, and many of the following dishes are interactive and offer a bit of a tableside show. Ingredients are clean and bright and alluring, and the dessert courses from Juan Contreras are unlike any you have had before (it’s like taking an edible nature walk). There is so much whimsy and beauty in a meal here, filling diners with delight (and their glasses with beautiful wines).

There are quality pizzas all over the city, but when it comes to the most consistent pizza, you can’t beat Una Pizza Napoletana—because this level of consistency is what happens when the same person makes the dough and fires the pizzas every day. Anthony Mangieri keeps things simple: just five pizzas, all variations on tomato and cheese, and Saturdays feature a big departure with the Appollonia pie, made with salami and eggs. Ingredients are tops, from the San Marzano tomatoes to the flour he uses. The pizzas are molto Neapolitan, so look for an elastic and leopard-spotted crust from the blazing Acunto oven, a style that demands a fork and knife. The menu is very simple, featuring just pizzas, wine, Italian beer and espresso. When the day’s batch of dough is gone, the shop closes, so don’t come by too late.

This Mission restaurant is all about the celebration of craft: co-chefs Nick Balla and Cortney Burns make everything in house, whether it’s pickled, fermented or aged. The menu has a globetrotting style, with Eastern European, Danish and an occasional Japanese provenance to seasonal dishes, all featuring fresh and local ingredients—many from the farm they have a relationship with. The way to go is the friends and family tasting menu for the ultimate tour de force. It’s especially fun with a small group (the main menu feels a bit lean in comparison, unless you just want a bite to go with your glass of wine). Saturday or Sunday lunch is another tasting menu affair, and a fun way to while away an afternoon at the table. Solo diners can sometimes find a perch at the bar, while the low-lit room is quite perfect for a date. 

You'd think the 220 Starbucks locations in New York were enough, but you would be wrong. In 2018, Starbucks will be unveiling its second Roastery location, just one block south of Chelsea Market at 61 Ninth Avenue. The first Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room was unveiled in the company’s hometown of Seattle in 2014. The future New York coffee behemoth will clock in at 20,000 square feet, making it the largest Starbucks in the world. (The one in Seattle is a paltry 15,000 square feet.) The Roastery experience is not your usual simple Starbucks café transaction: visitors will be able to learn about the craft of roasting, and the location will focus on highlighting rare and small-lot coffees sourced from around the world, all part of the chain's Reserve coffee line. Like the Seattle Roastery, the coffee that is sold will all be roasted on-site. There will also be an opportunity to interact with the baristas on a deeper level than just saying “light on the caramel syrup, and no foam”—customers can talk with them about sourcing, brewing and more. Expect some eye-catching design and coffee geekery touches—the video of the Seattle location shows a siphon bar and some Willy Wonka/Rube Goldberg contraptions. Check it out below. 

Like they say, you don’t know what you had until it’s gone. Here are 20 things that will make you leave your heart in San Francisco. 1. SF country-style bread with a glorious flavor spike of sourdough. You know, like the wondrous loaves from Tartine Bakery and Josey Baker. 2. Neighborhood farmers’ markets… that run year-round. 3. Going to the beach or Dolores Park or picnicking in Golden Gate Park during a freaky heat wave in February. 4. SF’s specialty markets, like Bi-Rite Market and Rainbow Grocery. Each are one in a million. 5. Being in a city that has outlawed plastic bags. It’s pretty tragic to see how the rest of the US doesn’t give a shit. They’re too busy double-bagging your groceries in plastic. 6. Being charged 10 cents for a bag. Truly. It's changed the way people shop, and has made people carry and bring their own bags, or figure out a way to carry something home, like in their purse, backpack or good ol' hands. Go SF! 7. Composting. SF is leading the way with our citywide composting program. It’s gross how much more garbage you generate when you can’t compost. 8. All the fun and funky public art. 9. Taquerias. Duh. 10. An array of quality salsas, chips and tortillas at your local market—heck, even your corner store. This is not standard outside Cali, by the way. DO NOT take these things for granted. 11. Your neighborhood dispensary like, a block away. Your pot card. And the smell of weed everywhere (much, much better than cigarettes). 12. More than one kind of k

UPDATE (7/25/2016): McDonald's Gilroy garlic fries were such a hit—selling out immediately in the original four locations—that the company has decided to roll them out to 240 restaurants across the Bay Area starting on July 27. As if McDonald’s fries weren’t evil enough, now the company is trying its hand at some locally sourced ingredient action, namely garlic fries made with garlic from Gilroy in California, aka the “Garlic Capital of the World.” Our #WorldFamousFries meet #GilroyGarlic only in the Bay Area! Try them at four South Bay restaurants today! pic.twitter.com/J7O4PSdEXJ — McDonald's Bay Area (@McD_BayArea) May 3, 2016 Via TIME, the McDonald's press release says: “The new fries are made-to-order in McDonald’s kitchens where restaurant employees toss French fries in stainless steel bowls with a purée mix that includes ingredients, such as chopped Gilroy garlic and olive oil, parmesan cheese, parsley and a pinch of salt.” Four McDonald’s restaurants are testing garlic fries in the San Francisco Bay Area; Eater confirms the locations are in the South Bay (San Jose and Santa Clara). If the testing continues to go well, the garlic fries will be rolled out to 250 Bay Area locations in August. No word if they’ll go even farther, but if they do, you’ll definitely smell them coming.  

I can’t believe my six months are already over as Time Out New York’s winner of the Ultimate New York Life competition! It has been a life-changing experience for this San Franciscan—I’m going to be bicoastal now, New York got its meaty hooks in me! But as I head back to foggy San Francisco for a bit, here are the things I’ll miss most about New York. 1. Slices of New York pizza everywhere and available at all times, but especially Joe’s Pizza (a slice of their pepperoni hot out of the oven at 3am is a very special kind of magic). 2. Being able to get around all over the damn place for $2.75. And witness some great #subwaylookz while you’re at it. 3. On that note, taking the train to the beach is a rather amazing thing. I love having the LIRR as my designated driver for Sunday Funday. 4. I also can’t believe how much reading I get done on the train each week. New Yorker, New York magazine, TIME OUT NEW YORK, check, check, check! 5. Egg on a roll. Bodega BEC. Whatever you like to call it, those things have saved me so many rough mornings that I need to create a shrine to them. Thanks for always having my back, BEC. 6. 4am last call. It’s wonderful and terrible at the same time (San Francisco is at 2am, which is just terrible and so boring). 7. The diversity. It’s a big reason why I love the train—everyone from everywhere, all over da place. 8. And how about all the boroughs and neighborhoods? Beyond. Can’t believe how many different kinds of food I had during a day trip to Elm

Shake your groove thing at these these disco parties keeping the classic disco scene alive and shimmying, coast to coast. While some thought the days (and late, late nights) of disco wrapped up in the final part of the 1970s, there are numerous parties that are keeping the classic disco spirit, community and carefree vibe burning hot. And, just like disco’s original roots, many of the parties have an underground sensibility, catering to a mostly gay and diverse crowd. While some folks associate disco with Saturday Night Fever, it really was the music of the disenfranchised (gays, people of color) before it hit the mainstream. There is poignant nostalgia that surrounds disco—for that freewheeling time full of sexual expression and joy—before the horrific AIDS crisis struck, and so many lost their dear friends and loved ones. At these parties happening now, some dancers remember the songs from the first time around (and know all the lyrics), while there’s a new generation of younger listeners and DJs eager to learn and keep disco’s history and stories alive. While some parties are dabbling with disco before launching into a night of house music or playing the more recent genre of Nu Disco, here are some of the top parties around the United States focused on just classic disco. We also asked these parties’ DJs and promoters to choose and say a little something about their favorite and essential disco tracks. Read the piece here.    SAN FRANCISCO The Tubesteak Connection (Aunt C

Turn the beat around with these essential tracks chosen by the DJs and promoters keeping the classic disco scene alive and shimmying across the U.S. While some thought the days (and late, late nights) of disco wrapped up in the final part of the 1970s, there are numerous parties from coast to coast that are keeping the classic disco spirit, community and carefree vibe burning hot. And, just like disco’s original roots, many of the parties have an underground sensibility, catering to a mostly gay and diverse crowd. While some folks associate disco with Saturday Night Fever, it really was the music of the disenfranchised (gays, people of color) before it hit the mainstream. There is poignant nostalgia that surrounds disco—for that freewheeling time full of sexual expression and joy—before the horrific AIDS crisis struck, and so many lost their dear friends and loved ones. At these parties happening now, some dancers remember the songs from the first time around (and know all the lyrics), while there’s a new generation of younger listeners and DJs eager to learn and keep disco’s history and stories alive. While some parties are dabbling with disco before launching into a night of house music, or playing the more recent genre of Nu Disco, here are some of the top parties around the United States focused on just classic disco—and we asked their DJs and promoters to share their favorite and essential disco tracks. SAN FRANCISCO The DJ: Bus Station John   Photograph: Courtesy Garet

Hey there, you look hot. A little dewy, in fact. This season is no time for a hot lunch or dinner, and these New York Asian restaurants have just the thing to cool you off: some refreshing cold noodle dishes. They won’t make you sweat, although a few are a little spicy. And it’s no mistake we have eight, lucky you.    A photo posted by mokbar 🇰🇷🇺🇸🍜❤️Tag #mokbar (@mokbar_nyc) on Jun 17, 2016 at 9:56am PDT   Naengmyeon ramen at Mokbar This Korean ramen bar (New York’s first and only!) at Chelsea Market should be your summer noodle headquarters, starting with their cold naengmyeon ramen. Chef Esther Choi is rotating versions of this summertime special, from a housemade kimchee broth with young radish kimchee to another version with beef brisket and tomato-kimchee broth, springy ramen noodles, and a hard-boiled egg with strips of nori on top. And the broth comes with ice cubes for extra chill. You can explore other dishes like the restorative soybean “kong” cold noodles in soy milk with roasted tomato, pine nuts, cucumber and sesame seeds; the briny seafood “miyeok” with green tea ramen noodles, kombu seafood broth, garlic shrimp, pickled shiitake and cucumber kimchi; and the spicy bibimyun, which is like cold bibimbap but with noodles and housemade gochujang.     A photo posted by Cocoron & Goemon (@cocoronandgoemon) on Apr 20, 2016 at 2:09pm PDT   Bang bang chicken soba at Cocoron Both locations of this Lower East Side and Little Italy Japanese noodle shop are kno

Tired of your cat giving you the hairy eyeball when you come home and crack open a bottle of sauvignon blanc, and drink it all yourself? Maybe Snowball is jealous and wants a big girl glass of her own! Would you believe you can pour your little furball a glass of Moscato or Pinot Meow? It’s true: Apollo Peak in Colorado has created cat wine, so you never have to drink alone on the couch again.  Obviously, it’s non-alcoholic (unlike your glass, ahem), so kitty can day drink with impunity. The wine is made with catnip, so they still get a little buzz, and beets, which cats reportedly enjoy. And kind of like you after glass number two or three, your cat will be a bit more mellow after ingesting the catnip—it’s when they sniff it that they get feisty, but imbibing it has a chillaxing effect. The Moscato and Pinot Meow cat wine comes in two sizes: a 1.6 “meownce” single tasting, or if your kitty is a heavy drinker/purrer, you can get the eight-meownce bottle (and let’s be honest, you know you’re going to taste it). Now whether the Pinot Meow pairs best with Fancy Feast chopped grill or Whiskas chicken and beef is totally up to Little Peepers. [Via Bored Panda] Interested in blogging for Time Out? Contact us here

If there was any magazine overripe for parody, it would be The New Yorker. And it would take intelligent people with a penchant for punny headlines and snappy copy who obviously love and know the magazine like a good friend to do a page-by-page parody right. Put down this week’s issue for a moment (we know you’re only skimming it anyway) and trade it out for The Neu Jorker, a free issue you can download and chuckle at on your next subway ride (with or without the spotty subway WiFi).   Co-editors and funny guys James Folta and Andrew Lipstein (founder of 0s&1s) worked with fellow quality comedic talent to pull off this tonally correct satire, featuring writers from The Onion, ClickHole, McSweeney's, the Late Show with David Letterman, and, yes, The New Yorker (you can read more about the process of creating it in Adweek). It definitely takes a village of people working for free to create a magazine-length send-up on this serif font–loaded scale, which features all the classic New Yorker sections, from Shouts & Murmurs to The Theatre (Glengarry Glen Ross 2: Glengarrier Glen Rosser [or Mitch and Murray’s Revenge]). Don’t think for a second they overlooked the opportunity to do quirky illustrations with birds, cartoons with guys on deserted islands and ads, which always seem to speak to your imaginary Upper East Side great aunt who doesn’t leave her place except to attend the theatre, travel abroad on an archeological tour or go to the bank. Candè Nasty joke? It’s in there. Snar

On Monday, June 13, The World’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards were hosted in New York for the first time, which meant top chefs from around the world descended on the city to eat, drink, catch up with friends and party. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best restaurants in NYC We interviewed chefs at the ceremony at Cipriani Wall Street and the after-party at Eleven Madison Park about their favorite places to eat when they come to New York, and brand-new spots they've been enjoying. It's time to add a few venues to your hit list!   Massimo Bottura and Lara Gilmore of Osteria FrancescanaPhoto: Courtesy The World’s 50 Best Restaurants   Massimo Bottura—Osteria Francescana; Modena, Italy (No. 1 on the World’s 50 Best)The winner of the World's Best Restaurant's favorite places to eat in New York are Momofuku Ko, Del Posto for lunch, Daniel for the duck à la presse, Eleven Madison Park and Mission Chinese Food for a midnight snack. He is looking forward to trying Momofuku Nishi (David Chang's new place), La Sirena, Carbone and the new Massimo pizza at Eataly. When asked about particular dishes, Massimo said, “I never order at a new restaurant. I let the chef decide.” He added, "I had a great meal at Cosme, chef Daniela Soto-Innes's restaurant.”   Chef Dominique CrennPhoto: Courtesy tablehopper.com   Dominique Crenn—Atelier Crenn, Petit Crenn; San Francisco, USA (The World’s Best Female Chef 2016)“I love eating at The NoMad, breakfast, lunch and dinner! Café au lait, chocolate croissa

Negroni Week is about to take over the city starting Monday, June 6 and runs to Sunday, June 12. All around the world, more than 3,500 bars, restaurants and retailers are concocting their own salute to this famed cocktail, from Negroni-inspired slushies to ice cream to even burgers. And each business is making a donation to the charity of their choice—last year, Negroni Week raised more than $320,000 for charity organizations, and everyone expects to crush that number this year.  Plunk in your ZIP code or address on the revamped site to find out what your favorite bars are serving, plus events and more near you, whether you’re in New York or San Francisco or London. You ready to eat and drink your Negroni? Here’s where and how:   Negroni-Inspired Eats   1. Umami Burger: Negroni BBQ Burger Photograph: Courtesy Umami Burger         Let’s just start with the funkiest one, right? Leave it to the creative Umami folks to concoct the Negroni BBQ Burger, which is a beef and wild mushroom patty topped with kale, apple and bacon slaw, smoked gouda and a Campari BBQ sauce. It’s $14, and available at Umami Burger Williamsburg, Greenwich Village and Brookfield Place through the month of June. Sweet, you have more than a week to try it. 2. Sprinkles: Orange Blossom Negroni Ice Cream Photograph: Courtesy Sprinkles         It’s hot and sticky out, and fortunately this Orange Blossom Negroni Ice Cream will help fulfill your booze and ice cream desires in one fell scoop (heh). The bright

Love rainbows? Love doughnuts? Love rainbow vegan doughnuts that pay homage to Inception by making a maple raspberry-stuffed doughnut topped with a miniature doughnut topped with a super-tiny doughnut? Love doughnuts made by wild unicorns, and “blessed by a happy puppy wearing a little hat, before it comes down to the earth realm, suspended from a small umbrella?” SO DAMN MUCH.    A photo posted by The cinnamon snail (@cinnamonsnail) on May 25, 2016 at 1:53pm PDT   So Friday morning, you’ll want to pay a visit to those delightful vegan kooks at The Cinnamon Snail at The Pennsy food hall, who will be offering their rainbow Inception-meets-unicorns doughnut, starting at 11am. (They were only offering it yesterday and now Friday—no word if the unicorn rainbow blessed by happy puppy doughnuts will ever return.) Each one is $7 because of all the labor and attention these rainbow doughnuts demand—and so rightfully deserve. And if you get there late because you were hungover and overslept and don’t score one, they have a huge selection of $2 doughnuts that “don’t break the space-time continuum, which you can afford.”  At a minimum, you should at least read the Instagram post in its entirety, because your life needs all the rainbows and doughnuts and happy puppies it can get. Sparkle on!  [h/t Gothamist]