The Cutting Edge: Best New York Spots for the Hungry Ice Skater

November 27, 2009 1:28 pm

The Cutting Edge: Best New York Spots for the Hungry Ice Skater

Nothing stokes the appetite quite like ice skating as aromas of hot chocolate and stale pretzels waft past your nose faster than that first grader doing laps around your two left feet. When you're ready to call it a day and cede the ice to more coordinated folks, you can feel smug in the knowledge that a hot delectable meal awaits you not far from the rink.

Step off the ice in Prospect Park and let your stomach lead the way directly to Dizzy's. This self-proclaimed "finer diner", Brooklynites has made this sunny brunch spot a necessity for park enthusiasts for years now. Tucked away on an unassuming block of 9th Street, Dizzy's does winter revelers right with spot-on coffee and specials like Granola Belgian Waffles that taste as stellar as they sound. As a neighborhood institution, this Park Slope enclave often evokes sighs of pleasure (see: Teo's Italian Eggs) and groans of despair (see: the line of people spilling out the front door). Either way, Dizzy's is not to be missed and may even let you hobble on skates if they're feeling charitable.

Central Park's Wollman Rink may be a premiere attraction for cold weather lovers but Follow Me Café will make lunch or dinner the main event. It's true, the space is cramped and looks a bit like a bordello gone wrong. However, the Filet Mignon Crepe with caramelized onion is reason enough to pop in for a post-skate meal before finishing up with a sumptuous apricot tart. Rest your tired legs on velvet banquets that line the walls while marveling at how only in New York could such a small space house such explosive flavor.

Chelsea Piers, New York's shameless theme park awash in enough primary colors to win the heart of any kindergartener, is home to one of the city's largest skating rinks. Local residents often report seeing skaters exit the compound dazed and starving owing to the lack of quality dining options between the Hudson and the concrete barrier on the Westside Highway. Luckily, you can now venture just a few blocks east and relax in the warm, wasabi embrace of Blue Ginger. An expansive space with an endless sushi bar, this spot serves modern Japanese cuisine to please everyone from the hungry novice to the starving sashimi lover. Try the Madrid Roll and savor Blue Ginger's Beef Negamaki bento box as you thaw out from winter's wrath.

Bryant Park's annual ice extravaganza wouldn't be complete without a belly-warming meal after hanging up the skates. Enter Sarabeth's. With outposts across the city, this down home breakfast spot specializes in serving drool-worthy classics like "Popeye Eggs" (scrambled eggs on an English muffin with Black Forest ham and sautéed spinach) while hearty favorites like the Pulled Pork and Chorizo Quesadilla will make you wish for winter all year round. Panoramic glimpses of Central Park outside the window are a nice addition but, let's be honest, you can't eat the view and Sarabeth's is all about leaving your culinary restraint at the door. Reservations come in handy on the weekend though early risers will appreciate the restaurant's daily 8 a.m. breakfast so set your alarm.

Dizzy's
511 9th Street
Brooklyn, NY‎
718.499.1966‎

Follow Me Café
145 E 62nd Street
New York, NY
212.832.9772

Blue Ginger
106 8th Ave.
New York, NY 10011
212.352.0911

Sarabeth's
40 Central Park South
New York, NY
212.826.5959