BEST NEW RESTAURANT 2017: CLAY

Harlem Bespoke: When Clay debuted at the corner of West 123rd Street and Manhattan Avenue this past spring, we already new something extraordinary had arrived in Harlem.  The modern American restaurant tucked away in the townhouse space just west of Morningside Park packs in a lot charm but also has a contemporary feel to the interior.  Chef Gustavo Lopez heads up the kitchen and regionally sourced pork, poultry, fish and vegetables are the highlights of the offerings served up on artisanal clay plates made by notable local ceramicist Wynne Noble.  An elegant wagyu beef tartare accented with crispy shallots, homemade lobster bucatini with bottarga or a plate of seasonal mustard greens with barricato cheese are some examples of the menu items which balances simply fresh ingredients with sensational cooking savoir-faire.

Our Best of the Year list became more apparent after dining at Clay a couple of times in 2017 and the local restaurant has since become quite renowned in the past few months.  Those who have not tried out this outstanding eatery located just a few steps from the 125th Street express subway lines should definitely make a reservation before Clay becomes too popular.  Clay mixes the formal and casual quite nicely but those who want to try out Clay on the go should drop by early at the bar for the special Happy Hour menu. More on Clay can be found in our past post: LINK