The Jay-Z and Beyoncé Guide to NYC Dining

Does hip-hop's power couple really have good taste? We asked a food critic to break it down, restaurant by restaurant.

First We Feast

It was around the time of The Blueprint 2, with its sundry shoutouts to old-money status markers like Salvatore Ferragamo and the Robb Report, that Jay-Z began positioning himself not just as a rich rapper, but a rich American, period. The transition from the block to the boardroom generated its share of awkward growing pains—let’s forget about those crisp button-ups, shall we?—but Mr. Carter stuck to his guns. Now, he’s right where he wanted to be, palling around with Warren Buffett and texting President Obama like it’s nothing.

But Jay is savvy enough to know that being a rich dude is great, but being a rich dude with taste is something special. As such, one key to his ascendance as a cultural titan has been the evolution of his dining habits.

Where you eat says it all these days, and he and wifey Beyoncé clearly aren’t satisfied with old hip-hop staples like Philippe and Mr. Chow’s. Sometimes they want to flex their fiscal muscles in power-broker rooms like Nello, and sometimes they want to demonstrate their first-adopter swag by popping into trending hot spots like Tertulia and Parm. In all cases, the choices are carefully curated.

To help parse the mythology of hip-hop’s power couple, First We Feast compiled Hov and B’s culinary hit list—culled from song references, food-world reports, papparazzi snaps, and more—and presented it to NYC food-writing veteran Jordana Rothman for a proper gastronomic audit.

So what does she make of Jay’s taste?

“I think the man favors a scene, and sometimes—in the case of, say, Torrisi Italian Specialties—that happens to align with a truly good restaurant. Which isn’t to say he doesn’t appreciate a good meal.”

For more insight into the hallowed dining rooms where Jay-Z and Beyoncé break bread, click through the slideshow.

Written by Jordana Rothman (@jordanarothman)

The Spotted Pig

The evidence: It's been widely reported that Jay-Z is a partial investor in the star-friendly hot spot, and there are plenty of snaps of him and his lady sliding out the back door. A 2010 New Yorker profile on chef April Bloomfield included a specific anecdote about the two going there for burgers (even though Mr. Carter really wanted the smoked-trout salad). Jordana's verdict: "The English gastropub finally found stateside purchase when the Spotted Pig opened in 2004, pioneering some of the country’s most indelible restaurant tropes: the proprietary beer; the blockbuster house burger; the democratized offal. Nine years on, the place has proved itself bulletproof: You could listen to The Blueprint three times through in the hours it takes to wait for a table on a busy night (note: they are all busy nights). But a little patience is a trifling issue when a chance to stretch your maw around chef April Bloomfield’s Roquefort-topped burger, still among the best in a patty-mad city, hangs in the balance. The real scene unfolds in the third floor lounge, where the Pig’s celeb fans and gastro-dignitaries can take their butter-napped gnudi and crispy pig’s ear salad away from the scrum. That room is accessible only via a back staircase, which also leads to a nondescript side exit—ensuring Jay and B a discreet egress when Kanye duty calls." 314 W 11th St at Greenwich St (212-620-0393, thespottedpig.com)
Rao's

The evidence: Jigga filmed part of the video for "D.O.A." in the legendary East Harlem joint. Jordana's verdict: "Much ink has been spilled about Rao’s over the years, and Jigga’s kitchen card game with Harvey Keitel is hardly the first pop-culture testimony to the red-sauce joint’s ponderous mythology. Owner Frank Pellegrino (“Frankie No” in Rao’s parlance) had a bit part in Goodfellas. Mia Farrow styled her character in Broadway Danny Rose on his aunt, Anna Rao. But it wasn’t until 1977, when New York Times critic Mimi Sheraton penned a three-star review of the place, that the city’s epicurean game-hunters really took notice. As to whether it’s any good, it’s tough to say. The Italy of Rao’s, where the rivers run thick with marinara, isn’t one Michael White (Marea, Osteria Morini), or any other highend chef aggrandizing the flavors of the Boot, would recognize. And with just one seating per night and only 10 tables—which are “owned” by Rao’s heavyweight patrons and never casually offered to cold-calling guests—it’s nigh impossible to penetrate. Without a connect on the inside, your prospects for dinner are grim, but the bar, tended by the spirited “Nicky Vest,” is open to all. Rao’s-branded pasta sauces and marinades are also widely available at retail shops—a swag-less solution, but a solution nonetheless." 455 E 114th St at Pleasant Ave (212-722-6709, raos.com)
The Mercer Kitchen

The evidence: Jay and Kanye rented out a floor of the hotel to record Watch the Throne (hence Jay's "Live from the Mercer" line on "Otis"), often grabbing a bite from the on-premises Jean-George resto. After the album dropped, they invited the entire hotel and resto staff to one of the WTT shows at the Izod Center. Jordana's verdict: "What Kingdom Come is to Jay, the Mercer Kitchen is to Jean-Georges Vongerichten: A fringe player in the French superchef’s oeuvre. There’s something so egregiously obsolete about the Soho restaurant–you can use its tuna spring rolls and black-truffle pizzas to carbon date the place to the early aughts, when Carrie Bradshaw was in the height of her terrible reign and breathless fangirls appraised her travails over lychee martinis. Was it a sin of convenience that made Jay and 'Ye, holed up in their Mercer Hotel rooms above, favor this stale remembrance of food trends past? Let’s hope so. Unless you're a Jiggaman dining completist, this is one to skip." The Mercer, 99 Prince St at Mercer St (212-966-5454, jean-georges.com)
Parm

The evidence: After Zadie Smith's T Magazine profile of Jay-Z, in which the author describes a lunch date with the rap tycoon in "Little Italy," Slate did some digging and confirmed that the two had gone to Parm. Jigga got a chicken parm, and he took it upon himself to order a fish sandwich for Smith. Jordana's verdict: "For now, let’s set aside that Jay’s brand of gallantry involves plying damsels with fish sandos. Let’s not think too hard about how Jay is the kind of guy with a place “where he likes to eat his chicken parms.” Let’s just talk about the sandwiches—from chefs Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi—and how goddamned good they are. The chicken parm itself is a genre-affirming torpedo of battered cutlet, chunky ragu, stretchy mozzarella, and basil in a sesame-speckled roll. The potato and egg is a luscious resurrection of that poor-man’s carb bomb, and the roasted turkey avenges the maligned bird with honey-and-thyme–glazed meat that’s spent 12 hours in a moisture-controlled oven. Fill out a meal with other spit-shined red-sauce classics like next-level mozzarella sticks and pizza knots." 248 Mulberry St between Prince and Spring Sts (212-993-7189, parmnyc.com)
Torrisi Italian Specialties

The evidence: Jay ate at this Nolita spot during his GQ "Man of the Year" profile. As the article tells it, he ate striped bass with pickled tomatoes, roasted baby beets, fresh mozzarella, and Blue Point oysters. Jordana's verdict: "The tasting menu at the flagship restaurant from Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi (also of Parm) functions as a multi-course love-letter to New York City’s cultural patchwork. It’s fitting—and a little on the nose—that one of the city's favorite native sons would find a home here. The food is clever (but not brow-beatingly so) with references to the erstwhile Jewish and Italian communities of the Lower East Side and Little Italy, along with nods to the ascendency of Chinese natives in the area. Jerusalem artichokes alla giudia—fried in the manner favored by Roman Jews—are paired with a Concord grape reduction that winks at Manishewitz. A steak tartare inspired by downtown institution Delmonico’s blends the classic raw meat bistro dish with bearnaise sauce, a traditional cooked-steak accompaniment. But the Hova–Torrisi connection really comes full circle in the Oysters Roc-a-fella, named for and inspired by the rapper’s label and love (or endorsement?) of Armand de Brignac: The dish features an oyster topped with champagne foam and champagne grapes, served on a bed of crushed ice mixed with shards of a smashed bottle of bubbly. Big pimpin'." 250 Mulberry St between Prince and Spring Sts (212-965-0955, torrisinyc.com)
Buttermilk Channel

The evidence: The power couple has been spotted there many times having brunch, which is not so surprising given that Beyoncé's sister Solange Knowles lives in the neighborhood. The couple also celebrated New Year's there, and an inside source tells us that guests frequently come in asking to order "what Beyoncé had." Jordana's verdict: "Jay and B—he hankering for oysters, she swollen with Blue Ivy, who would be born a week later at Lenox Hill Hospital—shared a New Year’s Eve confab at Brooklyn’s Buttermilk Channel, catapulting the New American joint into the gossip-rag spotlight. But well before the power pair showed up, the place was already packed, drawing neighborhood folks and destination diners not with celeb cosigns, but with exceptional food and a serious emphasis on hospitality. Chef Ryan Angulo’s fried chicken, duck meatloaf, and pecan-pie sundae are legendary among a certain breed of New York City food lover. But the sweeping menu is designed with regulars in mind, its categories (charcuterie and cheese; shellfish; bar snacks and rotating daily specials along with standard starters and entrees) designed to optimize a mix-and-match meal. The all-American wine list stocks neither Cristal nor Ace of Spades, but there is a sparkling Californian Blanc de Blanc should the opportunity to pop bottles present itself." 524 Court St at Huntington St, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn (718-852-8490, buttermilkchannelnyc.com)
Lucali

The evidence: Jay has a well-documented love affair with Lucali—he's named it his favorite pizzeria, and has been known to dispatch his people frequently to the Brooklyn spots for take-out pies. He and Beyoncé are also frequent guests, even skipping out on this year's Grammy's in favor of a romantic meal there. Jordana's verdict: "Lucali may be the most name-checked of Jay-Z’s favored haunts, and the possibility of sighting helps fuel the electric feeling in the dining room. But whether or not you get an eyeful, Mark Iacono’s legendary pies are well worth braving the inevitable line. GQ’s Alan Richman called Lucali the second best pizza in America in 2009, and I don’t disagree. Iacono punches out dough on a marble countertop lit by a roaring hearth that transforms the rounds into chewy and char-speckled masterpieces. Go simple (mozzarella, tangy sauce, and basil florets with salty threads of Parmesan is a fine place to start) and save the baroque extras for Lucali’s less-exalted calzone. I like mine stuffed with artichokes, shallots, and garlic." 575 Henry St between Carroll St and 1st Pl, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn (718-858-4086)
Nobu

The evidence: Jay references the pricey Japanese restaurant in a verse on "Success," a collaboration with Nas from his American Gangster album: "How many times can I go to Mr. Chow's, Tao, Nobu?/Hold up, let me move my bowels (I'll shit on y'all n*ggas)." Jordana's verdict: "In the space of a single sentence, Jay manages to call out three of the worst and most overhyped restaurants in New York City. Granted, Mr. Carter is bemoaning the ennui of rich-guy life, explaining that he's tired of the splurgy restaurant circuit, yet it's clear that these spots were in his rotation back in 2007 when American Gangster dropped. It was a different time in the food world, when Asian big-box spots still had currency—but the verse, like the restaurants, didn’t age well. Nobu is the least offensive of the lot, although with too many international locations to count, there’s something unconscionably corporate about the place and the experience of dining there. The signature miso-glazed black cod was a revelation when the first New York Nobu opened in Tribeca in 1994. But the fish long ago earned its place in the Molten Chocolate Cake Hall of Fame—in other words, it's a dish so slavishly replicated there might as well be a rendition at Applebee’s. Bottom line: The food won’t offend, but it should be too boring for true tastemakers (or anyone else)." 105 Hudson St at Franklin St (212-219-0500, noburestaurants.com)
Sant Ambroeus

The evidence: You can watch a thrilling video of the couple—plus an infant Ivy Blue—coming out of the West Village café, which makes sense given the spot's popularity among Hollywood stars and fashionistas. Jordana's verdict: "This café, wine bar, and bakery was born on the Upper East Side in the 1930s before closing up shop and moving to the West Village for a little downtown rumspringa. (Like many lapsed uptowners, it returned home eventually—a second location opened in the original Madison Avenue space earlier this year). Sant Ambroeus may be the most divisive spot on Jay-Z’s dining hit list: Although its gelato and pastries have diehard fans, the long and expensive Northern Italian savory menu is awfully uninteresting. You could do worse than an $18 bowl of cacio e pepe pasta here (see: Nello), but you—and more importantly, cash cows like Jay and B—could also do a whole lot better." 259 W 4th St at Perry St (212-604-9254, santambroeus.com)
Tertulia

The evidence: Us Weekly reported that Jigga and his boo joined Gwyneth Paltrow—along with Chris Martin—for her birthday dinner at the West Village hot spot. In an interview with Time Out New York about his James Beard Award nomination, chef Seamus Mullen basically confirmed the story when commenting on Jigga's eating habits: "He doesn't eat pork," he said in response to a question about whether an S. Carter endorsement could make Ibérico ham the next big status symbol. Jordana's verdict: "I once used a Gwyneth recipe for corn soup and liked it, which set off hours of glum self-reflection and rationalization. Am I the kind of woman who takes food recommendations from Pepper Pots? I guess I am. If the rumors placing her with husband Chris Martin, Jay-Z, and Beyoncé at Tertulia is to be believed, the girl’s taste extends to good restaurants and good company. Unlike so many eateries that court a celebrity clientele without delivering in the kitchen, Seamus Mullen’s lusty, fire-licked Spanish joint sticks the landing. Begin with wisps of Ibérico ham and fried Padrón peppers, then work your way up to Calasparra rice topped with chewy snails or a gorgeous, ruby prime rib grilled to develop its fragrant char." 359 Sixth Ave between Washington Pl and W 4th St (646-559-9909, tertulianyc.com)
Nello

The evidence: Paparazzi have snapped photos of Jay dining at the uptown rich-person haunt on several occasions—with 'Ye, with Beyoncé, and with Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees. According to Guest of a Guest, lunch with B ran $1,200, and Jigga left a $500 tip. Jordana's verdict: "The thing about Jay-Z is that he comes across as an eminently likable guy. That the greatest MC of our time takes his lady out for pizza-party date nights and raps beautifully about the pain of her miscarriage feels at odds with so much hip-hop bluster (although he’s got plenty of that, too). So yes, you like the guy. But then you find out he’s breaking bread at Nello and everything changes. Nello! Home of the $40 bisque; the $47 grilled salmon; the $100 pasta—all of it awful, bedraggled slop. Nello is a clownish club house for rich people with no taste, and Jay may be the only person who has ever eaten there who also frequents places like Lucali. I hold out hope that his moneyed cronies chose the venue and Jay silently suffered it out of respect. At least he tipped well." 696 Madison Ave between 62nd and 63rd Sts (212-980-9099)
It was around the time of The Blueprint 2, with its sundry shoutouts to old-money status markers like Salvatore Ferragamo and the Robb Report, that Jay-Z began positioning himself not just as a rich rapper, but a rich American, period. The transition from the block to the boardroom generated its share of awkward growing pains—let's forget about those crisp button-ups, shall we?—but Mr. Carter stuck to his guns. Now, he's right where he wanted to be, palling around with Warren Buffett and texting President Obama like it's nothing. But Jay is savvy enough to know that being a rich dude is great, but being a rich dude with taste is something special. As such, one key to his ascendance as a cultural titan has been the evolution of his dining habits. Where you eat says it all these days, and he and wifey Beyoncé clearly aren't satisfied with old hip-hop staples like Philippe and Mr. Chow's. Sometimes they want to flex their fiscal muscles in power-broker rooms like Nello, and sometimes they want to demonstrate their first-adopter swag by popping into trending hot spots like Tertulia and Parm. In all cases, the choices are carefully curated. To help parse the mythology of hip-hop’s power couple, First We Feast compiled Hov and B's culinary hit list—culled from song references, food-world reports, papparazzi snaps, and more—and presented it to NYC food-writing veteran Jordana Rothman for a proper gastronomic audit. So what does she make of Jay’s taste? "I think the man favors a scene, and sometimes—in the case of, say, Torrisi Italian Specialties—that happens to align with a truly good restaurant. Which isn’t to say he doesn’t appreciate a good meal." For more insight into the hallowed dining rooms where Jay-Z and Beyoncé break bread, click through the slideshow. Written by Jordana Rothman (@jordanarothman)

The Jay-Z and Beyoncé Guide to NYC Dining

The Spotted Pig

Rao's

The Mercer Kitchen

Parm

Torrisi Italian Specialties

Buttermilk Channel

Lucali

Nobu

Sant Ambroeus

Tertulia

Nello

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