Even the most "high bred" New Yorker will tell you he enjoys a solid meal every now and then. For many of them, either the 5 Burro Café in Forest Hills, Queens, or Route 66 Café, which is located right smack dab in the middle of Hell's Kitchen, one of New York City's most recognizable communities are their choices when they want south-of-the border food (t Burro Café) or plain old American food.
Off the beaten path
5 Burro Café in Queens is more than five miles away from Manhattan. That may not sound like a lot, until you remember that in New York, five miles can make you feel as though you've entered a whole different world. This also means that unless you are specifically looking for it, you might never enjoy the many Mexican dishes that make this restaurant so special.
This is not a chain restaurant; so even though the dishes are the usual ones that you find in Mexican restaurants (taco, burritos, quesadillas, etc.) they have their own unique touch.
Right in the middle of Hell's Kitchen
No matter where you live in New York or anywhere else for that matter, you've no doubt heard of Hell's Kitchen neighborhood. Many people may not even consider this a likely place to find any type of good restaurant, much less one of the best New York cafes, but it actually is.
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Route 66 café has a Southwestern atmosphere, complete with steer horns and pictures of winding highways on the walls. The locals in and around Hell's Kitchen know about it though, as do others, because there is always a long line for Sunday brunch.
The café serves all three meals, with Huevos Rancheros and Denver Omelets some of the breakfast items and pork chops, grilled swordfish, and pasta dishes available for lunch and dinner.
It's always been said that if you want to find the best place to eat, ask the locals where to go. In the case of these two New York cafés, that's a very good idea.
