NYC's 8 Best Cinco De Mayo Dinners & Celebrations
If you're still up for partying after your Kentucky Derby party this weekend, celebrate Cinco de Mayo with specialty cocktails, Mexican meals and festive music. Make reservations or stop by for a fiesta at one of these city venues on May 5th. By Sarah Shaker.
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Chef Alex Stupak will craft special six-course tasting menus for both Empellon Taqueria and Empellon Cocina to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Empellon Taqueria's festivities will be a weekend-long affair with two special dinners on May 4 and May 5. A 6-course prix fixe menu will include a selection of Tauqeria's delicious tacos, quesos, salads and mariscos. A celebratory 2-course $55 prix fixe brunch including Churro French Toast and Chilaquiles Verdes, will be held on Sunday, May 5th beginning at 2 PM. Guests can really get their fiesta on with unlimited margaritas, beer and sparkling wine with the weekend's dinner and brunch specials.
More: NYC's 9 Best Margaritas
Dinner on Ludlow in the Lower East Side kicks off a monthly brunch party on Sunday, May 5th with "Ketchup" in the dining room and "Everyday People" hosted by celebrity Chef Roble on the rooftop, featuring headlining DJ's Jennared and Soni, as well as a full breakfast spread, like their sweet Cornflake Crusted French Toast. Sip on the Smoked Sea Salt Margarita for a specialty cocktail this Cinco de Mayo. Make reservations to dine in the restaurant or dance on the rooftop to celebrate the beautiful spring weather this holiday weekend.
Marc Murphy's Ditch Plains will be serving a brunch special at both the Upper West Side and West Village locations. Dinners can enjoy plates like Green Chilaquiles topped with a sunny side up egg with grilled chicken or marinated pork, while sipping on their seasonal Rosé Sangria made with grenache rosé with spring citrus and strawberry. Ditch Plains on the Upper West Side will also be serving Lamb Barbacoa, a slow steamed lamb in banana leaf, family style for dinner to celebrate Cinco de Mayo.
Celebrate with brunch or dinner at Fonda in Park Slope. During the afternoon, enjoy your choice of brunch entrée with a mimosa or a Frozen Rosalita, their signature hibiscus margarita. After 5pm, they'll be offering $5 Frozen Rosalitas and a speciality cocktail of the day, "La Cinco", created by bartender Dany Zasquez, with mezcal, an infusion of ginger, jalapeno, lime juice and agave with their own Pasilla Pepper Salt Rim for $12. Snack on $5 flautas and quesadillas all night and make sure to take advantage of their patio in the warm spring weather.
Head downtown to Battery Park City for a market-style buffet prepared by Executive Chef Antelmo Ambrosio. For $22 per person, "Buffet del Mercado" features mojito-marinated skirt steak, margarita chicken breast, guajillo-garlic shrimp, grilled vegetables, Mexican rice, ranchero beans, fried plantains, Caesar salad, fruit salad, corn and flour tortillas, guacamole, salsa fresca, salsa cruda and aguas frescas de sandia y tamarindo.
PH-D will be kicking off its new weekly Sunday Sessions party on Cinco De Mayo with a themed soiree from 5-9PM. This popular rooftop lounge at the Dream Downtown is perfect for spring and summer celebrations. Come by on May 5th to enjoy tacos, nachos and cocktails all afternoon while dancing to the sound of DJ Serebe.
La Palapa in the East Village will be focusing on the foods of Central Mexico and the Coast of Guerrero, where Acapulco is located. This special menu will be available from Thursday, May 2 until Wednesday, May 8. Cinco de Mayo featured drinks include a Cabo No.5 Shot y Sangrita (Cabo Wabo Silver shot infused with ripe red fiery chiles jalapeños, pomegranate~chile chaser). Try appetizers like Ceviche Caribeño (sea scallops, fresh lime juice, coconut milk, grilled red onions, serrano chile, cilantro) and authentic dinners, including Gambas Gigantes a la Diabla (pan seared giant prawns with fiery "devlish" salsa, red tomato rice, black beans and guacamole).
If you're hosting a Cinco de Mayo gathering at your apartment, consider checking out BoozeCarriage.com. The NYC alcohol delivery service is offering a premium holiday package to help you throw a boozy fiesta. For $99.00, you'll get two cases of any Mexican beer of your choice (24 bottles each), a bag of Tostitos Cantina chips, a jar of salsa and a jar of guacamole, as well as a sombrero and a set of maracas to get the party started.
Sarah Shaker is the founder of the blog Bright Lights, My City.
