L'il Frankies on 1st Avenue, 1 block north of the theater. A quick walk across Houston. Excellent food, menu offerings, and service. Thin crust pizza and great other choices of pasta and entrees, sides, and desserts. Have dined here numerous times in the past 3 years, with parties large and small, at lunch and at dinner, and the food has consistently been great!

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Lil' Frankie's
21 1st Ave, New York, NY 10003

Go to International Foods on 9th Avenue in Manhattan, between 40th and 42nd, west side of the street. Run by 2 Greek brothers who have been in business for eons and who sell only the best Feta and other Greek cheeses.

Would like to host a graduation lunch at home and serve prepared foods or a menu catered. For 20 people. On Manhattan's Upper East Side 86th/Madison. Know about Yura and Dean & Deluca but they are overpriced. Any other suggestions would be welcome.

Having a 3:30pm luncheon for 16-20 people on the upper east side at a friend's apartment to celebrate graduation. Any recommendations for caterer or take out for seasonally fresh, healthy, and easy food that requires little or no effort?

next time go to Capsouto Freres. the restaurant has great food, great service, and the owners are gracious, warm, and sincere.

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Capsouto Freres
451 Washington St, New York, NY 10013

Fish's Eddy is the best- lots of inspired and unique patterns, as well as solids. You can mix and match a lot of different patterns and have fun setting the table. Think it's at 19th and Broadway. Also online. They've got a lot of affordable serving pieces too. I have to stop myself from stopping in....I'm always finding something to buy!

4 restaurants on the water- Gigino's at Wagner Park which is at the southern tip of BPC though I am not sure if it is open for brunch. Ditto for Steamers which is on the BPC promenade just south of the BPC marina. The only 2 other dining options in BPC are PJ Clarkes and Southwest, both with outdoor and indoor seating surrounding the BPC marina. They are both good, though we prefer PJ Clarkes. Southwest is resistant to making even the smallest of substitutions even for people with allergies (i.e., bread without sesame seeds for a sandwich...which is a ridiculously easy request yet which the waitress said they wouldn't do because they "don't do substitutions of any kind for any reason", so we had to get the manager who said she had to clear it with the chef...10 minutes, 3 conversations, all over a simple bun so someone with allergies wouldn't get ill) so that is enough to put it last on our list. PJ Clarke's has a great menu and looks south to the NY Harbor so has a better view too.

Brunch makes for a great meal out because it is often considerably less expensive and not rushed. For dinner, try Da Andrea on Hudson- it is small and charming and it does not have to cost a lot- pastas are in the $10-$14 range. We have been there about 8 times in the past year, with different friends, and even on New Year's a few years back and can't find anything to not like about the place- the wait staff is wonderful, the food is great, as is the ambience.

Try Florent just off of West Houston or Jefferson Market on 6th Ave/11th St

Well, at that age there might be a difference between falling in love with great NY food, or just with NY and it's quirky or less great food! After many "No, I don't like that" responses, I dragged my 11 year old son and 16-year old daughter to the Viet Cafe in Tribeca and they so enjoyed the food that they keep asking to return! Also, in Tribeca is Giginos. Giginos also has a great spot in Wagner Park at the tip of Battery Park City and what makes that spot work for kids is that they can run around on the lawn if they get squirmy and with the backdrop of the NY Harbor and the Statue of Liberty the locale can't be beat. Other places my kids love- in the West Village: Petite Abeille, the Cowgirl Saloon, Da Andrea, Sevilla for Paella (most kids like rice), and on 1st Ave just north of Hudson- L'il Frankies. They make great pizza in addition to other great Italian dishes and though my son gagged at the thought of "fennel sausage" he couldn't get enough of it! Happy Eating!

I would like to serve Indian food to my book club since we are discussing a book by Thrity Umrigar. Does anyone have any suggestions for a great place for takeout Indian food- I've been to Devi and Amma and while they are excellent, they are not the kind of place I would buy Indian food for 15 people. I live downtown and welcome suggestions Manhattan, Queens, or Brooklyn.
Thanks!