We Need a Mayor Who Speaks NYC
The city needs action, real support for small business, food, and culture.
By Marco Shalma
New York runs on small business, culture, and the grind of people who make something out of nothing. Every corner of this city has someone hustling to keep the lights on, from the food cart on 125th to the bar owner in Queens to the family running a bodega in the Bronx. That’s the real heartbeat of this place, not the headlines.
Mayor-elect Mamdani has a real chance to prove that he’s for all of New York. Some of his early messages feel divided, like he’s talking to certain groups instead of the whole city. That can’t be the tone moving forward. New York doesn’t need division. It needs direction. It needs action. It needs someone who shows up for small businesses, for hospitality workers, for the cultural makers who keep this city alive and open.
We don’t need accent changes or code-speaking. We need leadership that sounds like the city itself — real, raw, diverse, unfiltered, and human. Speak NYCish. Understand what keeps us up at night and what keeps us coming back every morning.
If he leans into that, if he listens to the street as much as the press room, he can lead something special. But we have to hold him to it. Because this city has carried itself long enough. It’s time for City Hall to carry some of that weight too.
Neighborhood Flavor Radar
Sweet Tooth
When the city stays awake, these spots keep you fed.
Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop – Greenpoint, Brooklyn: Old-school donuts under $2. No fancy flavors, just perfection since 1953.
Librae Bakery – East Village, Manhattan: $8.50 pistachio rose croissant that went viral for good reason. Bahraini-inspired, Instagram-approved.
Fortunato Brothers – Williamsburg, Brooklyn: Italian pastries and gelato from original family recipes since 1976. Neighborhood changed, they didn't.
Two Little Red Hens – Upper East Side, Manhattan: Classic cheesecake that makes you understand why New York owns this dessert.
Mei Lai Wah – Chinatown, Manhattan: Pork buns for under $2. Cash only. Line out the door for decades.
Worth It Or Nah?
Levain Cookie Edition
Levain Bakery has been baking chaos since 1995. Those thick, half-baked cookies? Either the best thing you’ve ever had or an overpriced tourist trap in pastry form. New Yorkers argue about it the way they argue about bagels—loudly and with conviction.
Here’s the truth: Levain isn’t just a cookie. It’s a ritual. A $6 reminder that… Read More.
$10 Or Less
The Last $6 Deal in Lower East Side
In a city where bagels flirt with $7 and coffee thinks it’s rent, Vanessa’s Dumpling House feels like a time capsule. Tucked on Eldridge Street, it’s one of the last spots where you can eat well for the price of subway fare.
The menu hasn’t bent to inflation the way most have. For $6, you get.… Watch More.
Local Heroes
The Pizzeria That Brought a Community Back to Life
When Hurricane Sandy wiped out homes, power, and hope in Staten Island — Joe & Pat’s did what they always did: they fired up the oven.
They passed out free slices to anyone hungry. Turned their dining room into a supply station. Let neighbors charge their phones, grieve, cry, regroup.
Joe & Pat’s wasn’t trying to be heroes. They were just showing up — like they had for 60+ years.
That’s the thing about real NYC spots:
They don’t ask what you need. They already got it waiting.
Got a Local Hero in your neighborhood?
Bite Size
Things we're chewing on this week
Dante Aperitivo doubles down on seafood & cocktails in the West Village
The iconic bar Dante expanded with Dante Aperitivo (51 Bank St), adding a raw bar (oysters with lime‑ginger granita, caviar tarts), lobster fettuccine, black cod, dry‑aged steak and elevated takes on classic aperitivi.
Pujol from Mexico City in NYC
If you’ve ever dreamed of flying to Mexico City just to eat Pujol — now’s your chance without the passport. Renowned chef Enrique Olvera is bringing his Mexico City flagship restaurant Pujol to New York for a 12-night pop-up (Nov 11-22, 2025) in celebration of its 25-year anniversary.
JAPAN Fes New York – Nov 8
Stroll the streets of the East Village (10 a.m.–6 p.m.) and dive into Japan’s culinary street scene—yakitori, takoyaki, matcha sweets, onigiri and more from vendors. Cash‑only for many, lines expected.