Russ & Daughters Café: Fishy Magic
/(Lower East Side)
127 Orchard Street, New York, NY 10002
Tel. 212-475-4881
High Chair
Changing Table
Ever since I moved to NYC back in 2002, I have loved the ritual of going to Russ & Daughters and picking out amazing artfully cut smoky fish treats. Part of the charm is wending your way to the always packed counter…much less charming when you have a howling impatient toddler in tow.
Sturgeon separation anxiety solved with Russ & Daughters Café! We popped in for an early dinner last week with the monkey. The café is beautifully decorated down to the wallpaper in the bathroom. It keeps the old school NYC charm of the original shop (signs in the same fonts and an old fashioned counter) with artful twists (marble herringbone pattern tile floors, fruit garnished on the bar in lovely see through mason jars).
We ordered the Potato Latkes with wild salmon roe & crème fraiche, smoked white fish chowder with matzo, the Hot Smoke/Cold Smoke, a baked and smoked salmon pate and a MASSIVE bread basket (like all the bread your family needs for a week), all of which were delish!
Food tips:
- You can’t go wrong with anything caviar or smoked fish
- The sparkling Hungarian Tokaji wine was light and lovely
- Another beverage we heart is the Lower East Side (with tanqueray gin, lime juice, dill, and cucumber), refreshing!
- Great selection of house made sodas for kids and adults alike, think Concord Grape Soda with jasmine, pepper and lemon
Baby tips:
- Staff were very accommodating, we seemed to get shunted back to a child heavy section of the restaurant, which was fine with me
- High chairs available
- Our waitress got the check to us quickly once the monkey started getting restless, which was greatly appreciated
- Crayons were provided, score!
- The larger bathroom, which is both clean and decorated better than your average apartment, also has a changing table – what more can a mamma ask for?