10 Bronx restaurants to take out from during COVID-19
A Bronx Bully chicken sandwich from Bricks and Hops. (Alex Mitchell) A half chicken dish at Beatstro. (Marisol Diaz-Gordon.)
BRONX TIMES REPORTER,BT APRIL 3–9, 2020 3
BY ALEX MITCHELL
If you’re uptown and the
thought of cooking another meal,
let alone braving a trip to the
store for ingredients, is becoming
overbearing, fret not, because
there are plenty of restaurants
still delivering within the boogie
down Bronx.
Boasted for its exquisite and
diverse culinary offerings by
Bronx Borough President Ruben
Diaz, Jr., here are ten places in to
take out from in The Bronx:
THE WICKED WOLF
Let’s start off with a classic in
Throggs Neck.
This Irish/American sit down
pub’s savory offerings are exactly
what you’ll be looking for on a
weekday after work.
While its classic offerings of
wings and steak sandwiches are
great go-to choices, The Wicked
Wolf also has plenty more to provide
— such as the New Zealand
lamb chops and German specialty
plate of Bratwurst, bauernwurst,
kassler rippchen with sauerkraut,
red cabbage and potato
pancakes.
4029 E Tremont Ave (718) 829-
4400
ORRICO’S ITALIAN
RESTAURANT
This new kid on the block in
Pelham Bay has certainly proved
it can hang with the rest of them
since opening its doors this time
last year.
It was at that time when owner
Robert Orrico told the Bronx
Times Reporter about his Italian
egg roll appetizers, which come
in a few varieties such as, buffalo
chicken and Philly cheesesteak
along with more.
Another notable treat Oricco
brought in is a neighborhood favorite
— “old-school” hot lunch
heroes — as well as “dirty chips”
with meatballs, a blend of gorgonzola
cheese and cream sauce into
a wild, yet delectable savory dish.
3019 Westchester Ave, (718)
892-8282
BRICKS AND HOPS
Super Bowl Champion and former
New York Jet turned Barstool
Sports host Willie Colon opened
up the South Bronx’s only beer
garden less than a year ago.
However, more than just booze
is on offer down in Mott Haven.
The Bronx Bully Chicken
Sandwich, a massive fried
chicken cutlet smothered with
red cabbage, pepper jack cheese,
pickled jalapenos and garlic aioli
on a brioche bun is sure to get you
through quarantine; mix it with
a side of chili-rubbed fries and it
will take more than one Bronx
Brewery Summer Ale to wash it
down.
Of course, there’s a plethora
more to eat and drink from Bricks
and Hops as well.
65 Bruckner Blvd, (718) 450-
3991
LOUIE AND ERNIE’S
It’s arguably one of the best
and certainly one of the most
iconic pizzerias in New York
City.
Many in the East Bronx feel
the obligation of stopping into
this basement on the intersection
of Crosby and Waterbury Avenues
for a classic sausage slice
or plenty of other outstanding
pies worked up by Cosmo Tiso
and staff.
Louie and Ernie’s is pickup
only, but oh so worth it.
1300 Crosby Avenue, (718) 829-
6230
CITY ISLAND DINER
The City Island Diner remains
a stronghold for those on
The Bronx isle that don’t quite
have the pallet for seafood. Nowadays,
it’s an especially excellent
takeout option.
Worth returning to after
COVID-19 times as well, this cute
and quaint corner diner has all
the classic offerings like grilled
cheeses, burgers, and milkshakes
to make a day on City Island even
more rewarding.
304 City Island Ave. (718) 885-
0362
BEATSTRO
It would be a sin if the birthplace
of hip-hop didn’t have a restaurant
paying homage to exactly
that.
This South Bronx hip hop
speakeasy also pays homage to an
authentic Afro-Hispanic, “Bronx”
infused menu with offerings of
shrimp and grits to half rotisserie
chickens along with plenty
of more classic options with cocktails
and brunch on the weekends
to go.
135 Alexander Avenue. (718)
489-9397
PATRICIA’S OF
MORRIS PARK
If classic Italian is what you
seek, classic Italian is what you’ll
get.
This icon in Morris Park
goes beyond just pizza and
chicken parmesan with its Spaghetti
Frank Sinatra made with
shrimps, clams, black olives, capers
& fresh tomato along with
plenty more — such as the Tagliata
Di Manzo steak served with
wild mushrooms.
1082 Morris Park Ave. (718)
409-9069
TASTE SO GOOD
(MAKE YOU WANNA SMACK
YOUR MAMA)
It’s not every day that a champion
skateboarder opens up a Caribbean
takeout joint in his home
neighborhood. That, though is
the case of 2018 Thrasher Magazine
Skater of the Year, Tyshawn
Jones.
Growing up in the East Bronx,
he recently opened up Taste So
Good “to put some great food in
Soundview,” and that he did —
particularly the jerk chicken with
Caribbean rice and mac n’ cheese.
Yes, the name is derivative of
the “Friday” movies and no, Jones
has never slapped his mama,
Tamisha, who helps run the place.
1752 Lafayette Ave. (347) 271-
6506
HAVANA CAFE
A spicy taste of Cuba is surely
bound to melt away those quarantine
blues.
Havana Cafe provides just that
with its Chicharrón De Pollo, quesadillas,
empanadas and plenty
more offerings.
Meanwhile, the Vaquero 14
ounce rib-eye steak with creamy
yuca mofongo charred green
beans, rosemary chimichurri
sauce with certainly leave you
feeling full and satisfi ed.
Brunch and cocktails to go are
also take out options for the time
being from its multiple locations
in The Bronx.
1247 Castle Hill Ave. Bronx,
718-822-4800 and 3151 East Tremont
Ave, 718-518-1800
EMILIO’S OF
MORRIS PARK
A neighbor of Patricia’s in
Morris Park, this Italian restaurant
is particularly known
for both its build your own pizza
along with its specialty rolls and
calzones as well.
Emilio’s grilled paninis make
for a classically scrumptious
lunch while its stuffed shells, ravioli,
lasagna, and ziti certainly do
set a standard for a lovely Italian
dinner.
1051 Morris Park Ave. (718)
822-6758
Brothers John, left, and Cosimo Tiso are the owners of Louie and Ernie’s
Pizza, an old-school pizzeria in Pelham Bay. (Marcus Santos)
Jerk chicken with rice and mac and
cheese from Taste So Good. (Alex
Mitchell)