Turn Ons: Friendly neighborhood hang with great food, great coffee & a vibe that makes you wanna linger for hours.
Turn Offs: Despite the urge to linger, it's often so busy that table-hoarding guilt sets in as soon as you finish your last bite.
Rate My Date:
- Not My Type
- 1 Night Stand
- Crush
In Love
- Happily Ever After
Sometimes, the best Indie Date for a lonely Indie Girl is a place where, like Cheers, "everybody knows your name". I have yet to discover my home away from home where I become a familiar face that bellies up to the bar. But I think I've reached a certain comfort level at The Grey Dog, which is a cozy neighborhood hang in Union Square. It's a spot where friendly but laid-back NYU hipsters serve up delicious home-cooked meals in an atmosphere energized by the buzz of conversation above the sound of alternative rock hits.
Ceiling fans whirl beneath tin-tiled ceilings and giant chalkboard menus hang from exposed brick walls offering creative meals to nosh on 'til your heart's content; from challahfrench toast to seared tuna & avocado tacos, grilled tofu wraps, soups, veggie and beef burgers. The walk-up counter where you order and leave your name overflows with tempting and sinful-looking (I didn't dare taste) desserts.
I ordered, left my name and nestled into a seat behind a small wooden table where I retreated into my book with the, somehow comforting,bustle around me. All that activity provided a homey alternative to my lonely and quiet studio apartment where distractions like facebook, Netflix and OkCupid often lure me from drifting into the pages of a good book. My grilled (to tender perfection) chicken salad arrived with a side of their tasty creamy house dressing (honey mustard vinaigrette, perhaps?) and a slice of focaccia. Paired with a glass of wine and plenty of conversations to eavesdrop into, my dining experience felt like the perfect cure for loneliness. I just might become a regular.
The Grey Dog
90 University Place (between E 11th & E 12th Streets)
Getting There By Subway:
- 4, 5, 6 to Union Square
- N, R, Q to Union Square
- L to Union Square