Flavor Postcard: Harlem

In a city as cosmopolitan and influential as New York, it can be hard for a single neighborhood to distinguish itself amid the five boroughs and dozens of districts and locales within each. And yet Harlem, located in a northern slice of Manhattan, manages to do so on multiple fronts: music, literature and culture. After all, what other neighborhood can say it’s enjoyed a bona fide renaissance?

Nevertheless, Harlem’s reputation as a bastion for creativity hasn’t necessarily extended to the culinary scene. To be sure, there are plenty of beloved institutions serving their signature offerings, decade after decade, without compromising on quality or craveability. But in terms of pushing the envelope, Harlem has generally left that endeavor to other parts of the Big Apple.

That’s starting to change as new concepts open, weaving their way into the dining scene without overthrowing the legacies—clearly, there is enough market share to go around. Several of these restaurants are being opened by Harlem natives and longtime transplants, who are blending influences from their upbringing with modern sensibilities and global curiosity. If this trend continues, Harlem might be due for a second renaissance—this one of the restaurant variety.

Feeling a bit of wanderlust? Our Flavor Postcard series spotlights markets around the world for culinary inspiration.