I love Chelsea Market – always have. If you visit NYC this is a stop you must make. Located between 15th and 16th Street and running from 9th to 10th avenue, Chelsea Market has everything you need to whip up a stellar Seduction Meal – The BEST meat market at Dicksons, the freshest seafood at the Lobster Place, super fresh fruits, vegetables and more at Manhattan Fruit Exchange, artisanal cheese from Lucy’s Whey, freshly baked baquettes from Amy’s Bread, and the Corkbuzz Wine Studio for wine, champagne, and sake – what more do you need?
And for dessert – there are sweet temptations that will make your head spin with delight including one of my all time favorites, gelato from L’ARte del Gelato (you have to try their peanut butter with a scoop of chocolate). There are cakes, cookies and homemade cupcakes from Sarabeth’s Bakery, Eleni’s and Fat Witch Baker; delicious doughnuts at Doughnuttery, luscious ice cream at Ronnybrook Dairy Farm, and Bar Suzette for sweet and savory crepes. And let’s not forget about the raw food and juice bar, One Lucky Duck where you can order a delicious fruit shake called the Spanking. “I’ll have a Spanking please!”. Yes, I really do say that out loud.
A handful of mini restaurants, many of which sell food products as well, include Freidmans, Chelsea Thai, Los Tacos No. 1, Num Pang Sandwich Shop, The Clever Company, The Green Table, and the very impressive Giovanni Rana Pastificio & Cucina. But then there is the Lobster Place….
What seems to be the main attraction for many at Chelsea Market is the glorious Seafood Market called the Lobster Place which is truly something to behold. There are so few places that sell fish so fresh and beautifully presented. When I first moved to the area the Lobster Palace was known for its fresh fish. It was much smaller with a tiny sushi business on the side. Today, they have what seems like five times the space and the sushi bar proudly sits in the center alongside an oyster bar and in front of the bustling lobster bar. And lobsters are everywhere! All around Chelsea market people are sitting down with bright red crustaceans and dipping sauce on their plates, laughing and licking their fingers – they can’t seem to get enough of this juicy sweet lobster meat.
Every time I’ve come to the Market the sushi bar is packed, although it doesn’t take long to get a seat. As I savored every bite, I happily watched as people are busy buying fish, browsing around, eating seafood delicacies, taking photographs, posting to social media, and toasting wine or sake glasses as they celebrated their good fortune.
