Some Of New York's Best Hidden Gem Restaurants Double As Freight Entrances

New York City is widely considered one of the best culinary destinations in the world. From the abundance of fine dining establishments to the enclaves of particular cuisines that you'll find in places like Brighton Beach or Koreatown, there's enough diversity to keep even the hungriest of diners satisfied for a lifetime. Yet while the type of food is certainly varied, the environments in which you can find your next favorite meal may be even more surprising. If you're in the know, one of the most unusual settings in which you can discover food establishments is in the freight entrances of several buildings scattered throughout the city.

Maybe you've wondered how restaurants earn Michelin stars and what each star means, but those spots fit for special occasions aren't the kind you'll frequent on a daily basis. These establishments on the other hand — which give new meaning to hole in the wall — are mainstays for many working New Yorkers who have made them their daily go-to spots. Combined with a culture of curiosity, a loyalty to these hard-to-find but totally worthy restaurants has helped put them on the map.

Take Acuario Cafe in the Garment District, where owner Rodolpho Perez — who actually worked in a factory in the building prior to opening his restaurant — churns out about 100 pounds of rice per day to accompany a Dominican menu. Although only a couple of people can fit into the tiny kitchen, Perez and his team crank out plenty of pollo guisado (chicken stew), goat meat, and rice and beans (which, if you're trying to eat in New York City on a budget, should be high on your list at $5 per plate). These favorites keep customers coming back and spreading the word about this spot, which is helpful since there's no street signage to clue you in about the tasty food inside.

Then there's El Sabroso, an Ecuadorian restaurant over on 37th and 8th. If you're not sure what to eat when spending the day in New York City, you can stop here and sample dishes like carne guisada (beef stew) and seco de gallina (hen stew), along with steak, fried onions, and baked ribs, which are all featured on the super popular lunch special menu. Sadly, not all of these spots located within freight entrances have survived; Nick's Place, which shuttered in 2016, was tucked into an entryway on 39th and 7th, and its eclectic menu boasted chicken quesadillas, Greek salads, and skirt steak tacos. But if you're able to seek out and find the totally off-the-beaten-path restaurants that still exist, you can be a part of this unique legacy of city dining.