When you think of a backyard BBQ, generally you think of being in the suburbs at your friend or family members house. You don’t usually think of being at the top of Pier 92 with some of the biggest restaurants in and out of Manhattan as well as two huge food personalities. This is exactly what we got last night when Manhattan Digest attended The New York City Wine & Food Festival’s Backyard BBQ, and it was worth every delicious lick of food there was.
Culminating in a weekend long of huge food related events all over New York City, The Backyard BBQ was a relaxed and fun atmosphere to be in amidst all the chaos of the day beforehand at the Grand Tasting next door. It was a perfect fall day for this particular event, which was held upstairs on Pier 52, giving a gorgeous view of the city while dining on some delicious barbecue grub.
With Michael Symon and Bobby Flay as the big Food Network celebrities in attendance, The Backyard BBQ served its place and palate for hundreds of foodie fanatics to try out an array of amazing dishes from pulled pork to “fall off the bone” ribs, corn bread, mac n cheese and a slew of others that left yours truly happily full.
I never feel like BBQ gets the respect it deserves in New York City, as generally I don’t think we stand out much as that sort of town. However, the Backyard BBQ showcased the top talent this city has to offer, as well as some pleasant outsiders who proved their worth as well. Local places that stood out amongst the crowd were Hill Country Barbecue Market, BLT Prime, Richard Sandoval Restaurants, Strip House and Balthazar, the latter of which got my vote for the best dish of the night.
There was even room for some sweets, which I took advantage of, in particular Just Cupcakes, who were visiting from Virginia. Their bourbon infused cupcake with bacon was simply to die for, and a perfect sweet after all the heavy meat and pasta that I had. You can see my excitement above.
Sponsors at the event included Thrillist, who provided some fun for the kids with their building blocks, as well as Coca-Cola and Groupon, who had a super awesome selfie station which I clearly took advantage of. Overall, the Backyard BBQ was a great event and an amazing way to end what was a fantastic weekend.
For more information on The New York City Wine & Food Festival, check out their official site.