The other day, I was browsing the online menus of several West Village restaurants, trying decide which one to visit for dinner. Their unrelenting
sameness depressed me. It’s not that I’ve tired of the classics, only that I doubted they’d be done really
well.
Then I decided on
The Spotted Pig, and I remembered why the chef, April Bloomfield, really
rocks. Her menu—particularly the list of daily specials—is packed with dishes that don’t resemble anyone else’s. She isn’t serving kidneys on toast because there is great demand for them, but because this is
her food.
I started with an order of Shito Peppers ($5), lightly fried and dusted with sea salt, each one packing a different heat intensity, depending on how many seeds remained inside. It was just a five-dollar bar snack, but full of flavor, and not duplicated in any other pub I know of.
Then I had a Butter Cup Squash Salad ($15;
right) with golden chard and sorrel—a simple, impeccably prepared salad. Who else is serving one with these ingredients?
That’s why April Bloomfield Rocks.
The service here was excellent, as always, bearing in mind that it’s basically a gussied-up pub. But there are
a lot of staff here—surely enough for a two-star restaurant, despite the superficially casual box they’re squeezed into.
Brunch: 11am - 3pm (weekends)
Lunch: 12 - 3pm
Bar Menu: 3pm - 5:00pm
Dinner: 5:30pm - 2amLocation
314 W. 11th Street
@ Greenwich St.
New York, NY 10014
Get directions on Google Maps
Tel: (212) 620-0393Email
info@thespottedpig.com
What kind of food does The Spotted Pig serve?
Seasonal British & Italian using local ingredients when possible.
Are there vegetarian dishes?
Yes. We usually have 3 or 4 veggie appetizers and 5 or 6 veggie sides each day/night. You can get a veggie plate, we call it 5 sides.
At what time does the kitchen close?
At 2am, 7 nights a week.
Who owns The Spotted Pig?
April Bloomfield, Ken Friedman, and some pals.
What is the chef's name?
April Bloomfield.
What time do you serve dinner, how many days a week?
We serve lunch Monday thru Friday from 12 noon til 3pm & a bar menu from 3pm til 5pm. We serve brunch starting at 11am on Saturday & Sunday. We serve dinner seven nights a week from 5:30pm til 2am.
Dress code?
Absolutely none.
Who designed the interior?
Ken Friedman.
Where did she cook before?
River Cafe, Kensington Place, Bibendum, Chez Panisse...
