New York City is known for a lot of things: aggressive cab drivers, an iconic skyline, the dazzling performance of the MTA–just a few of our noteworthy features.
But of course, you can’t forget about our food. From our fancy restaurants to our bagels to everything in between, deciding what to order in New York City is a definite challenge.
Yet while we are all in long-term relationship with our Seamless accounts, we all have a place in our hearts for mom’s cooking. Unfortunately, we don’t all have the space for our moms themselves. As the holidays recently reminded us, the stress of family doesn’t always outweigh the food they bring.
Luckily, New York City has a place like Mom’s, to replace the real thing sans drama. Mom’s Kitchen and Bar is Astoria’s newest go-to, serving up all-day brunches, lunches, and dinners better than Mom used to make. Not only is the food economical and excellent, but the portions are enormous, as proven by the Big Mouth Shakes.
Think these shakes are just your run-of-the-mill milk shakes? Think again. On par with the mammoth creations of Black Tap, Mom’s shakes are a force to be reckoned with. While slightly smaller and cheaper than their Instagram-famous Black Tap counterparts, these sweet bevs come in five great flavors: Strawberry Shorty, Rainbow Bright, Sweet and Salty, Mr. Fluffelupagus, and The Shredder.
All of these come with an insane amount of toppings and are a struggle to finish, all for $11. A personal favorite is the aptly named polychromatic Rainbow Bright shake. Did your mom let you eat sugary breakfast cereal? Mine either. Luckily, this shake makes up for a sad childhood, with Fruity Pebbles!
Mixed with rich vanilla ice cream, the cereal adds crunch to the sweet shake that also comes with a Fruity Pebble-crusted rim. The confection is then topped with vanilla icing, whipped cream, lollipops, and a huge chunk of vanilla cake. The ensuing sugar coma is totally worth it.
The milkshakes are reason enough to hop on the W to Astoria, but Mom’s is also pro at cooking up some comfort food with a Southern twist. Even the menu will make you smile, thanks to its bright colors, corny food puns (“Let Us Raps,” a particularly tasty low carb Cajun shrimp wrap), and even a big green reminder to eat your vegetables.
Fan favorites like mac and cheese, chicken wings, burgers, and chicken-and-waffle plates are great choices, but the real go-to is actually Dad’s recipe. The Big Daddy sandwich is a heaping onion hero overstuffed with BBQ brisket, horseradish, smoked gouda, pickled onions, and arugula.
Whether you order something as sweet as the Cracker Jack Bacon (bacon smothered in caramel and peanuts–all the yes) or strange like the mac and cheese pancakes, Mom’s promises bites better than your mother’s signature meals. Just don’t tell her.