AMERICAN EXPRESS TASTEMAKERS DISH ON COMMUNITY FAVORITES IN EACH OF THE FIVE NEW YORK CITY BOROUGHS
Tastemakers reveal their favorite restaurants in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island
NEW YORK, March 28, 2008 -- Extending from the southern point of Staten Island to the northern point of the Bronx, the five boroughs of New York City offer a wealth of restaurants and cuisines that pay homage to the boroughs' diverse communities and people. In this month's American Express Tastemaker Index, Tastemakers recognize the community favorites that are among the most popular in each New York City borough -- Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island. The Tastemaker Index is a monthly alert that provides an insider's look at New York City restaurants recently dined at and talked about on American Express DishSM (www.amexnetwork.com/thedish). Dish is a community web site dedicated to connecting people who love to dine out.
The Tastemaker Index reveals the Community Favorites in the Five Boroughs. These rankings are based on the number of charges made by Tastemakers at restaurants. While they don't account for a restaurant's size or hours of operation, they do reflect the dining trends of an exclusive group of food-loving Cardmembers.
NEW YORK, NY: Community Favorites in the Five Boroughs
| BOROUGH | RESTAURANT |
| Manhattan | Gramercy Tavern |
| Bronx | Pasquale's Rigaletto Restaurant |
| Brooklyn | Areo |
| Queens | Pio Pio |
| Staten Island | Fushimi Japanese Cuisine |
Source: American Express Dish Tastemakers, March 2008
Tastemaker Picks
- Manhattan -- Gramercy Tavern
42 E. 20th St., New York, NY 10033, (212) 477-0777
As one Tastemaker remarked, Gramercy Tavern's "consistently outstanding" food makes it "a wonderful choice for every occasion." The restaurant is famed among locals and visitors, providing "attentive but not overbearing" service to ensure an "impeccable" dining experience.
- Bronx -- Pasquale's Rigoletto Restaurant
2311 Arthur Ave., Bronx, NY 10458, (718) 365-6644
Serving up authentic Italian in the heart of the area once known as "Little Italy," Pasquale's Rigoletto is praised by Tastemakers for its fantastic service and tasty red snapper.
- Brooklyn -- Areo
8424 3rd Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11209, (718) 238-0079
Tastemakers have nominated this Bay Ridge restaurant as "one of the best Italian restaurants" in the area, raving about its "consistently excellent food" and "friendly service."
- Queens -- Pio Pio
8415 Northern Blvd., Jackson Heights, NY 11372, (718) 426-1010
Pio Pio operates several restaurants within the five boroughs, but the Jackson Heights location in particular is a solid fixture in the Queens neighborhood. Tastemakers love the Chicken Pio and simple, "absolutely satisfying" Peruvian cuisine.
- Staten Island -- Fushimi Japanese Cuisine
2110 Richmond Rd., Staten Island, NY 10306, (718) 980-5300
Fushimi introduced a different type of cuisine to the Staten Island neighborhood, and Tastemakers cannot get enough of "the variety of unique sushi dishes" and "artsy" presentation.
More on Dish
What Dish provides is a robust combination of dining offers, information and insights, including peer restaurant ratings, expert picks and instant reservations among other features. Available in New York and San Francisco, Dish is an ongoing platform allowing diners to tap into the insights of a diverse group of passionate Cardmembers and celebrity foodies, better known as the Dish Tastemaker community.
"This month, we wanted to recognize the community favorites in each of the five boroughs and encourage people to venture into different areas of New York to dine," said Rebecca Fogg, vice president, Network and Merchant Marketing for American Express. "By spotlighting their favorite restaurant in each borough, American Express Tastemakers are bringing attention to the hidden gems in areas like the Bronx and Staten Island."
American Express Dish is currently available in New York City and San Francisco. To become a Tastemaker and start dishing, go to www.amexnetwork.com/thedish. Tastemaker participation is open to all U.S. consumers with American Express-branded cards.
About American Express
Merchant Services is the merchant network of American Express, which acquires and maintains relationships with millions of merchants around the globe, which welcome American Express-branded Cards. American Express Company is a leading global payments, network, travel and banking company founded in 1850.
