Passover gets a bad rap, but really, it’s a blank canvas: just the kind of thing creative chefs work magic with. It’s actually, as meals go, not unlike matzah, the unleavened flatbread that defines the holiday. And who ever complained about a meal that requires at least four glasses of wine *for religious purposes*? Yet not everyone is game for making gefilte fish and matzoh balls in their tiny shoebox apartments—which is where these restaurants come in.
If you’re a Jew in New York without a Passover table to sit at this weekend—or a non-Jew curious about the ritual (did we mention the wine?) these restaurants have you covered, from the traditional to the twist, fast casual to fusion.
Friday April 22nd and Saturday April 23rd, 6:30 – 9:30 PM. 70 Prince St. | $127 with wine pairings, $95 without
Chef/Owner Peter Hoffman will continue his tradition of hosting the Passover Seder at Back 40 West, complete with a reading of the Liberation Haggadah , a celebration of social justice victories of the past year. This year’s menu is a virtual journey around the Mediterranean, from Venetian sardines in saor (sour) sauce to a Moroccan-inspired lamb tagine perfumed with saffron. Diners will start the meal with a mezze platter and progress to a light salad followed by the main course before finishing the night with a dessert of chocolate almond cakes and honey-dipped matzoh fritters. Wine pairings optional.
April 22nd through April 30th. 251 W. 50th St. | Dishes à la carte, $10 – $32
A traditional Passover meal this is not, but if you’re looking to spice up your Seder, or just really love brisket and tacos, give Toloache’s a try. Chef Julian Medina offers a weeklong Passover menu featuring Mexican-influenced Seder dishes like Matzo ball soup with espazote and jalapeno-scented chicken consommé, guacamole with achiote smoked whitefish salad, and a rack of lamb in habanero jus. Menu items are à la carte, so bring a crew to try them all. We know you were wondering: they do offer kosher tequila.
April 22nd and 23rd, multiple locations in NYC and New Jersey | Four course menu, Seder plate available upon request
Perhaps Mexican-influenced Seders are the newest trend? At Rosa Mexicano, the four course Passover menu doesn’t venture too far from traditional territory (no guacamole or tacos in sight). Diners can choose from classic menu items like brisket and matzo ball soup, with a twist—the beef is cooked in banana leaves and the soup is pozole-style. With complementary sides of kugel and matzoh (choice of white or whole wheat) and kosher margaritas, everyone is sure to leave full and very, very happy.
April 24th at 6:30 PM. 214 Mulberry St. | $185.62 per person (includes wine), $132.87 for children; tickets here
For its fifth annual Passover Seder, Balaboosta Chef Einat Admony is joining forces with Top Chef winner Ilan Hall, whose restaurant ESH smokes “everyday Israeli barbecue” in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Diners will be serenaded by live music as they work their way through a five-course meal featuring updated Seder standbys like marrow bone matzoh soup and smoked leg of lamb (sure to benefit from Hall’s barbecue prowess) with charoset and persian rice. Wine will be provided by Israeli Wine Direct, but diners should stay alert; whoever finds the afikoman (a piece of matzoh broken at the beginning of the Passover meal) will walk away with a prize.
April 23rd at 6:30PM at And⩓ in the West Village | 30 per person (includes wine), 5 for children; tickets here
If you want a classic Passover Seder done well (and a little weird), head to hip Jewish deli Mile End. The feast will be hosted by Oakland-based Jewish mystic and musician Mikey Pauker and peppered with discussion and comedy from Unorthodox Haggadah ‘s author Nathan Phillips. If the entertainment isn’t enough to close the deal, the food certainly will finish the job. From fried artichokes with tahini sauce to confit spring lamb shank smothered in herbs, the meal checks all the Seder boxes with vim and verve. A portion of the ticket proceeds will go to Share our Strength to support their No Kid Hungry campaign. If you don’t feel like committing to the whole shebang, Mile End is available for Passover catering.
