Robert Rosenthal

The show Cheers got it right: we all like to go where everybody knows our name. But how much more do we want our favorite restaurant to know about us? The moment you go to dinner and order the shrimp scampi, you think you are judging the restaurant. But guess what? The restaurant is judging you right back.

Hey. . . Get A Room!
Whether tantric or quickie, missionary or kinky, here are DP’s hotel recommendations for every kind of assignation.
Words Robert Rosenthal
Dear lovers,
New York may be the city that never sleeps because it is also the city that likes to Get Busy. Here are some of our favorite spots for getting in the mood—whatever that mood may be.
See And Be Seen
The Standard on the High Line is the place for exhibitionists, already famous for people practically performing porn in front ...

The Southampton favorite has a new owner—but your schnitzels are safe.
Words Robert Rosenthal
07/28/23
Dateline: Southampton, New York.
Welcome to the heartland of Range Rovers and rosé.
Let’s be honest: when you hear about a facelift in the Hamptons, the last thing that comes to mind is a restaurant. The question is who, not where.
Yet in this case, the procedure in question belongs to Shippy’s Pumpernickel, a beloved Southampton town mainstay that’s been pumping out pumpernickel and assorte...

The beloved diner—where Logan Roy allegedly promised Kendall the succession—has been serving modest grub to its elite clientele for close to a century.
Words Robert Rosenthal
06/23/23
Bridgehampton, New York was originally settled in 1656 and remained an agrarian society for the next few hundred years. It has since evolved into a high society enclave of the super wealthy and well-connected, with a median home price of $3.4 million and a cost-of-living index four times the national average.
Ye...

Umbria sits just to the southeast of Tuscany, yet they share more than a common border. Both are known for their verdant, rolling hills, which are ideal for planting vines. They have a similar climate of cold, rainy winters followed by dry summers with abundant sunshine. And Sangiovese is the principal grape variety in both. So why has Umbria been overshadowed by its more glitzy neighbor?
For one, Tuscany had a long head start. In addition to their extremely high quality soils, there are hist...

Some restaurant closures hurt more than others. It’s not always about the food itself, although it’s often the key element. To a guy who has eaten at over 4,000 restaurants across six continents, the losses that sting most are the classics. Take NYC’s 21 Club, for example. Not the world’s finest food, but an incomparable feeling of being immersed in New York City Prohibition-era history. And a killer martini.
With more restaurant closures now than ever, we’re losing everything from local join...

The very idea of ingesting the liver of a calf or chewing voluntarily on a cow's tongue seems to be sufficient in itself to qualify "liver" and "tongue" as repulsive sounding foods to some. I vehemently disagree with the premise, for I relish not only those parts, but also take delight in eating a platter of grilled chicken hearts and a portion of well sauteed cow's pancreas. And there's the rub, so to speak. The names alone of certain foods negatively affect how we perceive them regardless o...

Getting there
Fly into Portland, one of America’s most food-obsessed restaurant meccas. The 120-mile car ride from PDX to the Salishan Resort will take a couple of hours, and there’s no better way to break that up than by stopping at a few wineries on the way in the fertile, alluvial Willamette Valley. Argue amongst yourselves if you insist, but you’re not going to find superior pinot noir anywhere else on the planet. Among the 500 plus vineyards in Oregon Wine Country you might consider stop...

There are fine food festivals the world over these days. There's only one in Aspen. The Food & Wine Classic is inextricably linked to this glorious town, to the betterment of both. This is synergy at work.

Over Memorial Day weekend, I was pleasantly surprised by how conscientious drivers were about keeping a safe distance from those of us on bicycles. Thank you, sincerely. The rest of this rant is not intended for you.
I’m often alarmed and endangered by those driving too fast and too close to bicyclists. I count myself as lucky each time I return home without having had a close encounter. People are going to get hurt, or worse.
The Hamptons affords an escape from the normal fast pace of our li...

Sometimes a restaurant fits just right. Comfortable in its own space, its location, its moment in time. Tucked into the corner of Hudson and Leroy streets in the West Village, The Clam is such a place. Co-owned by the pros behind the nearby Little Owl and Market Table, Joey Campanero and Mike Price have brought their considerable skill set to bear on their new seafood-centric establishment.
The interior exudes a built-in warmth that belies its newness, conveyed by exposed brick walls, a funky...

I’ve recently returned from a few glorious days in the “Eternal City.” No matter how often I’ve gone, I’m always happy to return. It’s still beautiful, bustling and always delicious. Even a short stay in this living, breathing museum-like metropolis is worth the trip, especially for travelers who love to walk everywhere while absorbing street life and exploring rich culture along the way. To say nothing of enjoying some of the happiest food on earth! Here are some of my recommendations to mak...