Uptown To Do List - Week of March 31, 2025
An ever changing list of things to do above the park
Hello and Happy Monday! Shorter entry for today - it seems that there are fewer events happening uptown during this time. But we feel the warmer weather coming and with that, more happenings on the horizon. Until then, enjoy these spots and limited events happening this week.
EATS AND DRINKS
Dell’Aria (232 East 111th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues): Like many of the best places uptown, Dell’Aria has a website that fails to tell you what a gem it is. What the website will make clear is that they roast coffee: this is true. There is a large Probat roaster right in the middle of the room when you walk in. But Dell’Aria is so much more. It’s a specialty roaster with a large glass garage door in the front that gives off brewery vibes (and also gets you indoor-outdoor dining in good weather). Lots of exposed brick inside along with ample and comfortable seating. The coffees are great and different from everything else in East Harlem. You can read more here about the kind of brewing they do. Or you can learn about the food they will serve you here. Point is, take your remote work over to Dell’Aria: you won’t be disappointed!
Yemeni Restaurant (377 W. 125th St. between St. Nicholas Ave and Morningside Ave.): This is the best restaurant that you haven’t ever been to that you need to immediately get to. It is no frills as a restaurant but super clean (if a little bright) but the food is amazing. The vegetarian ful (stewed fava beans) is phenomenal and comes in a little cauldron where it is still bubbling. It is accompanied by a large freshly baked flatbread that the restaurant’s reviews describe as “good enough to travel from Brooklyn for” but, honestly, you would come from much farther away if you had to. The zurbian (Yemini biyrani) was equal parts aromatic and tender and did not disappoint (we got the lamb but I bet the chicken is excellent too). The fahsa (lamb stew) gets high marks from us. Same for the hummus. But we would rank them below the ful and zurbian. The house made hot sauce had enough kick to get us through dinner and turned out to be a great accompaniment to everything we ate. This place will deliver food right to your door but, if you ordered, you would miss the cauldron part of the ful, which I wouldn’t sleep on. Consider dining in—at least the first time.
HAPPENINGS
Check out a new short called Rocks. It was created by Uptown actors and filmed in Washington Heights at Sound Proof Studios. Here is how the film describes itself: In this gripping music drama, Victor Grand, a once-great artist, struggles to recapture his magic in the recording studio. His producer, Carrie, refuses to give up on him, pushing him to find his voice again. As tension builds, Victor is forced to confront his past, his insecurities, and his passion for music. Will he rise to the moment or fade away? A raw and emotional short film about artistry, self-doubt, and redemption.
67 Orange closed and then promised to re-open in the old Laura space, but we’re still waiting. In the meantime, Harlem Amor popped up in the old 67 Orange Space (2082 Fred Doug at West 113th) and hosts a Harlem Mixer every Tuesday from 4-8. The idea is to mingle with professionals, entrepreneurs and changemakers in Harlem! It’s free to attend minus all those delicious cocktails you’ll be buying. RSVP here.
It’s almost spring, which means it’s time to start planning those trips to City Island. Lucky for you, this Friday, April 4th, The Artist on City Island (249 City Island Ave) will be hosting the 2025 Soul Expedition with Morrisania Band Project. The show is at 8pm, tix are $10. Get them here.
On Sunday, April 6th, check out a concert at St. Frances Cabrini Shrine (701 Fort Washington at West 190th Street). Flutist Yael Archer will be performing starting at 5:30pm. Tix are $20/adults and $10/seniors and youth.
DID YOU KNOW?
Harlem was once home to the largest Italian population in the whole country. I would provide more details but this piece pretty much says it all. If you read through, you’ll see some traces of Italian Harlem around today—maybe just enough for an afternoon walking tour!