New York City Tigers Feast on Food and Friendship

The plan was simple: I would wake up at around 7 a.m. to make the 4-mile trek from my Brooklyn sublet to the West Village. Once there, I’d buy a coffee and set up camp outside 4 Charles Prime Rib, one of New York City’s most sought-after restaurants. According to internet foodies, a host would emerge shortly after 9 a.m. to begin taking names for the waitlist. If I was lucky, my friends and I might secure one of the most impossible reservations in the country.

So I sent a text to a group of fellow Princetonians spending the summer in the city: “Who’s in?”

As my friends sent their responses, I came to a realization. A year ago, I probably would’ve asked for a table for one. This summer, though, it seemed like nearly every classmate I knew was crossing boroughs, staying out late, and waking up early in search of the next great meal.

I’m probably more invested in food culture than most of my peers. During the school year, I run an Instagram account about Princeton’s food scene with my best friend, Alistair Wright ’27 (@the.hungry.tiger), and this summer I interned at Beli, a social app for restaurant-goers. By all means, I’m a foodie. But from my biased perspective, I noticed something interesting during my summer in New York: It’s no longer just me obsessing over food. It’s nearly every Princeton student I know.

In New York, dining out often requires a certain degree of obsession. As Princetonians flock to the city for internships, they discover that with great food comes great competition for reservations. Adventures must be embraced.

A few weeks before my meal at 4 Charles (yes, we did get in from the waitlist), I invited two friends, Hallie Graham ’27 and Alberto Sciuto ’27, to the last remaining 9:30 p.m. reservation at Theodora, a Mediterranean spot in Brooklyn. It was inconvenient — especially for Graham, who was coming in on New Jersey Transit. Neither is a self-proclaimed foodie, so I wasn’t optimistic about them joining. To my surprise, both immediately said yes.

Why go to such lengths for dinner, anyway? Part of the answer is that dining has become a way to signal taste. People post photos from exclusive restaurants on social media, telling the world a little about who they are by how they dine. But after talking with Princetonians around the city, I don’t think exclusivity alone is fueling the excitement around food.

For Graham, it’s about trying something new. “I view eating as an activity, as an experience,” she said. “It’s a way of having fun without just drinking or going out. Plus, I get to try new things like crudo at Theodora!”

The crudo was, in fact, an experience. We all agreed it was one of the best bites we’d ever eaten. But what made the night memorable wasn’t just the food.

Other Princetonians had similar experiences this summer. Kennedy Mattes ’23 said she spent a Friday in June journeying to Brooklyn, attempting to secure the elusive Red Hook Tavern cheeseburger. While the dry-aged patty was delicious, it was also an experience she got to bond over with the Princeton alums who joined her.

Sometimes for a meal to be memorable, it doesn’t have to be exclusive at all. Alice McCarthy ’27 said she spent one evening with a classmate wandering Chinatown, hopping between cash-only spots. And as someone who has done similar Chinatown crawls, I can confirm that sharing a $2.90 pineapple pork bun with a friend can be just as exciting as a $34 cheeseburger.

Looking back, maybe waiting outside 4 Charles before 9 a.m. was less about the wagyu beef and more about the “who’s in?” moment, chasing a shared experience with my friends.