Last month, the Tattler Editorial Board visited New York City for a journalism conference at Columbia University. The conference lasted all morning and into the afternoon, and by the time it was over we were all tired and very hungry. We stumbled up a few blocks and found the answer to all our problems: Toast Uptown.
A small uptown bar, Toast Uptown does not, as it turns out, exclusively serve toast, and instead provided us with a variety of food options for our small meal. Despite our ordering dinner at the inhumane hour of 3:45 in the afternoon, they took up the task of feeding twenty-something hungry teens with admirable efficiency and good humor.
The bar was dark and cozy, and the walls were decorated with fun paraphernalia and fake cobwebs (perfectly respectable considering it was the week after Halloween). We all ate together in the middle of the room, where they had pushed together five or so tables for us, and were able to watch the passersby from the large windows opposite us (always a plus!).
Toast Uptown’s food was hearty and filling, as expected of a classic American grill. I ordered the chicken Caesar salad and a side of fries, the perfect fare after a long day of traveling. The fries were exactly how I like them, not too greasy but still nice and flavorful, and the salad was light and tasty. Zadie Wang ’26, our Business Manager, concurs: “I got the roasted veggie sandwich which was a delicious vegetarian option—stuffed to the brim with lots of yummy roasted veggies inside.” Our Features Editor, Tania Hao ’24, added about the grilled chicken sandwich with portobello and roasted red pepper: “The flavor combination was actually insane. I never knew mushrooms could taste that good.”
The service was also excellent, and delivery was quick and orderly. We had all our food within twenty minutes of arrival, no small feat considering the sheer number of diners. The waitstaff joked and made small talk with us, even leafing through a copy of The Tattler. In fact, the owner himself personally commissioned me to write this review (and I, of course, hastened to oblige). As the Tattler Arts Editor, Natalie Patrone ’25, said, “The food was delicious, and the wait staff were incredibly attentive to all of our needs.”
After we finished eating and said goodbye, we were back on the road to Ithaca. Despite our early dinner, none of us went hungry on our long ride home. Mia Cho ’26, our Archivist, perfectly summarizes our experience: “The food was really good, and their portions were a good size. Definitely kept me full and satisfied for the night.”
From the Tattler Editorial Board, a big thank you to Toast Uptown!