Kalye

Kalye
@kalye.nyc
111 Rivington St.
New York, NY 10002

Kalye, opened in 2020, is a showcase of resilience, community, and creativity through food and culture. “Kalye” means street in Tagalog, and the owners, Hen and Rob, wanted to encapsulate the Manila streets within the space, being welcoming, vibrant, and full of energy.

Upon stepping into the space, you’re welcome with good company (employees) and vibes, accompanied by lively music and colorful lighting - everything combined emulates a Filipino party, where everyone feels welcome. There’s nothing better than enjoying a hearty meal amongst good company, and that is the heart of Kalye.

Food menu

pork sisig

One thing I always order is their laing (lah-ing), taro leaves in coconut milk, which is served as a dip with chips. Growing up, my grandma would make laing for parties, which was always one of my favorite dishes, so when I heard that Kalye served it, I had to go. That plus lumpia shanghai is the best starting combo.

If I’m only sitting at the bar for a couple of drinks, then I usually just stop at laing and lumpia shanghai. But, if I’m having a meal, then I will always get pork sisig and lechon kawali.

You can also never go wrong with their beef kare kare or chicken inasal.

We can’t talk about their food menu without highlighting their kamayan options. Kamayan is a traditional Filipino communal meal, served on banana leaves, where everyone eats with their hands. They serve a Boodle Fight Club, consisting of lechon kawali, lumpia, bbq, fried chicken, bangus, bok choy, green beans, inasal rice, steamed rice.

Don’t forget to end your meal with a dessert! Whether it’s halo halo or ube ice cream, it is the perfect sweet treat to close out your meal.

Cocktail menu

laing + cocktails

One of my favorite activities is grabbing a drink and a snack, and Kalye is also the perfect place for that. With their curated cocktails, you are in for a treat.

They have different cocktail menus, from standard cocktails to Darna cocktails to Manila cocktails. The Filipino cocktail specials are my personal favorites, specifically curated to the iconic Filipino superheroine Darna and representative of Manila.

From their Darna cocktail list, I, personally, enjoy the Elektra, which is a twist on a lychee martini, adding calamansi, pineapple, and vanilla. From the Manila cocktail list, I, personally, enjoy the Manila martini, consisting of calamansi, pandan, and coconut.

Don’t worry, they also have Red Horse if that’s what you’re into.

Events

As mentioned, Kalye is a place for community and creativity, so it’s important to highlight the different events that they host. They host different brunch parties, typically themed, with a dj. In true Filipino fashion, they also host karaoke nights! Don’t forget to follow them on Instagram to keep up with their events!

If I have friends or family visiting, I always take them to Kalye to share culture and to just have a good time. You are guaranteed to leave full, happy, and thinking about their food! It truly is like going to a Filipino party, where everyone is friendly and where you have one of the best meals.

Kalye is definitely a place to visit and where you’ll want to come back!

mahals,
kaels
too bad ain’t me <3

(mahals: our abbreviation for “mahal kita” translating to “i love you” in Tagalog)