Be honest with yourself: You could organize a Fourth of July barbecue at your neighborhood park, but it sounds like so much work, right?
Good thing there are plenty of other ways to celebrate America’s birthday with food and drink in this city.
Go ahead and pick from some of our favorites.
Stars and stripes doughnuts at Underwest Donuts
The stars and stripes are in doughnut form at this artisanal baker. Its signature Carwash (vanilla lavender) doughnut gets some red and blue stripes, while its dark chocolate doughnut is topped with star sprinkles. ($3.50/each, available through Tuesday at both locations, Wednesday at the Carwash only; 2 Penn Plaza, 638 W. 47th St. – Carwash, underwestdonuts.com)
Red, white and blue churro sundae at Boqueria
Head to one of Boqueria’s four Manhattan locations for this lit sundae: that’s vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce, whipped cream, red-white-and-blue sprinkles, churros and sparklers. All proceeds benefit the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES). (Available Wednesday, $14; 53 W. 19th St., 171 Spring St., 1460 Second Ave., 260 W. 40th St., boqueriarestaurant.com)
All-day cookout at The Dutch
Chef Andrew Carmellini pretty much cooks whatever American dishes he feels like at this SoHo restaurant, but this Fourth, the emphasis is on everyone’s favorite summer foods. Corn cheddar sausage dogs come dressed with some interesting toppings (stout mustard and ruhbarb ketchup), lobster rolls will get even fancier with tobiko and yuzu pickles; and a donut tree will offer three varieties. Order the $62 gorilla-sized punch bowl of Snoop Dogg’s favorite cocktail if you dare. (Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.,131 Sullivan St., thedutchnyc.com)
Half-off Rose all day at La Pecora Bianca
Both locations of this Italian eatery are offering half off the price of a glass of rose all day on July 4th. Brunch will also be available for those who want to leisurely feast and imbibe. (1133 Broadway and 950 Second Ave., lapecorabianca.com)
Red, white and blue snow cones at Seamore’s
This healthy eatery at the Gotham West Market in Hell’s Kitchen is offering up red, white and blue adult snow cones with blood orange, coconut and blue curacao flavors with rum for $7.60. Available on July 4 only. (Noon to 10 p.m., 600 11th Ave., gothamwestmarket.com)
Indian-inspired fireworks cocktail at Rahi
Get a unique take on Independence Day at Rahi in the West Village. The “4th Froze” cocktail is made with vodka, strawberry and orange-infused dry vermouth that is poured over a masala-spiced frose cube. The bartender, Dzmitry Motuz, torches a layer of sugar over the top of an orange wheel to caramelize the sugar and create a fireworks-like effect on the orange. ($12, brunch is from noon to 3 p.m. and dinner is from 5 to 11 p.m., 60 Greenwich Ave., rahinyc.com)
Triple-decker ice cream sandwiches and barbecue balls at the Meatball Shop
If you head to The Meatball Shop now through July 4, you can get a special barbecue plate that comes with barbecue balls, mac and cheese balls (drenched in cheddar sauce), cole slaw, a German-style potato salad and homemade polenta cornbread — all for $18. Still hungry? Go for the new triple-decker ice cream sandwich or a cereal sandwich (ice cream sandwich with your favorite sugary cereals affixed).
Grill out without the grill at The Cannibal
Get your outdoor 4th of July celebration at The Cannibal, which has a selection of 300 beers with specials all day on July 4. If you’re looking for some good grilled food, choose from the Cannibal dogs ($15) with spicy tripe chili, cilantro, scallion, shallots and spicy mustard, the Royalton Burger ($27) or the General Tso’s Pig’s Head ($85) among other entrees. (11 a.m. to 10 p.m., 113 E. 29th St., cannibalnyc.com)
2 for $5 tacos at Choza Taqueria
Celebrate Independence Day with tacos. Street-food-inspired Choza Taqueria at Gotham West Market is having an all-day Taco Happy Hour, where you can get two tacos for $5. (8 a.m. to 10 p.m., 600 11th Ave., gothamwestmarket.com)
Fiesta at Tacocina
The brand-new eatery at the brand-new Domino Park is celebrating along the Williamsburg waterfront, so you can have a giant side of fireworks with your fiesta. For your money, you’ll get endless eats – chips and guacamole, cheese chicharrones, six kinds of tacos (pork belly and mango, chicken adobo among them) and desserts including ice cream sandwiches. You’ll need to hydrate too, and options range from the adult (margaritas, Modelo) to the practical (Mexican Cokes, water). Tacocina is the latest venture from restaurateur Danny Meyer and his Union Square Hospitality Group. ($100 per person, 21 and older only, 6-10 p.m. July 4, 25 River St., heytacocina.com.)
Vegan lobster rolls, Fourth of July ice cream “starwiches” and liberty cupcakes at by CHLOE.
The popular plant-based, fast-casual chain brings back its vegan lobster roll ($10.95) for the month of July, which, if you were wondering as we were, substitutes seafood with heart of palm. Vegenaise gives the sandwich its creaminess. Order it solo, or as part of a meal with air-baked French fries, a 4-ounce serving of vegan ice cream and a small lemonade ($17, available from July 4 through 8).
New for this year are a Fourth of July “starwich” ($5.95), vegan vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two star-spangled vanilla cookies, and a liberty vanilla cupcake, decorated with a swirl of red, white and blue frosting and topped with sprinkles and silver stars. (Sweets by CHLOE, 185 Bleecker St B, eatbychloe.com)
Whole pig roasts at The Standard Biergarten and Brooklyn Cider House
The Standard Biergarten will host a whole hog roast. For less than $20, you’ll get suckling pig with a rhubarb barbecue sauce, pull-apart Parker House rolls, green bean salad and coleslaw. International beer buckets and cocktails will keep you hydrated. ($18 per person, 848 Washington St., standardhotels.com)
Pair your pig with alcoholic apple suds at the Brooklyn Cider House, which will be slow-cooking — in a Caja China-style roasting box that halves the roasting time — an entire suckling pig on Independence Day and serving it from 2 to 5 p.m. If you can’t make it over during that window, don’t worry; the Bushwick cindery is celebrating all day long with music, food and games. Spend the whole holiday outdoors on the establishment’s new deck. (1100 Flushing Ave., Bushwick, brooklynciderhouse.com)
Founding Mothers cocktails at Hudson Hotel
The midtown hotel’s Library Bar is mixing up cocktails that pay homage not to the Founding Fathers, but their female counterparts. Toast the country’s first first lady with a Muddled Martha Washington or a pioneering abolitionist and women’s rights activist with the Sojourner Truth Serum. (358 W. 58th St, July 2 through 9, morganshotelgroup.com)
A classic American blue crab boil at Narcissa
The East Village restaurant in The Standard hotel that’s co-owned by chef John Fraser is celebrating our nation’s birthday with a traditional crab boil. Yukon Gold potatoes, andouille sausage and corn on the cob join shellfish in the pot, but that’s not all the farm-to-table eatery has on its holiday menu. Save room for grilled pork ribs, cornbread and pecan pie. Quench your thirst with $20 pitchers of beer and $12 glasses of frose. ($35 per person, reservations recommended, 25 Cooper Sq, standardhotels.com)
Free hot dogs and sliders (with cocktail purchase) at Drexler’s
Come to this Alphabet City cocktail bar on Independence Day with a taste for whiskey and an appetite for summer barbecue favorites. Every purchase of a Jack Daniels cocktail will come with your choice of either a complimentary hot dog or slider, as long as supplies last. If Tennessee whiskey isn’t your speed, the bar will also offer happy hour specials all night long. (9 Avenue A, drexlers.nyc)
Over-the-top shakes at Black Tap and Bill’s Bar and Burger
If you’re still into milkshakes that cram all aspects of dessert into one overflowing glass, Black Tap’s Red, White and Blue Cake Shake is for you. The vanilla shake is rimmed with frosting and patriotic sprinkles and topped off with an entire slice of three-layer cake. The limited edition shake ($19) will be available through July 8. (Multiple locations, blacktapnyc.com)
A slightly less decadent (and chepear, at $9.95) version, the Fourth of July milkshake at Bill’s Bar and Burger, comes with a sprinkle rim, a tuft of cotton candy and a mini American flag. (16 W. 51st St. and 85 West St., billsbarandburger.com)
Foot-long hot dogs at Refinery Rooftop
Supersize your July 4 festivities with a foot-long, all-beef hot dog at this midtown rooftop bar. The special comes with avocado relish, bacon, pickled red chilies and a side of kettle chips. Pair yours with a beer or the bar’s signature Frose. ($16, reservations can be made at reservations@ingoodcompany, com, 63 W. 38th St., ingoodcompany.com)
A ginormous Kobe beef burger at Industry Kitchen
Known for dishes like the 24K pizza, which comes topped with gold leaf, it’s no wonder that this South Street Seaport waterfront restaurant would celebrate the birth of our nation with something as outrageous as a burger delivering 25 pounds of Kobe beef, two pounds of bacon, two pounds of American cheese, one pound of tomato-onion compote and one full head of lettuce, all between halves of a 24-inch brioche bun. You’ll need to bring a big entourage to finish the Revolution Burger. ($150, 70 South St., industry-kitchen.com)
Complimentary cocktails with a one-hour vodka open bar at the Crown Rooftop Bar
Chef Dale Talde’s Chinatown rooftop bar guarantees a good view of the Macy’s fireworks on the East River, so we’d recommend making July Fourth reservations there even without the open bar special. General admission tickets cover an hour of as much vodka as you can drink and one cocktail. ($35 plus a $4 fee, 50 Bowery, thecrownnyc.com)
Red, white and blue vodka slushies at the Bungalow Bar
Make the trek out to the Rockaways on July 4 for panoramic view of Jamaica Bay and a patriotic, boozy slushie at this beachside hideaway. The bar will be offering a red, white and blue Frozen, which tastes citrusy and is prepared with vodka. (377 Beach 92nd St, Queens, ingoodcompany.com)
Añejo’s boozy brunch
The tequila bar and Mexican restaurant Añejo is hosting a boozy brunch at both of its locations that will include margaritas, cocktails and Mexican distillations for $47 per person. The food menu will include entrees like carne asada con huevos, eggs Benedict with Mexican chorizo and blueberry corn pancakes. (301 Church St. and 668 10th Ave., anejorestaurant.com)
The Star-Spangled platter at Virgil’s Real BBQ
For one day only on July 4, Virgil’s is offering a “Star-Spangled Platter” for $39.95 that comes with Memphis Style Pork Spare Ribs, Sliced Texas Beef Brisket, Carolina Pulled Pork and Quartered BBQ Chicken. It comes with a choice of two sides: hickory smoked baked beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, buttermilk biscuits, sautéed collard greens, and more. Don’t miss its festive red, white, and blue “All-American” kicked-up lemonade ($12) with Skyy Strawberry Vodka, frozen lemonade and Blue Curacao. (152 West 44th St., virgilsbbq.com)
Grilled classics and beer buckets at The Chester
The Chester (inside Gansevoort Meatpacking NYC) is firing up its grill and serving cheeseburger sliders for $14 and with fries for $19, kosher hot dogs (with fries for $14) and buffalo wings ($.75/wing for 12 wings, $9). It’ll also have buckets of beers (six of any kind for $36) and a frosé or a passionfruit mojito ($17/glass or $52/pitcher). And while you’re there, you can watch films like “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” “Sandlot,” “Grease” and more. At the end of the night, catch the fireworks at Gansevoort’s rooftop. (18 Ninth Ave., gansevoorthotelgroup.com)
A three-course meal for $40 at Morton’s Steakhouse
From July 1 to July 7, choose from prosciutto-wrapped mozzarella, Caesar salad and lobster bisque to start and a chicken, fish or pork for your main. You also get a side (broccoli florets, onion rings or horseradish mashed potatoes) and a dessert (crème brûlée, key lime pie or double chocolate mousse). All of that is $40, not including tax and tip. There’s also a “power hour,” which has select drinks and bites for a special price. (551 Fifth Ave., mortons.com)
With Shaye Weaver
