When legendary chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten moved to New York in 1986, he couldn’t get enough of the Seaport’s historic Fulton Fish Market. He was introduced to varieties of fish he hadn’t seen in Europe and Asia and learned from the fisherman there about their practices and foods to pair with each fish. “It was a true turning point in my career,” he says.
Fast forward nearly 40 years, and Vongerichten’s team has transformed the market into a culinary wonderland packed with full-service restaurants, quick-service spots, and a farmers market spread out over two floors.
The Tin Building’s 12 restaurants have everything from a Parisian-style brasserie to a sumptuous Chinese restaurant to a glorious seafood spot that nods to the building’s past. You’ll find all of the grab-and-go options, Tin Building’s centerpiece seafood restaurant, and others on the first floor, while an outpost of abcV and a few other restaurants are on the second floor. Think of it as what Eataly did for Italian food, but on a global culinary scale.
“[The restaurants] speak to my love of international cuisine and travel. Tin Building, to me, is a culmination of my career and achievement,” Vongerichten says.
Read on for how to have the best time at the Tin Building with this comprehensive guide to all the restaurants.
Fulton Fish Co.
The Tin Building is, after all, an ode to the bounty of fish that was once sold at this historic market, so naturally the seafood restaurant Fulton Fish Co. is the crown jewel of the development. The raw bar is the centerpiece of the restaurant, where you’ll find an expansive selection of oysters, razor clams, shrimp, and lobster, among others. The menu from chef Jumin Bae further takes a tour of the ocean with dishes like whole fried sea bass with tartar sauce, yellowfin tuna tartare, and an overstuffed Maine-style lobster roll.
abcV
Head to this airy, sleek outpost of Vongerichten’s famed plant-based restaurant for some of the best produce and legumes from local farmers markets. Chef Felicia Bradley changes the menu frequently, but you can always look forward to favorites like a hearty mushroom bolognese, crispy dosa with beluga lentils, and a whole roasted cauliflower dusted in za’atar and drizzled with turmeric tahini.
House of the Red Pearl
Eating inside the sumptuous and scarlet-hued dining room here feels like you’re transported to a luxurious, old-school Chinese banquet restaurant. Chef Anthony Ungano has created a menu fit for an emperor, so you can look forward to elegant plates of steamed black sea bass with red chiles, wok-fried cumin lamb, and Dungeness crab fried rice.
Shikku
Vongerichten has always had a soft spot for Japan, and that’s on full display at this intimate, low-lit den for sushi and sake. Go for the 12-course omakase (there’s also a condensed six-piece flight) to let chef Katsu Aoki make all the decisions for you, or choose from the extensive a la carte options including Japanese pub-fare favorites like chicken karaage with lemon mayonnaise.
T.Brasserie
T.Brasserie, with its elegant emerald-tiled interiors and soft lighting, feels like Vongerichten’s slice of Paris dropped straight from Champs-Élysées into Lower Manhattan. Chef Kenneth Pinney goes all out on the classics here: think a frisée salad topped with crispy lardons, a robust steak tartare, and whole-roasted chicken with pan juices and potato purée. Don’t sleep on the profiteroles for dessert.
The Frenchman’s Dough
Come to The Frenchman’s Dough for fresh pastas and wood-fired pizzas in a spacious setting that’s particularly good for larger groups and diners with kids. You’ll find chef Joel De Los Santos turning out crowd-pleasing favorites like cacio e pepe, pomodoro and meatballs, and a half-dozen pizzas including mushroom with eggs and three cheeses. Vongerichten says the move here is for families to head to the Spoiled Parrot, a candy shop with ice cream and sorbet on the first floor, for a post-dinner treat.
Quick and casual options
If you’re looking for a quick bite, you can also choose from a breakfast counter for eggs and more (Double Yolk); a taco joint with a slew of Mexican street foods (Taquito); a fresh dosa spot (Crepes & Dosa); a coffee shop for a morning latte and a warm croissant (T. Cafe); a counter for large salads and sandwiches (Sandwich & Salad); and an Asian speakeasy (The Bar) and a wine bar (The Wine Bar) with craft cocktails and wines from across the globe, respectively.
Don’t forget to stop by the farmers market and the retail space where you’ll find a wide global selection of sauces, oils, marinades, and chocolates.
“When I look at what we have created here,” Vongerichten says, “I think we have done what we set out to do: to honor history and reinvent the meaning of a marketplace; somewhere you can spend an entire day.”
Known for her pioneering food blog, The Strong Buzz, Andrea covers restaurants, chefs, trends, and big picture stories about the intersection of food, business, policy and the law for publications such as The New York Times, Fast Company, Food & Wine, New York Magazine, Eater, and more. She lives, eats, and loads and unloads the dishwasher in Brooklyn. Follow her on Instagram, @strongbuzz.
