Port Sa’id

Filled with a sea of tables covered in brown butcher paper, Port Sa’id is a cavernous place with a mile-long bar, a listening lounge for vinyl nerds, and a DJ booth flanked by speakers large enough to communicate with the outer reaches of our solar system. All of that is very impressive, but it’s not what makes this place exciting.

The second location of a Tel Aviv spot from the chef behind Miznon and Shmoné, this Hudson Square restaurant has a basic, winning formula: prices that don't make you want to cede the Greater Soho area to the current crop of TikTok creators, and simple food that has no business being as good as it is. Everything else is just a nice bonus.

photo credit: Kate Previte

photo credit: Kate Previte

Printed daily in Comic Sans, the king of all fonts, Port Sa’id’s menu reads like it was assembled at an ayahuasca retreat. Flowery descriptions promise “sourdough rocks,” “vegetable creatures,” and “a faint memory from the alleys of Jerusalem.” This prose may remind you of the last time you were forced to eat food inspired by a chef's childhood memories at Momofuku Ko, but don't hit the panic button. The dishes here aren't fussy. In most cases, they're not even complex.

photo credit: Kate Previte

photo credit: Kate Previte

photo credit: Kate Previte

A third of the menu consists of straightforward sandwiches on fluffy white bread, and most other options rely heavily on fresh produce. A beet carpaccio topped with shaved horseradish is easily greater than the sum of its parts, and a baked potato stuffed with crème fraîche will make you want to move Scarsdale, throw away your iPhone, and live off the land. There are regular cameos from schug and tomato seeds—notably on some luxurious roast beef—and you'll see dill, mint, and parsley everywhere, as if the restaurant gets a tax break if they use enough herbs.

Bring a group, split a bunch of things, and chat over an all-vinyl soundtrack compliments of the nightly DJ listed at the bottom of the menu. Almost all of the dishes costs less than $20, which helps explain why Port Sa’id feels like a block party, even on a weeknight when the area is otherwise deserted, aside from a few fintech folks walking their golden retrievers. After dinner, head to the hidden bar in the back and bathe in some ambient music while you reflect on all the tahini you just ate. You can buy a few records there, which is another little perk.

Food Rundown

photo credit: Kate Previte

Burning Potato

This potato does not arrive burning. It is simply a baked potato, and it’s one of the better versions you’ll encounter, with a big scoop of crème fraîche and a heavy dusting of black pepper.

Eggplant

Tahini. Schug. Tomato seeds. It seems like half the dishes on Port Sa’id’s menu use those ingredients—and we have no complaints. They work well with this roasted eggplant, which is a great little snack.

photo credit: Kate Previte

Charred Beetroot Carpaccio

We didn't order this beet carpaccio until our third visit. "How good could it be?" we asked ourselves. Turns out: unreasonably good. The chilled, juicy slices of beet were born to be paired with horseradish and crème fraîche.

A Pile Of Tomatoes Emulsified In Its Own Blood

What a horrifying name for what is really just a fresh, tangy tomato salad. They sure do have fun here.

photo credit: Kate Previte

Bread Salad

Get this for the table. It comes with a mix of roasted tomatoes, carrots, and various herbs, but you're mostly just going to fixate on the bread. The crispy, crouton-like pieces arrive soaked in olive oil.

photo credit: Kate Previte

Rib Eye Roast Beef Carpaccio

This carpaccio arrives fully cooked, so what you’re essentially getting is a few thin slices of room temperature roast beef. Sounds underwhelming, tastes incredible. The silky rib eye melts in your mouth, and schug makes yet another memorable appearance.

Sac De Coq

Served in a paper bag, this chicken salad is light and fresh, with a bunch of green herbs tossed in. It's not an essential order, but it's a solid dish to share if you're looking for more protein-heavy options.

photo credit: Kate Previte

Lamb Shishlik

When you sit down at Port Sa'id and take a look at the menu, someone in your group will inevitably ask, "Which lamb dish should we get?" Choose this one. It comes with flavorful, fatty chunks of meat stacked on a skewer, alongside a pool of tahini and a salty herb salad.

Juicy Lamb Kebab

The other lamb dish on the menu, this thin kebab is perfectly pleasant, but it's not as juicy as advertised, and the portion size is always a little disappointing.

Chicken Sandwich

Port Sa’id’s sandwiches are all very straightforward. This one consists of an herb-packed chicken salad on squishy housemade challah. It's never a bad choice, but there are more exciting options.

photo credit: Kate Previte

Roast Beef Sandwich

Remember those "more exciting options" we were talking about? This is one of them. Port Sa'id is good at roast beef. If they put it in a dessert, we'd order that dessert. Here, it arrives stuffed into a compact sandwich with lots of mustard and aioli.