Travel the world on a plate at Archer & Goat’s family-run restaurant; here, Latin and South or East Asian flavors bring traditional American options alive.
Don’t blink on Lenox at 119th Street in Harlem or you may miss Archer & Goat, a warm and stylish restaurant at garden level of a quintessential brownstone block. Its owners and menu symbolize the international depth and cultural diversity of Harlem, depicted often as the world’s most famous predominately Black neighborhood. However, Harlem’s truly wide-ranging populations and their multicultural influences made it possible for something this special to arise. A family of first-generation Ecuadorian, Puerto Rican and Bangladeshi Americans do not just own Archer & Goat. They cook, serve and entertain a repeat customer base with new discovers.
Named Harlem + Bespoke’s “Best New Restaurant” of 2019 and featured in The New York Times as well as The Wall Street Journal, Archer & Goat is a neighborhood fixture with word-of-mouth traffic from all around town. The location’s crown jewel is a backyard patio lined with lush greenery and sparkling string lights, often reserved for celebrations in nice weather. The restaurant itself celebrates the heritage of people of color with a curated display of diverse books shelved above the bar and special events like a recent Puerto Rican Day Parade kickoff.
Married couple and long-time Harlem residents Alex Guzman and Jenifar Chowdhury, whose Zodiac signs provide the restaurant’s name, certainly didn’t foresee the pandemic when they opened the 40-seat casual dining spot in 2019. Their commitments to keeping prices affordable and hiring community locals posed strong challenges to stay afloat financially and maintain their small team’s morale. But a loyal cult following for its one-of-a-kind dishes and comfortable, sublime ambience pushed them through lockdown. Today, diners can see Guzman regularly join staff to put on quite a cooking show in a small but maximized open kitchen at back of the venue.
What are they whipping up? The signature Crispy Brussels Sprouts with cilantro chimichurri and pickled chilis is the crowd favorite according to longtime staff Alexander Tomas, also Guzman’s cousin.
The Portobello Mushroom Arepas, also with cilantro chimichurri, is another popular choice. And the Grilled Cauliflower with Shishito peppers, marinated olives, lime juice and sea salt will leave your tongue feeling like it took a cruise from South America to India. Vegan and vegetarian dishes join meat-eating standards like the A&G Burger & French Fries customized with queso blanco cheese, roasted red onion, arugula, red pepper sofrito and Glazed Lamb Ribs.
A prix-fixe dinner menu invites small table parties for a reasonable $45 price, almost unheard of in New York City for this quality of food. Add $25 bottomless mimosas to this brunch highlight: the almost sinful Spiced French Toast topped with orange marmalade, a date and candied pistachio crumble, and whipped cream. Otherwise, prices range from $10 for starters to the mid-$30 range for lamb or duck-based entrees. And you’ll certainly groove or relax to the smooth instrumentals and upbeat house kept on the stereo.
Once your senses swivel around the unpredictable blending of spices and sauces from such far apart regions in the world, with some peppered dishes quite hot so servers ask your temperature preferences, dessert and cocktails await. Whether traditional bottomless mimosas or an adventurous chai and Bloody Mary infused with masala, you will remember these flavors. And lessons learned from the pandemic inspire owners to maintain a small wine list of affordable whites, reds and sparklings with light or stout beers on tap. This is an excursion meant for people from all walks of life to come feel treated and satisfied.
Archer & Goat is open Thursday to Saturday for dinner starting at 5:00, and Sunday for brunch starting at 11:00. Make a reservation here.
Follow: IG = @archerandgoat_harlem / Facebook = @archerandgoat
