The New York Institution Anthony Bourdain Said Had 'The Best Breakfast In The Universe'

The late, beloved food world celebrity Anthony Bourdain was a picky guy. Bourdain hated brunch, and hollandaise sauce in particular. Likewise pumpkin spice, unicorn Frappuccinos, and brioche burger buns. Anthony Bourdain even likened club sandwiches to Al Qaeda. So the foods and institutions that did snag his seal of approval are typically unimpeachable. And when it comes to scoring breakfast in The City That Never Sleeps, NYC's Barney Greengrass passed Bourdain's mercurial test.

"Whenever I want to treat myself to the best breakfast in New York, in fact, the best breakfast in the universe, I go to a place in my neighborhood famed for just that," Bourdain said in a grainy old clip from "A Cook's Tour" filmed in 2001 that now lives on YouTube. "The legendary Barney Greengrass, the sturgeon king," he added. And the Upper West Side stalwart still does a brisk business after first opening its original iteration in Harlem back in 1908. 

Bourdain, of course, ordered the sturgeon that the seafood royalty is revered for, plus eggs with Nova and onions, a toasted bagel, and coffee without the cardboard taste that he typically preferred. He also grabbed some chopped liver to go. Each of these items still appear on the menu today, should you be planning a trip to the Amsterdam Avenue icon.

Retro decor that's unplaceable to the untrained eye, menu boards mounted overhead, and those inimitable, heavy glass deli plates; Barney Greengrass looks like it's straight out of Central Casting, but it's the real deal in a city of dwindling classics. In another vestige from the past, it's also cash only, so plan accordingly and know that while it's very casual, it also isn't cheap. Bourdain's beloved sturgeon platter, for example, now runs $51, though it can serve two.

Go early or prepare to wait, as it can take a while to be seated around peak weekend breakfast and brunch times; the eatery is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends, and closes an hour earlier on weekdays (although Barney Greengrass is closed on Mondays full stop). Order what you wish, but you likely understand by now that smoked fish is the house specialty. Sable, whitefish, and a few different salmon varieties are also available in large or appetizer sizes, as well as in sandwich form. A ton of egg dishes, pastrami, corned beef, challah french toast, and house-made blintzes also top tables. You can even get a $249 caviar presentation, but the only boozy beverage for pairing is beer. And make sure to grab a little something extra to go.