Comedian and style guru Adam Sandler is known for many things: pants that don’t fit right, casting friends and family in weirdly autobiographical movies and creating one of the few Thanksgiving songs we have as a culture, among others. He may not live there anymore, but Sandler is a New Yorker at heart. Born in Brooklyn and brought back to the city as a college student at New York University and later as a “Saturday Night Live” cast member, he emulates the classic, turbulent vibes of New York City. He wears basketball shorts all year round. He noshes on loose pickles in the street. He just gets it. As someone who has put in the work as a Sandler historian (have YOU ever been broken up with for admitting you enjoyed “Jack and Jill”?), I can say with certainty that he would give you directions if you were lost in the Big Apple; he might even suggest a good breakfast place. From New York City staples to hidden (uncut) gems, these spots are some of The Sandman’s favorites.
Brooklyn Diner
One of Adam Sandler’s favorite restaurants, this cozy diner is frequented by tourists, locals and celebrities including Jerry Seinfeld and Paul McCartney. Confusingly, the Brooklyn Diner is not in Brooklyn but on 57th Street in Midtown Manhattan, not far from Sandler’s old “SNL” stomping ground. Sandler still frequents the restaurant and has been known to bring in friends, business partners and even his mom on more than one occasion. More often, he comes by himself. Famous for its one-pound hot dog that stretches comically past its bun, you can expect classic diner food, from milkshakes to sandwiches to all-day breakfast. If it’s good enough for him, it’s good enough for me.
Per Se
Chef Thomas Keller’s upscale American restaurant became a staple in Sandler’s preparations to play a professional chef in 2004’s “Spanglish.” Not only did Adam Sandler eat here and at its sister location in Los Angeles, but he also trained under Keller. Per Se is the most expensive place you would probably imagine finding someone like Sandler. The restaurant has three Michelin stars and offers a fixed-price tasting menu of plates that look more like abstract art than food; you can overlook Central Park while enjoying the nine different courses.
Any Deli or Bodega
Eating is not an activity reserved for just cafes, diners or restaurants. Adam Sandler has been seen wandering the streets of Manhattan, a whole open jar of pickles in hand, just going for it. As a New Yorker, I respect this move, and you too can replicate it. Any jar or bucket of pickles will do (Sandler goes for B&G), which can be purchased impulsively at any deli or bodega in New York City. The world is your oyster — the city is your pickle jar! — if you’re brave enough to follow in his footsteps. “I like pickles by the way,” Sandler told Esquire about his street-eating escapades. “They taste good. They’re crunchy as hell.” Amen, Adam.
Cozy Soup ‘n’ Burger
A Greenwich Village staple for almost 50 years, this classic diner is located on the same block as NYU Tisch, Sandler’s alma mater, and one of his favorites. Sandler has frequented the spot since he was 17 for what, as he once tweeted (or X’d?) are “incredible burgers” and “incredible shakes.” Rob Schneider’s character in “Big Daddy” works at Cozy Soup ‘n’ Burger, showing just how much of an effect the greasy little diner had on Sandler as a writer. The diner even has his face on its wall. Come here for soup or a burger (as advertised) and try to find Sandler among the collection of many weathered headshots.
“Adam Sandler is an amazing guy. He came in a month ago,” Cozy Soup ‘n’ Burger Owner John Stratidis said. “Every time he comes in he is just Adam. We’ve believed him in from the beginning and had his picture on our walls for years.”
Veselka
Another spot not far from NYU that Sandler frequents is this beloved Ukrainian restaurant in the East Village. Sandler’s far from the only celebrity who is a patron; Anthony Bourdain showed it off in “Parts Unknown,” and veterans of the neighborhood swear by it. It’s a great place to get your borscht and pierogies on a cold December morning — and just about anything else you may crave after a long night out.
West 4th Street Courts
I don’t know about you, but I long for the day when I can get away with dressing like a retired NBA player. Outfit-wise, Adam Sandler is always prepared to play basketball in New York City, usually seen in oversized graphic tees, athletic shorts that fall below his knees and white socks raised dangerously close to said shorts. He’s been spotted playing with Timothée Chalamet in SoHo this year, in what I hope is a preview of the “Wonka” movie. If he wasn’t always playing himself, you’d think he was perpetually preparing for his lead role in “Hustle.” There are many, many basketball courts scattered around the city. At any one of them you just might find Sandler waiting for a third player.
IHOP (Multiple Locations)
Okay, I know what you’re thinking. I’m not taking the train to Long Island to eat at an IHOP. Good news: New York City has several IHOP locations hiding in plain sight. And Sandler has been to at least one of them. After a long morning of playing basketball in the city (his natural habitat), Adam Sandler has been known to refuel at the pancake-centered chain, sometimes with his daughters. Pancakes are offered in every flavor at this location, which, of the places on this list, best fits Sandler’s off-duty coach aesthetic.
Felix
Another “Big Daddy” reference, Felix, is the restaurant where Sandler’s character and his young companion famously pee on the door after being denied access to the bathroom. The food is pretty good though, and if you come to eat, I’m sure they’ll let you use their bathroom. The vibe is open-air European (so, the West Village), with a wide-ranging menu of French cuisine. If croque monsieurs, croque madames, mussels and steak frites are up your alley, this is a moderately priced way to go while also eating something that isn’t breakfast.