
Yes, it’s now sweater weather in New York, but you can easily relive the glory days of summer at a new tropical-themed spot, Sally Roots. Matthew Maddy, James Freeman, and John De Piper — the co-owners of Sweet Science and Featherweight — have opened an all-day diner-like restaurant that serves akee and salt fish, jerk chicken, sweet plantains, and a Cuba Libre cocktail.
The name comes from a ‘60s-era Panamanian record label, Sally Ruth — (De Piper credits the change to a “little inebriated miscommunication”). Because Freeman grew up in St. Croix, he has a particular affinity for this kind of food, and De Piper claims that he comes from a long line of pirates, which Grub is not going to bother fact-checking. Maddy, meanwhile, is a James Beard–nominated restaurant designer, and that’s probably why the backyard already feels as perfectly lived-in and comforting as the food. Take a look:








Menu [PDF]
Sally Roots, 195 Wyckoff Ave., (347) 425-0888