Leña Latin Grill
34 West 35th St (btwn 5th and 6th aves)
Manhattan
Phone: (646) 274-1995
Hours: Mon-Fri: 8am – 5pm, Breakfast and Lunch

Open for three months and totally poppin’, Leña Latin Grill wins the war of fast food vs. sit-down and serves up locally-sourced foods in three dish styles: Wrap, Salad or Plate. For each dish style you have the option of Chicken, Steak, Fish or Tofu proteins with a chef’s special protein offering.

After a hearty welcome into this clean, modern and efficient space, I took a recommendation and ordered a steak wrap with Chimichurri sauce (a personal favorite) and indulged in some outstanding Yucca fries. Seriously, get the Yucca fries. Sauces are potent, positively bursting with flavors the likes of which you will never find at a Chipotle.

I particularly like Leña’s seasonal, natural and sustainable lean, with shifts in menu items that reflect what is freshly available right here in NY. You can watch Leña chefs flash-grill your order in the open-view kitchen for entertainment as you await your meal to-go, or grab a number and spend your lunch hour in the sleek, wood-laden shop.

GO check it out before there’s a line down the block. And when you stop in, be sure to say hi to owner Ronny. He’s a native peach.

SPECIAL TIP: Check into Leña’s on Foursquare and get a Free, fresh and delicious house juice that come in varieties such as Watermelon, Blackberry and Guanabana.