Zona Sur Bar Bistro — Restaurant in New York

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is my third time visiting this lovely café, and it never disappoints. I first found Zona back in June while staying at NYU with my mom. After one too many hospital cafeteria meals, I Googled restaurants in the area, took a chance on this spot, and was pleasantly surprised. The staff, bartender, and even the owner Luis were so welcoming, and the clientele was just as sweet. That first visit I had seafood pasta, apple bread pudding, and a great cocktail—every bite was amazing.

Fast forward to August, when my mom had to return to NYU, I knew exactly where I was heading. After just one day of cafeteria food, I came back to Zona. After almost 12 hours at the hospital I stopped in for brunch before heading home this Tuesday afternoon and ordered the Zona French Toast with a passion fruit mimosa and margarita. Oh my gosh—so good. Excellent service from the owner himself.

Later that week, after closing my shop, I came back again for dinner. I started with the Zona slider (so delicious I inhaled it), then had the fish tacos with branzino, corn salsa, and all the toppings—perfectly satisfying. I even have left overs as it is a generous serving. I paired it with an espresso martini that was easily one of the best I’ve had in years. I also had a passionfruit margarita that hit the spot after a long day. SO GOOD! The server, Dani, a young lady, was excellent, mentioning the special and providing me with suggestions. Everything was fresh and delish.

What really stood out was that Luis, the lovely owner, remembered me when I returned tonight just a couple of days later. I told him I’d be back—and I meant it. That kind of personal touch is rare and makes Zona feel like more than just a restaurant. For me, it’s become almost a comfort spot—somewhere I know I’ll get a good meal, a warm experience, and leave feeling better than when I walked in.

The space itself is cozy with great music, string lights for ambiance, and just the right vibe. You can come here on a date, with friends, with family, or solo—and you’ll feel right at home. I learned that Zona has been here since 2012, and it shows in the consistency, quality, and care.

Great food, great drinks, great people. Anytime I’m in Sunset Park, this will be my go-to spot. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

I apologize for the “after” photos only, but truth be told I usually eat their meals faster than I remember to snap a picture, and this was...

I had a lovely time at Cafe Zona Sur on Friday. They had been on my list for a while.

When we walked in, the woman behind the counter greeted us with a smile and told us to sit anywhere we'd like. The place was not full, so we chose a quiet seat behind the counter so we can eat in peace of course.

Our waitress came over and brought us water, menu and coffees right away. I will suggest that they might want to change the pitcher they bring the milk in. We kept having to ask for refills on milk each time we got more coffee. It would have just been easier to bring us the entire cow (Only half kidding). Anyhow, I was dealing with a slight work emergency and she was still, so patient while waiting for me to decide what to order.

We ordered the Margarita pizza, breakfast eggs, and avocado on toast. The pizza came first and we kinda, sorta devoured it in almost one bite. It was focaccia style, a beautiful crust, good ratio of cheese to tomatoes. (No sauce) I ordered the eggs over easy and that's exactly how they were served. The home fries though, I will be raving about those forever. I'm not sure what or how they make them but those are one of if not the best home fries I've ever had.

The price was perfect too. All around a great breakfast spot and I look forward to...

Delicious surprise!

We were in town for a business meeting and found ourselves 2.3 miles away from this place, so it was the reviews that made us drive here in pretty heavy traffic. And the reviews were right! My 🐔 and my friend's 🥩 fritters were tender, full of flavor and plentiful. The presentation was great, as well, but it took a while to come out even though there were only three or four other guests in the joint.

Decor was festive this time of the year, but in general, the owner has created a cozy, rustic and somewhat intimate atmosphere with some barn-found items on the walls and furniture.

One other, totally food-unrelated observation about the bathroom - I don't love New York, but since I come here relatively often, I am always in awe and impressed by the ingenuity and ability to use any/all available space. You can only turn 180 degrees in the bathroom and you have to keep your hands tight to your body, but it has everything you need to get the business done - just tiny! The tiniest sink, soap dispenser, even mirror was shrunk to fit the space. Bravo! You can count on me being back, if I find myself back...