Welcome to the first official LAST CALL dispatch of 2025! We went out with a bang on this week’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve Special—which featured a ton of special guest stars—and we kick off the New Year with a look back at some of my favorite bites of 2024. I recommend you have a light bite of your own nearby as this round-up filled with pizza, wings, hoagies, hanger steaks, tacos, club sandwiches, pasta, panettone, soft-serve, shoo-fly pie, and so much more will have you seriously considering ordering in lunch or pre-planning dinner. While many of these outings were solo affairs, seeing each of these photos once again also reminds me of the people who I shared these experiences with at the table/counter/bar. My favorite “sips” of 2024 will be landing next week to complete today’s smörgåsbord. Have a great weekend!
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Today’s LAST CALL dispatch is free to all readers thanks to the generous support of Superclasico Non-Alcoholic Aperitivo.
The New Year is often a time of reflection and resetting to focus on things you may want to change or improve in your life. And for many that means embracing Dry January as a time to take a break or cut back from drinking alcohol. But whether you’re sober or sober-curious, seeking flavorful and inventive spirit-free options to replace an alcoholic drink can be a challenge.
Casamara Club founders Jason LaValla and Erica Johnson felt this way and grew tired of having to choose between lackluster flavored seltzers and sickly sweet sodas and mocktails when they wanted a non-alcoholic treat at the end of the day. Taking inspiration from Italian amaro and aperitivo culture they created a line of botanical-driven adult sodas, each with complex flavors and an extra dry finish that are perfect on their own, as a mixer, or to accompany your favorite aperitivo spread.
The latest addition to the Casamara Club portfolio is Superclasico—their very first cocktail-strength non-alcoholic drink. Superclasico channels the spirit of the iconic Negroni by way of Italy’s sunset-hued, ready-to-drink, non-alcoholic sodas like Sanbittèr and Crodino. Think of if it as a bittersweet, Italian-style aperitivo in a supercharged 8-ounce can.
Like all of Casamara Club botanical sodas, Superclasico is made with real ingredients—no artificial flavors, no sugar substitutes, and no preservatives—and is sweetened like a real cocktail, with top quality Demerara cane sugar. Superclasico is ready to drink straight from the can, or pour it into an ice-filled glass garnished with an orange slice. And it’s the perfect companion for an at-home aperitivo spread.
“Your leisure awaits…”
This Dry January, reset the way you think about non-alcoholic beverages with the sophisticated, refreshing, non-alcoholic taste of Superclasico.
Use promo code LASTCALL to save 15% on your purchase of Superclasico from the Casamara Club Shop the entire month of January.
My Favorite Bites of 2024
Scopa
Pizzeria LUCA (Lancaster, Pennsylvania)
Caesar Salad
Leo (Williamsburg, New York)
Heirloom Tomato & Stone Fruit Salad
Rolo’s (Ridgewood, Queens)
Fresh Ricotta with Mortadella, and Walnut-Fig Condimento LUCA (Lancaster, Pennsylvania)
Crispy Fairy Tale Eggplant with Labneh and Hot Honey
Shukette (Chelsea, New York)
Panisse
The Long Island Bar (Cobble Hill, Brooklyn)
Swedish Meatballs
KABIN (Hudson Square, New York)
Crispy Fried Potatoes with Roasted Garlic, Rosemary, LUCA Profumo, Schmaltz, Aged-Vinegar Aioli
LUCA (Lancaster, Pennsylvania)
Stuffed Mussels and Crab & Mortadella Dip
San Sabino (West Village, New York)
Wings
Horse Inn (Lancaster, Pennsylvania)
Roni’ Cups & Ranch
Bad Roman (Columbus Circle, New York)
Baked Clams
Bernie’s (Greenpoint, Brooklyn)
Shrimp Cocktail & East Coast Oysters
Red Hook Tavern (Red Hook, Brooklyn)
Al Pastor Yaki Tacos
SUPERBUENO (East Village, New York)
Sweet Corn and Mascarpone Agnolotti
Popina (Columbia Street Waterfront District, Brooklyn)
Provel Pie
Union Loafers (St. Louis, Missouri)
Supreme
Nate’s Detroit Style Pizza (Cobble Hill, Brooklyn)
“BTP Special”
Pepi’s Pizza (Oneida, New York)
Turkey Club & Cottage Fries
S&P (New York, New York)
BLT & Sidewinder Fries
The Blue Canoe Grill (Erieville, New York)
Jambon-Beurre
Laurel Bakery (Columbia Street Waterfront District, Brooklyn)
Hot Salami & Roast Beef Sandwich on Garlic Cheese Bread
Gioia’s Deli (St. Louis, Missouri)
Buffalo Chicken Cheesesteak
Cabalar Meat Co. (Lancaster, Pennsylvania)
Hot Ham Sandwich
Hamburger America (Soho, New York)
Feltman’s Chili Dog
McSorley’s Old Ale House (East Village, New York)
Covered Meatball Sandwich
Eddie’s (Sylvan Beach, New York)
Swoony’s Burger
Swoony’s (Columbia Street Waterfront District, Brooklyn)
Tips ‘N’ Toast
Horse Inn (Lancaster, Pennsylvania)
Hanger Steak au Poivre and Fries
Leo (Williamsburg, Brooklyn)
Jimmy Nardello Peppers & Wagyu Beef Skirt Steak with Green Garlic Butter
Rolo’s (Ridgewood, Queens)
Steak & Shrimp Night
The Long Island Bar (Cobble Hill, Brooklyn)
Apple & Cheese Danish
Ciao, Gloria (Prospect Heights, Brooklyn)
Infermentum for Una Pizza Napoletana Lemon, Dark Chocolate, and Sea Salt Panettone
Una Pizza Napoletana (Lower East Side, New York)
Bacon & Cheddar Biscuits with Chive Butter
Gramercy Tavern (Gramercy, New York)
Glazed Apple Cider Donuts
Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop (Greenpoint, Brooklyn)
Apple Cider Donuts with Apple Butter and Mascarpone Gramercy Tavern (Gramercy, New York)
Meyer Lemon Poppy Seed Cruller
Daily Provisions (Cobble Hill, Brooklyn)
Wet Bottom Shoo-Fly Pie
Horse Inn (Lancaster, Pennsylvania)
Peach Brown-Butter Tart with Crème Fraîche
Rolo’s (Ridgewood, Queens)
Torta di Mandorle e Cioccolato Messiano
Roscioli NYC (Soho, New York)
Chocolate Mousse
Swoony’s (Columbia Street Waterfront District, Brooklyn)
Black Cherry and Mascarpone Soft-Serve
Leo (Williamsburg, Brooklyn)
Honeynut Squash Sundae
Gramercy Tavern (Gramercy, New York)
“The Swirl”
Shukette (Chelsea, New York)
Our thanks to Superclasico Non-Alcoholic Aperitivo for underwriting today’s LAST CALL dispatch.
Use promo code LASTCALL to save 15% on your purchase of Superclasico from the Casamara Club Shop the entire month of January.
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LAST CALL logo and design by Ed Anderson.
Re: Detroit pizza, Nathan's is good, but serious RIP to LaRose on Smith -- that s$%#t was sooo good.
Omg this is my dream post/list! Where my ‘roni cups at?!?