2 Best Restaurants in Staten Island, New York City

Staten Island has one of the largest Sri Lankan communities outside the South Asian nation, which means it's the perfect place to taste its cuisine. Along an unassuming strip of restaurants and groceries is this acclaimed, standout restaurant, tastefully adorned with Sri Lankan curios. During the week, different curries accompany à la carte dishes known as lamprais, kottus, and hoppers, however, on weekends there's an all-you-can-eat buffet of greatest hits for $22.

Just a short walk from the ferry terminal, Enoteca Maria began an ordinary Italian eatery, with several nonne (Italian grandmas) in the place of a chef, each one cooking regional dishes on different nights. They've since branched out to celebrate global cuisines with "Nonnas of the World," and have been recognized for that incentive. On any given night you might sample Ukrainian, Sri Lankan, Greek, or Argentinian comfort food, cooked with organic ingredients sourced locally when possible. Check their website's calendar to find out what country the next nonna hails from, before she prepares dishes for you in this small, but welcoming space.