02 Jun 2025 4 min read Article

Our Guide to Father's Day

Jenn de la Vega with her grandpa. Photo by Jojo de la Vega.

Let's give it up for dear ol' dad and all of the dads you know! We meet fathers of the brides, grooms, babies, and even our team's dads throughout the year. They often inspire our menu designs with childhood memories, dishes they made, and songs they have sung. Plan a fun Father's Day with our guide, whether you're celebrating in person or across the country.

While some of the businesses we mention are local to New York, we hope you can learn something new below. Enjoy our Father's Day hosting tips, activity ideas, and gift guide to show your appreciation this month.

Hosting Tips

Koji-marinated Korean short ribs. Photo by Jenn de la Vega.

Whether you're hosting at home or elsewhere, keep these things in mind when inviting Dad over.

Most of the fathers we know already own a grill, so why not take over? Plan out your proteins, marinades, sides, and snacks! If he won't let you, offer to get a cool protein he's never grilled before. We're fans of lamb racks, Korean "flanken" short ribs, picanha, duck, and whole pigs.
Speaking of porcine, another showstopping dish is a whole jamon leg. We love to get ours from Despaña. Don't forget to buy a rack to display it and the special slicing knife. If you're going to serve it right away, make sure you know how to trim off the first layer. It takes some time, so take care of it the night before.
If Pops is into seafood, we source from Aqua Best. They ship nationwide through Goldbelly. But if you go to their store in Manhattan, they can walk you through the freshest shellfish and some rare trout roe, barnacles, and Spanish carabineros shrimp.
Check the weather! If you're planning to grill, it would be unfortunate if it rained. Worry not, you can still grill indoors with an electric griddle or a grill pan. Turn on the kitchen vent and open the windows so you don't make everyone's eyes burn.
Alternatively, some of our favorite group cooking activities are making takoyaki or hot pot. Takoyaki are Japanese octopus balls, but you can fill them with cheese, vegetables, or meat to make them your own. Hot pot is a Chinese style of dining with a communal pot of flavorful broth where you cook vegetables, meat, and seafood. At the end, the potent broth can be enjoyed with rice or noodles!
Don't forget the drinks! Chill any beer, wine, or non-alcoholic beverages at least 2 hours before you have people over. Or fill a cooler with ice and chill cans or bottles that way. Always have two sets of ice: one for chilling and another for putting in drinks.

Get Out There

Photo courtesy of the NY Transit Museum.

Maybe a party isn't his style? Take him out on an adventure instead!

For the Art Appreciator

Cinephiles will appreciate indie and foreign films at the iconic Angelika Film Center, archival films at Metrograph, and an afternoon of screenings with accompanying exhibits at the Museum of the Moving Image.
The 92nd Street Y hosts a variety of craft classes from painting to batik, drawing, calligraphy, and bookbinding.
Has Dad ever dreamed of being a drummer? The NY Drum School can teach in-home, at the studio, or over a video call.

For the Constant Learner

The NY Transit Museum is fun to walk through, and you can take cool photos in vintage train cars. Bonus: It's a lovely walk down to Brooklyn Bridge Park's Pier 6, which is a seaside promenade that lines DUMBO. If you have the energy, you can also walk across the Brooklyn Bridge (or take the ferry!).
The National Museum of Mathematics is on the northern side of Madison Square Park. Bordering the park is Eataly, which has a fun rooftop beer garden. The park also hosts the first Shake Shack stand.
Brooklyn Shoe Space hosts beginner shoemaking, belt-making, and dog collar fabrication in their studio. Afterward, grab a beer at Talea to toast a job well done.

For the Nature Lover

The NY Botanical Garden hosts a variety of continuing education classes like urban ecology, propagation (perfect for the home gardener!), plant identification, and the natural history of insects.
The Noguchi Museum is located in Astoria, Queens, and is dedicated to the works of Japanese-American sculptor Isamu Noguchi. Close by is the outdoor Socrates Sculpture Park. It is also next to a Costco, we don't know any parents who can resist walking through one "just because."
A NYC water trail permit is $15 and you can kayak from many locations across the 5 boroughs. Alternatively, row boats and paddle boats for rent are available at select parks.

Gifts From Far Away

If you aren't able to see your Dad(s) in person, you can always send something along to show you're thinking of them.

We put together a fun collection of recommendations on Etsy, from customizable socks, brain teasers, and grilling accessories.
Gift a subscription to New York Times Games! Not only does he get access to the crossword archive, but there are also new kinds of logic and word games to keep him busy.
Speaking of the NYT, they offer custom "birthday books" where you can print a commemorative single page or embossed book of the front pages from the year you were born to now.
As you might have guessed, we love to send cheese to our loved ones. Our friends at Murray's Cheese curated a special Father's Day sampler "from a bourbon-washed wonder to a beer-washed blue cheese, and other delicious wedges."
We can't resist a silly gift, too. Make 'em chuckle with a "manual" can opener, hot dog oven mitt, or a wasted wine stopper,

How do you celebrate Father's Day? We'd love to hear about any traditions you might have.

Disclosure: When you buy through our affiliate links, we may earn a commission. We have not been compensated otherwise for our recommendations.