It’s Sungold Season!

Tomato-lovers, rejoice! Your favorite fruit/vegetable is now in season, and at Arlo Williamsburg’s Sungold, that means the return of the restaurant’s namesake, the Sungold tomato. Chef Michael King loves to use Sungolds in the restaurant’s ever-popular Bucatini, which will be back on the menu for the summer very soon. On June 18, King and his team from Sungold will be at the Union Square Greenmarket in Manhattan to showcase the dish and talk more about their love of Sungolds and other fresh market produce. Here, Chef Mike tells us more about the sweet variety of cherry tomato, and how he likes to use it in the kitchen.

How do Sungolds differ from other tomatoes?

In a few ways. They kind of have their own unique tomato taste—they're very sweet, have low acidity, and they have what people sometimes call a tropical flavor. They’re bright orange and are very pretty.

What sparked your interest in them, and when did you start using them?

I used to work at a restaurant in Union Square in Manhattan, across the street from the farmer's market. I discovered them walking around the market one day, at the stand for a farm named Eckerton Hill in Pennsylvania—where we source all our produce for Sungold. They really popularized Sungolds for New York chefs some years ago. So, I started getting them there. And the pasta that’s the mainstay of our menu and our namesake came about during the summer of 2020 when my sous chef and I were going to the market all the time, buying stuff, and just messing around. That’s when I developed the Sungold sauce.

What are some other ways to use Sungolds in a dish?

They’re very versatile. They’re pretty firm, so they’re great raw or in a salad. Also, because they’re so sweet, their flavor develops very well over time.

What drinks pair well with your Sungold Bucatini?

A lighter wine, like a rosé would be good, or a more minerally white wine.

Do you have any tips for people preparing a dish with Sungolds at home?

When they come to market, they’re not always super ripe. So, understanding that and maybe letting them hang out on your counter for a few days to finish up is important.

What new dishes are coming to the Sungold menu this summer?

In addition to the Sungold Bucatini, which will be on the menu soon, we’re dehydrating them to make a mignonette for our oysters. That’s new. And we’re going to do a two-tomato mozzarella-based pizza with Sungolds and another tomato we love called Sweet 100s. They’re bright, Ferrari red grape tomatoes that are super sweet. They’re cultivated a little more widely than Sungolds are, but they’re hyper-seasonal.

What are your favorite dishes to prepare?

At Sungold, we have a really strong pizza program. Cooked with wood fire, with a long-fermented dough. I'm really proud of that and I really enjoy being on the pizza station. It’s fast-paced, and it’s a good perch to see our dining room because we have an open kitchen and the pizza oven is right there.

Do you cook at home?

I do. I try to make one proper meal a week for me and my family. Usually pasta. My son and I have been working on our gnocchi technique lately. He’s eight, so that’s really fun for both of us. Also, I have two brothers I’m very close with and when they visit us from Boston, we almost always make chicken parm, like our parents made for us at least once a week our entire lives.

What can you tell us about the Sungold Pop-Up at the Union Square Greenmarket on June 18?

We’re going to basically set up shop at the Grow Tent—GrowNYC is the organization that runs all the greenmarkets in the city. We’re going to be preparing tastings of the Sungold Bucatini, giving them away to market-goers and talking about the dish. We’ll be next to the Eckerton Hill tent, so we’ll get people excited for the beginning of Sungold season and about the restaurant. We’ll be there from about 11am to 2pm.

Picture it: You have a summer’s day off in New York. What would you be doing?

It depends if my children are at camp or school, or if it’s just me. I’m a runner, so I’d probably be going for a run in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, which is right around the block from my apartment. I’d go to one of the cafés in my neighborhood and spend some time alone, doing my Wordle. And my hobby is 35-millimeter photography, so I might explore a neighborhood I don’t spend that much time in and take some photos.

To try the famous Sungold Bucatini for yourself, you can make a reservation here.