Patch Tastemaker: Big Mozz Founder Matt Gallira

Any New Yorker knows that the bar is set pretty high when it comes to quality mozzarella in the city. And as the CEO and founder of Big Mozz, Matt Gallira's award-winning mozzarella sticks go above and beyond the lofty standards.

After founding a startup food business specializing in handmade pasta sauces, Gallira decided to hone in on deliciously deep fried mozzarella (AKA "the best party snack ever") and launched the Big Mozz brand at Brooklyn's Smorgasburg. Aside from receiving the 2016 Vendy Award for Best Market Vendor, Gallira was also named to Zagat's 30 Under 30 list.

Gallira has lived in the Big Apple for the past five years, and is constantly inspired by its persevering nature. "Starting a business here is hard, and the city is really good at kicking you while you're down, but everywhere you look people are hustling and making it work," he says.

When he's not serving up some mouthwatering "mozz," you might find this entrepreneur indulging in the corn husk meringue at Cosme or spending the day taking in the NYC history on Governor's Island. Check out the rest of his favorite spots around New York City, below:

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What neighborhood do you live in? Fort Greene, Brooklyn

What’s your occupation? I'm the Founder and CEO of Big Mozz, an outdoor catering and event operator based in Brooklyn and LA.

Describe NYC in three words: Relentless, exhausting and motivating.

What’s your favorite overall NYC restaurant? Cosme. Wow. My favorite place in the world is Tulum, Mexico, and it's a hyper-refined version of the food you get on the beach with a bucket of Modelo's. I had an absurd steak at Le Turtle recently, also wow. My favorite neighborhood spot right now is Miss Ada in Fort Greene, because it's a great example of how a restaurant can feel cozy but still be really concise and blow you away with the care and creativity they put into their menus. Order too many things and share all of it.

Best sushi: Gari on the Upper West Side — it's a little basic, but it's so reliable and is not a $400 omakase.

Best Italian food: I love Marta in Flatiron, because it's quick, simple food plus the Danny Meyer hospitality. Going to Union Square Hospitality Group restaurants is always so impressive from an operations standpoint. They're magical people.

Best dessert: The corn husk meringue at Cosme; gelato at Superiority Burger.

Best pizza: Dozzino in Hoboken (fight me).

Best spot for a quick lunch: Dekalb Market Hall in downtown Brooklyn.

Best food truck: East Coast Poke at Smorgasburg has hands-down the best poke in NYC. It's a simple formula: super fresh fish (and lots of it) on perfect rice and seaweed. Done.

Best spot for a romantic date: Gramercy Tavern (the tavern side).

Best glass of wine: Go to the wine store at Chelsea Market, ask to borrow a corkscrew, and drink it at Los Tacos No. 1. Chelsea Market is BYOB and it's criminally underutilized.

Best Sunday brunch: Phebe's Tavern & Grill in Astor Place for classic brunch fare; stay for Bengals games in the fall and get a plate of 3-way Skyline Chili.

Best spot for a power business meeting: Del Posto is probably the ultimate power restaurant for me, because when you're there you feel like the captain of everything. That being said, food halls are amazing for this purpose because you can do a bunch of research in advance and point out all of the hidden gems to your client. You look like a trendy insider person, and you eat really, really well.

Best cup of coffee: An espresso at Café Integral in SoHo.

Best steak: The massive grilled short rib at Carnal (Smorgasburg). And I haven't been yet, but I am totally on board for whatever it is Salt Bae does up at Nusr-Et. That guy is a unicorn.

Best craft cocktail: Blue Hill in the Village has an amazing bar menu — get the cocktail made with smoked maple syrup from Vermont.

What hotel would you recommend for your out of town guests? Book the cheapest one close to a subway, and spend as little time inside it as possible.

Favorite shopping venue or boutique: Brooklyn Flea

Best gym or fitness studio: Brooklyn Boulders

Best spa: Equinox Flatiron for a Metcon and a steam.

Favorite charity event or organization: Brooklyn Brewery hosts Puppies & Pints, a runway show for Badass Brooklyn Animal Rescue. Go, it's as amazing as it sounds.

Favorite cultural event: The Feast of San Gennaro. It's so earnest and nostalgic, and I make a pilgrimage every year for a sausage and peppers sandwich (spicy.) The sweat dripping off the Italian dude working the grill makes it extra authentic.

Favorite cultural institution: Papaya King

What’s the best museum or current exhibit in NYC? Cooper Hewitt Design Museum on the Upper East Side is casual and super interesting; the Brooklyn Museum has David Bowie is, and I need to get there.

Best historic or iconic NYC landmark to see or explore: Governor's Island. The ferry is a psychological barrier only (just put Governor's Island into Maps, you'll be fine!) Incredible picnic scene, really great food trucks, and very cool NYC history. Also, Blue Marble Ice Cream.

What’s your all-time favorite spot in New York City? Ok, so this is a sensitive one for me because for a long time Arturo's on Thompson & Houston was my zen place (coal oven pizza, mussels and red sauce, jazz band, old school cocktails) but I went there last year and it's just not the same. A total Holden Caulfield moment for me. So my favorite spot right now is Fort Greene Park for off-leash hours with my dog and beers in a sippy cup.

The best aspect of New York City is: NYC is eminently Google-able. But, don't do the first thing that pops up when you search "things to do in NYC" — unless it tells you to go to Smorgasburg and try Big Mozz. You should definitely do that.

More city guides from notable New Yorkers:

• 'An Actress Eats' Blogger Sarah Schenkkan's Guide To NYC
• 'Brunch Boys' Founder Jeremy Jacobowitz' Guide To New York City
• Chef David Burke's Guide To New York City

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Image Credit: Matt Gallira