Sex & Relationships

Do mozzarella sticks turn you on?

Do oysters really make you horny — or are they just delicious?
The supposed aphrodisiac powers of foods is a highly personal and polarizing topic. Ahead of Valentine’s Day, we asked New Yorkers in the West Village about the foods that really turn them on.

Annie Wermiel

“If someone wants to drip chocolate on me, I’m like ‘nuh-uh’ … I tried [using] chocolate once and it was too much. I made a nice chocolate buttercream frosting, but it was just too filling.” — Olivia Coffey (above), 22, Brooklyn, performance artist

Annie Wermiel

“It would have to be melted chocolate for me. It’s that feeling, that liquid state — it reminds you of other things.” — May Vee (above), 26, Spanish Harlem, retail associate

Annie Wermiel

“Hard liquor. I need something to get me in the mood so I’m not thinking about anything else. I like Bailey’s Irish Cream.” — Fauzia Khan (above), 53, Jersey City, NJ, retail associate

Annie Wermiel

“Mozzarella sticks. They’re not too sloppy. I have to be cautious about what I eat because I don’t want it hanging off my beard.” — Ken Dorrance (above), 36, Astoria, guitar instructor

Annie Wermiel

“Coffee. It wakes me up. I like to feel hyper and ready for whatever. It gives you a boost so you’re more motivated for sex, making out, hanging out, whatever.” — Ray Ahamed (above), 25, Downtown Brooklyn, pickle salesman

Annie Wermiel

“Tapas. They’re pretty intimate and there’s a give and take. You don’t want to fill up too fast either, so that’s a good thing. And there’s a lot of interplay — but you’re not distracted by messiness.” — Thomas “Dirty Chime” Clayton (above), 30, West Village, clothing designer and DJ