New York City Favorites
Saturday, April 14, 2012 New York City Favorites Last Updated: April 14, 2012
My obsession with New York began with a Statue of Liberty costume when I was 5, continued through high school with screen classics such as How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days and Serendipity taunting me with the city scenes, and finally I got here. I haven’t been here long in the grand scheme of life, but I am often asked for favorite restaurants and things to do. I’m also a licensed New York City tour guide, leading one 1.5 hour walking tour a month in Brooklyn Heights that I developed, so I know an insane amount of history about the city.
A few constant favorites:
The High Line—A beautiful urban park built on an old elevated train track that completed the transformation of the far West side/Meatpacking district.
Top of the Rock—I love the view so much that I bought a membership. It has paid for itself with the number of family & friends I’ve brought up.
Gramercy Park--This gorgeous park takes you back to New York in the early 1900s. Eat at Pete’s Tavern or Pure Food & Wine nearby. Or go to lunch at one of New York's best (and expensive) places, Gramercy Tavern.
New York Public Library--I have spent hours in the Main Reading Room devouring books and often check out books from my branch, Jefferson Market. Don’t miss the original Winnie-the-Pooh dolls, owned by Christopher Milne, in the children’s area.
Museums: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Cloisters always; MoMA once in awhile; The Morgan Library and The Frick Collection for a taste of how old New York lived; Neue Galerie to take me back to Austria; Lower East Side Tenement Museum for a great tour; American Museum of Natural History for fossils, rocks, and stalking Ross Gellar (though the museum feels like it needs a major cleaning and some exhibits feel circa 1960); Theodore Roosevelt's Birthplace for a short, informative tour.
Manhattan Restaurants:
- 21 Club: Truly classic New York. Ask them to show you the wine cellar. I recently went back with my dad and had such a great night.
- 508: You'll wonder where you are when you walk here. Is it SoHo? Is it TriBeCa? A nomadic land that is neither? Whatever it is, I love it and have been several times. Cozy, totally off-the-tourist path, and a great, reasonably priced menu.
- ABC Kitchen (by Jean-Georges): One of my favorite three-hour lunches of the last year. Just totally divine in every way but not pretentious. You have to check out the $125 coffee mugs and $85 wooden spoons after lunch at ABC Carpet & Home, adjacent to ABC Kitchen.
- Abe & Arthur’s: If you want that Meatpacking vibe without an attitude, go to this steakhouse. I absolutely love it and usually order the sides and no entree.
- Artisanal Bistro: For the best fondue in the city, and where I spent Christmas Eve 2010. Gougeres as an appetizer is a must.
- Ballato’s: I could eat at Ballato’s three times a week for its classic New York feel and best spaghetti pomodoro. There’s also potential for major celebrity spotting (Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, Neil Patrick Harris, Tom Hanks, and Kelly Ripa all love Ballato's). It’s the perfect date spot and there’s never a wait, but always a crowd.
- Baked by Melissa: The best cupcakes in the city and they’re the size of a quarter. I’m partial to the cinnamon and red velvet ones. It’s the best part of the cupcake (Bite Number One).
- Balthazar: I could live at Balthazar, I really could. It takes you to Paris as soon as you walk in the door and there is always a lively crowd.
- Café Cluny: My first brunch at Café Cluny was so perfectly New York, I nearly cried. I do that sometimes when something you hope for meets what is actually happening.
- Catch: The best meal I've had in New York in the past several months, even though we waited until 8:45 for our 8 p.m. reservation. It didn't matter. Do not miss the sushi or crispy shrimp!
- The Dutch: Andrew Carmellini from Locanda Verde just opened this fabulous place on a great SoHo corner.
- Esca: One of Mario Batali's & perfect for pre or post-theater dining. Love the pomegranate bellini!
- Il Cantinori: On my favorite street in Greenwich Village, 10th Street, & great old-school Italian.
- Joe’s Pizza: Best slice in the city. Walk it off on Bleecker Street (and please skip Magnolia Bakery).
- Joe's Shanghai: Come here for the soup dumplings & be prepared to share large round tables with other guests. A great Chinatown experience.
- Kelley & Ping’s: Again, there’s no wait here for fantastic Asian food and I love the cobblestone SoHo street it’s on.
- Kin Shop: In my neighborhood & seriously amazing Thai food. Oh, and the fried broccoli is addicting.
- The Little Owl: One of my favorite dinners in New York was here. It’s at the base of the “Friends” building and it’s just perfect in every way.
- Lifethyme Natural Market: Best natural/organic market I’ve ever seen. Their juice bar is insane and I love the green champagne juice (MMM kale, celery, spinach, cucumbers, ginger, lemon, apple!).
- Locanda Verde: The most perfect TriBeCa brunch. Make a reservation.
- Lure Fishbar: It’s on everyone’s must-eat list in SoHo and for good reason. Great fish, sushi, and calamari.
- Motorino: Rachael Ray told me about this place at a taping of her show. It's unbelievably good.
- The New French: The New French is a great spot in the West Village and has amazing vegetable curry. Outdoor seating on Hudson Street when the weather is nice.
- Otto: This is the best place for an inexpensive, group meal but you should reserve far in advance. There’s unbeatable spaghetti carbonara, amazing olive oil gelato, and a great wine list.
- Rubirosa: You have to get the vodka pizza. On a super cute NoLita street.
- Sarabeth's TriBeCa: A huge new outpost of Sarabeth's and perfect for Sunday brunch. They take reservations, so even better! I like the other Sarabeth's but this is my favorite.
- Spring Street Natural: Great spot in SoHo for an inexpensive dinner, no wait, and great ambiance. I always get the taco salad.
- The Stanton Social: Best place for a night out on the Lower East Side. Small plates, go with a big group!
- Square Diner: Old New York diner in TriBeca. Cheap and great place to read the Sunday Times because you don't have people breathing down your neck for a table.
- Union Square Cafe: My favorite for when it's a rainy day & I want to meet someone for a long lunch.
- Vesuvio Bakery: Vesuvio was a SoHo institution for years and is now under the Birdbath brand umbrella of green, eco-friendly bakery. The chocolate chip cookies are enormous and to-die-for and can also be found at The City Bakery in Chelsea.
- Westville Diner: The best plates of vegetables and Southern cooking in a tiny hole-in-the-wall on West 10th Street.
Brooklyn
Brooklyn makes me smile. I love it so much. I’ll often hop the subway for a stroll through Park Slope, Cobble Hill, Williamsburg, or my favorite, Brooklyn Heights. I walk the Brooklyn Bridge about two times a week.
- I love my hair salon in Boerum Hill
- The River Cafe might be my all-time favorite restaurant in New York. The views are incredible.
- Moutarde for a Friday lunch—They filmed the scene from “Julie & Julia” here where Julia Child experiences her first meal in France, dover sole smothered in butter.
- One Girl Cookies for tiny two-bite cookies
- Bar Tabac for live music and appetizers
- Lucali's for amazing pizza and ambiance
- Black Mountain for wine & that cozy Brooklyn feel, the perfect wine bar
- Jolie for brunch
- Applewood for farm-to-table fabulous food
- Paper Source for browsing and gifts
- Dog Beach at Prospect Park to sit, watch, and wish I had a dog
- Heights Café on Montague after walking the bridge & Brooklyn Promenade
- Almondine Bakery for croissants