Whenever I get asked about my favorite spots in New York, or for recommendations around the city in a general sense, I feel like I never know what to say or don't have the time to go into enough detail via DM or text. While I have a couple of blog posts on different restaurants I've tried and enjoyed (find them here!), if you're visiting the city for a weekend or aren't super familiar with NYC, you might just want something with exclusively the highlights... so, welcome to this blog post!
This post was inspired by recent DM's, but also that I realized I have never shared a weekend recap of my weekends with Joe when he comes to visit me in NYC!! This needs to change *immediately,* because we truly have the best weekends together and have discovered some of my favorite, favorite spots in the city during the times when he is here. He is coming next weekend and I hope to recap the whole thing in detail, along with all of his visits going forward! I used to always do a vacation recap whenever I went anywhere, and I even did a girls' weekend recap post when my college roomies/best friends Coco and EJ visited me in December, so I have no idea how I've let this happen...
All of the breakfast, lunch, dinner & drinks spots can be found on this google map here!
I categorized this post into breakfast/morning spots, lunch spots, dinner spots, cocktail bars, and activity ideas. Please take everything with a grain of salt as I've only lived in NYC for a year and definitely have not explored as much as I'm sure I could have!!
Breakfast/Morning:
Sadelle's pictured above
Soho: La Colombe on Prince St for coffee and Vesuvio next door for a bomboloni
Soho: Leon's Bagels is new as of a few months ago! It's a window that you order out of, very convenient and recently, very busy. They give you about a pound of cream cheese on your bagel, so if you're into that, you won't be disappointed.
Soho: Sadelle's is a basic recommendation with good reason; in my opinion, it's totally worth the hype. If you haven't heard of Sadelle's, it's a bougie brunch spot by Major Food Group (who also owns Carbone!) known for its bagels. Unfortunately, the likelihood of you going here is low unless you get on Resy ASAP and find a res!
Soho: Now or Never Coffee (they have fun latte flavors and they're delicious... this place is also underrated, so you can get a coffee for under $5 that's actually really good)
Soho: Butler Bakeshop for a great pastry and coffee and cute vibes- you can sit down to eat (cafe style)
West Village: Bar Pisellino (my favorite place ever, get your coffee and the fennel donuts, they're super tiny and uniquely delicious, sit outside and people watch... also 100% recommend for cocktails outside if the weather is nice)
West Village: Partners Coffee is kind of a "typical" coffee spot, but the location is great, the coffee is great, and their branding is really great... let's be honest, that's why we are all obsessed.
Noho: Jolene is one of my favorite hidden gems in the city. It's an adorable, small restaurant in Noho/Bowery perfect for brunch with a friend. It just radiates good energy in there, I swear.
Tribeca: Not too many recs down here but Zuckers Bagels is my personal favorite in the city, I love their whitefish salad on an everything bagel.
Flatiron or Upper East Side: You can never go wrong stopping at Ralphs
Lunch:
Soho: Lure Fishbar - I came here once with my mom and we split sushi and I had a cobb salad. It's really cute and the food is delicious. It's right in the heart of Soho so it's a perfect place for a bite and a glass of wine if you need a shopping break.
Soho: Prince St. Pizza is not overrated.
Soho: If you want to grab a great sandwich and then walk one block to Washington Square Park where you can sit on a bench and enjoy your afternoon, Court Street Grocers is perfect for you.
West Village: The Spaniard is kind of a nicer going-out spot at night, but I'm convinced they have the best burger in the city and highly recommend it for lunch.
Cocktail Hour:
West Village: Bar Pisellino again! Just a great spot to sit outside and have a drink, with no reservations or anything. Sooo Italian of them!
West Village: St. Jardim is an adorable wine bar in the West Village that is a little bit new. It's super cute and small, and also serves cocktails. Their espresso martini is one of my favorites I've tried in the city.
West Village: Dante makes a great espresso martini, and my personal favorite, a chocolate negroni (don't knock it until you try it! if you're a negroni fan like me, this is similar just with hints of cocoa instead of orange). If you go late at night, you can usually squeeze in at the bar!
Greenwich Village: If it's late and you want to hear some fabulous live jazz or blues, Terra Blues is my brother and my favorite spot! It's lowkey though, you'll be sitting down and actually just listening/watching the performers. There's a $10-20 cover depending on the night.
Dinner:
Soho: Joe and I celebrated Valentine's Day at Charlie Bird and loved it. It feels like a classic New York restaurant with cool, dark vibes and delicious food. It's not too stuffy or too popular, either.
Soho: If you want to go to dinner and just feel absolutely fabulous and in awe of the gorgeous vibes around you, but in a chill way, head to La Mercerie. I went with my mom around Christmas and it was absolutely beautiful (and delicious!). I've also heard it is great for brunch; it's attached to the RW Guild store so I imagine it would be fun to go during the day and shop before/after you eat.
West Village: American Bar is a basic rec and can be hit or miss, but the vibes are fabulous, and if you're going to dinner with the girlies, you will not regret going here.
Brooklyn: Miss Ada in Fort Greene, Brooklyn is one of my and Joe's favorite (if not our *favorite*) NYC date spots. The day before Halloween, Joe and I took the subway to Fort Greene, which is truly an adorable neighborhood, and walked around and popped into some shops before our reservation. The mid-fall vibes were *immaculate,* the weather was perfect, the decorations and little kids just precious... it is one of my very favorite memories of fall in NYC and one of my favorite memories with Joe in NYC.
The restaurant itself is cozy and delicious. It's Mediterranean food and has won a Michelin star! We loved the shwarma and the octopus. Fun fact, Joe and I order octopus every time we see it on a menu. He's obsessed with octopus, and I have a deep interest in discovering how many different ways one ingredient can be used.
Post-Broadway Show/Theatre District: After seeing The Book of Mormon before Christmas, Joe and I went to a little wine bar a short walk away (like, maybe three blocks?) called Briciola. It was absolutely fabulous. The place is very tiny and cozy, the wine is delicious (they have cocktails too) and the food is outstanding. Beware that the table is a long community-style table, so you might not be "alone" for the entire duration of your meal, which I understand can be a deal-breaker, especially if you're on a date. Joe and I got there and were seated directly next to another couple, but they, fortunately, closed out and left like 10 mins later so we spent the rest of our dinner with more space. Briciola did have outdoor sidewalk dining but the vibes are definitely best inside here.
Activities:
Afternoon: Venture to a Museum... Joe and I did the American Museum of Natural History in February and it was great. Neither of us had been and we loved it. Note that you need to make a reservation online a few days in advance to ensure you can go at the date and time that you want to. I also went to the Met one afternoon by myself and had a great time! Same deal there with the reservations. Some museums on my list next are MoMA, the Whitney, and the Guggenheim.
Afternoon: Have a picnic or go for a walk through Central Park. Over my birthday weekend, Joe and I took the boats out which was super fun, but it might not yet be quite warm enough for that.
Afternoon: Head to Williamsburg, try some wine at Hounds Tree, and then walk around and shop! Lots of vintage stores and just cool, chill vibes
Night: Joe and I went to Miss Ada (mentioned above) because we were headed to a Nets game that night. The Nets play at the Barclay Center, which is a short walk from the restaurant. We had so! much! fun! I find basketball games to be very entertaining, soo if you're not into sports, you would probably still have a great time. The people-watching is a vibe (*girl approved activity*)
Night: See a comedy show! I've been to the OG Comedy Cellar on MacDougal and I had a great time. If you want to guarantee you can get in, try to make a reservation a few weeks out. I haven't been to any of the other locations, but some of my friends have and have said they're all equally as good!
Anytime: See a Broadway show! This is pretty self-explanatory. Joe and I saw The Book of Mormon around Christmas time, and we loved it. We'd both highly recommend it; it's funny, super entertaining, and the music is catchy! You can see all shows currently running and purchase tickets here.
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Find all of my NYC posts here
xoxo
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