New York City
New York City
Where To Eat
Brunch
The Dirty French ♡♡* (Lower East Side): Awesome French/New Orleans themed restaurant. Super fun for brunch - great food and awesome atmosphere.
The Dutch (SoHo) : Brunch is great here - i’d love to go back. In the heart of SoHo so perfect for grabbing brunch here and then walking around. Their dinner menu also looks great.
Jack's Wife Freda ♡ : Tiny Soho brunch spot -be prepared to wait if you go! We loved the steak & eggs and the Mediterranean breakfast.
Jacob's Pickles : Really fun brunch spot with really awesome brunch options (like their really delicious biscuits and homemade jam - see pic at top of page)
Victor's Cafe (Times Square) : Great spot to grab brunch or dinner before a show in Times Square. Really good Cuban Food - loved the Ropa Vieja!
Lillie's Victorian Establishment (Drinks/Apps/Brunch - Times Square) : Very unique and cool space in Times Square. We went for drinks & apps after a show. Has a very Old British/Victorian feel. I hear they also do a great brunch which would be perfect before a matinee.
Dinner
Momofuku Noodle Bar ♡♡ (East Village) : Best Ramen in New York. This is David Chang’s first restaurant - he spent quite a bit of time in Japan learning how to make the perfect Ramen. Be prepared to wait if you go (I went on a Wednesday night at 9PM and still waited over an hour to get seated!)
Shuka ♡ (SoHo) : Great Mediterranean Restaurant in Soho. This is me and my sister’s favorite go-to for a healthy, fresh & delicious dinner. Great atmosphere with reasonably priced food.
Cotta ♡ (Upper West Side) : Awesome Italian restaurant / wine bar on the upper west side. Cozy atmosphere and has some really cool & unique seating options upstairs. Cotta has some sister restaurants through out NYC that are also supposed to be great.
Tacombi (Nolita): Great casual/fun place to go for tacos (I like the Nolita location the best) - get the elote
Gemma (At The Bowery Hotel) (East Village) : Adorable Italian restaurant in the Bowery hotel. Great food & cozy atmosphere.
Dominique Ansel NY Bakery ♡♡ (Soho - French Bakery): This is a must-do while in Soho. Their baked goods are next level amazing. I think their chocolate chip cookie is the single best cookie I’ve ever had. They are known for their cronuts but we opted for other menu items, I will be back to try it one day!
Liberty House ♡ (Jersey City) : If you’re willing to cross the river for some spectacular NYC Views, head to Liberty House in Jersey city. Food and service were amazing and the views were awesome.
Things To Do
Brooklyn Bridge ♡♡ : One of my favorite things to do in NYC is walk the Brooklyn Bridge. You can either take the train to Brooklyn and walk from Brooklyn to Manhattan or you can take the train to the edge of Manhattan (Brooklyn Bridge stop - 6 train) and walk to Brooklyn. After you get off the bridge and enter Brooklyn, there is a great pizza spot called Grimaldis Pizzeria ♡, worth a stop in! If you’re not in the mood for pizza, there is also a really cool pier / water front area called Brooklyn Bridge Park . Its a great view of Manhattan and the bridge from there. There are stands where you can grab ice cream, food, beer, wine etc. and enjoy the view! From this area, you can hop on a Ferry back to Manhattan - they come pretty regularly.
Central Park ♡ : The most serene place in all of New York! My sister lives near central park so I often go for a run in the park - it really is beautiful and peaceful.
9/11 Memorial : The memorial itself is really well done and very beautiful (free to visit outside). I do however, have very mixed feelings about the museum inside. It is very emotionally draining, sad and felt very personal to those who lost their lives. I went to pay my respects and see what they had put there. I am glad I went but I am not sure it’s for everyone.
High Line : The High Line is a unique elevated park near the meat packing district. The high line was originally train tracks and was converted into a 1.45 mile park, lined with greenery, wild flowers, local art and a great walking trail. Below the High Line are tons of great NYC restaurants and cafes which would be great for grabbing lunch/drinks after walking the trail.
Hudson River Greenway: The Hudson River Greenway is a great path along the Hudson River which runs from 72nd street down to the southern tip of Manhattan. It is a perfect place for a run, walk or bike ride.
Times Square ♡ : If you go to Times Square, I recommend going during off hours during the week, its a ZOO! It is cool to see with all of the massive signs, lights & businesses however, it is filled with tourists and crowded streets. If you plan to see a Broadway show, you’ll definitely need to go through Times Square anyway (and can also get discounted tickets through TKTS .
Frying Pan : A boat on the waterfront that has stands for beer/wine and food, its fun. Its in the Hudson River, cool view of the city and New Jersey
Comedy Shows ♡ : Gotham or Comedy Cellar are great for stand-up. UCB would normally make this list but was closed due to COVID. If they ever reopen, definitely the best spot to go for improv or sketch comedy.
Statue Of Liberty & Ellis Island : You can take a ferry out to to see the Statue of Liberty just from the boat, or you can opt to get dropped off on Ellis Island (depending on what you have time to do)- its pretty cool. We were able to find my family members names who immigrated from Italy to New York. Ultra touristy but also very cool/historical thing to do!
* ♡ = a favorite
♡♡ = a must do