Our Local Picks
Hours shown are Friday through Sunday; hours and prices can change, so check with the venue before you go.
Coffee
Culture Espresso
Specialty coffee shop known for quality coffee and award-winning cookies with a cult-following $
Great flat whites, lattes, and brewed coffee. No pour-overs.
Cafe Grumpy
Hip local coffeehouse chain serving house-roasted specialty brews in a relaxed setting. $$
Another of the NYC coffee greats. Offers a seasonal drink menu.
Ten Thousand Coffee
Korean-style specialty coffee with creative drinks like purple sweet potato latte, plus fresh-baked croissants $
Offers pour-overs and unique coffee drink options!
St Kilda Coffee
Melbourne-inspired subterranean cafe with strong flat whites, cortados, and vegan baked goods $
Top notch! Offers pour-overs
Frisson Espresso
Hell’s Kitchen cafe with espresso drinks, smoothies, acai bowls, and house-baked pastries $
Bird & Branch
Hell’s Kitchen coffee roaster with Asian-inspired pastries (black sesame, matcha) and Ippodo matcha drinks $
Standout black sesame and matcha pastries alongside Ippodo-grade matcha drinks
Felix Roasting Co.
Ornate specialty coffee shop with mosaic floors, craft espresso, and Supermoon Bakehouse pastries in a stunning NoMad space $
Worth the walk for the interior alone
Devoción
Colombian coffee roaster with a stunning greenhouse-like interior filled with living plants $
Beans arrive from Colombia within weeks of harvest. Offers pour-overs. If walking, stroll through Madison Square Park
Quick Eats
Liberty Bagels
Classic New York bagel shop with a wide selection of fresh bagels and spreads $
Can't go wrong with their lox cream cheese on an everything bagel. Their Jalapeño everything bagel is epic! Want to eat like a true New Yorker? Don't toast the bagel!
Lifestyle 1104 Juice Bar
Vegan juice bar with fresh-pressed juices, smoothies, and acai bowls $
Highly customizable options
Brooklyn Fare
Upscale grocery with a prepared foods counter, butcher shop, fresh-baked bread, and curated cheeses $$
Fun fact: there's a 2-star Michelin restaurant hidden through a door in the back
NY Pizza Suprema
No-frills NYC slice joint across from Penn Station, serving classic New York pizza since 1964 $
Dainobu Gourmet Deli
Japanese gourmet deli with freshly made bento boxes, sushi, onigiri, and Japanese groceries $$
Microwave and seating area upstairs
Los Tacos No. 1
Authentic Mexican tacos, burritos, and quesadillas at the Penn Station location $
No seating - standing counters only
Kati Shop
Thai fast-casual focused on curries. 100% gluten-free and nut-free. $
NAYA
Lebanese fast-casual with build-your-own bowls, rolls, and salads featuring chicken shawarma and falafel $
All’Antico Vinaio
Florentine sandwich shop famous for overstuffed schiacciata with cured meats and fresh ingredients $
Originally from Florence - the NYC outpost lives up to the hype
The Kati Roll Company
Indian street food spot specializing in Kolkata-style kati rolls – spiced fillings wrapped in warm paratha $
Woorijip
Korean cafeteria-style grab-and-go with banchan, kimbap, and hot dishes in Koreatown $
One of the best cheap eats in Midtown
Le Botaniste
100% organic, vegan, and gluten-free bowls, soups, and natural wines $$
Next to Bryant Park - get food to-go and eat in the park
Xi’an Famous Foods
Hand-pulled noodles and spicy cumin lamb burgers from the beloved NYC chain $
Urban Hawker
Singaporean hawker-style food hall with 17 vendor stalls – the first authentic Singapore street food center in the U.S. $$
Hainanese chicken rice, laksa, prawn noodles, and more under one roof
Restaurants
Zoob Zib Thai
Thai noodle bar known for crispy duck noodle soup and well-balanced, authentic dishes $$
Great place for the usual suspects - pad thai, drunken noodles, etc. Perfect if you're really hungry!
Patiala Indian Grill & Bar
Cozy, elegantly decorated restaurant serving a variety of traditional Indian fare including curries, plus Americanized versions, all cooked fresh. $$$
Gosuke
Japanese restaurant with sushi, sashimi, and tempura from chefs with 50+ years experience $$$
Inside the Henn Na Hotel past the giant animatronic T-Rex
District Tap House
Late-night outpost for craft beer, cocktails & creative bar eats in a dark-wood setting with TVs. $$
"Shockingly good food" says one NYC westie
Zen Ramen & Sushi
Japanese ramen and sushi $$
Rice noodle (gluten-free) options available
Pho 35
Vietnamese pho and noodle soups $
Any pho here is top quality. Dine-in rather than take out!
Beyond Sushi
100% vegan restaurant with plant-based sushi rolls, dumplings, udon, and a full cocktail bar $$
Papa San
Delicious Peruvian-Japanese fusion dishes, including eel pizza, scallop ceviche, and wagyu tri-tip. Fun and lively atmosphere and attentive, friendly service. $$$
Lovely's Old Fashioned
Hamburger restaurant serving amazing burgers, onion rings, and pistachio cake. Old-school 50s diner vibe with a modern twist, and the flavorful Charlotte’s Special. $$
Keens Steakhouse
Legendary NYC steakhouse open since 1885, famous for its mutton chop and one of the city’s great old-world dining rooms $$$
Reservations strongly recommended
Cho Dang Gol
Korean restaurant specializing in housemade tofu and traditional homestyle dishes $$
They make their own tofu in-house
HanGawi
Upscale vegan Korean restaurant with traditional shoes-off floor seating and a serene atmosphere $$$
Michelin Bib Gourmand. Dinner only weekdays; open from 1pm weekends.
Mercado Little Spain
Spanish food hall by Jose Andres at Hudson Yards with tapas, paella, and jamon from multiple counters and sit-down spots $$
Great for groups - everyone can order from different counters
Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao
Shanghai-style soup dumpling specialist in Koreatown $
The Kunjip
One of Koreatown’s oldest restaurants with generous portions and a huge menu of Korean staples $$
Open nearly 24 hours. Great for after late night dancing!
Turntable Chicken Jazz
Korean fried chicken and beer towers in a buzzy Koreatown space with a DJ spinning vinyl $$
Open until 2am Fri-Sat
BCD Tofu House
Korean restaurant known for bubbling-hot soft tofu stew (soondubu jjigae) $$
Open until 5am Fri-Sat - great after late-night dancing
Jongro BBQ
Korean BBQ in Koreatown with tabletop grills and a solid meat selection $$
Open until 1am Fri-Sat
P.S. Kitchen
100% plant-based restaurant with globally inspired comfort food and craft cocktails $$
All profits support charitable causes
Her Name is Han
Modern Korean restaurant with a refined take on traditional homestyle dishes $$
Reservations recommended
Briciola
Rustic Italian wine bar in Hell’s Kitchen with cicchetti (small plates), fresh pasta, and a curated Italian wine list $$
From a James Beard award-winning chef
Olle
Homestyle Korean known for galbi jjim (braised short ribs, carved tableside) and naengmyeon (cold noodles) $$
Reservations recommended - always packed
Ippudo Westside
Acclaimed Hakata-style tonkotsu ramen from Japan with rich pork broth and springy noodles $$
Raku
Hand-made udon noodles in rich broths alongside Japanese small plates $$
MáLà Project Bryant Park
Customizable Sichuan dry pot (mala xiang guo) where you pick your ingredients and spice level $$
Michelin Bib Gourmand recommended
Coppelia
Pan-Latin diner with Cuban, Peruvian, and Colombian dishes. DJ sets on weekend nights. $$
Open 24 hours - perfect after late-night social dancing
Senza Gluten
100% gluten-free Italian restaurant – the entire kitchen is celiac-safe with real pasta and bread $$
Cash and AmEx only - no Visa/Mastercard
Katz’s Delicatessen
Legendary Jewish deli on the Lower East Side serving pastrami and corned beef sandwiches since 1888 $$
Take the F from 34th St-Herald Sq to 2nd Ave
Tea & Dessert
HEYTEA
Chinese bubble tea brand known for cheese-foam-topped teas and fruit tea combinations $
Lady M
Japanese-French patisserie famous for its delicate mille crepe cakes with paper-thin layers $$
The signature mille crepe is a must
Prince Tea House
Chinese tea house with elaborate tea service presentations and traditional tea ceremonies $
Té Company
Taiwanese tea bar in the West Village with a curated selection of high-mountain oolongs and seasonal pairings $
Intimate space - pair a tea flight with their pineapple linzer cookie
Levain Bakery
Bakery famous for massive, gooey cookies – the chocolate chip walnut is legendary $
Dominique Ansel Bakery
French pastry shop from the inventor of the Cronut – the croissant-doughnut hybrid that took NYC by storm $$
Fresh Cronuts daily at 8am - they sell out fast
Spot Dessert Bar
Creative Asian-fusion dessert restaurant with plated desserts like the Golden Toast and Matcha Lava Cake $$
Open until 1am Fri-Sat
Drinks
The Ragtrader & Bo Peep
Two-in-one venue in a converted garment factory: lively gastropub upstairs, hidden speakeasy with live piano downstairs $$
Excellent espresso martinis and other craft cocktails
Valerie
Art Deco cocktail bar with 90+ gins, creative American fare, and live jazz on Sundays $$
Live jazz on Sunday
Lai Rai
Vietnamese natural wine bar with curated French, Italian, and Asian wines, plus rotating ice cream flavors like fish sauce caramel $$
The Back Room
The Back Room is one of only two speakeasies in New York City that operated during Prohibition and is still in existence today. $$
Jazz & dancing on Monday nights. Enter through the underground alleyway.
Double Chicken Please
Culinary cocktail bar ranked among the World’s Best Bars with creative cocktails on tap $$
Reservations recommended
Sake Bar Decibel
NYC’s original sake bar since 1993 – a graffiti-walled basement with 100+ sakes and Tokyo Golden Gai vibes $$
Look for the blinking 'On Air' sign
Parcelle Chinatown
Walk-in-friendly wine bar with 500+ bottles, a full dinner menu, and a downstairs cocktail bar on weekends $$
Bar Francis
Speakeasy cocktail bar hidden behind Hungry Ghost Coffee in Clinton Hill, with inventive drinks and oysters $$
Enter through the coffee shop
Eavesdrop
Greenpoint listening bar with a custom-built sound wall, vinyl DJ sets, and Japanese-inspired interior $$
Craft cocktails and natural wines - the emphasis is on listening
Attractions
Macy’s Herald Square
One of the world’s largest department stores
Ride some of the oldest working wooden escalators in the world!
The High Line
Elevated park on a former railway line, stretching from Hudson Yards to the Meatpacking District
Open in winter 7am-8pm. Dress warm.
Birdland Jazz Club
Legendary midtown jazz club with nightly live shows from world-class musicians $$
Check the schedule and reserve online - shows sell out
The Vessel
Honeycomb-shaped climbable sculpture at Hudson Yards with views of the city and the Hudson River $
Times Square
The iconic crossroads of the world
Everyone should visit once (and maybe only once).
Edge NYC
The highest outdoor observation deck in the Western Hemisphere – 1,100 feet up with a glass floor and views in every direction $$$
Tickets from $47. Best on a clear day.
Empire State Building
Iconic Art Deco skyscraper with observation decks on the 86th and 102nd floors $$$
The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT)
Best known for its innovation and award-winning exhibitions, find a permanent collection of more than 50,000 garments and accessories dating from the 18th century to the present.
Kinokuniya New York
Japanese bookstore and stationery shop across from Bryant Park
Gagopa Karaoke
Korean karaoke with private rooms and a massive song library in multiple languages $$
BYOB allowed
Bryant Park
Midtown green space behind the public library with ice skating, food vendors, and seating
The Winter Village ice rink runs through early March - free admission with a booked time slot. Skate rentals available.
The Compleat Strategist
Board games, RPGs, card games, and strategy game shop open since 1977
The Morgan Library & Museum
Rare books, manuscripts, and art in J.P. Morgan’s original private library $$
New York Public Library
Beaux-Arts landmark with free exhibits, ornate reading rooms, and the iconic lion statues
Rockefeller Center
Art Deco complex with Top of the Rock observation deck, NBC Studios, and the famous plaza $$
Grand Central Terminal
Beaux-Arts train station with a celestial ceiling, dining concourse, and whispering gallery
Look for the one soot-covered patch on the ceiling and research its meaning. Also try the Whispering Gallery with a friend!
Kalustyan’s
Legendary specialty food and spice shop with ingredients from around the world, open since 1944
Chelsea Market
Indoor food hall and shopping market in a former Nabisco factory $$
Walkable via the High Line from Hudson Yards
Comedy Cellar
Famous Greenwich Village comedy club where top comedians drop in for surprise sets $$
Book online in advance - walk-ins are tough on weekends
American Museum of Natural History
Dinosaur fossils, planetarium, and natural science exhibits across 45 halls $$
Whitney Museum of American Art
American art museum at the southern end of the High Line $$
Free Fridays 5-10pm. Timed tickets required, capacity limited.
Fifth Avenue
Manhattan’s premier luxury shopping corridor from Saks to Bergdorf Goodman
The Frick Collection
European masterpieces displayed in a Gilded Age mansion on the Upper East Side $$
Vermeer, Rembrandt, and Bellini in a stunning Gilded Age setting.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
World-renowned art museum with collections spanning 5,000 years $$