Guidebook for New York
Food Scene
Superb croissants, big open windows, great coffee, free wifi. AND wine and jazz at night! All just a 3 min walk from home. UPDATE: seems they mostly do table service now, so less of a cafe hangout...
41 locals recommend
Petite Boucherie
14 Christopher StSuperb croissants, big open windows, great coffee, free wifi. AND wine and jazz at night! All just a 3 min walk from home. UPDATE: seems they mostly do table service now, so less of a cafe hangout...
16 fun flavors of fro yo that you serve yourself, with a big topping bar that you ALSO serve yourself. All paid by weight. Yum!
116 locals recommend
16 Handles
153 2nd Ave16 fun flavors of fro yo that you serve yourself, with a big topping bar that you ALSO serve yourself. All paid by weight. Yum!
For serious ice cream people (and the artificial flavors of 16 Handles down the street), GROM is your spot. Deliciously authentic (I lived in Rome for 4 years, so I know!) gelato and Sicilian granita!
46 locals recommend
Grom
For serious ice cream people (and the artificial flavors of 16 Handles down the street), GROM is your spot. Deliciously authentic (I lived in Rome for 4 years, so I know!) gelato and Sicilian granita!
Perfect date spot - tiny, well lit, just the right volume music, and delicious continental food (always a great fish special, famous meatballs, fresh veggies). Tough to get in - go early or late!
111 locals recommend
Little Owl
90 Bedford StPerfect date spot - tiny, well lit, just the right volume music, and delicious continental food (always a great fish special, famous meatballs, fresh veggies). Tough to get in - go early or late!
Great neighborhood spot with sidewalk (and inside) tables. Lowkey ambience, great food and fun wine flights to try.
43 locals recommend
The Cornelia Street Cafe
Cornelia StreetGreat neighborhood spot with sidewalk (and inside) tables. Lowkey ambience, great food and fun wine flights to try.
Palma
28 Cornelia StGreat Italian food and superb ambience with a great garden out back!
Excellent tacos for a meal-on-the-go right around the corner from home!
72 locals recommend
Dos Toros Taqueria
137 4th AveExcellent tacos for a meal-on-the-go right around the corner from home!
Gelato popsicles with optional, customized chocolate and nut toppings. Yum! http://www.pop-bar.com/
13 locals recommend
Popbar
15 West 38th StreetGelato popsicles with optional, customized chocolate and nut toppings. Yum! http://www.pop-bar.com/
Excellent sandwiches and salads as well as the mind-blowing selection of cheeses you'd expect. Perfect for grabbing picnic food! If you want to sit down, Murray's Cheese Bar is just down Bleecker.
179 locals recommend
Murray's Cheese Bar
28-30 Jackson AvenueExcellent sandwiches and salads as well as the mind-blowing selection of cheeses you'd expect. Perfect for grabbing picnic food! If you want to sit down, Murray's Cheese Bar is just down Bleecker.
DELIcious, simple food at all times of day (breakfast/brunch offerings too), fresh from their farm in upstate New York. Great selection of veggie sides when you get tired of full vacation meals!
71 locals recommend
Westville West
210 W 10th StDELIcious, simple food at all times of day (breakfast/brunch offerings too), fresh from their farm in upstate New York. Great selection of veggie sides when you get tired of full vacation meals!
LPQ has become a New York staple - you'll find them almost anywhere you go in the city, and it's a great choice any time of day whether just to rest your feet and have a coffee, or full meal.
8 locals recommend
Le Pain Quotidien
LPQ has become a New York staple - you'll find them almost anywhere you go in the city, and it's a great choice any time of day whether just to rest your feet and have a coffee, or full meal.
Owned by the same group as The Little Owl, this spot is a little bigger and more casual, but no less delicious. Lots of clam-focused items, but not only. Also very popular - go early or late!
11 locals recommend
The Clam
420 Hudson StOwned by the same group as The Little Owl, this spot is a little bigger and more casual, but no less delicious. Lots of clam-focused items, but not only. Also very popular - go early or late!
Exquisite Italian (and remember I lived in Italy for 4 years!) food in a great atmosphere. Tough to get reservations, but they save tables for walk-ins, so try your luck.
26 locals recommend
Perla Cafe
Exquisite Italian (and remember I lived in Italy for 4 years!) food in a great atmosphere. Tough to get reservations, but they save tables for walk-ins, so try your luck.
Excellent casual Brazilian food with delicious caiprinhas and other traditional Brazilian recipes.
9 locals recommend
Berimbau Brazilian Kitchen
43 Carmine StExcellent casual Brazilian food with delicious caiprinhas and other traditional Brazilian recipes.
$1 oyster happy hour 4-7 pm! And they're excellent oysters! A full menu of other seafood (and non) treats - small, cozy, delicious.
74 locals recommend
Mermaid Oyster Bar
89 MacDougal St$1 oyster happy hour 4-7 pm! And they're excellent oysters! A full menu of other seafood (and non) treats - small, cozy, delicious.
Excellent sitdown taco spot! Gets pretty scene-y (noisy, crowded) on the weekends, so if you want to avoid that, go on a weeknight or earlier (lunch or before 7:30 pm).
27 locals recommend
Empellon Taqueria
230 West 4th StreetExcellent sitdown taco spot! Gets pretty scene-y (noisy, crowded) on the weekends, so if you want to avoid that, go on a weeknight or earlier (lunch or before 7:30 pm).
IF cupcakes are your thing, this is your spot! The original NYC famous source for small cake-y treats.
401 locals recommend
Magnolia Bakery
401 Bleecker StIF cupcakes are your thing, this is your spot! The original NYC famous source for small cake-y treats.
Cafe Minerva
302 West 4th StreetExcellent coffee and more in a lovely well-lit spot.
I don't recommend it, but if you must, Starbucks does serve a certain purpose, and it's right out front from the apartment, opens early (5:30 am) if you're jetlagged.
491 locals recommend
Starbucks
405-409 Union AveI don't recommend it, but if you must, Starbucks does serve a certain purpose, and it's right out front from the apartment, opens early (5:30 am) if you're jetlagged.
Delicious coffee (with the best almond milk option in town: Califia Farms), lovely atmosphere, curated selection of baked goods and some yummy treats cooked in house including Marmite toast..!
284 locals recommend
Partners Coffee
125 N 6th StDelicious coffee (with the best almond milk option in town: Califia Farms), lovely atmosphere, curated selection of baked goods and some yummy treats cooked in house including Marmite toast..!
Jack's Wife Freda
50 Carmine StGreat SoHo spot that just opened in the West Village!
JUST opened 4/29/15, I expect this will become THE go-to breakfast (and all day) spot in the neighborhood! Dominique is famous for Cronuts first, but they're doing some other new stuff here.
13 locals recommend
Dominique Ansel Kitchen
137 7th Ave SJUST opened 4/29/15, I expect this will become THE go-to breakfast (and all day) spot in the neighborhood! Dominique is famous for Cronuts first, but they're doing some other new stuff here.
Great smoothies, acai bowls, oatmeal, and right downstairs from Barre3 and Uptown Pilates, making for a very healthy corner!
16 locals recommend
Liquiteria
West 15th StreetGreat smoothies, acai bowls, oatmeal, and right downstairs from Barre3 and Uptown Pilates, making for a very healthy corner!
My favorite juice place of the proliferating chains in NYC. Right around the corner, and the kale salad is DElicious if you want to actually chew your lunch :)
67 locals recommend
Juice Generation
210 Bedford AveMy favorite juice place of the proliferating chains in NYC. Right around the corner, and the kale salad is DElicious if you want to actually chew your lunch :)
Excellent selection of healthy salads, entrees, juices. And lovely lowkey atmosphere.
Ellary's Greens
Excellent selection of healthy salads, entrees, juices. And lovely lowkey atmosphere.
Delicious all day long, be prepared to wait, or get there right at opening for fantastic breakfast!
80 locals recommend
Jeffrey's Grocery
172 Waverly PlDelicious all day long, be prepared to wait, or get there right at opening for fantastic breakfast!
Essentials
Gristedes
3 Sheridan SquareBasic, get-anything-you-need grocery store, RIGHT below the apartment!
The snazziest grocery store in the neighborhood, particularly good for prepared food for picnics or eat-at-home evenings.
75 locals recommend
Citarella Gourmet Market - West Village
424 6th AveThe snazziest grocery store in the neighborhood, particularly good for prepared food for picnics or eat-at-home evenings.
Everything Else
Great Barre method studio that just opened - more info at http://www.barre3.com/locations/west-village/
63 W 8th St
63 West 8th StreetGreat Barre method studio that just opened - more info at http://www.barre3.com/locations/west-village/
The Go-To cheap mani/pedi ($32) place in the city, with a location conveniently just across the street. No need to book, and they're open pretty much all the time. Enjoy!
Q Q Nails & Spa
108 7th Ave SThe Go-To cheap mani/pedi ($32) place in the city, with a location conveniently just across the street. No need to book, and they're open pretty much all the time. Enjoy!
You'll see Chinese massage places all over the city. They all look shady. Some are. Others provide really cheap, really good bodywork. This is a good one! http://www.okuyamabodywork.com/
181 West 4th Street
181 West 4th StreetYou'll see Chinese massage places all over the city. They all look shady. Some are. Others provide really cheap, really good bodywork. This is a good one! http://www.okuyamabodywork.com/
ISHTA Yoga
816 E 11th StGreat yoga studio, with some $10 community classes.
Excellent instructors for reformer classes, also just a few blocks north on 6th Ave and conveniently right upstairs from Liquiteria for a healthy snack after!
Uptown Pilates West Village
404 6th AveExcellent instructors for reformer classes, also just a few blocks north on 6th Ave and conveniently right upstairs from Liquiteria for a healthy snack after!
Arts & Culture
Awesome standup comedy most nights of the week. You can reserve in advance without paying for your tickets - not a bad idea for popular shows (weekend evenings)! http://www.comedycellar.com/
323 locals recommend
Comedy Cellar
117 MacDougal StAwesome standup comedy most nights of the week. You can reserve in advance without paying for your tickets - not a bad idea for popular shows (weekend evenings)! http://www.comedycellar.com/
THE jazz club of the world - incredible live performances in a tiny venue. Spend your minimum consumption on drinks - the food is very meh. More at www.bluenote.net/
168 locals recommend
Blue Note
131 West 3rd StreetTHE jazz club of the world - incredible live performances in a tiny venue. Spend your minimum consumption on drinks - the food is very meh. More at www.bluenote.net/
Excellent indie film source right around the corner. Find all the latest festival winners, and often with the directors appearing live! Schedule and info at http://www.ifccenter.com/
140 locals recommend
IFC Center
323 6th AveExcellent indie film source right around the corner. Find all the latest festival winners, and often with the directors appearing live! Schedule and info at http://www.ifccenter.com/
Powerful and well done monument to one of New York's most significant events in recent history. Prepare for a long (~3 hours) and emotional visit. More at http://www.911memorial.org/
567 locals recommend
9/11 Memorial South Pool
180 Greenwich StPowerful and well done monument to one of New York's most significant events in recent history. Prepare for a long (~3 hours) and emotional visit. More at http://www.911memorial.org/
Super fun way to see the city (in the summer months) and try a fun sport. It's not nearly as hard as it looks if you just follow their instructions! Details: http://newyork.trapezeschool.com/
7 locals recommend
Trapeze School
Super fun way to see the city (in the summer months) and try a fun sport. It's not nearly as hard as it looks if you just follow their instructions! Details: http://newyork.trapezeschool.com/
Entertainment & Activities
Awesome urban reclamation: old train tracks that are now a botanically exquisite walking path above the traffic, with local food vendors selling snacks along the way! http://www.thehighline.org/
2323 locals recommend
The High Line Park
Awesome urban reclamation: old train tracks that are now a botanically exquisite walking path above the traffic, with local food vendors selling snacks along the way! http://www.thehighline.org/
Drinks & Nightlife
Best views of Manhattan (and the Statue of Liberty) from this genius floating bar. Buy tix to the ferry shuttle at http://www.myc.org/Clubhouse/purchasealaunchticket, bring your own dinner, and enjoy!
Manhattan Sailing School
Essex StreetBest views of Manhattan (and the Statue of Liberty) from this genius floating bar. Buy tix to the ferry shuttle at http://www.myc.org/Clubhouse/purchasealaunchticket, bring your own dinner, and enjoy!
Corner bar in the heart of the West Village for great cocktails, people watching, oysters, and even board games. http://barsardinenyc.com/
183 W 10th St
Corner bar in the heart of the West Village for great cocktails, people watching, oysters, and even board games. http://barsardinenyc.com/
Excellent speakeasy hidden above Five Guys just across 7th Ave from the apartment. Walk all the way into the burger place, and take the stairs up to the left of the cash register. Cheers!
50 locals recommend
The Garret
296 Bleecker StExcellent speakeasy hidden above Five Guys just across 7th Ave from the apartment. Walk all the way into the burger place, and take the stairs up to the left of the cash register. Cheers!
Superb cocktails in a cozy atmosphere. Full menu too if you're looking for food, but I like this place for drinks at the bar!
65 locals recommend
Fedora
Superb cocktails in a cozy atmosphere. Full menu too if you're looking for food, but I like this place for drinks at the bar!
The Otheroom
143 Perry StGreat tiny cocktail spot off the beaten track.
Grand Banks
Awesome oyster bar on a historic ship. Always massively crowded.
Shopping
UK designer makes great professional clothes for ladies at a reasonable price point, with great occasional sales.
Reiss Bleecker Street
309-313 Bleecker StUK designer makes great professional clothes for ladies at a reasonable price point, with great occasional sales.
Excellent assortment of natural / organic beauty products, and now also doing facial treatments.
CAP Beauty
238 W 10th StExcellent assortment of natural / organic beauty products, and now also doing facial treatments.