Everything ever said about NYC is true — the city is loud and wonderfully overwhelming. It’s the main character of Alicia Keys’ famous song Empire State of Mind and the set of most important American sitcoms. New York City needs no introduction, though anyone living there will jump at the opportunity to give you their two cents on why it’s the best place to be.
Yes, the Empire State building is awe-inspiring. Yes, Central Park is worth a leisure gander through. But no, that’s not all that New York City has to offer. Here are some of the city’s greatest hits:
WHERE TO SHOP
Orchard Street, Chinatown
A refreshing departure from the glitz and glamour of 5th avenue, Chinatown’s Orchard Street boasts an eclectic collection of independent vintage stores. Imagine shopping the archives of collectors and fashion nerds — Alexander McQueen’s debut collection will casually sit next to Stella McCartney-era Chloe. Ask about the pieces when you’re shopping! You may even learn more than you spend.
Colbo
James Veloria
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194 New York
Other honourable mentions include Tumbao, Lara Koleji, Peche, Tokio 7, and Pilgrim Vintage.
Love Not Money, Chinatown
Love Not Money is a music gem that hides in plain sight. It’s not intimidating the way many music spaces in the city are. Owner Joshua comes from a life of independent music as a journalist, bassist, and DJ in the city between the late 90s and early 10s, and will likely be seen caring for the merchandise as though it were his own collection. Pop by, he’d say, don’t be shy!
Dashwood Books, SoHo
Dashwood books is an independent bookstore best known for their collection of rare, out-of-print photography and vintage Japanese books. It’s inconspicuously hidden under an unmarked stairwell in Soho, where creatives from everywhere congregate to research, connect, and discover under-the-radar projects.
Front General Store, Dumbo
Mixing archive fashion with up-and-coming independent designers, Front General Store is home to an exhaustive collection of unique military workwear. They recently opened an upstairs location, where multiple racks of Comme Des Garcon and Junya Wantanabe live.
WHERE TO EAT
Sylvia’s Soul Food, Harlem
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Let’s start uptown. Nicknamed Sylvia’s, Sylvia’s Soul Food is a soul food restaurant that boasts fans like Whoopi Goldberg, Nelson Mandela, and Barack Obama. It operates at the heart of Harlem, serving ribs, fried chicken, and collard greens since 1962. Sylvia’s is also a family affair — it’s an institution that has cultivated a community that it also serves through scholarships and community programs.
Cafe Luxembourg, Upper West Side
For a taste of old —specifically 42-years old— New York, pop by Cafe Luxembourg on 70th. While it has a hat shelf, it remains an unassuming french spot frequented by loyalists. It also made a lesser-known cameo in When Harry Met Sally — and not one bit has changed, not since its opening in 1983.
Superiority Burger, East Village
A more casual and playful alternative to Cafe Luxembourg is just a couple blocks downtown. Hand drawn menus, colorful gallery walls, and a fully vegetarian menu, Superiority Burger makes the diner-going experience equitable for those who don’t eat meat.
Penny, East Village
Penny is a raw bar and seafood counter in East Village, curating an exceptionally organized yet chaotic experience in its 31-seater space. It serves a short menu that chef Joshua Pinsky perfects in front of you, offering up soft tuna crumbles inside your squid, oysters in your oyster roast, and everything in between.
Katz’s Delicatessen, Lower East Side
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A continuation of Meg Ryan’s cinematic legacy, Katz is where the famous When Harry Met Sally scene was set. While that may not speak to the quality of their pastrami sandwich, the line wrapped around the block does — and it’s well worth it.
Ha’s Snack Bar, Chinatown
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Nostalgically french-vietnamese, Ha’s has garnered something of a cult following through pop ups by the name of Ha’s Đặc Biệt. Its long-awaited brick-and-mortar location on Broome street is quaint but ambitious, where the founding husband-and-wife team Anthony Ha and Sadie Mae Burns make deceptively simple dishes that spotlight on their ever-changing chalkboard.
Radio Bakery, Greenpoint
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Radio Bakery’s merchandise sells out daily. Famous for their seasonal specialty croissants, the bakery offers options for everyone (with any dietary restriction). Unlike most New York hotspots, it lives up to the hype — patrons, in spite of the long lines, find themselves constantly returning to the cult favourite.
Dinner Party, Clinton Hill
Bagels and Pizza
On the highly contested and deeply personal topic of bagels and pizza, here’s a list of top contenders. To rank them would be like choosing a favourite child — we all know which ones which, we just can’t bring ourselves to say it.
Russ & Daughters
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Popup Bagels
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L’Industrie
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Roberta’s
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WHERE TO DRINK
Reception Bar, Lower East Side
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Reception Bar is a soju bar designed for community. The curved bar sits in the center of the space, designed to help patrons loosen up and connect with one another. Menu items offer (literally) fresh takes on classics by incorporating herbs and specialty fresh produce like chrysanthemum and osmanthus.
Public Records, Boreum Hill
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A jack of all trades, Public Records is a bar, cafe, gallery, plant nursery all in one. It brands itself as an art space, hosting sonic and cultural programming. It’s New York, there’s obviously going to be an “everything-bar.”
Nightmoves, Willamsburg
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Nightmoves is a bar that’s also kind of a tiny club. Tucked behind an ominous door along a narrow wooden hallway (next to the Michelin-star spot Four Horseman), the establishment looks as though it was built around its technicolor dance floor. It’s cheeky. It’s chic. It’s only recently been listed on Google Maps.
Grand Central Oyster Bar, Midtown
Yes, Grand Central Station is easy to dismiss as a tourist trap. But no, it’s not something you’d want to miss. Where else are you going to be dressed up, sipping on a martini as commuters everywhere buzz by?
All Blues, Tribecca
“Our condition is to ‘let the music do the talking,’” owner Yuji Fukushima says. All Blues is a jazz kissa in Tribeca that celebrates what we often forget to do: listening. The space pairs a studied collection of vinyls with an elaborate list of Japanese whiskeys, all in service of a meditative atmosphere. As The New York Times says, the music is too loud, but that’s the point.
WHAT TO DO
Take the ferry
For just $4.50 USD, you can see all of New York on water, not unlike the meditative experience that Hong Kong’s Star Ferry offers.
The Frick, Upper East Side
Having recently undergone a $10 million renovation, The Frick Collection resides on the lavish Upper East Side. It’s essentially a house of 14th- to 19th-century European paintings and European fine and decorative art, exhibiting a lifestyle and nurturing intimate creative encounters above all else.
Riverside Park, 72nd Pier I, Upper West Side
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It’s easy to forget that Manhattan is an island. Just a quick 15 minute walk from the 72nd subway stop is a collection of bistro tables atop a manicured lawn, right by the Hudson River, offering up pitchers of margaritas as you basque in the best sunset view the city has to offer.
Metrograph, Chinatown
Metrograph is where people go to keep the ritual of going to the movies alive. Wes Anderson called it the “coolest theatre in the world” once. Need I say more?
Editor
Tiffany NgCredit
Lead Image: Gary Hershorn/Getty Images; Photography: Anh Nguyen
