Lately I’ve been toying with the idea of occasional non-music posts about New York. This is a start: TRUST ME ON THIS’s “Best of New York.” Predictably, more than half of it is food. Most of it is in Manhattan.
My New York top ten: Mornings at Almondine. Smorgasburg summer Saturdays. Catbird rings. Momofuku Noodle after work. Classy-casual dinner at Otto. Madewell skimmers. Restaurant Week at Lure. Brunch any time of the day at Kitchenette. Tiny skillets at tbsp/spoon. Catching the early show at the Merc.
Did I miss something? Leave your suggestions in the comments!
* = extra awesome.
THINGS
FOR HER
**Madewell: everything from chambray shirts to silk dresses, plus the best flats in the world
Zara: minimalist/cutting-edge clothes, with new shipments twice a week, but not for those averse to polyester
*Reiss: gorgeous English coats and dresses
Pinkyotto: hipster silk dresses
*Anthropologie: perfection in dresses, sweaters, skirts and accessories, until cardigan fatigue sets in
Topshop: the younger, hipper British cousin of Urban Outfitters
Club Monaco: cozy sweaters, hip blazers and silk blouses on that vague line between work and casual
J. Crew: my go-to for pencil skirts, blazers, and blindingly bright colors
Opening Ceremony; Creatures of Comfort; Bird; La Garconne, A.P.C., Rag & Bone: the best boutiques, if you can afford it
Bloomingdale’s: more discerning taste than Macy’s, more affordable prices than Bergdorf’s
Sephora: their customer service deserves an award
FOR MEN
Fine and Dandy: formal accessories for hipsters
*Charles Tyrwhitt; Thomas Pink: the gold standard in dress shirts and ties
Ben Sherman: the mod aesthetic, perfected
Reiss: for class, great coats and great suits
HOME/DECOR
*Fishs Eddy: dishes, flatware and porcelain glove molds
Whisk: kitchen wares
*CB2; A&G Merch; Future Perfect: home accessories, bright colors, bar ware and hipster flair
*MUJI: minimalist kitchen wares, housewares, and stationery
Anthropologie: beautiful kitchen wares, whimsical colors and animal motifs
Design Within Reach; Restoration Hardware: for people who can afford stylish furniture
Bowery Kitchen Supply: kitchen wares
ARTS AND CRAFTS
MUJI: minimalist office supplies
*Paper Presentation; Paper Source: for a rainbow of stationery and crafting supplies, as well as ready-made cards
Top Hat: for Japanese stationery and colorful masking tape
Blick; Pearl; Utrecht: for art school supplies
Adorama: for inexpensive, super lightweight frames
JEWELRY/GIFTS
**Catbird: my favorite jewelry store by far, and not in the least because they carry size 3.5 rings; for people with taste
Erica Weiner: jewelry that is or that looks vintage
Old Hollywood: jewelry and knickknacks like Catbird, but with a hint of rustic/Americana/nautical
In God We Trust: hipster perfection
*Brooklyn Charm: affordable jewelry supplies and charms for crafty people, and the only physical or Internet store I am aware of that carries charms for each of the 50 states
EVERYTHING ELSE
*Pageant Print Shop: affordable antiquarian prints
*Other Music; Soundfix: for free in-store performances from bands that sell out much larger venues
*Mercury Lounge: if only every show I wanted to see was at the Merc
*Bowery Ballroom: the site of the first show I ever went to, and and many shows thereafter (pro tip: opening bands usually unload their gear off the front of the stage on stage right)
Music Hall of Williamsburg: like the Bowery, but cleaned up a little
St. Marks Bookshop; Spoonbill and Sugartown: for hip books, literary mags (n+1, Granta, the Paris Review), stationery and the like
McNally Jackson: for all of the above, plus they print books on demand
Flight 001: clever travel accessories
Idlewild: travel and foreign-language books
Century 21: for bargains on everything from luggage to shoes
C.O. Bigelow: the best apothecary in the West Village that’s still an apothecary
FOOD
LATIN AMERICAN
Caracas: arepas in a shoebox-sized restaurant (East Village)
**La Esquina; Tacombi; Brooklyn Taco at Essex Market: the best tacos on the LES/Soho
Calexico: the best tacos in Greenpoint
Santos Anne: great French/Mexican fusion tacos (Williamsburg)
*El Cocotero: patacones and ambiance (Chelsea)
*Pio Pio: the magic spicy green sauce and the best chicken in the world; also, yucca fries (various)
*Gueros: fantastic tacos worth the trek into Brooklyn (Prospect Heights)
*Cafe Habana: spiced roasted corn and pretty fantastic everything else (Soho)
Boca Chica: the food is decent, the free plantain chips and black bean dip are amazing (LES)
Haab: dependable, affordable tacos (Williamsburg)
Gran Electrica: slightly pricey but superlative tacos and salsas (Dumbo)
PIZZA/ITALIAN
**Otto: red walls and impeccable Italian food under $15 (Union Sq/Washington Sq)
Basta Pasta: classy Italian/Japanese fusion pasta (Flatiron)
*Co Pane: pizza that isn’t much like regular pizza (Chelsea)
*Motorino: the best pizza in the East Village
L’asso: a solid choice, good for late nights (Soho/LES)
Vezzo/Spunto: the same fantastic thin-crust pizza place under different names (Kips Bay/West Village)
Rubirosa; Two Boots: solid slices (Soho; various)
Pulino’s: impeccable but hard to get a table (LES)
NOODLES/ASIAN/SOUTH ASIAN
**Momofuku Noodle Bar: delicious, affordable noodles with a side of tourists (East Village)
*Ippudo: avoid the 2+ hour waits by going early, and the karaka kogashi ramen is amazing (East Village)
Ramen Yebisu: their mazemen (cold ramen) was better at Smorgasburg, but the brick and mortar restaurant is pretty good (Williamsburg)
**Hide-Chan Ramen: ramen with lower prices and without the mob scene of Totto (Midtown East)
Chuko: pretty good ramen and pretty awesome chili garlic (Park Slope)
**Pure: the best Thai in Manhattan, especially for people who like it spicy (Hells Kitchen)
Sookk: decent Thai food and the best lunch special in Morningside Heights
*Qi: affordable, tasty and quick; the best Thai lunch special around Union Square
Room Service; Spice; Cafetasia: for decent Thai
Bon Chon: Korean fried chicken that is served with a side of nightclub at dinner (various)
**Bhatti: the best Indian “buffet-at-your-table” lunch special for only $10 (Murray Hill)
Bann Next Door: Korean tacos for the starving corporate masses (Midtown West)
Spice Cove: serviceable Indian curries and incredibly cheap dinner specials (East Village)
Cho Cho San: a serene oasis of a restaurant with wonderful Japanese food (Greenwich Village)
Bodhi Tree: authentic Thai with a more expansive menu than most (East Village)
Thai Market: the best Thai north of West 103rd (Morningside Heights)
Jin: not as good as Ippudo or Hide-Chan, but a solid meal for much less trouble (West Harlem)
Dhaba: a solid runner-up to Bhatti in Curry Hill (Murray Hill)
SOUTHERN/CARNIVOROUS
Dirty Bird: quick, tasty fried chicken; get the lunch special with a side of mac and cheese mac and cheese (Chelsea)
Fette Sau: if you aren’t afraid to eat with your hands — barbeque, sausage, pulled pork, Southern sides, gallon jugs of beer (Williamsburg)
Porchetta: the best pulled pork sandwiches (East Village)
Georgia’s; the Commodore; the Redhead; Pies n Thighs; Red Rooster: fried chicken for people who have lived in the South (LES; Williamsburg; East Village; Williamsburg; Harlem)
SEASONAL/MARKETS/TRUCKS
*Wafels and Dinges: order a WMD (with everything)
*Cemitas: for people who like sandwiches that are as tall as they are wide at Smorgasburg
Takumi Taco: surprisingly delightful Japanese-Mexican fusion at Smorgasburg
**Choncho’s Tacos: superlative fish tacos at Smorgasburg
*Our Daily Bread: the best focaccia at the Union Square farmers market
Red Jacket Orchards: the best apple juices at the Union Square farmers market
The Good Batch: homemade stroopwafels at Smorgasburg
Deep Mountain Maple: maple syrup and candy from Vermont at the Union Square farmers market
Urban Lobster Shack: affordable and pretty awesome lobster rolls rolling around in Midtown
BRUNCH
*Kitchenette: for good food in Morningside Heights that isn’t merely “good for food that’s in Morningside Heights”
**tbsp/spoon: the best brunch in Manhattan (Flatiron)
Mermaid Inn; Freemans; the Smile; Tartine; Friedmans Lunch; Elephant and Castle: pretty great brunch in Manhattan
*Popover Cafe: great sandwiches, solid eggs, delicious popovers (UWS)
Mile End: great breakfast sandwiches, and people make much of the poutine (Soho)
Cafe Orlin: the Mediterranean brunch is pretty great (East Village)
Alice’s Tea Cup: the service is slow at best and occasionally, iffy, but the scones, sandwiches and fries are excellent (UWS/Midtown East)
DESSERTS/BAKERIES
**Almondine: the best chocolate almond croissants, macaron, beignets and pastries — I’ve been hauling myself to Dumbo since 2008
Sugar Sweet Sunshine: great cupcakes for not ridiculous prices (LES)
*Chikalicious Dessert Bar: chocolate eclair ice cream sandwiches and macarons with sorbet filling, open late (East Village)
Sullivan Street Bakery: the best bread in New York (Hell’s Kitchen)
**Black Hound: the best cake ever (East Village)
Levain: cookies the size of baseballs (UWS)
16 Handles: the best self-serve frozen yogurt in Manhattan (various)
Grom: pricey, minimalist, intensely flavored sorbets and gelatos (West Village)
*Il Laboratorio del Gelato: for one-of-a-kind flavors (LES)
Jacques Torres: gift box chocolates and chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches (various)
*People’s Pops: intensely fruity popsicles year-round (Chelsea Market; also Smorgasburg)
*Molly’s Cupcakes: nutella cupcakes, games and whimsy (West Village)
Billy’s Bakery: solid cupcakes, pies and banana pudding (Chelsea)
Doughnut Plant: exactly what it sounds like (Chelsea/LES)
Peter Pan Bakery: no matter what time it is, it’s always time for a doughnut if you’re near Peter Pan (Greenpoint)
Madeleine: a rainbow of macarons; the chocolate almond croissants sell out every day (Chelsea)
Laduree: the same macarons are sold here as in Paris as in Covent Garden — airmailed from France every day (UES)
Cafe Sabarsky: pricey but delicious sachertorte in the Neue Galerie (UES)
Bouchon; Financier; Payard: casual French patisseries (various)
Sprinkles: the smores and chocolate peanut butter cupcakes are worth it (Midtown East)
Mast Brothers: artisanal chocolate for when Smorgasburg isn’t in season (Williamsburg)
Momofuku Milk Bar: savory stuffed pastries and slightly salty sweet desserts (East Village)
Bien Cuit: breads, savory pastries and pricey croissants (Cobble Hill)
*Ample Hills: diverse and delicious flavors and mix-ins (Prospect Heights)
**Van Leeuwen: the flavors are simple but intense and the store is a lovely place to linger (East Village)
Financier: a sweet spot in Midtown so that one does not have to resort to Magnolia (various)
Hungarian Pastry Shop: a mouthwatering glass case of sweets, and they’re open late (Morningside Heights)
OTHER
Ground Support: the nicest coffeeshop staff in Manhattan and delicious half-price sandwiches after 5pm (Soho)
**Souvlaki: Greek food, beautiful decor and barely any dollars (LES)
Pylos: classy sit-down Greek food (East Village)
**Taim: the best falafel in New York (West Village; Soho)
No. 7 Sub; Num Pang: the best sandwiches, which cost not much more than the worst sandwiches in Manhattan (NoMad; Union Square/Midtown East)
Snack: spanakopita and other Greek delights (Soho)
SMac: mac and cheese with mix-ins (East Village)
**Lure Fishbar: the best Restaurant Week menu (seafood, great dessert) ever (Soho)
Cer Te: the most civilized lunch and the best sandwiches that can be found in Midtown
Paprika: Italian cuisine, perfect for dinner with ambiance (East Village)
99 Miles to Philly: perfectly seasoned waffle fries (East Village)
A Salt and Battery: fish and chips (West Village)
Tartinery: the best tartines on bread from Paris (Soho)
*Mermaid Oyster Bar: fantastic happy hour with oysters, lobster sliders and more (West Village)
Beecher’s Cheese: curried cauliflower mac and cheese is a highlight (Flatiron)
PS 450: surprisingly great sandwiches and Cajun fries, considering it’s a Midtown bar (Kips Bay)
Pearl Oyster Bar: a damn good lobster roll and shoestring fries (West Village)
Fika: intense desserts and espresso served with Scandinavian minimalism (various)
BARS
Ba’sik: nice for sitting. Backyard garden! (Williamsburg)
Pete’s Candy Store: it gets crowded, but there’s always live music (Williamsburg)
Videology: free bingo nights with prizes (Williamsburg)
