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Central Park
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Between Fifth Ave. and Central Park West
Central Park is the largest park in Manhattan and without a doubt the most famous in all of NYC. Established in 1857, the 843-acre oasis has served as the scenic backdrop in countless movies and TV shows and functions as a kind of all-encompassing public recreation area. Its many attractions include a zoo, an ice-skating rink, a concert venue and several restaurants—not to mention its open fields, woodlands, running paths and various bodies of water. Located in the middle of Manhattan, the park, as its name suggests, is at the center of it all.
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Bemelmans Bar
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The Carlyle
Few bars combine wit, glamour and coziness as masterfully as Bemelmans does. The whimsical Central Park murals—painted by the bar namesake and creator of the beloved character Madeline—give the sophisticated art deco interior a storybook gloss. Bar fare includes refined treats like North Atlantic oysters and assorted house-made pâté. And after a few of Bemelmans' famous cocktails (the Gin-Gin Mule, with gin, ginger beer, muddled mint and fresh lime juice, and the Old Cuban are worth a try), look over the murals thoroughly to find all of Bemelmans' visual witticisms you missed the first time.
3
Bond 45
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221 W. 46th St.
Restaurateur Shelly Fireman engineered a two-block move for Bond 45, keeping the name although it’s on 46th Street now, across from the Richard Rodgers Theatre (where Hamilton is in residence). The enormous, bi-level, Italian-ish venue offers breakfast all day, a lavish antipasti bar and, in the downstairs bar, postshow happy hour discounts nightly after 9pm. Thin-crust pizzas, pasta, big salads, grilled fish and burgers with cacio e pepe-dusted fries are available for lunch or dinner.
4
Levain Bakery
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167 W. 74th St.
Founded in 1994 by two friends on a quest to create the world’s greatest chocolate chip cookie, the cozy Levain is packed wall to wall with inspired baked goods, including brioches, sticky buns, crusty loaves of semolina bread and, yes, chocolate chip cookies—which have now evolved to include flavors like dark chocolate peanut butter and walnut chocolate chip.
5
Joe Allen
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326 W. 46th St.
Joe Allen is the quintessential theater hangout, buzzing with producers, actors and sundry fans of the stage. This long-running show (open since 1965) celebrates flops, the brick walls showcasing posters of stinkers that didn't last much more than a night, like the notorious Moose Murders. Pull up to the bar for an expert martini that's partly poured in a glass, the rest filling a small carafe on ice so it stays nice and cold. Lunch, pre-theater or post-theater are all good times to come for uncomplicated American fare, such as sandwiches, salads, meatloaf with mashed potatoes and grilled New York strip steak in a red wine reduction
6
Little Shop of Horrors
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407 W. 43rd St.
Tammy Blanchard plays Audrey in this revival of the classic Off-Broadway musical that also stars a bloodthirsty plant. With memorable music by Alan Menken and book and lyrics by Howard Ashman, this wacky 1982 show tells the story of a couple of down-on-their luck losers in love who have to contend with an evil dentist, played by Christian Borle (Smash, Peter and the Starcatcher), as well a scary, singing and ever-growing horticulture experiment. Direction is by Michael Mayer (Hedwig and the Angry Inch).
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Company
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242 West 45th Street
This acclaimed revival of Stephen Sondheim's 1970 musical classic comes with a female-led cast and a thoroughly modern take on this tuneful look at single life in the city. Starring Katrina Lenk (The Band's Visit) and Patti LuPone (Sweeney Todd), this new version is a transfer of the hit 2019 London production directed by Marianne Elliott (Angels in America).
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The Strand at Columbus Ave
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450 Columbus Ave.
The original Strand Book Store, just off Union Square, has been open since 1927 and is still run by the family who founded it. This Upper West Side offshoot is smaller than its downtown counterpart but still sells every kind of new and used book imaginable, from novels to memoirs to kids’ titles to historical tomes.