1
The High Line
1
Gansevoort Street to West 30th Street
The High Line is one of the City’s most popular and distinctive parks. Built on a once-abandoned elevated rail line, the green space offers unparalleled views of Manhattan’s far west side. With places to sit and people-watch, patches of grass, seasonal blooms and fascinating architectural features throughout, it’s a great place to relax, and makes for an envy-inducing photo backdrop.
2
Whitney Museum of American Art
2
99 Gansevoort St.
The Whitney Museum of American Art is the world's leading museum of 20th-century and contemporary art of the United States. Focusing particularly on works by living artists, the Whitney is celebrated for presenting important exhibitions and for its renowned collection, which comprises over 21,000 works by more than 3,000 artists. With a history of exhibiting the most promising and influential artists and provoking intense debate, the Whitney Biennial, the museum's signature exhibition, has become the most important survey of the state of contemporary art in the United States.
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Washington Square Park
3
W 4th St to Waverly Pl
The symbolic heart of Greenwich Village, Washington Square Park is one of NYC’s most recognizable public spaces. Pass beneath the Washington Arch—the giant structure marking the park’s Fifth Avenue entrance on the north side—and you’ll see the energy that makes the place so special. NYU students congregate around a central fountain; sunbathers lie on the lawn; musicians sit on benches strumming guitars; and canines run gleefully amok in two dog runs. The park’s black-brick paths and vintage-style streetlights lend it a 19th-century feel, as does a majestic bronze statue of Garibaldi.
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The New York Edition
4
5 Madison Ave.
The New York Edition seamlessly blends the contemporary designs of Ian Schrager and David Rockwell with its historic beginnings in NYC’s Flatiron District. Constructed in 1909 as MetLife’s headquarters, the redesign of this landmarked clocktower evokes the intimacy of a private home. Centrally located on 24th Street and Madison Avenue, the hotel sits across from Madison Square Park and features event spaces, suites, gym, spa, and a Michelin-starred restaurant helmed by Chef Jason Atherton, all encompassed by 360-degree city views.
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Sant Ambroeus—West Village
5
259 W. 4th St.
Shortly after the original Sant Ambroeus opened its doors in Milan in 1936, a devoted following emerged. This celebrated patisceria and confetteria became a meeting place for the local intelligentsia, whether beginning their day with Sant Ambroeus' legendary cappuccino and cornetto, savoring panini at lunch or spending their evening enjoying refined cuisine in the restaurant's elegant dining room. Sant Ambroeus translated these Old World sensibilities to modern times and imported these rich culinary traditions to New York. Each restaurant remains authentic to its Milanese origins and continues to serve culturally inspired delectables in a casual yet elegant environment.
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Irving Plaza
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17 Irving Pl.
Irving Plaza has an esteemed history as one of New York City's premier music venues. Guests enter through the classic lobby and climb one flight to the main room, a 3,300 square-foot clear span ballroom with polished wooden floors, crystal chandeliers and a fixed stage. A U-shaped balcony with fantastic sightlines overlooks the dance floor and stage. The main floor features a full-service bar at the back of the hall. The Balcony Lounge—with soft seating, crystal lamps and photos of the legends that have graced Irving Plaza's stage—is the perfect setting for a cocktail reception with a rock 'n' roll edge. Its location one block east of Union Square adds to its convenience and charm.
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The Gramercy Theatre
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127 E. 23rd St.
Live Nation's Gramercy Theatre offers a rarity among the City's mid-size music venues: a mix of seating in back with general admission standing room in front, and a sound system that carries well to both. The main room has approximately 2,000 square-foot of clear span floor paired with 191 fixed theater-style seats. The Buddha Lounge, on the lower level, is decorated with Gujarat cloth, hand-painted accents and Persian rugs, and features intimate seating areas, soft furniture and a full-service bar.
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Eataly NYC Flatiron
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200 Fifth Ave.
Eataly NYC Flatiron, the largest artisanal Italian food and wine marketplace in the world at 42,500 square feet, provides the unique opportunity for customers to shop, eat and learn. This collaboration between Mario Batali, Joe and Lidia Bastianisch and Eataly founder Oscar Farinetti has seven eateries offering pizza, pasta, meat, fish, vegetables, panini, gelato, pastries and coffee, plus a rooftop beer garden. The market sells the same quality meats, cheeses, pastas and vegetables used by the chefs, plus sauces and olive oil. A cooking school, bookstore and housewares section make it even easier to bring Italy to your home.
9
Gramercy Tavern
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42 E. 20th St.
Gramercy Tavern’s contemporary American cooking, warm hospitality, and unparalleled service has garnered the restaurant nine James Beard Awards. Executive chef and partner Michael Anthony’s menu consists of elegant dishes with a rustic influence that showcases the restaurant’s relationships with local farms and purveyors.
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Free People
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79 Fifth Ave
Free People's New York City flagship store features the breezy tops, soft scarves and other hippie-chic items that have made the line a favorite among the undergrad set.
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Madison Square Park
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23rd to 26th Sts. (bet. Fifth and Madison Aves.)
First opened to the public in 1847, this park underwent a complete overhaul and renewal in 2001. The Madison Square Park of today boasts free WiFi, a dog run, a playground, public installations by artists like Sol LeWitt and William Wegman, an outpost of the Shake Shack and events running from live music to Fall Eats, an annual month-long food fair with pop-up food carts from the City’s best restaurants.
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Famous Joe's Pizza
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7 Carmine St
There’s a constant battle over who serves up the best pizza in New York City, but this Carmine Street joint—which specializes in thin, cheap slices dripping with cheese—is always at the top of the list. Need some convincing? Take it from actor Ben Affleck, who is quoted on Joe’s website as saying it’s “without a doubt...the best pizza" in New York City.
13
Via Carota
13
51 Grove St.
Via Carota is a joint venture between West Village power couple Jody Williams (Buvette) and Rita Sodi (I Sodi). All three of their restaurants are in a charming West Village enclave near Sheridan Square and attract a strong following of locals and restaurant-industry types. It's hard to imagine anyone who wouldn't want to hang out in the welcoming, glass-fronted 75-seat space. The food is spectacular too. Salt cod fritters, black kale with pork sausage, gnocchi bathed in gorgonzola and fried rabbit with rosemary and garlic toast barely scratch the surface of the delights found here. Risotto and pasta specials are also good.
14
Raines Law Room Chelsea
14
48 W 17th St
Ring the doorbell to get into this ultraexclusive cocktail bar. Once inside, you'll feel like you're in a Prohibition-era speakeasy, thanks to tin ceilings and booths with buzzers for the waitresses and bartenders (trained by Milk and Honey vet Michael McIlroy); the cocktails do not mess around. Come early, because the tables fill up quickly.
15
Buvette
15
42 Grove St.
During the day, the darling little Buvette serves as a French-themed luncheonette, transitioning to a wine bar closer to evening. Sit at the marble bar, crack some walnuts and complement a glass of wine with a plate of artisanal cheese, charcuterie or tartines (small, open-face toasted sandwiches). Suppertime will find chef-owner Jody Williams stewing lentils with black kale and shallots or whipping olive oil into house-cured salt cod to make classic brandade de morue. Schoolroom lights and a whimsical chandelier lend a golden glow and walls are charmingly adorned with Quimper pottery.
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Shake Shack—Madison Square Park
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southeast corner of Madison Square Park
Restaurateur Danny Meyer, of Gramercy Tavern and Eleven Madison Park fame, has mastered an American summertime tradition: the snack stand. Plump, Chicago-style hot dogs, juicy hamburgers, perfectly crisp French fries and irresistible frozen custards are all on the menu at this quaint shack in the Flatiron’s well-manicured Madison Park. Get ready to stand in line—New Yorkers are wild about the Shake Shack, which has spawned locations across the City.
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ABC Carpet & Home
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888 Broadway
ABC Carpet & Home has every luxury item you need for your home, and a few things you don’t—but probably will end up buying anyway. This Flatiron shopping haven features plush couches, massive chandeliers, high-end housewares and sweet-smelling soaps. And, fittingly, as ABC is the largest single retailer of rugs and floor coverings in the world, there are rooms and rooms of carpets, from classic Oriental to modern.
18
ABC Cocina
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38 E. 19th St.
ABC Kitchen has a design of ethereal lightness, while its sister restaurant, ABC Cocina, is all dark magic. They also share an ethos of green technology via building materials and lighting, and they source their menu items from small, sustainable farmers. At this, the more casual of the two ABC eateries, chef de cuisine Ian Coogan combines influences from Spain, Mexico and Argentina for a user-friendly tapas style menu as seen through a New American prism. Reservations are recommended or there's walk-in seating available at the bar or communal table.
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Aritzia
19
89 Fifth Ave.
Women’s wear brand Aritzia has opened its flagship store on Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District—its third NYC location, following ones in SoHo and Midtown. The casual, eclectic clothing and accessories from the Canadian label is showcased in an 8,000-square-foot, bi-level, townhouse-style setting where the building’s architectural details are accented by vintage furniture from Denmark and some stunning original artwork. The second-floor space even features a lounge, in case you need a break from your exhausting shopping excursion.
20
Dover Street Market
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160 Lexington Ave.
Eight stories of high-end fashion might make fashionistas swoon, but Dover Street Market—which boasts a virtual checklist of luxe brands and cult designer collections—promises to leave them breathless. One of the five DSM locations from parent company Commes des Garçons, this location features a who's who of well-known luxury labels and emerging designers, including names such as Calvin Klein 205W39NYC, Prada, Simone Rocha and Supreme. Though prices can be quite dear, dedicated followers of fashion will find more affordable pieces if they look. The artistry of the space itself makes it well worth checking out.
21
Upland
21
345 Park Ave. So.
Chef Justin Smillie is in partnership with Stephen Starr (Morimoto) at this lovely, warmly lit Park Avenue South restaurant where he layers a California sensibility over an Italian foundation. Upland is Smillie's hometown in Southern California, but he became known for Italian food during a celebrated stint at NoHo's Il Buco Alimentari e Vineria. A few Asian and Spanish accents flavor pasta, fish and meat dishes, which change seasonally. And though it's not your typical pizza place at all, pizzas are a highlight. The copper-trimmed bar is like theater in the round, encircled by comfortable booths and tables dressed in gingham. Wine bottles and jars of preserved lemons and artichokes line shelves, evoking a high-design country store.
22
Chelsea Market
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75 Ninth Ave.
Housed in the former National Biscuit Company factory building (where the Oreo cookie was created), Chelsea Market has been functioning as a hybrid urban public square/ high-end food court since 1997. Today, in addition to restaurants and food vendors like Amy’s Bread, One Lucky Duck, Jacques Torres Chocolates and Buddakan, Chelsea Market is home to stores like Posman Books and Bowery Kitchen Supply, and also provides free public WiFi.
23
Carbone
23
181 Thompson St.
After revitalizing Mulberry Street with Torrisi Italian Specialties and Parm, the chef duo Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi, along with partner Jeff Zalaznick, have given new life to hearty Italian-American food in Greenwich Village. Carbone took over the long-running Rocco Restaurant (1922–2011) following a gut renovation. Prepare for a lively, well-orchestrated show, with servers in Zac Posen–designed tuxedos reciting specials and ferrying plates of squid ink farfalle with lobster, linguine with clams, chicken scarpariello and Delmonico steak. Despite being billed as a red sauce restaurant, the tablecloths are elegantly white, not red-checkered. The three dining rooms hold 72 seats and reservations are always recommended. The bar has no seating but there is a little room to stand and sip a Negroni if your table isn't ready.
24
La Pecora Bianca NoMad
24
1133 Broadway
This Italian café restaurant has good energy, with an enthusiastic staff and executive chef Cruz Goler in the open kitchen. Goler takes Italian fare back to its roots, sourcing the best local produce, fish, meat and grains and making pasta from scratch. Everything's seasonal; you might encounter dishes like einkorn wheat gramigna (a curled pasta) with pork sausage, garlic and broccolini and chitarra with braised lamb ragu, watercress pesto and citrus breadcrumbs. For drinks, La Pecora Bianca offers an extensive selection of spritzes and negronis made with Italian amari, inspired by the tradition of aperitivi.
25
The Clocktower
25
The New York Edition
The Clocktower, located on the second floor of the New York Edition Hotel (formerly the iconic Metropolitan Life building), is a collaboration between acclaimed restaurateur Stephen Starr and Michelin-starred British chef Jason Atherton. The chic 88-seat, David Rockwell-designed restaurant serves contemporary cuisine with British sensibilities, classic and contemporary cocktails, and a diverse selection of wines, along with local and global beers.
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Birreria
26
Eataly NYC Flatiron
The crowds at Eataly haven't melted away since its opening, and here’s another reason to elbow your way in: the rooftop beer garden, Birreria. The retractable roof makes it a year-round event, but when it's open to the sky, there are magnificent views of the Flatiron and Empire State buildings. Line up at the elevator near the housewares department and be aware that it can be a long wait, especially at sunset; no reservations are taken for parties under six. The garden holds 150 and serves an extensive menu of house-made sausages and pork shoulder. Something lighter? Try a wild arugula salad or chicken thighs with almond-olive pesto. But what are you really here for? Yes, drinks. Nine wines and 10 beers on tap are supplemented by three cask-conditioned ales brewed on the premises.
27
Sugarfish
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33 East 20th Street
Quality sushi at reasonable prices explains the lines at Sugarfish, a Los Angeles–based chainlet founded by the esteemed Kazunori Nozawa and partner Jerry Greenberg. Along with à la carte options, the restaurant offers three omakase (“trust me”) menus at lunch and dinner. A plate of organic edamame leads a parade of tuna sashimi, albacore sushi, toro hand rolls and more. Nozawa’s signature warm rice and a low-lit, bistro-like space set it apart from other sushi bars. They don’t take reservations, so arrive very early and wait elsewhere until a text beckons you to return.
28
Lululemon (Flatiron)
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114 Fifth Ave.
High-end active wear brand Lululemon’s Flatiron flagship store is much more than a destination to purchase yoga pants, sweats and other sportswear. The 11,500-square-foot space is the brand’s largest store to date and includes men’s and women’s apparel, a studio, a fitness concierge and an expansive lower level known as Hub Seventeen—a communal space with picnic tables, sectional couches, a full kitchen and a refreshment bar. The list of amenities goes on, including a digital board in the front of the store that allows you to search for local businesses and book classes or restaurant reservations.
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Daily Provisions - Union Square
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103 E. 19th St.
Danny Meyer’s Daily Provisions, a pint-size, blue-hued bakery around the corner from Union Square Café, lures in passersby and local workers for breakfast, lunch and impulse snacking. Morning highlights include sugary, light crullers and savory gougères stuffed with creamy scrambled eggs and pepper jack cheese. At 11:30am, the menu transitions to lunch, featuring a stupendous, crunchy chicken Milanese sandwich and a vegetarian broccoli melt punched up with sharp manchego, lemon and chili.
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Dear Irving
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55 Irving Place
Take a trip back into the past at Dear Irving. Enjoy the plush couches while sipping craft cocktails that celebrate New York State spirits and twists on old favorites (think gibsons, mai-tais and Manhattans) curated and created by bar director and partner Meaghan Dorman. The snack food menu is equally throwback-luxe with lobster rolls and tapenade.
31
Union Square Greenmarket
31
East 17th Street
Not that it’s a competition, but this is one of the City’s most popular greenmarkets, and one its oldest too. Open Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays year-round, the sheer diversity of fruits, produce, meats, poultry, dairy and baked goods is basically unparalleled, with up to 140 sellers at peak season. Searching for veggies grown on farms a stone’s throw from the city? The finest examples of Finger Lakes region wines? Organic mushrooms cultivated in the Hudson Valley? Kosher baked goods made with locally-sourced, sustainable ingredients? There’s a vendor for that, located in this sizeable outdoor market.
32
Patent Coffee/Patent Pending
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49 West 27th Street
NoMad’s Radio Wave Building, a former residence of physicist-inventor Nikola Tesla, is now home to a bar with a split personality. By day, the subterranean space operates as Patent Coffee, serving up espresso drinks, pour-over coffee and pastries. But by night, the coffee bar becomes a candlelit entryway into Patent Pending, a cocktail den concealed behind a secret door. The drinks, organized into Tesla-inspired “Energy,” “Vibration,” “Frequency” and “Descent” categories, come courtesy of Harrison Ginsberg and Nick Rolin, alums of BlackTail and the Dead Rabbit. Exposed lightbulbs and teal leather booths create a relaxed atmosphere perfect for sipping well-crafted drinks like the AC/DC: a blend of Armagnac, peach, fennel, egg white and seltzer (file that one under Energy).
33
Milk Bar NYC Flagship
33
1196 Broadway
The Milk Bar NYC Flagship is an outpost of the quirky American-style bakery founded by James Beard award-winning chef Christina Tosi—a choose-your-own-adventure destination designed to feed your creativity and your sweet tooth alike. Located at the Ace Hotel New York, this two-level store is Milk Bar’s largest to date. Whether you’re customizing your own Milk Bar treat, sampling baked goods straight from the R&D test kitchen, or sending a package to a loved one, the NYC Flagship offers countless ways to make a mess, make a little magic and make someone’s day.
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Museum of Ice Cream
34
558 Broadway
In both their family-friendly daytime experience and the nighttime experience (16+ recommended), your imagination will run free at the Museum of Ice Cream New York, a realm where anything is possible. From unicorns, to cookie carousels, to swimming in a pool filled with rainbow sprinkles, you can expect to be inspired to play, imagine and connect with those around you. Join the rotating experiences, explore the whimsical shop, and get a taste of the cafe.