Travel

West Village

Establishment neighborhood
Jessica Bowers
Private West Village location, email [email protected] for appointment
The fact that sought-after NYC aesthetician Jessica Bowers never wears makeup is proof of her skill. Her hidden West Village skin studio (she refers to it as her “skin-care speakeasy”) opened in October 2020 and has been booked solid ever since. Bowers offers customized facials (we love the classic illuminating facial), as well as treatments like microcurrent, scalp massages, and lash tints, which can be booked alone or as an add-on to any facial. What’s surprising is not that she’s busy, but that her super-simple skin routine yields such incredibly glowy results.
Quality Eats
57 W 58th St., West Villlage
The coziest outdoor setting and an outrageously comforting menu define Quality Eats. Several of our NYC colleagues consider it that reliable neighborhood spot you unconsciously amble toward when hunger hits. What to expect: Little Gem salads showered in Parmesan, a great burger, spicy Brussels sprouts, and grilled-to-perfection steaks. In other words, the classic dishes you’ve eaten over and over and still crave weekly because they’re both simple and consistently tasty.
Bonberi Mart
321 W 11th St., West Village
When it comes to work lunches on the fly, our requirements are simple: hearty salads, tasty smoothies packed with goodness, and low-on-sugar snacks we can feel good nibbling on while whizzing through emails. Bonberi Mart’s grain bowls, noodle salads, and soups are flavorsome and inventive yet healthy—the curried red lentil stew, seaweed salad, and coconut pho bowl are instant lunchtime winners. Also on tap: kombucha. Images courtesy of Ana Gambuto.
Red Farm
529 Hudson St., West Village
Red Farm’s menu focuses on fresh greenmarket product, artfully prepared fish, and delicious dim sum (including less familiar creations like Katz’s pastrami egg roll). From the dim sum selection, the Pac Man shrimp dumplings are as delicious as they are Instagram-worthy and the duck spring rolls are not at all greasy and taste surprisingly refreshing. We’re more than willing to endure the substantial wait (no reservations here) for a bowl of the Lobster Long Life noodles and the veggie fried rice. They put together prix-fixe menus for large groups in private spaces at both this and the Upper West Side location.
Take Care
41 Perry St., West Village
Sadie Adams’s unique therapeutic approach is designed to help clients tease out energy and vitality from within. Her technique stems from her studies in anatomy at the School for Body-Mind Centering and in Ayurveda and yoga therapy at the Ayurvedic Institute. After founding Take Care Face & Body in New York City, she opened a second location, Take Care Center for Body Mind Regeneration, in Santa Monica. Adams combines science, ancient wisdom, and intuitive awareness to support physical and spiritual healing. Her therapies include microcurrent facials, a restorative therapy that stimulates marma points in your face, promoting deep relaxation and healing throughout your entire body.