West Village

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.

Fine jewelry that’s also fun is hard to come by—unless you happen to stumble into this bubblegum-pink Marlo Laz boutique. Glowing marble display cases house everything from gemstone-studded starburst earrings and playful heart-shaped signets to the brand’s signature “Porte Bonheur” pieces (it’s French for lucky charm).

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.

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’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.

Founder Angela Jia Kim incorporates the Korean beauty rituals she grew up with into every therapy, focusing on thorough cleansing and massage for “mul-gwang,” the Korean concept of luminous, dewy skin. The Skin Clinic facial is an over-the-top session of peels, LED lights, microcurrent, and ultrasound to firm and sculpt. You walk out with soothed, happy, noticeably improved skin.

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.

West Village residents missing their daily dose of health-oriented, flavor-packed food from nutritionist Marissa Lippert's now closed café, can breathe easy and access Lippert's incredible food via her catering and private events service. Dedicated to sustainability, seasonality, and of course taste, Nourish Kitchen + Table's menus are brimming with the familiar dishes—updated with international splashes of flavor (za'atar, orange-blossom tahini, garlic confit, rosewater—we could go on)—we all crave through the seasons. A catered office spread could include a bright vegetable frittata, satisfying sweet potato noodles, and herby carrot chickpea falafels, while a wedding or baby shower could feature delicious bites like fresh watermelon and whipped feta, tasty mini carnitas, and charred eggplant—all served up with Lippert's pretty, modern aesthetic at the forefront. Last, but not least, Nourish Kitchen + Table's sister company, Nourish Baby delivers homemade baby food and restorative, healing dishes in meal delivery service format—a godsend for the new mama.

This beloved neighborhood center for spiritual nourishment is connected to one of the best health-food stores in the West Village. Varied yoga classes take place in sun-filled studios, all with gorgeous wood floors—the vibe of the place is more beautifully rustic than polished: Yoga and Qigong focuses on harnessing energy to your advantage, while Yoga for Arthritic and Chronic Pain teaches self-soothing techniques.There are also incredible workshops (topics range from eye health to the importance of eating seasonally to how to how to give a Thai massage), and the wellness spa offers cranial therapy, acupuncture, myofascial release, spiritual counseling, and more—and there’s an excellent book alcove-boutique that sells blankets, stones, mats, and grounding yoga paraphernalia.

Restaurateur Gabriel Stulman (of Happy Cooking Hospitality) recently re-concepted his West Village Italian restaurant, Perla, into Fairfax, a Mediterranean eatery with a straightforward menu of inventive dishes you'll want order over and over, oh and a great wine list. Part of the swap was changing out formal dining room tables for more casual living room furniture and communal tables (many of the pieces taken from the Stulman's own home), making it super comfortable, but more of a personality-filled drinks-and-small plates place than a full dinner destination. If you come before 6:30, you can get a glass of wine and a plate for $20. It's also a great place to host a party.