Old Jewelry Store

Ideally located where NoHo, the East Village, and Nolita meet, this hotel's bright bedrooms and contrastingly cavernous bar attracts the rockstar set—for scene, but also for comfort. The rooms feature classic New York apartment touches like marble bathtubs and hardwood floors—combined with high-end linens and plush velvety touches, this makes for an ideal stay. Downstairs, Gemma is a good spot for a drink (it’s also a good dinner option for bigger groups), though the hotel is so well-situated to some of the city’s best restaurants, consider taking your meals out.

In the Lower East Side, Hotel Indigo stands out, literally, as one of the tallest buildings in its radius, which translates into unparalleled views of the neighborhood and beyond. Not surprisingly, the hotel has a rooftop bar (Mr. Purple) and a modestly sized pool—not necessarily for doing laps, but it adds to the atmosphere. The rooms are modern and the best ones have floor-to-ceiling glass windows. The duplex penthouse suite might be the biggest splurge, but the outdoor terrace room on the seventh floor is pretty special, too.

From hoteliers behind the likes of The Bowery and Jane, The Ludlow hotel has become a favorite destination for locals thanks to the popularity of its excellent off-lobby restaurant, Dirty French. The hotel itself makes for a really lovely stay for visitors—particularly if you're looking for a place to post-up during the day and get some work/reading done: The lobby is a gorgeous lounge space with a distressed limestone fireplace, cozy leather couches mixed with vintage furnishings, Moroccan-style rugs, and chandeliers with a romantic glow. Adjacent to the lobby is a bright garden space with ivy walls and hanging greenery that's covered and heated in the winter so guests can eat/hang at the tables here year round. Up above, there are about 180 sophisticatedly decorated rooms across the 20-story hotel. The terrace rooms come with a 215-square-foot, furnished outdoor patio; and many others have balconies with views of LES and beyond. Some of the best views can be glimpsed from window-side soaking tubs in Ludlow's chic bathrooms, which are outfitted with marble mosaic floors, industrial brass fixtures, rain showerheads, and bathrobes from Paris-based Maison Margiela.

In what used to be the Jarmulowsky Bank, Nine Orchard is a gem of a hotel in a beautifully preserved and restored Neo-Renaissance building. The Swan Room—gathering space by day, cocktail lounge by night—occupies the former teller room, and it’s gorgeous, with marble walls and sky-high ceilings. There’s also a warm and homey tavern, Corner Bar, for breakfasts and dinners that far exceed the casual neighborhood vibe: Here, it’s 56-dollar steak au poivre and rare bottles of Burgundy. There are 113 guest rooms, all simply and thoughtfully appointed with a minimalist mid-century vibe. One more thing: Nine Orchard is smack in the middle of the sceniest part of the Lower East Side, across the street from the café that became the namesake for Dimes Square. Whether that’s a pro or a con, we’ll leave to you.

Like all of Andre Balasz’ hotels, The Standard East Village, a tall glass building looming above Cooper Square, is a haven for travelers as much as it is a local, neighborhood establishment. Upstairs, hotel guests enjoy a little respite with rooms that boast picture window views, high above the city streets.

Casino, which occupies the old Mission Chinese space, became the “it” restaurant on the Lower East Side as soon as it opened. If you’re looking for a night out for espresso martinis, dim lighting, and people watching, it’s great for that. When your server asks if you’re interested in dessert, the answer is yes, and the correct order is the dark chocolate cake.

Portuguese and Spanish vibes take center stage at this cozy Lower East Side spot from restaurateur Nialls Fallon and chef Nick Perkins, partners known for their Bed-Stuy restaurant, Hart’s. The menu is simple but satisfying, with a seafood bent: Manila clams with Vinho Verde and garlic; Crispy shrimp heads; platters of Cape Cod and Washington State oysters. And the dishes pair well with a glass of unfortified white from the Iberian peninsula. There’s also a juicy grass-fed lamb burger and a roasted half chicken with piri piri.

Che Li does classic Shanghainese food (soup dumplings, braised pork belly, green beans, crispy eel, garlicky eggplant...) in a space inspired by old markets, with wood roofs and lots of paper lanterns. The vibe here is gold—the servers are friendly and helpful, and everyone’s having a good time.

Situated on the basement level under its sister restaurant Penny, Claud serves excellent French-inflected food like cod croquettes, béarnaise beets, and paté-packed pasta. Get whatever seasonal-produce mille-feuille is on the menu; you’ll dream about the puff pastry for the rest of forever.

There are often lines around the corner to get in but it's worth it for the legendary pancakes. Plus, take-out is always available if you don’t have time to wait for a seat.

This is definitely one of the best soba joints in the city: We like the Nolita location the best, but this one on the LES is very cozy. Go for the Mera Mera Dip Soba, with minced chicken and a fiery broth: The noodles are packed with flavor, chewy, and perfectly al-dente. Don’t miss the homemade silky tofu, sprinkled with grated ginger, scallions, nori and bonito flakes, which is as creamy and delicious as a hunk of fresh burrata.

Mario Carbone, Jeff Zalaznick, and Rich Torrisi's restaurant group first got attention for Torrisi, an Italian joint that re-imagined classic dishes. As its name suggests, their second venture, Dirty French, does the same for French food. The thing to order is definitely the millefeuille (it's a riff on the original dish that substitutes paper-thin mushrooms for puff pastry), but the whole menu—and, by the way, wine list—is excellent. You'll only need a group of 30 to justify an entire buy-out of the space, which gets really dolled up around the holidays.

Fun fact: Amanda Cohen was the first vegetarian chef to compete on Iron Chef America—and she also wrote the first graphic novel cookbook published in North America. Unsurprisingly, her restaurant is insanely delicious, whether you’re a veg or not.

There is nothing fancy or gimmicky about chef Alex Stupak’s third south-of-the-border-inspired restaurant. What separates Al Pastor from the other restaurants are the modest prices and super approachable vibe—everything is served on paper plates, the seating is first-come, first-served, and tacos start at $6. The taco al pastor is stuffed with spit-roasted, chili-spiced pork and pineapple, and the guacamole is really good, too. Plus, there’s a giant mural on the ceiling that’s essentially the East Village equivalent of the Sistine Chapel—a must-see if you’re into gigantic llamas.

Fiaschetteria is a casual spot turning out authentic Tuscan food. (The owners still run the original location in Pistoia, Italy.) You come here for handmade pasta, which contends for NYC’s best. There are two locations in New York: In the West Village, it’s first come, first served. In the East Village, you have to call (not email, not Resy) for a reservation.

This homey, neighborhood joint churns out delicious and affordable Italian comfort food. Frank Prisinzano, for whom the restaurant is named, developed a menu comprised of his family's best dishes and continuously sources top-notch ingredients, which makes for a pretty excellent meal any day of the week. Plus, his wine cave downstairs boasts a vast array of regional Italian wines from Piedmonte to the Veneto.

Nestled in a back alley that's decorated overhead with twinkle lights and on the sides with greenery, Freeman's is still going strong after all these years. The classically eccentric interior is dark and cozy, making it best suited to warm winter meals. Food-wise, the menu is simple but never boring. Sitting in the private wine room, tucked away in the back, feels a bit like eating a meal in a family member's kitchen.

Chef Flynn McGarry opened the original Gem restaurant at just 19 years old, and Gem Wine at 25. If you’re wondering how that’s possible, some context: McGarry started his first tasting restaurant at age 11, and he’s since trained at Alinea, Eleven Madison Park, and Noma, among others. Gem Wine has a great wine list, but McGarry’s menu, which changes weekly, is still the main event. The space (on a mostly residential block on the Lower East Side) is breezy and spacious, and it’s great for impressing a date.

While NYC has its fair share of Vietnamese restaurants, what's great about this cozy St. Mark's spot is the mix of inventiveness and authenticity: the pho is extremely rich and layered and served sans the traditional American side of lime, and the spring rolls have an unexpected crunch thanks to fried wonton shells.

The food here is full of flavor and spice (the dan dan noodles are particularly insane). It's a no-frills kind of place, but the reasonable tabs make it a great place to go with a group on a budget.

The only thing keeping up with Ippudo's sterling reputation for Japanese comfort food is its growing list of U.S. locations (11 and counting). The need-to-knows: The noodles are hand-pulled on-site and cooked perfectly al dente. Broths are slow-boiled for up to 20 hours. They're known for the super-flavorful tonkotso ramen, but we love the miso ramen and yuzu shoyu. They have some more contemporary restaurant-style dishes here, but the traditional ramen bowls are really where it's at. Prices are low, and it's first come, first serve, so be prepared to wait.

As its name would suggest, when it comes to ramen, Ivan and company know what they are doing. The cold spicy sesame noodles topped with prawns are a great option on hotter days. If you go for dinner, they’re most famous for Triple Pork Triple Garlic Mazeman—the Tokyo Shio Ramen, loaded with egg, pork chashu, and roast tomato is a bit lighter.

A legendary Jewish deli, Katz’s originally opened in 1888 under a different name, and across the street from its current location on Houston and Ludlow. It was an institution long before the iconic orgasm scene from When Harry Met Sally, although it didn’t hurt. Most people come for either the hot pastrami or corned beef sandwich, or the Reuben version, which adds Swiss cheese and sauerkraut. Katz’s credits its slow curing method, which can last up to a month, for the meat’s superior taste. (You’ll also find matzo ball soup on the menu, along with everything else you’d expect/want, as well as less traditional offerings for a Jewish deli, like NY-style cheesecake.) For those outside of the city, note that Katz’s ships across the States.

This understated Italian trattoria isn’t reinventing the wheel; it just does candlelit dining and wood-oven roasting very well. Regulars come for their millionth order of sausage rigatoni and the rabbit pappardelle.

The team behind Frank bring the same homey, rustic appeal to this pizza and pasta spot, where you can grab a great Italian meal and wash it down with a regional wine. There's a covered garden in the back.

Here’s one way to transport yourself to Paris: a yellow-walled boîte, tight bistro tables, a wooden bar, and a menu of French classics. Order a bottle of wine from Bourgogne or the Loire valley, then go in on pan-seared foie gras, steak au poivre, and profiteroles.

For years, the Lower East Side has played host to the New York dumpling craze, of which we were avid participants from the start. We loved when Mimi Cheng’s came along and began serving up delectable Taiwanese-style dumplings made with antibiotic-free, local meat and fresh veggies. And, their hole in the wall is beautiful, whitewashed and dotted with bright yellow stools.

David Chang's Noodle Bar is a laid-back, no-reservations, ramen-specific restaurant. Chang, who is now legendary, does pretty revolutionary food, whether it’s noodles or pork buns, meaning that if there’s just one must-try foodie experience downtown, one of his restaurants would probably be it.

Four months after Auckland-born chef Matt Lambert opened the doors of the Musket Room, he earned himself a Michelin star. Every detail at the New Zealand–inspired restaurant is perfect: Many ingredients are grown in the courtyard behind the restaurant, the interiors are modern and rustic (with a musket over the bar, naturally), and the dishes are artfully plated.

Naks is a Filipino spot by the same people who run the regional Indian restaurants Dhamaka (in the East Village) and Semma (in the West Village). Here, chef Eric Valdez makes food he grew up eating in his mom’s house in Makati, plus dishes inspired by his travels across the Phillipines. You can order à la carte—but the most special meal here is the kamayan dinner, where fried duck, lemongrass-stuffed pork belly, and pancit batil patong (ground wagyu and egg noodles) are spread out on banana leaves for you to eat with your hands.

Penny is a raw bar that takes “bar” literally; it’s all bar and counter seating, with most spots reserved for walk-ins. They serve great oysters and crudo, garlicky periwinkles, caviar service, and house-made sesame brioche, with good wine to wash everything down.

While take-out from the 1914 original on East Houston is an unparalleled New York City experience, the wonderfully turned-out, old-world café is about a ten minute walk from the mothership, with waits that are two or three times that long. We heartily recommend the classic open-face sandwich, the super heebster nosh with wasabi roe, and matzo ball soup. Dying to try next: Chocolate babka french toast, along with their potato latkes.

Chef Helen Nguyen isn’t going for traditional, and you’ll notice some twists on her menu (like pickles in the bánh xèo). But she does traditional Vietnamese food beautifully, and you should load your table with steamed dumplings, imperial rolls, garlic noodles, oxtail fried rice, and sauteed pea shoots.

At this quaint, no-frills shabu spot, you dip thinly sliced beef, tofu, and vegetables in boiling water placed right in the middle of the table. And for those seeking vegetarian options, their menu extends far beyond their specialty shabu shabu, and includes awesome bibimbaps.

Superiority Burger made a name for itself with chef Brooks Headley's (formerly the pastry chef of Del Posto) rakish take on vegetarian fast food. The menu is brief, but you can't really make a bad choice—the small-but-mighty veggie burger, a Sloppy Dave (their version of a Sloppy Joe), and burnt-broccoli salad are stand-outs. Daily specials range from soarana beans with parsley to kabocha squash with pea shoot pepita pesto. Grabbing one of the few seats is basically a competitive sport, so better take your food over to Tompkins Square Park and grab a bench.

This relaxed, affordable Italian place in Alphabet City has a menu that reads like a greatest hits list of Italian classics. Their private rooms (you'll need at least 15 people) are perfect for a big family birthday party, with a prix-fixe menu served family style.

Neapolitan pizza pioneer Anthony Mangieri makes incredible wood-fired pizza with crust we can only describe as dazzling: perfectly puffy and leopard-spotted. Reservations, which max out at four diners a table, are necessary and worth battling it out on Resy to get. Una only makes so much pizza dough a day, and the pies reserved for walk-ins usually sell out to those who line up before the shop opens.

Chef duo Jeremiah Stone and Fabian von Hauske Valtierra of Contra opened a more casual wine-bar-meets-restaurant spot a couple doors down on Orchard Street, which has proven to be an LES standout. All of the seating is at high-top, communal tables. The wine list is first-rate, but this isn't just a spot for drinks, so come hungry and attempt to order as many of the very shareable plates as you can.

Ideally located where NoHo, the East Village, and Nolita meet, this hotel's bright bedrooms and contrastingly cavernous bar attracts the rockstar set—for scene, but also for comfort. Downstairs, Gemma is a good spot for a drink (it’s also a good dinner option for bigger groups).

New York is full of prohibition-themed bars, but this one stands out for its incredible drinks. The space, dark and intimate, is meant for small parties to enjoy their drinks and snacks over quiet conversation (make a reservation as seating is scarce). The drink menu is sorted by themes, from light & playful to rich & comforting, so you're bound to find something that meets, and then exceeds, your very particular expectations. Don't miss the incredible food, which justifies arriving with an empty stomach.

This ‘70s-inspired Lower East Side bar-slash-restaurant is one of our favorite spots. Upstairs there are comfortable booths to melt into after a long day, short day—or anytime you just really need a cocktail. The bar snacks are good, especially the cauliflower steak on a bed of quinoa. Downstairs feels like a tricked-out version of your cool neighbor’s basement—pool table, sunken fireplace, and jukebox included, plus walls covered with tapestries and kitschy-cool posters.

Lullaby is the kind of place you can order boozy punch and Dole whip cocktails. It’s dark. There’s a guy spinning vinyl at the end of the bar. People get up and dance, even though there’s not much space. It’s a great party—in the most low-key way.

With its extensive tequila and mezcal menu, this bar intends to enlighten us all about the two great Mexican imports, and it works: They make some great cocktails from each. There's also a surprisingly lengthy menu of inventive small plates, meaning that a trip here is an education in modern Mexican cuisine, too.

Criff Dogs—a hot dog joint—was an institution even before PDT (Please Don't Tell) came onto the scene. It's one of the best bars in the city for fantastic cocktails and has brought good, old fashioned cocktails back into the modern lexicon. Plus, there are deluxe hot dogs on the menu to accompany your drinks. It's a tiny, dark space, and the setting is intimate on purpose, so it can be hard to get a seat. Drop by early to put your name on the list—they're great about giving you a call when a table is available.

Ruffian serves natural wine and vegetarian food inspired by some of the world’s oldest wine regions, and they’ll often fly in their winemakers, who might drop by your table to talk about the qualities of the air and soil that make this particular bottle so good. You can grab plates to share or opt for a four-course tasting menu; the menu shifts focus to a different part of the world every season.

If In-N-Out has an East Coast equivalent, it’s 7th Street Burger, which has a cult following for juicy smashburgers and crispy fries slathered in sauce. (Vegetarians: They do have Impossible burgers here.) Depending on the location—there are nearly a dozen in Manhattan alone—they stay open late; this one’s open until 3 a.m. on weekends, and it’s a beacon of grease and cheese on a boozy night out.

Abraço roasts all their own coffee, and it’s better than what you’ll find almost anywhere else. It draws a loyal clientele for that, but also for the great pastries, vinyl records, and European vibe. Keep in mind they don’t offer alternative milks here—just whole milk, half and half, and whipped cream.

Apollo serves warm, fresh bagels with a chewy inside and crusty exterior, well-coated with sesame seeds or everything spice, if you choose. Their menu is simple, with a few types of bagels and a few types of schmear, plus tomato, whitefish, lox, and the typical bagel fixings.

This bagel shop is drawing big crowds, which we totally get: The hand-rolled, wood-fired bagel sandwiches are actually easy to eat (they’re much smaller than their brethren), and for the most part, they’re great—particularly for those times when the only thing that will satisfy is a bagel sandwich. Favorites include: the salmon classic, a basic tuna salad, and the egg salad.

For many years Mark Israel’s plain glazed doughnut recipe was enough to draw crowds to this Lower East Side foodie destination, but more recent additions, like sourdoughnuts, house-made jelly filled doughnuts, and cake doughnuts have made Doughnut Plant legitimately legendary. While you can find Doughnut Plant on the menus of many hotels and restaurants throughout NYC, we like to make an early morning pilgrimage to their original, Grand Street location.

You wouldn’t know it from the cute, unassuming exterior, but Erin McKenna revolutionized healthy baking (sounds like an oxymoron, but it’s true). Inside the bubble gum pink, ‘50s-inspired interior, you’ll find punk rock girls serving delicious cupcakes, cookies, and pastries, many of which are gluten-free, vegan, and Kosher.

This chai shop, owned by brothers Ayan and Ani Sanyal, makes traditional masala chai inspired by the summers and winters they spent in Kolkata as kids. They also sell chai concentrates and mixes you can whip up easily at home.

Morgenstern’s still does traditional ice cream in a parlor in Greenwich Village, serving up scoops, pies, and cakes made without anything artificial. This second outpost, Bananas, is dedicated to non-dairy soft serve made with a frozen-banana base.

This coffee spot is known for its fruit lattes, which you’ll either love or hate. They’re made with just espresso, milk, and fresh fruit, which cuts the bitterness from coffee.

This long-standing, family-run institution on Houston Street draws huge crowds for smoked fish, bagels, and other exquisite deli items. Besides doing great catering, they now have a café deeper south in the Lower East Side.

Sundaes and Cones relocated to the East Village after its first two decades based in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Here you'll find all the classics, but most people come for their specialty Asian-influenced flavors—e.g. wasabi, ginger, and black sesame. They also make delectable ice cream cakes topped with fresh whipped cream.

Imaginative pastries are the specialty at this Lower East Side bakery, where owner and baker Ry Stephen dreams up unexpected croissant pairings. Favorites include the ube eclair and the passionfruit curd doughnut.

This tea shop is named for a Led Zeppelin album—it’s on the basement level of the building on the cover of Physical Graffiti. It doesn’t offer much by way of atmosphere, but you come for a cup of hot tea or a tin of loose-leaf to take home; they have a whole wall of oolongs, green teas, pu-erhs, and medicinal herbal blends. If you’re looking to try something new, the shopkeepers are friendly and knowledgable guides.

Sure, “grocery” is in the name, and there are shelves of Italian-American kitchen staples on the wall, but mother-and-son operation Regina’s Grocery is a sandwich shop. Every sandwich is named for a real-life family member (there’s an Uncle John, an Uncle Phil, an Uncle Rocco, an Uncle Chubby...). And everything’s made with great ingredients sourced from around NYC—fresh bread from Parisi, mozzarella from Loni’s—or imported from Italy. The shop is low-frills and intentionally a little kitschy (see the paper-plate signs in the window, and the disco ball over the counter), but that’s part of its charm.

Whether you’ve had Van Leeuwen on the streets of Brooklyn or in Culver City, it’s instantly recognizable. They’re particularly famous for their vegan ice cream, a combination of cashew milk, coconut milk, cocoa butter, and carob beans that’s incredibly creamy and indulgent (and a major victory for the dairy-sensitive).

In the last few years, Westvilles have popped up all over Manhattan, which is probably a good thing since the original West Village outpost was way too tiny. You’ll find every variation of comfort food, from mac and cheese to the hot dogs that made them famous. Beyond myriad toppings and preparations, they offer vegan burgers, too.

From owner/designer Greg Armas' own line of subtly-destroyed basics to lesser known designers like Correll Correll and Amomento, we rely on this boutique for a dose of luxe, deconstructed fashion.

Bonnie Slotnick’s hole-in-the-wall bookshop stocks rare and out-of-print cookbooks from as far back as the early 19th-century, and she finds every single one herself. In fact, she’s a one man show, so store hours can be erratic, making it all the more special on the days when the shop is indeed open. You’ll find vintage cookbooks and kitchen paraphernalia appealingly displayed in the cramped little store, which is as entertaining for foodies as it is for design aficionados who love old books. If you’re looking for something in particular, Bonnie will track it down.

Café Forgot’s tiny-designer emporium embodies “if you get it, you get it” Lower East Side–cool. Even if their stuff isn’t your style—it leans avant-garde, and some of it is transgressively difficult to wear—you’d struggle to flip through their racks without finding something totally unique and special.

David Cafiero (as seen in House & Garden and Apartamento for styling Chloe Sevigny's East Village apartment) is the interior designer behind Cafiero Select, the super inspired antiques shop in the East Village. There's a mix of mid-century furniture, area rugs, mirrors, aspirational objects, and more.

The people who started Colbo went out of their way to make this more than a clothing shop. They carry men’s streetwear from Gramicci, Meals, and Small Talk Studio, plus Tejesta eyewear and ceramics from Danny D’s Mud Shop. Their in-house brand is designed and produced right here in New York. But as you’re browsing—or after you’re done—hang around a while to flip through design magazines and listen to their collection of rare records. The staff isn’t just helpful, but hospitable; take them up on their offer for a tea or an espresso, which comes from LA-based Canyon Coffee.

For serious vintage lovers, a trip here feels less like shopping and more like stepping into a vault. Desert is a destination for rare and antique fashion—specifically, pieces from the turn of the century through the 1970s. What’s exceptional is how modern it all feels; owners Salima Boufelfel and Roberto Cowan meticulously curate the assortment to work in contemporary wardrobes.

Ariane Goldman had her lightbulb moment five years ago when she was pregnant with her daughter and couldn’t find many fashionable options for her growing size. Her months of searching resulted in Hatch, an easy-to-wear line geared toward mothers before, during, and postpregnancy. There are staples, like a striped bateau and chambray tops, as well as special pieces, like the Noa Jumper, a versatile linen jumpsuit with adjustable knotted straps, and the Ziggy Pant, which features a stitched smocked waistband to accommodate an expanding waist. Dressing rooms have a size chart to help you figure out how a piece might fit, depending on where you are in your pregnancy and—best yet—there’s a cravings bar stocked with candy, pickles, you name it.

Beyond being the best resource in New York for Astier de Villatte’s stunningly hand-turned plates, bowls, and glasses, John Derian's instantly recognizable decoupaged glass plates and paperweights have a unique old world appeal that also applies to the small objects, furniture, and curiosities he stocks in his iconic East Village shop. It's a small microcosm packed with antique objects and hand-made works by artisans with a similarly whimsical aesthetic, from Leanne Shapton's painted wooden "books" to Hugo Guinness' drawings and prints. Derian also designs his own line of furniture which mixes right in with the flea market finds and printed fabrics at his dry goods shop next door.

Located in a gallery-like space in the LES, Maryam Nassir Zadeh is more like a gallery than a boutique. You’ll find really stunning jewelry that you don’t know if you should wear, or just display, and plenty of up-and-coming labels. MNZ has put designers like Dieppa Restrepo, Bernhard Willhelm, and Rafael Indiana on the map.

Off the beaten path on a Manhattan side street called Extra Place, Stevenson Aung and Angelique Chmielewski, opened a brick and mortar showcase for their shop, full of off-the-beaten-path extras. In their careers as industrial and fashion designers, respectively, they’ve spent years amassing quite the collection of Japanese design, and finally have the perfect glass-fronted location to showcase it all, from Azmaya tea accessories to Sunao cutlery, to Fog Linen baskets.

Joseph Artale and his team of talented stylists do absolutely brilliant hair—perfectly sun-kissed highlights, razor-cut layers—that’s both easy to maintain and amazingly natural-looking.

Christine Chin is a celebrity in the realm of skin care, and with good reason. Her sessions are intense in the best way: She will target every pore on your face, delivering the sort of thorough cleanse that has some clients digging their fingers into their palms. Steaming, rigorously energizing facial massage, extractions, a variety of detoxifying masks, glycolic peels, and collagen treatments are her specialties.

As its name implies, Gravity East Village specializes in gravity-based colonics, which means that the in-flow and out-flow of water is simultaneous. Gravity also has a far infrared sauna, which is a nice complement for a full detox.

Each 45-minute class at this weight-lifting studio is designed to chisel and strengthen. The classes run the gamut—there’s Legs, Butt & Back; Chest, Shoulders, Abs & Core; Full Body—and the playlists are mood-boosting mashups of radio hits that make the dumbbell drills fly by. The instructors are thoughtful, patient, and, of course, enviously toned.

This is one of the better Aces. The guest rooms are a good size for NYC, with huge bathrooms. Some rooms have a nice view, too. The lobby bar turns up on weekend nights—people dance all around the bar and lobby, spilling into the elevator space.

The Aman is New York’s most expensive hotel, and the rooms are appropriately big (and drop-dead minimalist-spectacular), the ceilings soaring, and the pool enormous. The restaurants are incredible (and the city’s most-sceney, as they’re only for guests for now, so only the most skilled string-pullers can get an exception), especially the exquisite Japanese Nama. Don’t miss the spa, whatever you do: Anyone (not just guests) can reserve treatments, which occur in beautiful, generous rooms with some of the best practitioners in New York. The cryo experience is especially fantastic.

The Fifth Avenue Hotel occupies a 1907 Renaissance-style mansion and a modern glass tower—the whole place strikes a balance between contemporary taste and gilded-age glamour. In the guest rooms, you’ll find plush beds, paisley drapes, blown-glass chandeliers, and dressers inlaid with mother-of-pear vines. If you want to get dressed up, the restaurant Café Carmellini is good for that; finish the night off in the wood-paneled, warmly-lit Portrait Bar.

The Pendry is luxurious, but in a way that feels young and relaxed. It sits right above the High Line and steps from Hudson Yards; it’s convenient if you’re spending your time in Midtown and downtown. The gym is equipped for Pilates and yoga—it has Peloton bikes, too—and the lobby bar feels like it’s been lifted out of the Upper East Side. At the restaurant, Zou Zou’s, chef Madeline Sperling does great dips, crispy latkes, and incredible Moroccan fried chicken to share.

The co-chefs and owners at Café Mars, who have dubbed their genre “unusual Italian,” have something special here: The menu features riffs on traditional Italian entrees—garlic-knot monkey bread, extraordinary pastas, and meat and fish entrees that defy your entire table’s expectations (ciao, smoked pork-rib parm!). And the space itself—a former pasta factory and Italian grocer—is atmospheric, with deluxe banquets, a gorgeous bar, custom-made chairs by Studio Apotroes, and the prettiest al fresco courtyard where you can scarf down some of Brooklyn's best Italian food under twinkling string lights.

From the people that gave us (and continue to give us) the brilliant Olmsted in Brooklyn, Five Acres is incredibly delicious, inventive, and even healthy.

Jean’s is the kind of restaurant you might have found in late-’90s St. Tropez—clubby, intimate, and legitimately chic. (If “clubby” is something that would normally put you off: fair, but stay with us for a moment.) The crowd wears Bode and Eckhaus Latta; tables fill up with outrageously good Caesar salads, French dips, burgers, and fries; and the spicy olive-oil martini will change your life. Everyone is here for a good time, and they’re having it.

On top of the Williamsburg Hoxton hotel overlooking the waterfront, Laser Wolf would probably have been popular even without the spectacularly delicious food. But with it, it’s an understandably tough reservation to get: Gigantic trays come crowded with incredible Mediterranean salads, all an accompaniment to amazing grilled skewers of meat (or vegetables, if you prefer). The spritzy cocktails are perfection—there’s one with tequila, sour cherry, and lime for less-sweet-cocktail lovers everywhere—as is the salted-tahini soft-serve.

From the dining room at Raf’s, you can watch almost everything on the menu emerge from the vintage bread oven in the kitchen’s back wall: escargot, brick-oven chicken, leeks vinaigrette, and other French-Italian magic. Order more than you have room for, let it load up on your teeny table, and don’t skip dessert from pastry chef Camari Mick.

Dreamed up by Gramercy Tavern alumni, Rolo’s is purely excellent. The polenta bread is fluffy, perfectly charred, perfect for sopping up decadent salt-and-pepper shrimp drippings or the tahini chickpeas small plate. There’s a major steak moment on the menu, glorious pastas, tender chicken that transcends any expectation of chicken, and more. The team’s talent is that they’re not reinventing the wheel with their menu, but rather taking rustic, wood-fire-grilled deliciousness to new heights. Don’t skip the homemade ice cream for dessert—and be sure to visit their other outpost, Radio Bakery, in Greenpoint.

If Afro-Caribbean Tatiana isn’t already high on your list, it should be. James Beard Award–winning chef Kwame Onwuachi takes inspiration from his childhood in the Bronx and from the legacy of San Juan Hill, the vibrant neighborhood that preceded the construction of Lincoln Center on the Upper West Side. The menu is distinctly Onwuachi, and distinctly New York: The chef works with ingredients and techniques from his Creole, Nigerian, and Caribbean roots—and plays with ideas from French cooking, Chinese takeout, Jewish delis, and city bodegas.

Torrisi reopened in 2023, just a block up from where the original Torrisi Italian Specialties made a name for chefs Rich Torrisi and Mario Carbone a decade prior. The new Torrisi is a fancier affair, with white tablecloths and servers in starched shirts. That said, the food is even better than at the O.G.—go for plates of ragù, rotisserie, and ravioli, and whatever specials are posted on the wall today.

If you’re after cocktails, moody lighting, and DJs slinging jazz and Aretha Franklin on vinyl, you’ll find all of the above at Another Country.

This is the morning-to-evening place every city needs more of. It’s great for a cappuccino, people-watching, and sitting with a book in the morning, and it stays open late—until 2am—on weekends.

Chef Yara Herrera and the team behind Rolo’s (right down the street) dreamed up this chic cocktail bar with a Mexican menu. There’s no dearth of exceptional artisanal margaritas. The name (an homage to the hellbender salamander, the largest in North America) might reel you in, but it’s the sumptuous flavors, moody vibe, and spot-on drinks that make it an instant classic.

The line always snakes out the door of this exquisite bakery, deli, and grocery on a cute corner in Williamsburg. The wait is worth it: Inside, Chrissa Yee and pastry chef Abby Swain churn out fresh-baked delight after delight. The breakfast sausage and egg sandwich (they even bake the bun) is something to dream about all week. The coffee is excellent and adorably packaged if you buy a bag to go. And A&C's homemade granola is the perfect blend of nuts, oats, peanut butter, maple syrup, and crunch. Other pantry staples we’re in love with: their homemade ice cream, the canned fish, fancy olive oil...everything really.

Some people are saying this is the east coast counterpart to Erewhon, and the comparisons are apt: This boutique health food store has a stellar hot bar, an especially well-curated selection of healthy snacks, and as many functional beverages you could try in a year. The vibe is really good and the service is friendly, if not always fast.

It’s hard not to go into rapture over the luscious pastries (something called a “bolus” is a cross between a sticky bun and the best doughnut you’ve ever had), pillowy breads (the country pan loaf, a blend of whole wheat and rye sourdough, is delectable eaten in hunks on the sidewalk or as toast days later), and perfect lunch sandwiches (we love the feta and tomato, but really you can’t go wrong) at this Greenpoint bakery from the team behind the excellent Rolo’s. Everything you order is fresh-out-the-oven, gobsmackingly great, and made with the highest-quality ingredients.

With an endless array of choices—all delicious, and made with environmentally friendly, non-GMO, and organic produce where possible—Tin Building is the hot spot for just about everything: a gourmet market, music, and events. And it's perfect for satisfying a group of picky visitors. Start your morning off with a saffron golden milk from T Cafe and a brunch burger from Double Yolk. For lunch, you can’t go wrong with the California dates and little gem lettuce dressed with creamy sesame peppercorn and kosho marinated cucumbers from Seeds + Weeds.

Studio Giancarlo Valle outfitted Hotel Esencia, Soho Townhouse, and some of Manhattan’s coolest lofts. This is their showroom, where you can check out their signature furniture IRL: carved-cedar credenzas, sinuate sconces, and geometric seating that doesn’t sacrifice on plushness.

If you’re hosting (or looking for a hostess gift), this is the store to count on for colorful martini glasses, pretty cocktail napkins, and nice olive oil in a cute bottle. They have two stores: This one’s in the West Village and the other is in Greenpoint.

Bode admirers waited seven years for designer Emily Adams Bode Aujla to introduce a women’s line, and it’s every bit as good as people hoped for, with thrift-inspired jackets, gauzy dresses, and playful accessories (like a handbag shaped like a fish, and a belt studded with multicolor rhinestones). This location is dedicated to Bode womenswear; you’ll find their iconic menswear, shoes, and one-of-a-kind pieces in separate spaces on the Lower East Side.

The vintage collection at Funny Pretty Nice leans into colorful ’90s and Y2K styles, and it’s a treasure trove of Missoni disco pants, low-rise Fendi skirts, and the silk slips Victoria’s Secret once did so beautifully.

Haricot Vert is best known for their necklaces, earrings, and bracelets with charms made from colorful collage cut-outs. Maybe you’ll take home a pair of perfectly mismatched earrings (one radis, one beurre?) or have the staff help you design something custom. Or if you give them a photograph—of your dog, perhaps, or your best friend’s face—they can turn it into a unique piece just for you. Their Williamsburg shop hosts DIY workshops in jewelry-making and collage, and you can book them for private events, too.

Technically, Quarters is a gallery space for Brooklyn-based lighting studio In Common With. They host installations—of their own work, and that of visiting artists. But it feels nothing like a gallery, and more like visiting extremely chic friends in their extremely chic apartment. Grab a drink at the bar, then wander through immaculately designed bedrooms, lush living spaces, and a dream of a kitchen. If you fall in love with that lamp, or that table, or that painting on the wall, go ahead and mention it to one of the associates: Everything in the space is for sale.

These guys make the best denim. That includes a tight run of classic cuts in just a few different washes, all of them perfect. But we’re especially into their signature styles: ’90s straight-cut jeans, low-rise pairs with drawstring closures, and ones with colorful hand-painted stripes up the back (more wearable than you think).

We love this boutique, which is stocked with clothes from Baserange, Deiji Studios, and Saks Potts, plus indie jewelry brands, boutique magazines, and all sorts of home goods and gifts. Their selection feels so fresh—if you’re looking for something fun and unique, start here.

Lia Bartha’s signature workout, B the Method, is based in classic mat Pilates but cuts out most of the props. All you need to get started is a ball. From there, Bartha dials in on good form and strips away distraction. It’s challenging and engaging but not prohibitively hard; we tend to walk away from it sweaty and satisfied, but not sore. B the Method is mostly online, but you can book at the Gowanus studio by appointment and join for monthly group events. (Sign up for their newsletter to jump on the list.)

Othership Flatiron is one of the most high-energy, immersive contrast therapy experiences in NYC, with guided sauna and cold plunge sessions set to music and breathwork. Classes are less quiet and meditative than dynamic and engaging—designed to leave you feeling rejuvenated and energized. The shared momentum of moving through it with a group is hard to replicate on your own.

Oula—a maternity center that combines midwifery and obstetrics for prenatal, delivery, and postnatal support—is an incredible option for pregnant people seeking low-intervention births. The staff of midwives is brilliant—friendly, vivacious, knowledgeable, supportive (there is zero judgment whether you want an epidural or drug-free delivery)—and visits feel unhurried and comfortable. The office is decidedly un-medical feeling. They take insurance including some Medicaid, and are committed to inclusive and equitable care to serve a diverse patient base. This location is in Brooklyn, and there's another Oula in Manhattan.)

Remedy Place is a standout in NYC for recovery—a social wellness club that blends ancient practices with modern technology to support your overall wellbeing. At the flagship in Flatiron and second outpost in Soho,  interiors reflect this approach—warm tones, cozy chairs, and sofas create a space that's minimal yet purposeful, never stark or cold. The wellness offerings are extensive, spanning IV therapy, hyperbaric oxygen, breathwork, contrast therapy, and more.

Ricari Studios is where the New York fashion set goes for lymphatic drainage—it’s known for having one of the most effective treatments in the city for reducing bloating, sculpting, and resetting your system. Treatments use specialized Italian Icoone technology to stimulate lymphatic flow, reduce inflammation, and improve circulation—which is especially great post-travel or post-event.

The Skin Lab evokes a ramped up version of what you feel slathering on The Rich Cream (or any other totally amazing Augustinus Bader product)—luxurious, refined, completely innovative, and located at the intersection of indulgence and science. The studio is complete with the classic Augustinus Bader–blue, copper detailing, and the most high tech facials. You start off with a skin consultation with an expert and choose your preferred treatment. We love the Ultimate Facial, which combines customized skincare picks, exfoliation, micro current, oxygen therapy, ultrasound, and LED—all completely tailored to your skin’s needs. Even better, they have a three-treatment approach to help you find the best route for your glowiest skin ever.

It’s not just the glossy nails you walk out with that makes us love this airy nail studio. There’s also the cute slippers they gift you, the red-light treatment that leaves your hands soft as silk...not to mention the service where the salon invites you to write yourself a letter as you wait for your nails to dry. (Write something nice—they mail it to you a few weeks later.) All five locations feel spalike in their serenity, and the Soho location’s lush balcony is perfect for luxuriating as you air-dry your nails.