New Yorkers, I need your awesomest help!

[rosetta]

Native New Yorkers and NYC lovers alike, I need you.

I'm due to fly to new York for the first time in my life this summer. It is my first foot on American soil, ever (I've been on every other continent but north america and antarctica).

We are going full on tourist. We've even bought new York passes. I'm going up the empire state building no matter what anyone says.

We are going for 7 days.

My husband has been many times and is somewhat jaded, so I would love to show him something new, courtesy of PS.

Restaurant recommendations are especially wanted, we are big foodies.

Thank you all so much in advance!

 

[missy]

Hi Rosetta, I am so excited for you. NYC is a great place to visit and I am sure you will have an amazing time!

What kind of food do you guys like? My very favorite restaurant is Le Bernardin. Delicious french food served in a lovely environment. You need to make reservations at least a few weeks to a month in advance so if you decide you want to go there you can make them online.
http://www.le-bernardin.com/

I also recommend Central Park to walk around and you can rent a rowboat and take in some pretty scenery.
The museums are wonderful and I recommend the Guggenheim as it is different than most museums so worth the trip. The building itself is a piece of Frank Lloyd Wright art.

I love downtown Manhattan and you can check out the 9/11 memorial and well as the waterfront walking/cycling path. Great views.
You can also take a boat trip from downtown battery park to Ellis Island.

I highly recommend a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge (my favorite bridge in the world). It's the world's first suspension bridge and the walk is beautiful with views. You can then visit the Brooklyn Promenade in Bklyn Heights with fantastic views of the city. Really worth it. A great neighborhood and worth the visit. Probably your dh never visited Brooklyn Heights and the Promenade so something different for him perhaps.

Also probably new to your dh (opened in 2009) is skyline park in Chelsea/West Village.
http://inhabitat.com/new-yorks-high-line-park-in-the-sky-opens-today/
http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/R123/highlights/9802
Might be worth checking out.

Oh, and if you have time window shopping on 5th ave! Love the shops and lots of gorgeous jewelry too! Very droolworthy IMO.
There's Cartier, Harry Winston to name 2! Here's a link to shopping in all of NYC. You might want to check out Century 21 downtown if you have the time and energy. It's always pretty crowded but the touristy thing to do if you are up for it.
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/newyorkcity/0021023037.html

My dh and I also did a couple of touristy bus tours of the city and downtown brooklyn a few years ago. Lots of fun if you are in the mood for touristy things to do. We learned stuff we never knew about these neighborhoods and we lived here most of our lives LOL.
http://www.graylinenewyork.com/

Also, circle line cruise tours allow for a wonderful perspective of nyc.
http://www.circleline42.com/new-york-cruises/home.aspx
Again, very touristy but a fun way to see the city if you are in the mood for it. The weather in the summer is perfect for this I think.

There are so many great restaurants to tell me what type of food and atmosphere (casual/dressy) you are looking for and I can make more recommendations.

 

[MishB]

Not a New Yorker, just a tourist but I can tell you what I love about the place.

We ate some incredible food but the two things that stuck out for me are Junior's cheesecake, and the pastrami sandwiches.

Hire bikes and ride around Central Park.

Take the Staten Island ferry past the Statue of Liberty.

Visit Century 21 and fight for a bargain.

Don't miss the diamond district, even if you just window shop, or pick up a souvenir (or 3) like I did.

Go to the top of Empire State building - we got there first thing in the morning, no crowds.

Take a train to Brooklyn, eat pizza at Grimaldi's and walk back across the bridge.

Visit St Paul's Chapel near the site of the WTC.

Explore Grand Central, it's so much more than just a train station!

 

[Amys Bling]

Great suggestions missy- those would be my tourist recommendations..,


What about Ellis island? You can take off from battery park- and do the statue of liberty! You need timed advanced tickets to do all this do check ahead of time online and buy them

 

[missy]

Thanks Amy. There are so many amazing places to visit in NYC it's hard to know what to recommend first!

fyi- I believe Grimaldi's in Brooklyn Heights is under new ownership now so not sure how it will fare. There will still be long lines however and I know the old Grimaldi's was worth it at least for a once time trip but not sure how long you want to wait in line for the new Grimaldi's.
http://dumbonyc.com/2011/12/15/grimaldis-pizza-closed-for-now/
http://www.yelp.com/biz/grimaldis-brooklyn

If you are going to try for Grimaldi's you might want to also visit the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory nearby.

 

[rosetta]

Thank you so much mish, Amy and missy!

We love all types of cuisine, I favour Thai, Indian and Japanese but husband likes French and has a real sweet tooth.

Honestly, we love it all!

Oh I'm excited like a kid going to Disneyland

 

[missy]

You're very welcome Rosetta! I am pretty excited for you too LOL. I love being a tourist in my own city and just listing some places for you to check out has gotten me into the spirit again!

For Japanese I recommend Nobu for sure. Love this restaurant!

I am not a huge fan of Indian food but my dh recommends Little India in the East Village
http://www.nytimes.com/ref/travel/NABE-EASTVILL.html
He says it is a fun area to check out.

French food is my favorite and there are amazing French restaurants in NYC. Of course I already recommended Le Bernardin- a must IMO if you love French food. If you have a huge budget I also love Per Se! My dh took me here on my birthday about 7 years ago when they first opened and wow! Really amazing but really expensive and if you want to go you must make reservations about 2 months in advance. Worth it for a once in a lifetime wow eating experience IMO.

Also love Bouley, Daniel, Jean George, Picholine and L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon!! There are many more but these stand out to me from the rest.
Enjoy!!!!

 

[missy]

I just had to come back to this thread and add 2 of my favorites that I neglected to mention.

Molyvos- delicious Greek food- yummy!!!
http://www.molyvos.com/

And then another not to miss (Italian food) restaurant - Il Mulino
http://www.ilmulino.com/

Il Mulino is special- my dh took me there the night before he proposed because it is such a special place. Again, difficult to get reservations but worth the effort for this one.

Sorry I gave you so many restaurant recommendations- We are foodies and love going out to eat. I am very picky so this should give you an idea of the awesome range of great restaurants in NYC. I just hope I didn't make it more difficult for you to choose. There are so many more....

I am not sure of your schedule and the dates you would be here but if it worked out I would be up for meeting and showing you guys around. I am sort of shy so have never gone to a GTG but would be good with showing you guys around for a day if you were up for it. Don't worry if you're not- I totally understand if you aren't game especially since you are only here for 7 days. Just wanted to throw it out there in case you might be interested.

 

[Circe]

A few of my favorite things, both upscale and lowscale, touristy and native:

- drinks at the Boathouse in Central Park: a trip round the lake in the little gondola.

- dinner at Buddha Bar, which has some v. nice fusion dishes

- brunchin the "fancy" room at the Modern - make reservations.

- best chai in the city: Blue Dog Cafe.

- did you know there's a Canturi store in New York? There's a Canturi store in New York.

- Temple of Dendur at the Met: see also, Arms and Armory, the rood screen in the great hall, and the newly remodeled Islamic Gallery.

- dress in costume. No, wait: hear me out. You know how there's a bunch of stuff in your closet you always look at and think, "It's gorgeous, but just not appropriate?" If any of it packs light, this is the city to enjoy it is: nobody bats an eye, unless they're winking at you in approbation. I got more approving looks wearing a leopard-skin pillbox hat and platform shoes in the third trimester than I ever have dressing conservatively: New Yorkers love a show.

- speaking of shows, catch one on Broadway. Right now "Book of Mormon" is huge (I have to buy tickets six months in advance, oy), but if you have time before your trip it might be worth it. Alternately, catch something at Lincoln Center or Carnegie Hall.

- Top of the Rock. Or "The View" restaurant: it rotates!

More as it occurs ....

P.S. - If you and Missy should by any chance feel like a small GTG, I'd volunteer too! Hell, though I sing the praises of Canturi, I never *have* gone. We could hit the best stores on Madison - Fred Leighton, Stephen Webster, de Grisogono ... but similar no-pressure disclaimer applies.

 

[Jennifer W]

When I visit, I usually just walk to the diamond district from my aunt's apartment on the Upper East Side. Takes about an hour, and I'm sure there's loads of really interesting stuff to do and see on the way, but well, the Diamond District is at the end of that walk, so I've never really lingered... DH likes to look at architecture and stuff, and I'm pretty sure there are some lovely museums, but well, there's a Diamond District.

I can recommend a visit to the Diamond District.

 

[JuneRose]

When I visit, I usually just walk to the diamond district from my aunt's apartment on the Upper East Side. Takes about an hour, and I'm sure there's loads of really interesting stuff to do and see on the way, but well, the Diamond District is at the end of that walk, so I've never really lingered... DH likes to look at architecture and stuff, and I'm pretty sure there are some lovely museums, but well, there's a Diamond District.

I can recommend a visit to the Diamond District.

 

[JuneRose]

I just spent 3 months in NY this autumn (and nearly moved there too... but that a whole other story!!).

This "Guide to New York" was really useful for me and introduced me to some great places:
http://joannagoddard.blogspot.com/search/label/NYC guide

I love Eataly, the Highline and getting lost in the North Woods of Central Park... it really is a magical city!

 

[rosetta]

Aw thank you Circe, JuneRose and Jen!

I'm thinking of wearing my slinky cat burglar outfit to the diamond district....

What?

It has the PS seal of approval !

 

[peachster]

This is another nice dining option - I took some guests from Michigan and the food was really good.

www.frenchculinary.com/lecole/index.html

Or you could be adventurous and head to Hyde Park:

http://ciarestaurants.com/featured-home/

Love the Brooklyn Bridge walk, also think there is a Japanese pastry shop at Rockefeller Center, which I used to take my kids to years ago. The desserts are works of art, pricey and incredible, worth it if you like Japanese cuisine. Think it is called Minamoto Kitchoan. And it is something special and exquisitely unique.

 

[rosetta]

I'm bumping this thread up again to see if anyone has any suggestions for ethnic cuisine in New York?

I love Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Mexican, Italian. Almost anything really. Korean, Vietnamese, Moroccan. Ok, I'm making myself hungry now....

Thanks in advance m'dears!

 

[Tanzigrrl]

Hey, I'm heading to NYC this week for a visit and this thread is really helping me, too! Thanks, all! This is my fifth tour of NYC in about 10 years but there are always thousands of things I miss each time. A lifetime there wouldn't give me enough time to enjoy the city thoroughly enough.

 

[JGator]

Rosetta, I used to live in NYC.

For Indian (my DH is Indian), if you want vegetarian dosas (think crepes with spicy potatoes), try Saravana Bhavan 81 Lexington Avenue and 26th Street. Or, we also like www.bricklanecurryhouse.com (2nd Ave and 66th Street or 235 E 53rd St (Between 2nd & 3rd Ave).

You might like Momofuku - often there is a long wait for a table though. http://www.momofuku.com/new-york-city/ I believe the Noodle bar has the pork belly buns...yum!

Japanese - there is an excellent Japanese tapas place with a huge sake selection - not a sushi place - but excellent and very authentic. Sakagura - 211 E. 43rd Street. http://www.sakagura.com/

Korean, we love Korean BBQ. This place is amazing - Kum Gang San 49 West 32nd Street www.kumgangsan.net/...

Thai, I love Jaiya - tell them mild unless you like it pretty hot. 396 3rd Ave http://www.jaiya.com/

Also, if you want to venture to Queens, I have some recommendations for excellent Greek.

You are making my mouth water here!

 

[iLander]

You might want to check and see if you'll be in town for Restaurant Week!

They haven't released the summer participants yet, but here's the winter list:

http://www.opentable.com/promo.aspx?pid=69&m=8

Le Cirq has a special "restaurant week" menu that the run all summer, while their clients are in the Hamptons. It's Fabulous! But reserve early, they fill fast.

 

[ame]

We were up there not too long ago and have a few food recs, the first two needed reservations in advance.

-Toulache (sp) in Theater District, amazing mexican, along with the only guac on earth Ill eat.
-Tamarind in Flatiron. Really good indian, look GOOD. We are not really "dressy" so our best was still far too casual and we felt like we were being stared at. Also pretty steep but really good service.
-Bills Gay Nineties on I think 54th? near Madison http://billsnyc.com/ but I thikn they're "temporarily closed". Best f'ing steak I have ever HAD IN MY LIFE. Really pricey though.
-Jacques Torres in Soho area(? not sure if that's really the right area) was amazing, best hot cocoa ever, got lots of chocolates. Saw and hugged on Anthony Bourdain.
-Whatever the hell the pizza joint is right next to Good Old Gold. SO DAMN GOOD. We were offered lunch while there and the two offerings right next door were Bread Co (snore, we have that here, hell the HQ is here. No thanks!) and the Pizza place. SEVERAL PS pros mentioned this pizza joint and I am SO GLAD we listened. Wowwie zowwie. DH still talks about the sicilian slices.

There was some fresh express deli/bread co kinda place I think on 3rd? around 52nd that was also really good. We also had a LOT of hot dogs on the street. They were good.

We went to Lombardi's and I think it was like 4pm on a Thursday when we went. Overpriced, HORRENDOUS service, and not really all that good for pizza. Was not aware you could screw up pizza, but this place failed so bad. I really want to try Grimaldi's but if they changed it then maybe I will pass on that next time?

Also, we stayed in I THINK the sheraton UES/Midtown at 52nd and Madison when we were there, and Cartier is literally on the other end of the block at 52nd and 5th.

 

[rosetta]

Ack, thanks soooo much all of you! I'm dying to try all these places.

Ame, did you mean Toloache? If so, looks yummy and I'm definitely booking a table there.

 

[ame]

Ack, thanks soooo much all of you! I'm dying to try all these places.

Ame, did you mean Toloache? If so, looks yummy and I'm definitely booking a table there.

Yea I think that's the right spelling! http://toloachenyc.com/

W 50th should be in Theater Dist/Times Square. We had the frutas guac and it was amazing. We actually asked to sit at the little bar right where they make it so we could watch. It was a fun seat.

 

[PintoBean]

Hi Rosetta,

I'm all about the little "hole in the walls" in NYC!

Do you like mac and cheese? If so, check out 'Smac - a mac and cheese place started by two former engineers! I've never had such interesting variety of mac and cheese. We love the sampler!
http://www.smacnyc.com/

Ditto on Jacques Torres - the Brooklyn Dumbo and Houston or Hudson and King locations have the chocolate making on site. The aromas are incredible!

Do you like vietnamese sandwiches? Banh Mi Saigon! For $3.75 (that's what I recall paying last spring...), you can get an amazing baguette sandwich! I love the #1 - pork sandwich. Fi loves #1 spicy!

If you like pho, I would say Xe Lua on Mulberry Street. It's a step up from the usual pho places - it's very clean, there is a hostess, and very tacky tropical decor - land bridge inclusive inside! I would say that the nicer ambience and cleaner bathroom tacks on maybe 50 cents more on your bowl of pho than the other pho places around town? Well worth it for a NYC tourist visit!

Vendor trucks are awesome! Korilla BBQ - korean meets tacos + burritos. http://korillabbq.com/menu

I always wanted to try this street cart vendor - the dosa man by NYU! http://www.yelp.com/biz/ny-dosas-new-york

I like searching on yelp, and a lot of vendor trucks tweet their location.

I like walking through NYC street fairs. They don't have as many cool finds nowadays, but they're always fun to stroll through.
http://www.nycstreetfairs.com/sched.html

These are the only things I miss about not working in the city anymore...food and more food!!!

 

[rosetta]

Thanks PintoBean!

I love hole in the Walls, they're my go-to for a quick and tasty lunch on the move. Word of mouth is key here, so thanks!