Guidebook for New York
Food Scene
$ Cheap, good Mexican. They deliver or u can get take out. They also have a sit-down restaurant next to the take-out place. I get burritos and quesidillas from here almost every week.
Paquitos
143 1st Ave.$ Cheap, good Mexican. They deliver or u can get take out. They also have a sit-down restaurant next to the take-out place. I get burritos and quesidillas from here almost every week.
$ Great, inexpensive diner food w/ Ukranian twist. Get the borscht. They deliver too.
235 locals recommend
Veselka
144 2nd Ave$ Great, inexpensive diner food w/ Ukranian twist. Get the borscht. They deliver too.
MUD SPOT
307 E 9th StGreat little coffee shop.
Tompkins Square Bagels
165 Avenue A$ Great bagels and coffee. Has vegan spreads.
$$ Mid-range priced Italian food made by Italian people. One of my favorite restaurants.
42 locals recommend
Gnocco
337 E 10th St$$ Mid-range priced Italian food made by Italian people. One of my favorite restaurants.
Edi & The Wolf
$$ great modern german restaurant. one of my faves.
Lucien
14 1st Ave.$$ awesome french restaurant run by French people. one of my faves.
La Palapa
77 St Marks Pl$$ great tapas, paella and sangria.
$ - $$ Good example of American barbecue. (You'll see why they're are all fat :-)
139 locals recommend
Mighty Quinn's Barbeque
75 2nd Ave$ - $$ Good example of American barbecue. (You'll see why they're are all fat :-)
$ Very inexpensive vietnamese restaurant in chinatown. My fave cheap restaurant there. Get the summer rolls.
20 locals recommend
Nha Trang One
87 Baxter St$ Very inexpensive vietnamese restaurant in chinatown. My fave cheap restaurant there. Get the summer rolls.
$ Popular with tourists but I love this place too. Yummy Shanghai noodles. It's always very crowded.
196 locals recommend
Joe's Shanghai
46 Bowery$ Popular with tourists but I love this place too. Yummy Shanghai noodles. It's always very crowded.
Sammy's Noodle Shop & Grill
West 4th Street$ Great noodles!
$ - $$ My sister and I go here a lot. Good for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. (Alan Cumming the actor goes here a lot too. He lives in the 'hood.)
14 locals recommend
The Organic Grill
133 West 3rd Street$ - $$ My sister and I go here a lot. Good for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. (Alan Cumming the actor goes here a lot too. He lives in the 'hood.)
Motorino
510 Columbus Ave$ - $$ Great pizza. The place is run by Italian people so it's good.
Angelica Kitchen
$$ Organic, vegan restaurant.
$ - $$ It's part of a chain but I like this place for breakfast or lunch. They have organic food too.
247 locals recommend
Le Pain Quotidien
861 Lexington Ave$ - $$ It's part of a chain but I like this place for breakfast or lunch. They have organic food too.
$ - $$ It's part of a chain but I like this place for breakfast or lunch. They have organic food too.
247 locals recommend
Le Pain Quotidien
861 Lexington Ave$ - $$ It's part of a chain but I like this place for breakfast or lunch. They have organic food too.
The Mermaid Inn
570 Amsterdam Ave$$ - $$$ Great seafood restaurant.
Otto's Tacos
141 2nd Ave$ Great, inexpensive tacos.
$$ It's expensive to dine in here but it's awesome. However, if you are nearby, get some freshly made pasta in their shop and make it at home. It's phenomenally great.
17 locals recommend
Giovanni Rana Pastificio & Cucina
75 9th Avenue$$ It's expensive to dine in here but it's awesome. However, if you are nearby, get some freshly made pasta in their shop and make it at home. It's phenomenally great.
Westville East
173 Avenue A$ - $$ One of my faves for brunch or dinner.
Cafe Mogador
133 Wythe Ave$$ Moroccan. One of my faves.
$$ One of my favorite American restaurants. http://www.northernspyfoodco.com
87 locals recommend
Northern Spy Food Co.
511 East 12th Street$$ One of my favorite American restaurants. http://www.northernspyfoodco.com
$$ - $$$ Maybe my #1 favorite restaurant. I think it's French-ish. http://www.blueribbonrestaurants.com/rests_bakery_main.htm
31 locals recommend
Blue Ribbon Bakery Kitchen
35 Downing Street$$ - $$$ Maybe my #1 favorite restaurant. I think it's French-ish. http://www.blueribbonrestaurants.com/rests_bakery_main.htm
$$ - $$$ One of my favorite restaurants. Spanish (I think). http://tertulianyc.com
11 locals recommend
Tertulia
51 W 16th St$$ - $$$ One of my favorite restaurants. Spanish (I think). http://tertulianyc.com
$ - $$ A southern US, place. I've only gotten food from there once - a "You're So Nasty" and was really blown away at how good it was. My friends like this place. I'll go back.
29 locals recommend
Empire Biscuit
$ - $$ A southern US, place. I've only gotten food from there once - a "You're So Nasty" and was really blown away at how good it was. My friends like this place. I'll go back.
Essentials
St Marks Ale House
21 St Marks PlNext door. open 24/7. Not a lot of organic produce tho.
Village Farm Grocery
146 2nd AveOpen 24/7. Has vegan foods but not a lot of organic produce.
Excellent, small organic grocery store. Decent organic produce section.
83 locals recommend
Commodities Health Food
165 1st Ave.Excellent, small organic grocery store. Decent organic produce section.
A small farmers market Sundays, 9:00 am - 6:00 pm.
18 locals recommend
Tompkins Square Park Greenmarket
East 7th StreetA small farmers market Sundays, 9:00 am - 6:00 pm.
Large farmers market - Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 8:00 am - 6:00 pm.
987 locals recommend
Union Square
Large farmers market - Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 8:00 am - 6:00 pm.
Small farmers market Tuesdays, 6/3/2014 - 11/25/2014, 8:00 am - 6:00 pm.
6 locals recommend
St. Mark's-in-the-Bowery Church
131 E 10th StSmall farmers market Tuesdays, 6/3/2014 - 11/25/2014, 8:00 am - 6:00 pm.
Large grocery store. Has organic stuff. Always very crowded. I try to use the smaller places instead of this place because it's so crowded.
1895 locals recommend
Whole Foods Market
95 E Houston StLarge grocery store. Has organic stuff. Always very crowded. I try to use the smaller places instead of this place because it's so crowded.
Large grocery store. Has good amount of organic stuff. Also has a cafe and steam trays you can get pre-made food from. Not as crowded as the Whole Foods on 14th Street.
1895 locals recommend
Whole Foods Market
95 E Houston StLarge grocery store. Has good amount of organic stuff. Also has a cafe and steam trays you can get pre-made food from. Not as crowded as the Whole Foods on 14th Street.
Sightseeing
Tompkins Square Park
East 10th StreetGroovy park.
An old raised railway platform recently made into a groovy modern park.
2323 locals recommend
The High Line Park
An old raised railway platform recently made into a groovy modern park.
Open in the summer. Get a free ferry there from South Ferry. It's fun to pack a lunch and picnic there and bikes there too. governorsislandalliance.org
9 locals recommend
Fort Jay
Andes RoadOpen in the summer. Get a free ferry there from South Ferry. It's fun to pack a lunch and picnic there and bikes there too. governorsislandalliance.org
The LES - from Houston to Delancy - is a fun 'hood. Lots of nice little shops and restaurants.
214 locals recommend
Lower East Side
175 Eldridge StThe LES - from Houston to Delancy - is a fun 'hood. Lots of nice little shops and restaurants.
Chinatown is one of my favorite things about NYC. It's fun just to walk around and feel like you are not in NYC.
497 locals recommend
Chinatown
Chinatown is one of my favorite things about NYC. It's fun just to walk around and feel like you are not in NYC.
Chelsea Market is a high-end food shopping mall. The architecture is really interesting - it's in a renovated factory.
1123 locals recommend
Chelsea Market
75 9th AveChelsea Market is a high-end food shopping mall. The architecture is really interesting - it's in a renovated factory.
The West Village is old and charming. Be sure to have a map. Even people who live here get lost there because the streets are not in a grid.
224 locals recommend
West Village
The West Village is old and charming. Be sure to have a map. Even people who live here get lost there because the streets are not in a grid.
Washington Square Park
Washington SquareA nice park. Great place to people-watch on nice days.
There's a pedestrian path you can walk over and back. Tale the 6 train to the Brooklyn Bridge / City Hall stop to get there.
1505 locals recommend
Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge PromenadeThere's a pedestrian path you can walk over and back. Tale the 6 train to the Brooklyn Bridge / City Hall stop to get there.
East River Park & Promenade. Walk along the river on a nice day.
451 locals recommend
East River State Park
90 Kent AveEast River Park & Promenade. Walk along the river on a nice day.
Gramercy Park is a private park but if you are nearby it's interesting to see the hifalutin homes along the park. Some are very old.
86 locals recommend
Gramercy Park
Gramercy Park is a private park but if you are nearby it's interesting to see the hifalutin homes along the park. Some are very old.
A nice park on the West Side if you find yourself over there on a nice day.
154 locals recommend
Hudson River Greenway
Hudson River GreenwayA nice park on the West Side if you find yourself over there on a nice day.
The Loeb Boathouse
East 72nd StreetIt's fun to rent a rowboat in the lake in Central Park.
Bethesda Fountain is sort of like one of the centers of Central Park. Worth a look.
51 locals recommend
Bethesda Terrace
72 Terrace DrBethesda Fountain is sort of like one of the centers of Central Park. Worth a look.
Sheep Meadow is one of the main places people go to to picnic and ly in the sun.
77 locals recommend
Sheep Meadow
1802 East 65th StreetSheep Meadow is one of the main places people go to to picnic and ly in the sun.
Probably the ritziest hotel in the city. You can walk in and look around (and use the bathrooms). There are also shops to look at. I've gone in there for just a drink with visitors.
137 locals recommend
The Plaza Food Hall USA
768 Central Park SProbably the ritziest hotel in the city. You can walk in and look around (and use the bathrooms). There are also shops to look at. I've gone in there for just a drink with visitors.
3 sets of my great-grandparents came through Ellis Island. It can be moving learning about what immigrants went through to get here. http://www.ellisisland.org
178 locals recommend
Ellis Island
3 sets of my great-grandparents came through Ellis Island. It can be moving learning about what immigrants went through to get here. http://www.ellisisland.org
I haven't been here yet but I've been meaning to go for years. (This reminds me I should go thanks.) frauncestavern.com It's from US colonial times 1700s. I hear there's a cool bar there.
52 locals recommend
Fraunces Tavern
54 Pearl StI haven't been here yet but I've been meaning to go for years. (This reminds me I should go thanks.) frauncestavern.com It's from US colonial times 1700s. I hear there's a cool bar there.
tenement.org When the throngs of immigrants came here in the early 1900s most lived in dire conditions in tenements. (27 St Marks is an old tenement from this era.) It's interesting.
603 locals recommend
Tenement Museum
103 Orchard Sttenement.org When the throngs of immigrants came here in the early 1900s most lived in dire conditions in tenements. (27 St Marks is an old tenement from this era.) It's interesting.
This is the 'hood where the cool 20-somethings live and hang out. (When I younger the East Village was the cool 'hood.) All I know is that the Bedford Ave subway stop is the central subway stop.
997 locals recommend
Williamsburg
This is the 'hood where the cool 20-somethings live and hang out. (When I younger the East Village was the cool 'hood.) All I know is that the Bedford Ave subway stop is the central subway stop.
Drinks & Nightlife
Zum Schneider NYC
107 Loisaida Ave$$ Cool Barvarian beer haus and some german food too.
Everything Else
Laundry - You can bring in your laundry and pick it up usually the next day. They'll also pick up and deliver from the apartment.
15 locals recommend
Lois Dry Cleaners
45 3rd AveLaundry - You can bring in your laundry and pick it up usually the next day. They'll also pick up and deliver from the apartment.
Duane Reade
3506 BroadwayClosest pharmacy if you need anything.
Shopping
Exit9 Gift Emporium
51 Avenue AA good place to get gifts.
Alphabets
A good place to get gifts.
Arts & Culture
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 5th AveBig museum.
As I write this there's a great Italian Futurist exhibit there that I really enjoyed.
1126 locals recommend
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
1071 5th AveAs I write this there's a great Italian Futurist exhibit there that I really enjoyed.
Whitney Museum Shop
99 Gansevoort StBig, modern art museum.
Big, modern art museum. (I saw Kraftwerk there in 2012. It was a highlight of my life.)
2114 locals recommend
The Museum of Modern Art
11 West 53rd StreetBig, modern art museum. (I saw Kraftwerk there in 2012. It was a highlight of my life.)
New Museum of Contemporary Art
235 BoweryModern museum.
momaps1.org - on summer afternoons they have DJs and it's very cool. Don't know if they'll start in May.
575 locals recommend
MoMA PS1
22-25 Jackson Avemomaps1.org - on summer afternoons they have DJs and it's very cool. Don't know if they'll start in May.
The only Broadway play I've ever loved is the Book of Mormon. I laughed so hard I cried. bookofmormonbroadway.com -- or try for last minute tickets at the TKTS booth in Times Square.
20 locals recommend
Eugene O'Neill Theatre
230 W 49th StThe only Broadway play I've ever loved is the Book of Mormon. I laughed so hard I cried. bookofmormonbroadway.com -- or try for last minute tickets at the TKTS booth in Times Square.
This ticket booth sells discount tickets on a last-minute basis. You never know what they'll have but people have luck sometimes. Worth a try if you just want to see a show and aren't too choosy.
149 locals recommend
TKTS Times Square
West 47th StreetThis ticket booth sells discount tickets on a last-minute basis. You never know what they'll have but people have luck sometimes. Worth a try if you just want to see a show and aren't too choosy.
I haven't been here yet but it's on my list of places to check out. http://unbouncepages.com/morbidanatomymuseum/
The Morbid Anatomy Library
421 36th StreetI haven't been here yet but it's on my list of places to check out. http://unbouncepages.com/morbidanatomymuseum/