If there's one thing about me, it's that I love giving recommendations. I shamelessly will admit I have a somewhat infamous spreadsheet where I keep track of all of the restaurants, coffeeshops, stores, etc. that I've been to or want to visit. Whatever destination you have in mind, I've probably got a spot. I often find myself receiving texts from friends asking something along the lines of "I have visitors coming into town where should I take them?" or from random followers/acquaintances, "I'm visiting New York do you have any less touristy recs?" So whether you've lived here your whole life, or have zero plans of coming to the city right now, here are a couple new (to me) spots that I would return to/recommend thus far in 2024:
I am no stranger to the vintage clothing store scene in NYC having interned at one and being a customer at most. It hasn't even been a year since Heart & Lou's entered the scene and it has already received some recognition on TikTok (rightfully so). Although they have typical mid-range New York City vintage prices, the curation was literally me to a T. The owner was super friendly when I went in and you can tell she just gets it. The pieces all share a very specific vibe; it's not just a mash-up of random deadstock pieces and I specifically fancied their selection of pointed-toe kitten heels.
Recommended to me by a friend who lives in the neighborhood, this cafe/natural wine bar was on my hit-list for a long time. It gets pretty crowded on weekends, but I was able to snag a seat at the bar. Their matcha was solid and I saw some pretty good-looking bites around me. Located on a quaint corner in the WV, this place has major European vibes. Their outdoor seating when it's warm enough outside is a great place to people watch and grab a drink with a friend or alone.
Deemed "NYC's Erewhon", my internship last month was conveniently located only a couple buildings down from this boujee grocery store. As someone who loves branding/healthy foods and puts their discretionary income towards food/drinks, this place is my dream; however, as one could imagine, the prices are simultaneously my worst nightmare... They offer a heavily curated mix of aesthetically-pleasing and unique grocery items, prepared food/pastries, smoothies/other cafe-style beverages, their own merchandise & so much more. Totally worth stopping into, even if it's just to peek.
This unassuming concept-store is housed in what was once home to the famous American painter Basquiat. I won't lie, I initially wanted to check out this spot merely for the atmosphere, however, in addition to their delicious Turkish-inspired beverages/snacks, their is an admirable initiative behind the extremely instagrammable (ew I using hate that word) interior. Owner Angelina Jolie wanted to create a space where expert tailors, pattern makers, & artisans from around the world could use deadstock materials to create and sell garments in a sustainable, community-centric manner.
Don't worry, this is the last café I'll include (in this post at least). Located on the corner of Canal & Essex right outside of Chinatown (an area people around here call Dimes Sqaure), Little Canal has a very similar vibe to St. Jardim. I wanted to check this place out since it's a little closer to my apartment and it did not disappoint. With records playing from behind the bar and a no-laptop rule, this day-to-night restaurant is a lovely place to catch up with a friend. Its menu is on the smaller side, but is well-rounded nonetheless.
Planta is a pretty well-know vegan restaurant with 7 locations across North America. I've been here enough times to try a a large portion of the menu, however, one thing I hadn't made it around to was their Maki Monday deal. Let me preface by saying, vegan or not, anyone I've taken to try this place loves the food. So if the idea of vegan sushi turns you off, don't let it, because as much as I love regular carnivorous sushi, I love Planta's sushi just as much (if not more)-especially when it's unlimited for $27 (before tip). Anything I've tried here is yet to disappoint, but their Dan Dan Noodles and Bang Band Broccoli are a couple of my personal favorites.
It doesn't take much for me to enjoy pizza (especially if you slap some hot honey on it), but since being here for almost a couple years now, it takes a lot for me to be impressed by a slice. I'll admit, I heard about this place from TikTok, and recognized it when I was in the area with some friends and we were starved. I tried the spinach slice (with hot honey of course), but they're more known for their Picante slice which apparently has quite the kick to it. My friends and I came to the consensus that this is a very solid option. I wouldn't necessarily abandon my all-time favorite rankings for it, but I would say it's up there for sure.
C'mon, who doesn't love Ruby's? It's a weekly staple amongst my roommates and friends. There is something for everyone, anytime of the day. We frequent the East Village location the most (for proximity reasons), but a new location opened in the WV back in October of 2023. It has all the same great qualities as the other Rubys', except for the fact that it's located in an adorable flatiron-style building nestled between W 4th & 7th Ave on it's own little island. The location has exclusive menu items and a popular bar, but let it be told, if your going for a late dinner, it gets pretty noisy to the point where you can hardly hear the person next to you...
I'm throwing another specialty grocery store into the mix as if I have the money to be shopping anywhere but Trader Joes-lol. I always pass Pop Up Grocer on my walk to work and finally stopped in when I had extra time one afternoon. Their marketing doesn't lie, this place feels like your entering your a Instagram ad IRL, and I'm their perfect victim. I was like a kid in a candy shop here with all the clean ingredient, aesthetically-packaged treats. They also recently built a café inside serving fun flavor combos and food. I tried the cocoa cereal latte (pictured to the left) which is made with protein cereal and doubled as my mid-day caffeine and snack.
Last but not least, I finally broke my month-long hibernation period a couple weekends back and was convinced to step out. The Seville is a speakeasy located inside the James Hotel. This place has a super sexy vibe and live music that goes until 10 p.m. followed by a DJ. It definitely has a more sophisticated feel (which makes sense given my $30 Amaretto Sour). With that being said, thankfully, I came here with a regular, so the rest of the drinks ended up being on the house. It isn't necessarily located in the best area (at least for people my age) to walk anywhere after, but if your willing to subway/Uber downtown after, or are having dinner at Scarpetta upstairs, I would say it's worth checking out for a drink (or two if you have the funds, unlike myself!)
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