I’m so excited to finally launch my comprehensive guide to my NYC! I’ve been working on this for weeks, pruning my suggestions of the best-of-the-best to do, see and EAT in this wonderful city. (Yes, this is a PRUNED list!) I can personally attest to each and every place on this list – and seeing it all spelled out is answering a lot of questions I’ve had about my bank account. Happy to take one for the team!

Places are divided by category, and neighborhoods are indicated so you can do a search that way if you prefer. I’ll keep this list updated as I find new places. Enjoy!

Coffee

A latte at R&R Coffee, one of the few non-chain coffee shops in the Financial District

• Blue Bottle, multiple locations
• Think Coffee, multiple locations
• Manhattanville, multiple locations
• Kaffe 1668, multiple locations
• Sweatshop, Williamsburg
• Stumptown, multiple locations
• Toby’s Estate, multiple locations
• Cafe Grumpy, multiple locations
• Bibble & Sip, Theater District
• New York Muffins, Williamsburg
• Happy Bones, NoLita
• Everyman Espresso, Multiple locations
• R & R Coffee, Financial District
• Reconnect Cafe, Bed-Stuy
• Milk & Roses, Greenpoint
• Coffeed, multiple locations
• Absolute Coffee, Boerum Hill

Breakfast

Note to self: Take more photos of breakfast

• Elsie’s, Crown Heights
• Brooklyn Bagel, multiple locations
• Doughnut Plant, multiple locations
• Leo’s Bagels, Financial District
• Bagel Pub, multiple locations

Brunch

• Two Hands, Little Italy
• Petite Abeille, multiple locations
• Mayfield, Crown Heights
• Big Daddy’s, Flatiron
• Cent’Anni, Crown Heights
• Friend of a Farmer, Gramercy
• Egg, Williamsburg
• Coffee Shop, Union Square
• Fort Defiance, Red Hook
• Colina Cuervo, Crown Heights
• Black Swan, Bed-Stuy
• House of Small Wonder, Williamsburg
• Two Door Tavern, Williamsburg
• Almond, multiple locations
• Maman, multiple locations

Lunch

• S’mac, multiple locations
• Hu Kitchen, Greenwich Village
• Gansevoort Market, Meatpacking
• The Grey Dog, multiple locations
• Nathan’s Famous, multiple locations
• Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken, East Village
• Smorgasburg, multiple locations
• Shake Shack, multiple locations (but the original is in Madison Square Park)
• Macbar, NoLita
• New York Burger Co., multiple locations
• Burger Joint, Greenwich Village
• La Margarita Pizzeria, SoHo
• Chop’t, multiple locations
• Spice, multiple locations

Dinner

• Artichoke, multiple locations
• Bianca, NoHo
• Tortaria, Greenwich Village
• Schnipper’s, multiple locations
• ABC Kitchen, Union Square
• Shilla Korean Barbeque, Koreatown
• Benito I, Little Italy
• Park Luncheonette, Williamsburg
• Butcher Bar, Astoria
• Lyric Diner, Gramercy
• Pies n Thighs, Williamsburg
• Westville, multiple locations
• Momofuku Noodle Bar, East Village
• Five Tacos, East Village
• Walker’s, Tribeca
• Morning Star, Hell’s Kitchen
• Mable’s Smokehouse, Williamsburg
• Serafina, multiple locations
• DBGB, East Village
• Turkish Kitchen, Kips Bay
• Dallas BBQ, multiple locations
• Don Antonio, Hell’s Kitchen
• Ayza, Koreatown
• Ruby Foo’s, Theater District
• Senza Gluten, Greenwich Village
• Umami Burger, Greenwich Village
• Mexicue, multiple locations
• Sugar Freak, Astoria
• Dutch Boy Burger, Crown Heights
• Aita, multiple locations
• PIE by the Pound, Greenwich Village
• Silver Rice, Crown Heights
• The Smith, multiple locations
• Domo Taco, Crown Heights
• Hill Country Chicken, Downtown Brooklyn
• Republic, Union Square
• Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Gowanus
• Red Star Sandwich Shop, Boerum Hill
• Baohaus, East Village

Dessert

• Sprinkles, multiple locations
• Off the Wall, multiple locations
• Max Brenner, Greenwich Village
• Big Gay Ice Cream, multiple locations
• Van Leeuwen, multiple locations
• 16 Handles, multiple locations
• The City Bakery, Union Square
• Sweet Revenge, West Village
• Magnolia Bakery, multiple locations
• Creperie, multiple locations
• Chloe’s Soft Serve, Union Square
• Ice & Vice, Lower East Side
• Baked By Melissa, multiple locations
• Eggloo, Chinatown

Drinks

• Buschenschank, Carroll Gardens
• The Biergarten at The Standard, Meatpacking
• Loopy Doopy, Battery Park City
• Two Saints, Crown Heights
• Boat Basin Cafe, Upper West Side
• Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden, Astoria
• Sigmund Pretzel Shop, Alphabet City
• Social Bar, Hell’s Kitchen
• Berry Park, Williamsburg
• Franklin Park, Crown Heights
• Mr. Dennehy’s, West Village
• Shorty’s, multiple locations
• Clinton Hall, Financial District
• Mark, East Village
• Harding’s, Flatiron
• The Copper Still, East Village
• Reichenbach Hall, Garment District
• Nostrand Ave Pub, Crown Heights
• Corkbuzz, Chelsea
• Berg’n, Crown Heights
• Spitzer’s Corner, Lower East Side
• Southern Hospitality, Hell’s Kitchen
• The Tippler, Chelsea
• Beer Authority, Garment District
• Reunion Surf Bar, Hell’s Kitchen
• The Empire Hotel rooftop, Lincoln Square
• Flatiron Hall, NoMad
• Two-Bits Retro Arcade, Lower East Side
• SoHo Room, SoHo
• Barcade, multiple locations
• Le Cheile, Washington Heights
• Woodwork, Prospect Heights
• King Tai, Crown Heights
• Houston Hall, West Village
• 230 Fifth, NoMad
• The Ginger Man, Garment District

Parks

(read about my very favorite parks here)

• Washington Square, Greenwich Village (pretty pictures here!)
• Union Square
• High Line, West Side
• Prospect Park, Brooklyn (fall photos here)
• Central Park
• Brooklyn Heights Promenade
• Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn Heights
• Madison Square Park, NoMad
• Elevated Acre, Financial District
• City Hall Park, Financial District
• McCarren Park, Williamsburg
• East River State Park, Williamsburg
• Riverside Park, Upper West Side (featured here)
• Bryant Park, Midtown
• Hudson River Park, West Village
• Astoria Park, Astoria

Do/See

• Chelsea Market, Chelsea
• Top of the Rock, Midtown (post here)
• One World Observatory, Financial District (post here and here)
• Whitney Museum, Meatpacking (post here)
• Brooklyn Museum, Prospect Heights (post here)
• Circle Line cruise, Hell’s Kitchen (post here)
• Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, Prospect Heights (post here)
• Brooklyn Bridge
• Coney Island
• Rockaway Beach
• Brighton Beach
• Rockwood Music Hall, Lower East Side
• Times Square (hey, you gotta do it once)
• Grand Central Station (post here)
• See a show
• The Painted Pot, Carroll Gardens
• Gotham Comedy Club, Chelsea

Now you tell me: What’s missing from this list? I’m always looking for new places to try!