NYC Guide

Eat

• 15 East (opens in a new tab)

  Sushi · Union Square

  Serious sushi near Union Square without Masa prices. It reopened in 2025 under new owners.

• Albert's Mofongo (opens in a new tab)

  Dominican · Washington Heights

  A crazy Dominican breakfast that'll blow your mind. I came here with Ashlynn Salzano recording my podcast, The Roving Mic. Proper local and way uptown, away from the tourist traps.

• Artichoke Basille's Pizza (opens in a new tab)

  Pizza · Greenwich Village

  An institution for a late-night stumble-in slice. Get the artichoke slice, try the crab, and grab a draught beer while you're there.

• Ba Xuyên (opens in a new tab)

  Bánh Mì · Sunset Park, Brooklyn

  The best bánh mì you'll eat (other than Lucy's Vietnamese Kitchen).

• Balthazar (opens in a new tab)

  French · SoHo

  The classic NYC French bistro.

• Barney Greengrass (opens in a new tab)

  Deli · Upper West Side

  Jewish deli delights.

• Bleecker Street Pizza (opens in a new tab)

  Pizza · West Village

  Where I had my first real pizza. I always get the classic sausage with chilli and dodgy parmesan, and I always burn my mouth on the cheese.

• Blue Ribbon Brasserie (opens in a new tab)

  Late Night · SoHo

  An iconic late-night dining spot.

• Café Habana (opens in a new tab)

  Cuban · Nolita

• Cafe Mogador (opens in a new tab)

  Moroccan · Williamsburg

  Moroccan, and great for brunch.

• Cervo's (opens in a new tab)

  Seafood · Chinatown

  On our list: a funky wine list and seafood and oysters with a Spanish vibe. A tip from a mate.

• Clinton St. Baking Company (opens in a new tab)

  Brunch · Lower East Side

• Cosme (opens in a new tab)

  Mexican · Flatiron

  Modern Mexican that's casual and really, really good: flavours and techniques I hadn't seen before. I've been twice (Sept 2023 and Jan 2026). Get a michelada and some spicy margs. First tipped off by Tom Parker Bowles.

• Crif Dogs (opens in a new tab)

  Hot Dogs · East Village

  Hot dogs, and the secret phone booth to PDT.

• Dame (opens in a new tab)

  Seafood · Greenwich Village

  Jax and I came here late after a cancelled flight home, because she'd loved it so much earlier in the trip. Buzzing room, amazing seafood, and a wine list split into 'James Bond' and 'Austin Powers'.

• Danji (opens in a new tab)

  Korean · Hell's Kitchen

  Hooni Kim's first place and the best modern Korean in NY. He spent years at Daniel before going out on his own. Go for lunch.

• Dirt Candy (opens in a new tab)

  Vegetarian · Lower East Side

  Veg-forward dinner that's pretty amazing. Go for the broccoli hot dog.

• Don Peppe (opens in a new tab)

  Italian · South Ozone Park, Queens

  Stop on your way to JFK for some old-school Italian.

• Earl's Beer and Cheese (opens in a new tab)

  Beer Bar · East Harlem

  Quirky food and epic craft beer.

• EJ's Luncheonette (opens in a new tab)

  Diner · Upper East Side

  A classic NYC diner: simple, good food, done fast. If there's a queue for booths and you're only two, walk in and grab a seat at the counter.

• Eleven Madison Park (opens in a new tab)

  Fine Dining · Flatiron

  Bring the $$$, but it's a real NYC wow moment.

• Empellon Taqueria (opens in a new tab)

  Mexican · West Village

  On our list: a tip from friends.

• Frank (opens in a new tab)

  Italian · East Village

  An epic little Italian place (and I mean little). Book ahead, check the specials board and get ready for communal eating.

• Glasserie (opens in a new tab)

  Middle Eastern · Greenpoint

• Gray's Papaya (opens in a new tab)

  Hot Dogs · Upper West Side

  Hot dogs. The Recession Special is the late-night or early-morning hit.

• Great NY Noodletown (opens in a new tab)

  Chinese · Chinatown

  Classic Chinese eats, and so warming in winter. A tip from my mate Chris.

• Hart's (opens in a new tab)

  Brunch · Bedford-Stuyvesant

  On our list: sister to Cervo's and The Fly, and a good-looking dinner spot. A tip from a mate.

• Hearth (opens in a new tab)

  Italian · East Village

  Good-quality farm-to-table cooking.

• Hometown Bar-B-Que (opens in a new tab)

  Barbecue · Red Hook

  Claimed by many to be the best barbecue going. Worth the trip if you like the meat sweats!

• I Sodi (opens in a new tab)

  Italian · West Village

  Delicious, no-fuss Italian. Perfect for a long lunch inside on a chilly day or a summer session in the courtyard. Same group as Via Carota, Buvette and Bar Pisellino.

• Il Laboratorio del Gelato (opens in a new tab)

  Gelato · Lower East Side

  Heaps of flavours of gelato.

• Industry Kitchen (opens in a new tab)

  Pizza · Seaport

  Pizza with a water view. A tip from a mate.

• Ivan Ramen (opens in a new tab)

  Ramen · Lower East Side

  Ivan Orkin, a New Yorker, opened a ramen shop in Tokyo, smashed it, then brought it home in 2014. You must go.

• J.G. Melon (opens in a new tab)

  Burgers · Upper East Side

  For all your burger needs.

• Jack's Wife Freda (opens in a new tab)

  Café · SoHo

  Café vibes and great, clean flavours.

• Jing Fong (opens in a new tab)

  Dim Sum · Chinatown

  Dim sum, and a hangover saviour. It's in a smaller room on Centre Street these days.

• Joe's Shanghai (opens in a new tab)

  Soup Dumplings · Chinatown

  The best soup dumplings going around. You might have to queue, and you'll definitely share a table with strangers: they squeeze you in, bring beers and dumplings, and get you out. Worth it.

• Katz's Delicatessen (opens in a new tab)

  Deli · Lower East Side

  For a pastrami sandwich, a chocolate egg cream and the grumpiest service of all time. Be prepared to wait in line. The queue was massive last time I went past.

• Keens Steakhouse (opens in a new tab)

  Steakhouse · Midtown

  An icon, and the steak lives up to it. Make sure you book.

• Kith Treats Brooklyn (opens in a new tab)

  Ice Cream · Prospect Heights

  An ice cream and cereal bar right next to the Barclays Center. A tip from a mate.

• La Esquina (opens in a new tab)

  Mexican · SoHo

  The best Mexican I've ever had. It looks like a corner deli, but you go through an 'employees only' door and the kitchen to a cool bodega-style room downstairs. Book well ahead for Friday or Saturday, and get the crab.

• Lilia (opens in a new tab)

  Italian · Williamsburg

  Have dinner here.

• Little Ruby's (opens in a new tab)

  Café · Nolita

  An Aussie set-up with Aussie vibes.

• Lombardi's (opens in a new tab)

  Pizza · Nolita

  Often called the best pizza in the city.

• Lucien (opens in a new tab)

  French · East Village

  A proper little French bistro-café on First Avenue.

• Lucy's Vietnamese Kitchen (opens in a new tab)

  Vietnamese · Bushwick

  I reckon this is the best food I've eaten in NYC, no joke. A hole in the wall with the best bánh mì I've ever had, and epic pho too.

• Maison Premiere (opens in a new tab)

  Oyster Bar · Williamsburg

  A classic NYC location, get some cold oysters and a cold drink!

• Mermaid Oyster Bar (opens in a new tab)

  Oyster Bar · Greenwich Village

  Go at happy hour for cheap oysters (when I went, they were $1 each), and get there before opening because it fills up. We ate nearly 60 oysters between us, plus clams and a glass of champagne. A great date spot.

• Milk Bar (opens in a new tab)

  Bakery · Williamsburg · Closing by the end of 2026

  David Chang's team outdid themselves: an institution for cookies and cereal milk soft serve.

• Minetta Tavern (opens in a new tab)

  Bistro · Greenwich Village

  A must-do NY institution. Go the burger.

• Mission Chinese Food (opens in a new tab)

  Chinese · Chinatown

  Wild, fiery and fun Sichuan-ish cooking. The Lower East Side room closed; it's now at 45 Mott Street in Chinatown.

• Momo Sushi Shack (opens in a new tab)

  Sushi · Bushwick

  A staple for me in Brooklyn, around the corner from Roberta's. Great sake, epic sushi and fun communal tables.

• Momofuku Noodle Bar (opens in a new tab)

  Ramen · East Village

• Motorino (opens in a new tab)

  Pizza · Williamsburg

• Murray's Cheese (opens in a new tab)

  Cheese · West Village

  That heady smell of fermented milk when you walk in, plus a wall of boutique beers. Beer and cheese is a great match! My one gripe: no tastings offered when we went.

• Nom Wah Nolita (opens in a new tab)

  Dim Sum · Nolita

  Noodles and dumplings: an epic little spot with all the classics.

• O. Ottomanelli & Sons (opens in a new tab)

  Butcher · West Village

  Classic NY: walking in takes you back in time, with a proper old New Yorker behind the counter giving exceptional service. They even sell kangaroo. Got a grill or a rooftop? Grab some steaks.

• Okonomi / Yuji Ramen (opens in a new tab)

  Japanese · Williamsburg

  Japanese breakfast sets by day and ramen by night.

• Peter Luger Steak House (opens in a new tab)

  Steakhouse · Williamsburg

  Steak. Steak. Steak.

• Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop (opens in a new tab)

  Bakery · Greenpoint

  Old-school doughnuts and breakfast stuff!

• Prince Street Pizza (opens in a new tab)

  Pizza · Nolita

• Red Rooster (opens in a new tab)

  Soul Food · Harlem

  Modern soul food.

• Roberta's (opens in a new tab)

  Pizza · Bushwick

  The famous pizza joint, and a bit of an institution now.

• Russ & Daughters (opens in a new tab)

  Appetizing · Lower East Side

  Bagels all day.

• Sant Ambroeus (opens in a new tab)

  Italian · SoHo

• Shake Shack (opens in a new tab)

  Burgers · Flatiron

  Great for a burger. There'll be a line, but it moves quickly. The original's in Madison Square Park.

• Terroir Tribeca (opens in a new tab)

  Wine Bar · Tribeca

  An absolute must for snacks and cheap, funky wine.

• Thái Sơn (opens in a new tab)

  Vietnamese · Chinatown

  We've only done takeaway, but it was super fresh and delicious. Classic, no-frills dining room that I'd love to eat in next time.

• The Fly (opens in a new tab)

  Chicken · Bedford-Stuyvesant

  On our list: a 'chicken bar with wine, cocktails and beer'. A mate's roast chicken pics made me want to dive through the phone.

• The Grill (opens in a new tab)

  Steakhouse · Midtown East

  Fancy, old-school New York in the Seagram Building.

• The Meat Hook (opens in a new tab)

  Butcher · Williamsburg

  A great butcher with heaps of cooking supplies.

• Tina's Place (opens in a new tab)

  Diner · Bushwick

  A Bushwick institution: super cheap, real diner food. I judge any venue by its chicken club, and in my mate Harry's words, 'the club was balls' (read: good!).

• Torrisi (opens in a new tab)

  Italian · Nolita

• Two Hands (opens in a new tab)

  Café · Nolita

  An Aussie café in Nolita, and there's one in Tribeca too.

• Ugly Baby (opens in a new tab)

  Thai · Williamsburg

  Epic, properly spicy Southeast Asian food with a trendy, buzzy vibe. The Carroll Gardens original closed in 2024, and it reopened in Williamsburg in August 2026.

• Union Square Café (opens in a new tab)

  New American · Gramercy

  On our list.

• Via Carota (opens in a new tab)

  Italian · West Village

  Italian. A tip from a mate.

• Win Son (opens in a new tab)

  Taiwanese · Williamsburg

  Taiwan meets Brooklyn, two of my favourite places in one. Fun, funky food, cold beer and big flavours.

• Xi'an Famous Foods (opens in a new tab) 西安名吃

  Chinese · Flushing

  Hand-pulled Xi'an noodles: order at the counter and bus your own tray, like Maccas, but the food is insane. Get the spicy cumin lamb noodles and a lamb 'burger'.

• Yellow Magnolia Café (VEGETARIAN) (opens in a new tab)

  Vegetarian · Bushwick

  A vegetable-focused café.

• Zuma (opens in a new tab)

  Japanese · Midtown

  Upscale, epic Japanese. It costs a few dollars, but if you're looking to impress, it's worth it.

Drink

• Amor y Amargo (opens in a new tab)

  Amaro Bar · East Village

  The bitters bar, and my favourite bar in NY. It was meant to be a pop-up and never left. It's absolutely tiny, and I'd love to own a place like it someday.

• Baby's All Right (opens in a new tab)

  Live Music · Williamsburg

  More of a bar-club thing, with live music in the back most nights and brunch on weekends.

• Beauty & Essex (opens in a new tab)

  Bar · Lower East Side

  I was here for a New Year’s Eve party, the same day Jax and I met. Very cool NY vibe, but it’s fancier than the hoodie and Timberlands I rocked up in.

• Beer Culture (opens in a new tab)

  Beer Bar · Hell's Kitchen

  A craft beer bar and bottle shop. A tip from a mate.

• Bemelmans Bar (opens in a new tab)

  Piano Bar · Upper East Side

  An old-school piano bar in The Carlyle. Not cheap, but a real NYC experience.

• Blind Barber (opens in a new tab)

  Bar · East Village

  Walk through a barber shop to get in. The back room feels like a smoking room or library.

• Cafe Select (opens in a new tab)

  Bar · SoHo

  Where Jax and I first met, on New Year's Eve 2015. We go back every time we're in town. Mostly for a drink, but they do food and coffee too.

• Employees Only (opens in a new tab)

  Cocktail Bar · West Village

  Small, local and one of my favourites. A psychic in the front window and great cocktails.

• Gansevoort Meatpacking (opens in a new tab)

  Rooftop Bar · Meatpacking

  Great views across the Hudson to Hoboken. There's a pool (for guests) and a DJ by day, and at night it apparently pumps.

• Little Branch (opens in a new tab)

  Cocktail Bar · West Village

  Through a random metal door to some of the best cocktails on earth.

• McSorley's Old Ale House (opens in a new tab)

  Pub · East Village

  The oldest pub in NYC: always busy, fast service and tiny little glasses of beer. Be ready to order.

• Mr. Purple (opens in a new tab)

  Rooftop Bar · Lower East Side

  Rooftop cocktails.

• Off the Wagon (opens in a new tab)

  Sports Bar · Greenwich Village

  A big, loud late-night bar. A tip from a mate.

• Old Mates Pub (opens in a new tab)

  Pub · Financial District

  An Aussie-style pub right in the Financial District, with parmas and meat pies if you're homesick.

• Old Town Bar (opens in a new tab)

  Pub · Flatiron

  Step back in time and have a drink.

• Pianos (opens in a new tab)

  Live Music · Lower East Side

  Worth a look if you're nearby: a bar downstairs, live bands out the back and a DJ bar upstairs.

• Please Don't Tell (PDT) (opens in a new tab)

  Cocktail Bar · East Village

  Walk into Crif Dogs and through the phone booth (past people eating hot dogs). Book ahead if you can.

• Rintintin (opens in a new tab)

  Bar · Nolita

  Good for drinks and snacks.

• Soho House New York (opens in a new tab)

  Members' Club · Meatpacking

  The classic: get dressed up and bring your wallet. It's members and guests only, but I stayed a week for work once and it was unreal.

• Spritzenhaus33 (opens in a new tab)

  Beer Hall · Greenpoint

  BEER! A tip from a mate.

• Surf Bar (opens in a new tab)

  Bar · Williamsburg

  Sand on the floor, frozen drinks and seafood on the menu. Really fun.

• Ten Degrees Bar (opens in a new tab)

  Bar · East Village

  A funky little bar with 2-for-1 drinks from noon till 8pm.

• The Bowery Hotel (opens in a new tab)

  Hotel Bar · East Village

  A beautifully decked-out hotel bar on the Bowery, a street full of great spots. Rock up, walk a block or two, and you'll find something cool.

• The Box (opens in a new tab)

  Club · Lower East Side

  A club where a show starts every 20 minutes or so: burlesque, dance battles, circus acts. Some aren't for the faint-hearted. Call ahead.

• The Narrows (opens in a new tab)

  Cocktail Bar · Bushwick

  A fun little cocktail bar with great food and a cool backyard. My buddy Chris used to work here, and it was one of the first spots Jax and I went together.

• The Ripple Room (opens in a new tab)

  Bar · Bowery

  Big and vibey, with booths, pool tables and quieter corners. Try the Bullshot (tequila or vodka, Tabasco and beef broth). Same group as The Narrows. A tip from my mate Chris.

• The Standard Biergarten (opens in a new tab)

  Beer Garden · Meatpacking

  Beers under The Standard, right by the High Line. Ping-pong tables and a good crowd on a Saturday arvo.

• The Standard, High Line (opens in a new tab)

  Rooftop Bar · Meatpacking

  Hit the rooftop for a drink with the cool kids (great view too).

• Txikito (opens in a new tab)

  Basque · Chelsea

  Go for a glass of sherry.

• Upstairs at The Kimberly (opens in a new tab)

  Rooftop Bar · Midtown East

  A cool lounge bar up high in Midtown with tapas-style snacks and cocktails. It opens at 5pm, so it's perfect for sunset. I rated it.

Coffee

• Bluestone Lane (Greenwich Village) (opens in a new tab)

  Café · West Village

• Colina Cuervo (opens in a new tab)

  Café · Bushwick

  The house-made chorizo is all I need to say, but they brew a pretty good coffee too.

• Devocion (opens in a new tab)

  Coffee · Williamsburg

  A good spot to work over a coffee. A tip from a mate.

• La Colombe Coffee Roasters (opens in a new tab)

  Coffee · SoHo

  Great pour-over, with shops all over the city. A tip from a mate.

• Lion's Milk (opens in a new tab)

  Coffee · Williamsburg

  If you're in Williamsburg, it's an easy coffee win. A tip from a mate.

• Stumptown Coffee Roasters (Brooklyn) (opens in a new tab)

  Coffee · Boerum Hill

• Stumptown Coffee Roasters (Greenwich Village) (opens in a new tab)

  Coffee · Greenwich Village

• Stumptown Coffee Roasters (NoMad) (opens in a new tab)

  Coffee · NoMad

  A coffee kick-start on W 29th St. A tip from a mate.

Do

• Better Days Comedy Show (opens in a new tab)

  Comedy · Brooklyn

  Petey DeAbreu's showcase with DJs and great comics. Other comics go just to watch.

• Broadway Comedy Club (opens in a new tab)

  Comedy · Midtown

  A well-known club with shows on every night.

• Brooklyn Bridge (opens in a new tab)

  Landmark · Lower Manhattan

• Bryant Park (opens in a new tab)

  Park · Midtown

• Central Park (opens in a new tab)

  Park · Central Park

  Get lost, go for a run and watch out for the tourists.

• Central Park (opens in a new tab)

  Running · Central Park

• Empire State Building (opens in a new tab)

  Landmark · Midtown

• Fifth Avenue (opens in a new tab)

  Shopping · Midtown

• Gotham Comedy Club (opens in a new tab)

  Comedy · Chelsea

  Get your comedy fix at this well-known club.

• Grand Central Terminal (opens in a new tab)

  Landmark · Midtown

• Live at the Barbershop (opens in a new tab)

  Comedy · East Village

  Ronnie Lordi's small, BYO stand-up show inside a working East Village barbershop. It's popular, so get there early.

• Madison Square Garden (opens in a new tab)

  Arena · Midtown

• Madison Square Garden (opens in a new tab)

  Arena · Midtown

  Home to the Knicks (NBA) and the Rangers (NHL).

• MetLife Stadium (opens in a new tab)

  Stadium · East Rutherford, NJ

  Home to the Giants and Jets (NFL).

• New York Public Library (opens in a new tab)

  Landmark · Midtown

• Radio City Music Hall (opens in a new tab)

  Venue · Midtown

• Riverbank State Park (opens in a new tab)

  Running · Hamilton Heights

  My mate Chris and I run here. Quiet, local and out of the way.

• S10 Training (opens in a new tab)

  Gym · West Village

  An amazing set-up that trains serious athletes. I did a session with coach Joe Holder (great bloke) and we grabbed a meal after, the same day Jax and I met. Reach out to the team to book in.

• SoHo Strength Lab (opens in a new tab)

  Gym · Nolita

  A great little set-up with fun group classes. Book in and roll up. I've done a bunch of sessions here.

• SoulCycle (opens in a new tab)

  Spin · Various

  My first SoulCycle class was with my mate Dale: fun, sweaty, loud and dark. A bit hectic for me, but easy to book, with good change rooms.

• Statue of Liberty (opens in a new tab)

  Landmark · Liberty Island

• The High Line (opens in a new tab)

  Park · Chelsea

  An old elevated freight railway turned into a park. Walk it end to end, past The Standard Biergarten.

• The Met Rooftop Garden (opens in a new tab)

  Museum · Upper East Side

  Not a heaving bar, but if you're on Museum Mile, the seasonal rooftop has an elite view over Central Park.

• Theater District (opens in a new tab)

  Theatre · Midtown

  Try for Book of Mormon. If it's sold out, enter the lottery. I won once! Best show ever.

• Times Square (opens in a new tab)

  Landmark · Midtown

• Top of the Rock (30 Rock) (opens in a new tab)

  Landmark · Midtown

• USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (opens in a new tab)

  Stadium · Flushing Meadows, Queens

  Home of the US Open.

• Wall Street (opens in a new tab)

  Landmark · Financial District

• World Trade Center & 9/11 Memorial (opens in a new tab)

  Landmark · Financial District

• Yankee Stadium (opens in a new tab)

  Stadium · The Bronx

Shop

• Korin (opens in a new tab)

  Knives · Tribeca

  If you're in the market for Japanese knives, this is the place: a huge range, really knowledgeable staff, and a sharpening service for locals.

Stay

• Soho Grand Hotel (opens in a new tab)

  Hotel · SoHo

  Heads up: my first stay here was amazing, but the hotel has gone downhill since and I won’t stay again.

• The Standard, East Village (opens in a new tab)

  Hotel · East Village

  I've only been up to the penthouse for a party, but it's a great hotel in a good location.

• The Standard, High Line (opens in a new tab)

  Hotel · Meatpacking

  I love this spot: fun little rooms, a good location and an epic rooftop.

• The Williamsburg Hotel (opens in a new tab)

  Hotel · Williamsburg

  Heads up: the rooms are small, and there was building work going on during our stay.

• W New York - Times Square (opens in a new tab)

  Hotel · Times Square

  Right in the thick of it. I stayed for work once. Chaotic and full of tourists, so on a first trip it'll throw you in the deep end!

Tips