Rosie Paterson visits the Big Apple and reveals the best places, to eat, drink, stay and enjoy.
New York is a ‘a beautiful city’, according to my friend Ellen, who has lived in the Big Apple for a couple of years.
Truth be told, I found New York too big, brash and bold when I first visited eight years ago. The grid-like streets can be oddly tricky to navigate — when does East 77th Street become West 77th Street? — I once got stuck trying to exit the subway for a good 15 minutes, and its hulking, brown and grey edifices of buildings have a tendency to loom overhead, somewhat menacingly.
But New York has some kind of gravitational pull over me — and plenty of other people. It was determined to get me to like it. And so I returned. Time and time again. I came to appreciate that it isn’t big at all. Skyscrapers aside, it is in fact very walkable. It’s not brash, it’s confident; it’s not overly bold, it’s the epicentre of ideas, entertainment and getting stuff done.
And then there are the bagels…
You just have to know where to look and how to get around. Which you can now do with our handy guide.
(For the purposes of brevity, this guide focuses solely on Manhattan — just one of New York’s five boroughs.)
Where to stay
The Mark, Upper East Side
The Mark, a single block away from Central Park, is all old-school glamour with bags of personality.
It starts at the front desk — in the rather impressive, Art Deco-inspired, monochrome marble lobby — which is manned by genuinely friendly, rather than fawning, staff. The 141 rooms and suites, including The Mark Penthouse, are more understated than the communal areas, a calming cocoon to retreat to after a busy day in New York’s busiest borough.
There are two restaurants, The Mark Restaurant By Jean-Georges, which is as sophisticated as it sounds, and Caviar Kaspia at The Mark, New York’s version of the Paris institution (there’s something undeniably French about the bowl of branded cigarette lighters at the front desk).
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the key ingredient used here is…caviar. And it’s on everything from blinis and jacket potatoes, to tuna tartare.
Fun touches include the branded stationery and toiletries, the Assouline book shop on the ground floor (or first floor in the US) and wonderful Mark ‘Haute Dog Cart’ that’s open daily, weather permitting. Think gourmet, organic chicken and grass-fed beef hot dogs, exclusive to guests of the hotel and neighbourhood friends.
Fouquet’s New York, Tribeca
Hotel Barrière Fouquet’s opened in 2023, but native New Yorkers in-the-know already congregate around the speakeasy-style bar.
It’s on a cobbled street in Tribeca, but feels decidedly French: from the Cannes-inspired cinema room and subterranean spa that echoes the chain’s St Barths property, to the greetings of ‘Bonjour’ by beret-wearing staff in the restaurant (which they pull off with aplomb, by the way).
The man behind the interiors isn’t French at all, but Swedish-born and London-based designer-of-the-moment Martin Brudnizki.
The rooms are all slightly different: pastel-pink walls and a pistachio sofa in one; a French navy roll-top bath in a second; custom wallpaper covered in sketches of popular Manhattan and Parisian landmarks in a third.
The Fifth Avenue Hotel, NoMad
Fifth Avenue is another one of Mr Brudnizki’s masterpieces — this one inspired by the city’s Gilded Age mansions (of which Fifth Avenue was originally one) and current owner Alex Ohebshalom’s global travels.
It’s a riot of colour, pattern, texture and art. In fact there’s more art than there are walls.
The five-story limestone and brick building was once owned by socialite Charlotte Goodridge. My favourite rooms — the corner suites — are in this part of the hotel. Triple-paned glass ensures a good night’s sleep. But it would be remiss to overlook the other rooms, in a newly-built glass tower that punches high into the sky on the footprint of the mansion’s carriage house.
Somewhere in between the Goodridge and Mr Ohebshalom eras, Fifth Avenue was used as an office space and bank. That bank is now Café Carmellini (above), a theatrical-style space with Michelin-worthy food. The space is dominated by two trees in the middle of the room. If you can, book one of the opera box-style tables on the restaurant’s upper level.
The Ludlow, Lower East Side
Situated in the former tenement district of the Lower East Side, The Ludlow is our top pick if you want to experience some of New York’s characteristic gritty glamour.
Its proximity to Williamsburg Bridge, music venues and independent shops and restaurants should delight families travelling with even the most hard-to-impress teenager.
The rooms — some of which are, admittedly, pint-sized — have factory casement-style windows, quirky vintage furniture and photo album-worthy bathrooms — think muted mosaic floors, brass fittings and bare bulb vanity light bars.
Go for the ‘Ludlow Double Loft’ or ‘Penthouse’ rooms if you’re travelling with children, are in a group, or just want more space.
The Greenwich, Greenwich Village
There are more than 75,000 hotels rooms in New York City, but my favourites can be found at The Greenwich Hotel in Tribeca. A red, hand-moulded brick building on a cobbled and green (by New York’s standards) street, décor is understated, slightly masculine in that clubby kind of way, and overwhelmingly comfortable. It’s also just very cool.
The rooms vary in size — the ‘Superior’ rooms are good value for a five-star hotel and come with a complimentary snack basket that quite frankly is worth a stay alone. I’ve discovered most of my favourite American snacks at The Greenwich, including the now hallowed — in my mind at least — Junior Mints.
The ensuite bathrooms are all Carrara marble and Moroccan tiles, and it would be criminal of me not to mention the deep bathtubs which fill up in 60 seconds. Not a joke or an exaggeration because I duly timed it.
There’s a very swish gym and spa, which I usually forgo for more time at Locanda Verde. Order the casarecce pasta and lemon tart, or live to regret it.
The Lowell, Upper East Side
Uptown, you’ll find The Lowell — that bastion of old-school American manners and restrained elegance.
Can any other hotel in Manhattan claim to have so many working fireplaces? (Spoiler: there are 33 spread across various rooms and suites and the impeccable staff are always on hand to help you light one.)
If The Lowell had an official song, it would be Frank Sinatra’s Theme from New York, New York.
Guests — three-quarters of whom are repeat visitors, which tells you everything you need to know — have exclusive access to the ground floor Club Room, 10am–5pm.
Assouline was invited to curate the enviable selection of weighty tomes that line the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves.
There’s also Jacques Bar and Majorelle restaurant (if you can’t quite make room for pudding, ask for a box of freshly baked, still-warm madeleines to take up to bed).
The Carlyle, Upper East Side
Designed by Dorothy Draper and stayed in by Kennedys, royalty and Michael Jackson, The Carlyle is a New York institution that cannot be bettered.
In 1960, the Kennedys took up residence in a specially converted suite a few floors beneath a campanile modelled on the bell tower of Westminster Cathedral. The hotel became known as the New York White House and the stardust started falling thicker and faster than ever.
One of the things that contributes to The Carlyle’s unique atmosphere is the way it’s run as both a hotel and a cooperative with privately owned apartments. First-timers often comment on how homely it feels — oddly, considering its fancy reputation.
There was widespread consternation when Rosewood, The Carlyle’s owners since 2001, announced a sweeping refurbishment of a large proportion of the hotel’s rooms in 2018.
This turned out much better than many (myself included) feared it might. The Greek key patterns in the carpet are an elegant tribute to Dorothy Draper; the extra Bemelmens panels are fantastic.
And in any case a small but significant number of old, unreconstructed. Ask for 2108.
Where to eat
Emmett’s on Grove, Greenwich Village
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No trip to New York is complete without a slice — or two — of pizza. Although this pizza is tavern-style, rather than Italian.
Tavern-style pizza — by way of Chicago, alongside deep-dish — has a thin crust and is sliced into small squares. It emerged in the 1930s, in the Midwest, in taverns who served it for free in an attempt to keep customers on their seats and buying drinks for longer.
Soothr Thai Noodle Bar, East Village
Soothr, pronounced ‘sood’, is the Thai word for ‘recipe’. And the menu is packed with a myriad family and traditional recipes — all expertly seasoned and flavourful.
The inside is small and quaint and fills up first — so don’t dally.
The Odeon, TriBeCa
The Odeon is so synonymous with good, classic food and drinks — steak tartare, martinis and multi-storey burgers — that it’s rumoured to be behind media company Condé Nast’s decision to relocate offices to the nearby One World Trade Centre.
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Shmoné, Greenwich Village
The concept kitchen at Shmoné turns out beautifully innovative plates of neo-Levantine food, but it’s tricky to recommend a singular one because few appear on the menu more than once.
Just go. You won’t regret it.
Minetta Tavern, Washington Park/Greenwich Village
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Minetta Tavern was frequented by the likes of Ernest Hemingway and Dylan Thomas before it reopened in 2009 at the hands of the headline-making restaurateur Keith McNally.
The checkerboard tiled floor, red banquette seating and caricature-lined walls are complemented by French bistro-style food including the very necessary filet mignon.
Cervo’s, Lower East Side
A must if you’re into your seafood — Cervo’s is continually inspired by the coastal towns and traditions of Spain and Portugal.
Regardless of where you sit — inside, at the bar or outside — it’s tightly packed (which feels more New York than the Iberian Peninsula) so go with a cool demeanour…and a pair of sharp elbows for making sure you’re first in your group to the sharing plates.
Atla, NoHo
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This everyday Mexican has a sister restaurant in California.
The monochrome-tiled space spills out onto the pavement in warmer months. Order the ‘mushrooms en salsa verde’ which comes with corn tortillas and a lobster burrito. Don’t miss the mezcal menu along the way.
Gem Wine, Lower East Side
Gem Wine is all about low intervention wines — which change weekly — locally-sourced vegetables and seafood.
Choose between the a la carté menu, which typically has 12 dishes to choose from, and the ‘Gem Wine experience menu’ which is a pescatarian, family-style meal.
Dimes, Lower East Side
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A little bit of the West Coast on the East Coast: Dimes is all about health-conscious Californian fare in a utilitarian white and blonde wood space.
The breakfast açai bowls are their signature, but stick around all day for the caesar salad, seaweed patty burger and pork shoulder.
Russ & Daughters, multiple locations
There’s no shortage of good bagels in Manhattan, but Russ & Daughters is probably the best-known supplier of the lot.
Don’t over complicate things — just order a classic open-faced sandwich comprising smoked salmon and cream cheese. Tomato, onion and capers come as standard.
What to do
Art
New York has no shortage of great museums: my favourites include The Whitney — a pantheon to American art, in the Meatpacking District — and The Frick — which reopens on the Upper East Side this Autumn, following extensive renovations.
The High Line
If you do find yourself at The Whitney, follow it up with a walk north along The High Line, a 1.5 mile elevated linear park, created on the former New York Central Railroad spur.
It offers filmic views down parallel-running streets and excellent house- and apartment-spotting opportunities.
Viewing platforms
Towards the northern end of The High Line, you’ll find the newly opened Hudson Yards development, featuring plenty of shops and Edge NYC, the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere.
New York isn’t short of high, high up viewing platforms. SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, in Midtown (above in blue), is also now open. Its 360-degree view of Manhattan and beyond is staggering — all of the city’s skyscrapers laid out in front of you, 91 floors up, soaring skywards in a sort of vertical arms race.
Find some green space
As well as 843-acre Central Park — the most visited urban park in the US — there’s Little Island at Pier 55, an artificial island and public park suspended on stilts above the Hudson River.
As well as the cleverly-planted, ever changing beds, there’s a roster of dance, music and theatre productions that are staged on the island’s own amphitheatre.
How to get there
If you’re flying to New York, Blade can chopper you from JFK or Newark into Manhattan from a very reasonable $195.
Click here for more of our top travel tips for making your journey better.
