Travel Guide: New York

November sunset from a Tribeca Building 2023

This is a downtown New York guide built around walking, eating well, and not overplanning. It’s centered on Bowery, Chinatown, SoHo, and the West Village—places where you can wander, duck into something warm, and sit down properly when you need to rest your legs.

It’s a mix of classics, cozy spots that I come back to every time I visit. Use the spots as a loose framework, not a schedule, and trust your mood. I prefer to favorite and pin the spots on my google map so I easily can make a decision around location and don’t end up traveling just for a bagel…adjust your taste to what favorites you have around you and try to organize logistically so you get to experience everything that you want.

BREAKFAST / MORNING

• La Mercerie — SoHo
  Elegant all-day French café in a beautiful space. Calm, polished, works from morning to night.

• Little Canal — Chinatown / Canal St
  Casual coffee and pastries. Easy stop while walking.

• The Crosby Bar — SoHo
  Cozy hotel breakfast spot. Great winter morning energy.

• Cafe Gitane — Nolita
  Moroccan-French café, downtown classic. Slightly LA-leaning but still solid.

SNACKS / IN-BETWEEN

• Russ & Daughters — Lower East Side / Houston St
  Iconic Jewish appetizing store. Bagels, babka, sweets.

• Tompkins Square Bagels — East Village
  Straightforward bagel stop. Quick and filling.

• Scarr’s Pizza — Lower East Side
  Classic NYC slice shop. Easy walk-in.

• Prince Street Pizza — Nolita
  Famous square slices. Heavy, indulgent, good to share.

• Industry Kitchen — Financial District / East River
  Pizza and casual food by the water. Nice downtown waterfront stop.

• Soho Diner — SoHo
  Classic diner inside Soho Grand. Open 24/7, reliable fallback.

SNACKS / TREATS

• Dominique Ansel Bakery — SoHo / Spring St
  Famous pastry bakery (Cronut). Fun treat stop.

• Magnolia Bakery — SoHo
  Famous banana pudding. Very classic NYC sweet stop.

• Ferrara Bakery — Little Italy / Mulberry St
  Old Italian pastry café. Espresso, cannoli, very traditional.

LUNCH

• La Mercerie — SoHo
  Excellent lunch option. Calm, sit-down, high quality.

• Katz’s Delicatessen — Lower East Side
  Iconic Jewish deli. Loud, chaotic, huge pastrami — split one.

• Balthazar — SoHo
  Classic NYC brasserie. Always busy, always good.

• Pastis — Meatpacking District
  Loud, buzzy French lunch. Great people-watching.

• Dudley’s — Lower East Side
  Casual, walk-in friendly café. Easy and relaxed.

• Sadelle’s — SoHo
  Classic SoHo staple known for the lox & bagel tower. Strong brunch vibes, social and lively.

• Five Leaves — Greenpoint, Brooklyn
  Relaxed Brooklyn café. Only if intentionally heading to Brooklyn.

• Ruby’s Cafe — West Village & Little Italy
  Casual, friendly café. Perfect reset lunch.

DINNER

• La Mercerie — SoHo
  Elegant but not stuffy dinner. Calm and beautiful.

• Chinese Tuxedo — Chinatown / Doyers St
  Elevated Chinese food in a dramatic space. Great downtown dinner.

• 12 Chairs Cafe — SoHo
  Israeli comfort food. Warm, generous, relaxed.

• Carbone — Greenwich Village
  Iconic Italian-American spot. Celebrity favorite, big NYC dinner energy.

• Thai Diner — Nolita
  Fun, casual Thai food. Easy and lively.

• Anton’s — West Village
  Cozy neighborhood restaurant. Understated and local.

• The Jane Restaurant — West Village / Hudson River
  Romantic, dimly lit dinner inside The Jane Hotel.

• Cipriani Downtown — Financial District / under Brooklyn Bridge
  Classic Italian spot. Old-school luxury feel.

• Soho House Dumbo — DUMBO, Brooklyn
  Members-only with great views. Also known for brunch on Saturdays if that’s an option.

• Westlight — Williamsburg, Brooklyn
  Rooftop with skyline views. Drinks first, food secondary.

• La Esquina — SoHo / Lafayette St
  Speakeasy restaurant with great Mexican food. Fun vibe — you literally walk through the kitchen to get downstairs.

• Great NY Noodletown — Bowery / Bayard St
  Old-school Cantonese spot. Noodle soups, roast meats, late-night classic.

• Lan Zhou Handmade Noodle — Bowery / Grand St
  Hand-pulled noodles and brothy soups. Simple, warming, unfussy.

• Thursday Kitchen — East Village
  Cozy, intimate spot with Korean-inspired small plates. Great for a relaxed, candlelit dinner.

• Palma — West Village
  Romantic Italian classic. Charming indoor rooms and a beautiful courtyard (weather permitting).

DRINKS / BARS

• Dante — West Village
  Italian aperitivo bar. Best early evening drink.

• The Chelsea Hotel — Chelsea
  Historic hotel bars. Old New York atmosphere.

• The Bar Room at The Beekman — Financial District
  Grand, dramatic hotel bar. Great first drink.

• Swan Room — Lower East Side
  Refined cocktail bar. Calm and stylish.

• Apotheke — Chinatown / Doyers St
  Apothecary-style cocktails. Speakeasy feel, one intentional drink.

• Café Select — SoHo
  SoHo classic. Easy, cute, unfussy spot for a casual drink.

DRINKS / VIEWS

• Westlight — Williamsburg, Brooklyn
  Best skyline views at night.

• The Ritz-Carlton NoMad — NoMad
  Polished hotel bar with city views.

• Manhatta — Financial District
  High-floor restaurant with sweeping skyline views.

DRINKS / CLUB

• Soho Grand Hotel Bar — SoHo
  Social, buzzy hotel bar. Late-night energy without chaos.

• Maison Nur — Bowery
  Stylish lounge. Music-forward, late-night vibe.

SPOTS / THINGS TO DO

• Sui Yoga — SoHo / Tribeca
  Sun & Moon class for Vinyasa and Yin. They also havc Soundhealing.

• Humming Puppy — Chelsea
  Immersive, sound-based yoga. NYC counterpart to Open in LA.

• The Frick Collection — Upper East Side
  Intimate museum in a historic mansion. Calm and very doable.

• Classic NYC options (optional):
  The Met, Central Park, The High Line, Washington Sq Park. Flatiron, Union Sq, Fifth Ave, Brooklyn Bridge, Rockerfeller, Empire State Building and so on…