Guidebook for New York

Max
Guidebook for New York

Food Scene

Gabrielle Hamilton won the Best Chef in NYC award from the James Beard Foundation in 2011. The food is excellent and it has a strong community connection despite bringing a lot of non-locals in.
99 locals recommend
Prune
54 E 1st St
99 locals recommend
Gabrielle Hamilton won the Best Chef in NYC award from the James Beard Foundation in 2011. The food is excellent and it has a strong community connection despite bringing a lot of non-locals in.
Very good classic French bistro food. A little pricey but it's fixture of the neighborhood and always brings in a great crowd. Sitting at the bar is a great option for couples and brunch is also fun and much more relaxed (try to sit at the window table).
101 locals recommend
Lucien
14 1st Ave.
101 locals recommend
Very good classic French bistro food. A little pricey but it's fixture of the neighborhood and always brings in a great crowd. Sitting at the bar is a great option for couples and brunch is also fun and much more relaxed (try to sit at the window table).
Superb traditional American food. Famous for its brunch (get there early, the wait can get very long) and especially the pancakes, all the food is delicious and dinner can be just as much of a treat.
365 locals recommend
Clinton St. Baking Company
4 Clinton St
365 locals recommend
Superb traditional American food. Famous for its brunch (get there early, the wait can get very long) and especially the pancakes, all the food is delicious and dinner can be just as much of a treat.
Iconic Jewish establishment. Best lox and cured fish in the city since 1914. Grab a prepared bagel there or pick up some fixings to have back at the apartment. When the weather is good you can eat outside in any of the surrounding parks. If not you can take it over to the upstairs public seating area inside Whole Foods Market.
251 locals recommend
Russ & Daughters
179 E Houston St
251 locals recommend
Iconic Jewish establishment. Best lox and cured fish in the city since 1914. Grab a prepared bagel there or pick up some fixings to have back at the apartment. When the weather is good you can eat outside in any of the surrounding parks. If not you can take it over to the upstairs public seating area inside Whole Foods Market.
Iconic Jewish establishment. Famous knishes since 1910. Worth a quick stop for the experience.
24 locals recommend
Yonah Schimmel's Knish Bakery
137 E Houston St
24 locals recommend
Iconic Jewish establishment. Famous knishes since 1910. Worth a quick stop for the experience.
Delicious mexican food and margaritas. The focus is on tacos here. The scene is great too, very lower east side hip.
222 locals recommend
Barrio Chino
253 Broome St
222 locals recommend
Delicious mexican food and margaritas. The focus is on tacos here. The scene is great too, very lower east side hip.
My favorite Vietnamese (pho) restaurant in the city. Besides the pho, the banh tap (shrimp crackers with rice noodle and pork) and salty plum soda are delicious and unique.
15 locals recommend
Pho Bang
157 Mott St
15 locals recommend
My favorite Vietnamese (pho) restaurant in the city. Besides the pho, the banh tap (shrimp crackers with rice noodle and pork) and salty plum soda are delicious and unique.
Best Sushi in NYC when considering fish quality, portions, and price together.
59 locals recommend
TOTO Sushi
216 Thompson St
59 locals recommend
Best Sushi in NYC when considering fish quality, portions, and price together.
Espresso snob quality if you're in the Nolita/Soho area doing some shopping.
296 locals recommend
Gimme Coffee
495 Lorimer St
296 locals recommend
Espresso snob quality if you're in the Nolita/Soho area doing some shopping.
Very good sushi with a lot flown in from Japan. Has been there for 20+ years but recently was awarded a Michelin Star. Still very affordable though. Hot food is excellent too including the gyoza and miso black cod. Also order the tuna rib which is off menu, it will be quite the surprise.
26 locals recommend
Kanoyama
175 2nd Ave
26 locals recommend
Very good sushi with a lot flown in from Japan. Has been there for 20+ years but recently was awarded a Michelin Star. Still very affordable though. Hot food is excellent too including the gyoza and miso black cod. Also order the tuna rib which is off menu, it will be quite the surprise.
Good simple food with a hip setting and crowd. Good for a coffee as well.
64 locals recommend
The Smile
26 Bond St
64 locals recommend
Good simple food with a hip setting and crowd. Good for a coffee as well.
My favorite place for a quick cafe con leche or smoothy. It's just a stand that has been on the corner for ages.
27 locals recommend
Juice Crawl
85 Avenue A
27 locals recommend
My favorite place for a quick cafe con leche or smoothy. It's just a stand that has been on the corner for ages.
Probably considered the best Vietnamese in the city though I still prefer Pho Bang.
63 locals recommend
Pho Grand
277C Grand St
63 locals recommend
Probably considered the best Vietnamese in the city though I still prefer Pho Bang.
My favorite ramen shop. Featured in Chef's Table on Netflix. The starters are great and the chicken ramen is my favorite.
124 locals recommend
Ivan Ramen
25 Clinton St
124 locals recommend
My favorite ramen shop. Featured in Chef's Table on Netflix. The starters are great and the chicken ramen is my favorite.
The original location. Considered the best ramen in the city. It can be a very long wait though.
226 locals recommend
Ippudo NY
65 4th Ave
226 locals recommend
The original location. Considered the best ramen in the city. It can be a very long wait though.
Excellent simple Thai. Other location is in Bangkok. Used to have a Michelin Star but lost it recently. Still very good and not expensive. Seafood pad see eiw is my favorite dish.
51 locals recommend
Somtum Der
85 Avenue A
51 locals recommend
Excellent simple Thai. Other location is in Bangkok. Used to have a Michelin Star but lost it recently. Still very good and not expensive. Seafood pad see eiw is my favorite dish.
Excellent higher end Thai with a seafood focus. Is a bot pricey. Get the po tak soup.
17 locals recommend
Fish Cheeks
55 Bond St
17 locals recommend
Excellent higher end Thai with a seafood focus. Is a bot pricey. Get the po tak soup.
My favorite Italian restaurant. A more casual restaurant from Michael White of 2 Michelin Star Marea. Pastas are exquisite. Monday's they do half off pasta and lambrusco after 9pm.
28 locals recommend
Osteria Morini
218 Lafayette St
28 locals recommend
My favorite Italian restaurant. A more casual restaurant from Michael White of 2 Michelin Star Marea. Pastas are exquisite. Monday's they do half off pasta and lambrusco after 9pm.
Very good Italian food. They don't take reservations though and the wait can easily be 1-2 hours.
49 locals recommend
Via Carota
51 Grove St
49 locals recommend
Very good Italian food. They don't take reservations though and the wait can easily be 1-2 hours.
Iconic slice shop. My favorite slice in the city. Get the spicy spring slice.
126 locals recommend
Prince St. Pizza
27 Prince St
126 locals recommend
Iconic slice shop. My favorite slice in the city. Get the spicy spring slice.
Roman style Italian restaurant with famous pizza. Federico the pizza chef is the mayor of the neighborhood. Say his when you walk in past the pizza oven.
42 locals recommend
Gnocco
337 E 10th St
42 locals recommend
Roman style Italian restaurant with famous pizza. Federico the pizza chef is the mayor of the neighborhood. Say his when you walk in past the pizza oven.
Decent Italian food. Pretty good Neapolitan pizza. The restaurant is all about the scene and the music they blast.
149 locals recommend
Lil Charlie's NYC
19 Kenmare St
149 locals recommend
Decent Italian food. Pretty good Neapolitan pizza. The restaurant is all about the scene and the music they blast.
Excellent cocktails with a focus on their own crafted bitters. Tiny and intimate with standing room only. Great for a date.
73 locals recommend
Amor y Amargo
95 E 6th St
73 locals recommend
Excellent cocktails with a focus on their own crafted bitters. Tiny and intimate with standing room only. Great for a date.
Good french inspired food from Danny Meyer on the 60th floor of a Wall Street tower. The food and price is very good but the view is why you go. Make a reservation but they do have space for walk ins and the waiting area has just as good of views.
10 locals recommend
Manhatta
28 Liberty Street
10 locals recommend
Good french inspired food from Danny Meyer on the 60th floor of a Wall Street tower. The food and price is very good but the view is why you go. Make a reservation but they do have space for walk ins and the waiting area has just as good of views.
Great dim sum during the day and peking duck, garlic chicken, and other dishes at night. Best part is that you can bring your own wine for free. Stop by one Discovery Wine, my recommended wine shop, for some interesting wines to pair with food. Tell the staff where you are going to dinner and they'll help, they know the place well.
8 locals recommend
Wu's Wonton King
165 E Broadway
8 locals recommend
Great dim sum during the day and peking duck, garlic chicken, and other dishes at night. Best part is that you can bring your own wine for free. Stop by one Discovery Wine, my recommended wine shop, for some interesting wines to pair with food. Tell the staff where you are going to dinner and they'll help, they know the place well.

Drinks & Nightlife

My favorite dive bar. Grab a pickle back and play a game of pool with Slimma the resident poet/alcoholic while listening to some tunes on the awesome jukebox.
33 locals recommend
Sophie's
507 East 5th Street
33 locals recommend
My favorite dive bar. Grab a pickle back and play a game of pool with Slimma the resident poet/alcoholic while listening to some tunes on the awesome jukebox.
A low key bar with the one of largest booze and beer selections i've ever seen.
26 locals recommend
d.b.a.
41 1st Ave.
26 locals recommend
A low key bar with the one of largest booze and beer selections i've ever seen.
The 2nd floor lobby bar and lounge is huge, hip, and high end. That said it is open to anyone and there is a pool table.
50 locals recommend
PUBLIC Hotel
215 Chrystie St
50 locals recommend
The 2nd floor lobby bar and lounge is huge, hip, and high end. That said it is open to anyone and there is a pool table.
Excellent cocktails in a bar that looks more like a eclectic, throwback living room. Can be very busy on the weekends.
Joyface
104 Loisaida Ave
Excellent cocktails in a bar that looks more like a eclectic, throwback living room. Can be very busy on the weekends.

Grocery & Markets

Large grocery store with health and organic focus.
1895 locals recommend
Whole Foods Market
95 E Houston St
1895 locals recommend
Large grocery store with health and organic focus.
Medium grocery store with quality products and produce.
522 locals recommend
Union Market
240 E Houston St
522 locals recommend
Medium grocery store with quality products and produce.
Large sized wine and liquor store with great classic and specialty selection and good prices.
37 locals recommend
Astor Wines & Spirits
399 Lafayette St
37 locals recommend
Large sized wine and liquor store with great classic and specialty selection and good prices.
Medium sized wine & liquor store with best selection of natural wine in the city.
22 locals recommend
Discovery Wines
16 Avenue B
22 locals recommend
Medium sized wine & liquor store with best selection of natural wine in the city.
The old historic Essex Market has moved a block into a new home. The historic feeling is gone but the market itself has only gotten better. This is an amazing place for all things food that you must go to.
The Market Line
115 Delancey St
The old historic Essex Market has moved a block into a new home. The historic feeling is gone but the market itself has only gotten better. This is an amazing place for all things food that you must go to.