It’s been a little over 8 months since I’ve been living in New York City. EIGHT WHOLE MONTHS. I’ve brunched a ton and explored pretty much every neighborhood of Manhattan. My goals for the next few months are to make it to all five boroughs and enjoy rooftop season like a true New Yorker. I am truly so excited for the warm weather and spring blooming in NYC. It is truly going to be stunning. I hope you enjoy this walk down memory lane with me. As always, a bird’s eye view of all my digest posts is posted here. Be sure to check out volumes one, two, and three too!
FOOD
Best For Brunch
Blank Slate Tea
If pink is your favorite color and tea is your drink of choice, Blank Slate Tea is going to be your jam. I spent a cold and windy afternoon here for Michelle’s birthday and it was truly the cutest. Their tea tier is the best thing to happen for your Instagram story and oh so tasty! The avocado toast, macarons, and mini brownies were my personal favorites.
Gotan
This spot in my new favorite daytime neighborhood, Tribeca, is the local’s not-so-hidden gem. Actually, if you want to actually find a place to sit here, you’ll want to head here before 10 am. They have a delicious latte [hot and iced], an incredibly fresh acai bowl, and the world best egg scramble + biscuit. Can you tell I spent a lot of time hanging out and working on my blog here? You’ll find tons of locals here and the ambiance is just good. I was super ready to hustle and chat while I was there.
Banter NYC
I am so happy just thinking about how great this place was. It’s tiny, but the food is to die for. Michelle and I hadn’t brunched together in a while [maybe like a week and a half, we’re dramatic] and we went all out on this meal. The french toast was delicious, the bacon was crispy, and the latte was divine. It’s definitely a huge competitor with my other Aussie favorite, Citizens of Chelsea.
Bubby’s
Bubby’s is the perfect place for when you need a place that will satisfy your 20-something male friends. This is apparently where all the cute guys my age are, LOL. But, most importantly, it’s also where you’ll find some very tasty comfort food in Tribeca. I’ve recently been spending a lot of time in this area and I think Bubby’s sums up the energy of the neighborhood: hip, cute, and lots of tasty food. We ordered the breakfast platter and the PANCAKE. FLIGHT. It was a dream.
Belli
I love my weekends spent in Brooklyn. The energy is calm, and I can usually see my beautiful home of Manhattan in the distance. The neighborhood Clinton Hill is home to this hidden gem, Belli Osteria. One of my favorite YouTubers, Tess Christine, and her podcast hosting [which I also love] friends, Carrie and Julia, frequent this spot. Of course, I had to have the french toast and a side of bacon. The portions here are generous and you’ll definitely feel like a local. Oh, and the Brooklyn prices aren’t half bad either.
Dudley’s
I will take any chance to brunch in the Lower East Side because I feel like a cooler version of myself. It is the hipster neighborhood of Manhattan and is home to so much culture. Dudley’s sits in the heart of it. Michelle and I decided to sit outside on one of the first warm days of the year and it was probably the best decision even though the inside looked cute as heck. I ordered a chicken sandwich which was totally off-brand for me and we decided to share pancakes. Everything was incredibly flavorful. 11/10.
Friedman’s
I’m not going to lie to you, my experience at Friedman’s was not as great as I would have liked. The wait was much longer than the hostess said which usually doesn’t bother me, but it was MUCH longer. We sat at the bar which was cute, but the bartender kept bugging us. The pancakes were dry, but my omelet was bomb. This place might be a better option for lunch or dinner. It’s situated right by the new Hudson Yards complex, so it’s a convenient place to stop into in the otherwise dead Midtown West area.
Best For Lunch & Dinner
Old Rose
Old Rose was another disappointment. I came here with my college friend, Nur! It’s the most beautiful restaurant I have ever seen, but my amazement pretty much stops there. I got a plain waffle and a latte. The latte was good and the waffle wasn’t anything special. I’ve heard the pizza, however, is to die for. So, I would recommend meeting a friend here for a drink and for pizza. So, I’ve moved it to the Lunch & Dinner section. Although, I’ll admit I’m mostly doing this because I never go out for dinner.
Fiaschetteria Pistoia
The authenticity of this little Italian restaurant popped out. This adorably intimate restaurant is nestled in the East Village and I can’t recommend it enough. I rarely go out for dinner because a) it’s expensive and, yeah basically just because it’s too expensive. However, this was a special occasion because I had a friend in town and we wanted to get dinner! Everything was so, so GOOD.
Taco Electrico
Okay, the only thing you need to do is that they do Drag Bingo on Wednesdays. The gals and I got a pitcher of margaritas and sampled some of their tacos and everything was uber tasty. I love a place with free chips and salsa. It was definitely an entertaining night after a fun little blogging event. It’s also in a great location, right off of Union Square!
Best for Coffee
Rebel Coffee
Rebel Coffee is a cute little spot in the West Village with a mean latte and a very local feel. It’s right across the street from a very cool magazine shop. It’s a good place to stop in for a quick pick me up while you’re hanging around the neighborhood.
Irving Farm Roasters
Irving Farm is right down the street from my hair salon, so I’ve popped in a few times for an iced latte. The place was small, but it’s always bustling with locals and the natural light is fantastic. I’d come here to work or have a quick catch up with a friend. It’s near the Tenement Museum and some fantastic street art.
Parliament
Parliament was an incredible random pit stop for me. I was looking for a cute coffee shop with natural lighting in the Upper West Side and was not prepared at all. It’s attached to a museum so it’s a bit pricey. It’s a very cute spot and very low key so you’ll definitely find a spot. The marble tables and greenery might just combat the guilt you feel for spending $5 on a coffee.
Sweatshop
Sweatshop wins the award for best coffee shop mural. My Instagram followers went crazy over my picture in front of their v. Instafamous mural “Don’t Look for Love, Look for Coffee”. The iced latte I got was also very tasty. I honestly would have felt really bad if I would have taken a picture without buying anything, but that’s just me! The coffee also completes the story of your inevitable picture so might as well support the business you’re having a photoshoot outside of!
Black Star Bakery
Black Star Bakery has several locations around the city, but they just opened up their UES location. It was my first time experiencing the new Uptown Q stations. They reminded a lot of the DC Metro and were oh so clean and high tech. It’s an easy commute from the Herald Square/Times Square area if you’re visiting from out of town and staying in Midtown. I think my brain was taken over by a 5-year-old because I ordered pancakes with chocolate syrup, bananas, and sprinkles. I probably would opt for one of their more mature breakfast sandwiches next time, but their selection of pastries looked divine too. The coffee was standard and the staff is super friendly. A lot of people were working on their laptops and there is a cute little patio in the back too!
THINGS TO DO
Forward__Space
Michelle and I attended an event for Hi-Chew a couple of months ago and it part of it was a dance fitness class at Forward__Space. We loved it so much that we’ve even thought about going back to attend another class! One of my new suggestions to people is to try a boutique fitness class while they’re visiting the city. You can find SoulCycle in most major US cities, so I’d look into trying a boxing, dance, or pilates studio while you’re in town! There are so many fun options and if you are new to ClassPass, you can try it for free!
28th Street Station
The 28th Street Station has been redone to feature incredible floral murals on the Downtown station side. It’s a quick walk from the Flatiron District and my favorite hidden study/working spot, The Freehand Hotel. It’s a fun spot to get the oh-so-necessary “I’m riding the subway in NYC” boomerang!
Epic Abstraction @ The Met
I love when new exhibits are installed at The Met and the Epic Abstraction is my new favorite. There is apparently SoundCloud guides to exhibits at The Met which kind of makes me want to go back to listen and take in the art again. You can find this one here. There are incredible pieces from Pollock and some other contemporary artists. There is a range of paintings and sculptures from all over the world.
Williamsburg Window Shopping
The Williamsburg window shopping game is strong. There are so many cute shops with boutique clothing and fun trinkets. I am always tempted to buy a cute mug or new earrings when I’m exploring this area. There are also some great food spots like Juliette, The Egg Shop, and Sweet Chick here too. When the L train is running, you need to take advantage and head over to this fun neighborhood. Also, Smorgasburg is back outside and the views of Manhattan can’t be beat even if I like the Prospect Park location more.
Okay, there you have it. All 1600 words on my last two months of exploring my favorite city. I am truly so blessed to live in a city where I will be able to create new lists of places for the entire duration of my time here. This place is my favorite and I hope you get to see why I love the culture, food, and people here so much!
Keep on keepin’ on,
