Refresh
COFFEE TALK
Box Kite Coffee
A blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cubbyhole on the Upper West Side (there’s an East Village location too), Box Kiteis a placewhere coffee lovers can unite. The friendly baristas chat openly about their caffeinated passions, and indulged us in the same. While narrow and spare, the space isn’t one that’s rushingyou out the door as soon as you have your order. USB wall charging outlets and slow-drinking indulgences like the miraculous, taste-the-rainbow Unicorn encourage you to sidle up and stay a moment.
Maman
SoHo’stwee, toile-decked caféis something out of a French country daydream, its imported farmhouse tables and decor an inviting departure from the activity beyond. Though Maman’sincreasingly recognizable blue-and-white cups have become an Instagrammer’s go-to, serious coffee from Toby’s Estate and a Michelin chef-driven menu helpthis spot transcendthe hype.
Two Hands
When sunny Aussie café culture meets a whitewashed, exposed brickoasis, good things happen. At least that’s what we could deduce fromMott Street’s exuberantTwo Hands. Coffee artistry (and a rather impressive succulent collection) abounds here, feelingmore like a treasured daily ritual than a mere caffeine pit stop.
Ost
This pretty corner café with a European vibe is a very pleasant place to stop for a middaycappuccino break. At once feminine and classically “New York”, you’ll want to join the swarm of regulars perched on tufted armchairs, lost in a book or a dainty cup of joe.
BREAKFAST & FIRST THINGS
ABC Kitchen
Step into Jean-Georges’ modern barn brunch heaven, as refined as it is rustic. Chandeliers and pendant lamps toss soft light on displayed baskets overflowing with afarm’sbounty.Elegantranunculusand antiquefine China share real estate withcorrugated cardboard coasters, kraft paper mats and corners of tangled branches, givingthe room an enchanted forest quality. And then there’s the food: fluffy fried oysters on a bed of spicy butter-whipped eggs, crisp micro greens with chile-dusted shrimp, simple snap peas,pea toast atop crusty sourdough, frothy co*cktails and coffee in heartwarming mini-pitchers. Needless to say, we can’t wait to get back.
Black Seed
Make the pilgrimage to Elizabeth Street’s quiet, tree-lined stretch for this fresh bagel mecca. With combos like spicy hummus and eggplant, Burrata and pesto andMeyer lemon cream cheese withsalmon salad, anyone would be a happy camper. But then you focus on the bagels –honey water-boiled rounds of perfectly proportioned dough – and you realize the rest is merely the schmear on top.
Claudette
Morocco and Key West ran off to Paris at Claudette, a perfect Saturday afternoon of a place in the heart of The Village. With white-fleured ceilings and our three favorite words, “Rosé on Tap”, as our foundation, we lingered and luxuriated over perfect co*cktails fromrattan bar stools, admiring theunequivocally cheerfultiled walls.
Hundred Acres
It only takes a moment to becomesmitten withHundred Acres, fallingunder its sweet farmhouse spell almost immediately. Brunch standbys get a refresh (see: cast iron griddle ricotta pancakes, trout roe-topped deviled eggs, andheirloom tomato bakes), and it gets tough to decline a second (or third) beveragewhen it’s as good as a Grapefruit Cooler.
Balthazar Bakery & Restaurant
There’s a reason that this legendary brasserie lives on: it is undeniably excellent every time. What’s even moreimpressive is that the takeout specialties at the Poilâne-esque bakery manage to equal the mastery of the seatedpetit dejeunerat the restaurant proper.
DRESSED DOWN COOL
Upland
You walk into apreserved lemon-lined foyer, and you instantly know you’re somewhere special. Whimsical Wayne Pate illustrations and superb interior stylings aside,it’s the wildly successful delivery of cuisinewith “familiar rusticity” that still has us craving our vivid food memories. With one of us having hailed from the very town for which Chef Justin Smillie named his culinary homage, we can enthusiastically attest to his spot-on translation of the citrus groves and hazy foothills of childhood recollection. But dishes like a chicken sandwich with hot horseradish mustard, farro + chickpea salad and spicy soppressata pizza take our comfort fare favorites to decidedly loftier heights. The combination is irresistible, and one not to be missed.
ABC Cocina
We continue to be amazed at Jean-Georges’deft mastery of widely different cuisines,presenting them in wholly original (and delicious) ways. Not only do ABC Cocina’sseductive margaritas and tasty takes on guacamole or tacos rival anything we’ve had in L.A., but every decor detail and service beat has obviously been carefully considered. The result is asoftly industrial space that succeeds in being both satisfying andfun.
Rosemary’s
A quick climb up to Rosemary’s rooftop garden flush withmustard greens, fragrant mint and ping pong radishes tells you all you need to know about the heart of this wonderfully familial trattoria. Embracing its “in the middle of it all” locale, this is a place for meeting old friends and making new ones. Easily shareable foccace, cheese plates and caponata help that endeavor along, as does a beautiful, Italian-based wine list.
Cosme
We remember the days when it was said thatthere was no decent Mexican food to be had within the Five Boroughs, and can safely say that such statements have evaporated withCosme’sexplosion onto every friend or critic’s “best” list we encountered in our trip’slead-up. Though we are well-versed in all manner of traditional Latin ingredients, it was the subtletyinChef Enrique Olvera’s poetic interpretations that floored us. It doesn’t hurt that the gallery-lit room is the perfectspace in which to savor and sipone’s mezcal.
Estela
A diminutive dining destination on an unvarnished Nolita stretch, Estelalooks like your standard teeming bar scene at first blush. Closer inspection reveals a thoughtful wine and co*cktail list, however, and perhaps even more impressive, an undeniablydelicious collection of hearty, flavorful bites. Once we snagged ahot seat at the bar, we commenced pairing Oaxacan Holidays with ricotta dumplings and went on a foodie journey that never took a wrong turn.
REFINED DINING
Buvette
We’re certainly not the first to discover Buvetteor her infinite Parisienne appeal, but even we are surprised at how unabashedly, authentically enchanting Jody Williams’ gastrothequecontinues to be. A petite cavern for sharing cassoulet and confidences, it is as much an emblem of its cinematic West Village corner as it is its French provenance. Our beliefs about Buvette are threefold:sheis one of New York’s best, sheis always worth the wait and herholytarte tatin should never bedeclined.
Babbo
As with all venerated institutions, the question of Babbo’scontinued relevance is one we’re game to answer in the affirmative again and again. A between-brownstonesfaçadeon Waverly, this is the kind of NYC landmark we love to visit. Rock, classic and otherwise, blares from the good-natured speakers and whatever else you may have heard, the pastas are what you reserveyour back-up stomach for. Chianti-stained pappardelle ragu with short ribs so delicate theyfall off the boneis as excellent as asea urchin special. And if the main coursesweren’t such stars, desserts such as olive oil cake, Samoa chocolate cheesecake and a trio of fluffy cookies may threaten to upstage them.
Prune
AsaBlood, Bones & Butterbuff, you can feel as though you’ve known chef Gabrielle Hamiltonfor years. So finally ducking beneathher trademark pink awning into the space she so vividly conceivedon the page, and to find itthriving fifteenyears on, feels likesomething of a triumph you were rooting for all along. ADolly Parton lilt sings soprano to abassline of clinking coupes, while delectables like shrimp toasts and 3 Rum Punch appear in perfect time. The overall feel is one of somewhere special, the overall experienceone to remember.
Carbone
This retrotemple of good old red sauce Italian cooking feels like astar-powered tribute to Il Mulino (another Gather soft spot). Walkinga smart duality of bothold school and new, Carbone mines standbys like spaghetti vongole and veal parmesan and serves them up in a place that’s equally appealingfor date nights or group dinners, birthday parties or celebratory drinks.
Gramercy Tavern
It’s difficult to decide whether the warm sophistication of the Dining Room or the walk-up refinement of thebar is more delightful, sinceGramercy Taverndoes both so well. A bucolic themesuffuses the space in familiarcomfort, and the food, always inventive, has never left us anything but happy and full.
NIGHTCAPS & DESSERTS
Bemelmans Bar
Not only are the namesakestorybook artist’s most whimsical creations everywhere you look, but they seem toinfusethe very air with a nostalgic, feel-good charm. Thecity’smost original nightspot practices throwback chicof the rarest order in its Old Cubans and Passion Royales, in its ‘bar snacks’ and venerable nightly jazz musicianlineup. It is both a stalwart resistor to frivolity and the gentlestreminder that a proper night on the towncan still beunforgettable.
Dear Irving
A flat-out cool interpretation of a time traveler’s speakeasy, Dear Irving is just as fun and whimsical as you think it’s going to be. Our particular group was enamored of the grapefruit-loaded Vice Versa, a killer mezcal-driven Paloma and thesurprisingly smooth-drinking Hero of Little Venice on the night in question, but we suspect you can’t really go wrong here.
Alta Linea
Reminiscent of an irresistible Italian rooftop,Alta Lineais all about unabashedaperitivi enjoyment, a pastime we can wholeheartedly get behind. Set along The High Line Hotel’s picture-perfect garden, coupes of ‘originals’ with names like Lovely Day ensure you’ll have nothing less than just that.
The Bar at Baccarat New York
If a dose ofbombshell oldNew York glam is what you’re looking for from your digestif scene, this is where you’ll find it. Grand, glossy and bedecked inBaccarat chandeliers (naturally), this is a great place torev up a girls’ night out or to celebrate something wonderful, and the view from theTuileries-inspired terrace is truly a sight to behold.
TheNoMad Bar
Full of nooks, crannies and cozy enclaves made for tucking in, The NoMad’s bar spaces are someof our favorite spots to hole up. Sassy-good co*cktails like The Forbidden Dance and Red Lightplay nicely with elevated bar food fare (especially the inexplicably good pot pie!)
