In New York City from October 9 through 17th. Need suggestions please
September 27, 2014 10:56 AM Subscribe
We will be staying on Upper West Side at 73rd near Broadway from October 9-17. Could you please suggest places to go and things to do?
1. Favorite breakfast places nearby?
2. Favorite things to do in NYC, low to moderate cost?
3. Favorite restaurants for lunch or dinner, both moderately priced and splurgy?
4. Any special events or festivals going on at that time?
5. Any guesses about the weather and how many warm clothes to pack?
6. Inspirations that I haven't thought of?
Thanks Hivemind.
We will be staying on Upper West Side at 73rd near Broadway from October 9-17. Could you please suggest places to go and things to do?
1. Favorite breakfast places nearby?
2. Favorite things to do in NYC, low to moderate cost?
3. Favorite restaurants for lunch or dinner, both moderately priced and splurgy?
4. Any special events or festivals going on at that time?
5. Any guesses about the weather and how many warm clothes to pack?
6. Inspirations that I haven't thought of?
Thanks Hivemind.
We will be staying on Upper West Side at 73rd near Broadway from October 9-17. Could you please suggest places to go and things to do?
1. Favorite breakfast places nearby?
2. Favorite things to do in NYC, low to moderate cost?
3. Favorite restaurants for lunch or dinner, both moderately priced and splurgy?
4. Any special events or festivals going on at that time?
5. Any guesses about the weather and how many warm clothes to pack?
6. Inspirations that I haven't thought of?
Thanks Hivemind.
Well, you're only a few blocks from Zabar's, so you should go there and get some belly lox -- this is not the thing they call lox in the rest of America, it's the real thing. The rest of New York food, in my experience, can be procured in adequate versions throughout the country. But not belly lox, for some reason.
My favorite restaurant in the area is Gennaro at 93rd and Amsterdam. I get the Cornish hen whenever I go, my wife gets the gnocchi. So consistently perfect over the last 15 years that it's hard for me to get myself to order anything else!
posted by escabeche at 11:07 AM on September 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
My favorite restaurant in the area is Gennaro at 93rd and Amsterdam. I get the Cornish hen whenever I go, my wife gets the gnocchi. So consistently perfect over the last 15 years that it's hard for me to get myself to order anything else!
posted by escabeche at 11:07 AM on September 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
Aside from Zabars and Barney Greengrass which are institutions for sure, another neighborhood fave for breakfast/brunch is Jacobs Pickles which is southern style food with a Jewish inspired kick. Definitely the only joint I've ever been to with matzoh ball soup and biscuits and sausage gravy on the same menu. It's amazing and there's always an absurd wait on weekends.
posted by windbox at 11:38 AM on September 27, 2014
posted by windbox at 11:38 AM on September 27, 2014
You'll have lots of restaurants to choose from, but if at some point you want a quick, potentially relatively healthy, relatively inexpensive meal, just go to the cafe in Fairway market, which is one block up from where you're staying.
A sweet, kind of old-New-York French bistro we like is a couple of blocks down from where you're staying -- Cafe Luxembourg.
Also nice, pretty much right in your neighborhood: walk down into Riverside Park and go to the Boat Basin Cafe
Brunches at The Kitchenette on Amsterdam around 122nd are rich/ southern food delicious, if for one of your inexpensive mornings you want to have a stroll up through Columbia's campus, St. John the Divine, and Morningside Park.
posted by third rail at 11:52 AM on September 27, 2014
A sweet, kind of old-New-York French bistro we like is a couple of blocks down from where you're staying -- Cafe Luxembourg.
Also nice, pretty much right in your neighborhood: walk down into Riverside Park and go to the Boat Basin Cafe
Brunches at The Kitchenette on Amsterdam around 122nd are rich/ southern food delicious, if for one of your inexpensive mornings you want to have a stroll up through Columbia's campus, St. John the Divine, and Morningside Park.
posted by third rail at 11:52 AM on September 27, 2014
Free things that are nice to do in NYC:
An early morning walk on the High Line. Later in the day it can become awfully crowded. The gardens really last into the fall and are intended to be enjoyed year round.
Another early morning walk - walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. This is another place where being there before the throngs arrive is worth it. Be good and stay in the pedestrian lane because there are cyclists commuting in the bike lane especially in the early morning.
posted by sciencegeek at 11:53 AM on September 27, 2014
An early morning walk on the High Line. Later in the day it can become awfully crowded. The gardens really last into the fall and are intended to be enjoyed year round.
Another early morning walk - walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. This is another place where being there before the throngs arrive is worth it. Be good and stay in the pedestrian lane because there are cyclists commuting in the bike lane especially in the early morning.
posted by sciencegeek at 11:53 AM on September 27, 2014
We've already got two IRL meetups scheduled for during your trip if you're interested - dim sum in Brooklyn on Sunday the 12th and drinking at the Manhattan Barcade on Saturday the 18th.
My favorite moderately-priced restaurant is Basta Pasta on 17th street between 5th & 6th Ave - it is a Japanese/Italian fusion restaurant (yelp review) and I've never had a bad meal there, been going regularly for nearly 15 years now.
Smorgasburg food market in Brooklyn Bridge Park will still be happening on Sundays in October; it's not super-cheap but the food is more interesting than basic NYC street fair stuff and the portion sizes are small enough that you can try a few things, definitely worth a look if you take the walk across the Bridge.
Weather in October is pretty variable. We're having a little burst of summer this weekend, getting up over 80 degrees daytime & down to 60 overnight. Likely by next week we'll be down to 60s-70s in daytime & 50s or lower overnight. So, you're not going to need serious winter gear, just something for the morning/evening chill that won't be be a hassle to carry around once the sun warms things up.
posted by oh yeah! at 11:57 AM on September 27, 2014
My favorite moderately-priced restaurant is Basta Pasta on 17th street between 5th & 6th Ave - it is a Japanese/Italian fusion restaurant (yelp review) and I've never had a bad meal there, been going regularly for nearly 15 years now.
Smorgasburg food market in Brooklyn Bridge Park will still be happening on Sundays in October; it's not super-cheap but the food is more interesting than basic NYC street fair stuff and the portion sizes are small enough that you can try a few things, definitely worth a look if you take the walk across the Bridge.
Weather in October is pretty variable. We're having a little burst of summer this weekend, getting up over 80 degrees daytime & down to 60 overnight. Likely by next week we'll be down to 60s-70s in daytime & 50s or lower overnight. So, you're not going to need serious winter gear, just something for the morning/evening chill that won't be be a hassle to carry around once the sun warms things up.
posted by oh yeah! at 11:57 AM on September 27, 2014
To eat on the UWS:
-Shake Shack
-Nice Matin (get the 5 napkin burger)
-Grey's Papaya
-Grandaisy Bakery (get the pizza bianca)
-Levain Bakery (cookies on weekdays; sticky buns or chocolate brioche on weekends)
-Alice's Tea Cup (scones)
-Patsy's Pizza
-Isabella's or Ocean Grill for brunch
-Amber or Tenzan for sushi
-Noche Mexicana
-Absolute Bagels
-Boat Basin or Pier One Cafe (not for the food but for outdoor drinks)
Weather will be variable, so bring layers. You shouldn't need more than a thin coat and sweater though, in the event of cold weather.
posted by melissasaurus at 12:48 PM on September 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
-Shake Shack
-Nice Matin (get the 5 napkin burger)
-Grey's Papaya
-Grandaisy Bakery (get the pizza bianca)
-Levain Bakery (cookies on weekdays; sticky buns or chocolate brioche on weekends)
-Alice's Tea Cup (scones)
-Patsy's Pizza
-Isabella's or Ocean Grill for brunch
-Amber or Tenzan for sushi
-Noche Mexicana
-Absolute Bagels
-Boat Basin or Pier One Cafe (not for the food but for outdoor drinks)
Weather will be variable, so bring layers. You shouldn't need more than a thin coat and sweater though, in the event of cold weather.
posted by melissasaurus at 12:48 PM on September 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
You'll be right next to levain. You must go get a cookie there. Must.
posted by So You're Saying These Are Pants? at 4:34 PM on September 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by So You're Saying These Are Pants? at 4:34 PM on September 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
There's a little corner restaurant on West End and 72nd that's pretty good. Cash only. We also like Isabella's, Arte Cafe, Levain Bakery (of course), and the Emerald Inn.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 6:12 PM on September 27, 2014
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 6:12 PM on September 27, 2014
Might I suggest a visit to the Dominican Republic, which lives in Northern Manhattan as well as several other neighborhoods? I spent a wonderful sunday evening two weeks ago at the restaurant El Viejo Yobo . Live Dominican meringue tipico. The folk version of modern meringue: button accordion, drums, bass and singers. Great stewed goat (chivo) and the audience ordering buckets of six beers in an ice bucket for $15 a round and audience members grabbing the mike and singing along with the band. It is a tiny corner diner-sized restaurant. Not much English spoken. Show respect, know that it is a tiny nabe hangout, and it is a transcendentally great NYC night out. Don't go in large groups - the tables are tiny. Sundays after 8 pm. No guarantees that it is happening every Sunday nite. But it is a cool and safe nabe.
posted by zaelic at 8:41 PM on September 27, 2014
posted by zaelic at 8:41 PM on September 27, 2014
Have a great trip! I'm going on the 29th for the marathon, also staying on UWS and basically had the same questions as you. There were so many great responses that I've started a custom Google map!
posted by robadobdob at 12:02 AM on October 8, 2014
posted by robadobdob at 12:02 AM on October 8, 2014
Response by poster: Thanks, Hivemind!
Just got back and thanks to all above who posted. We loved Zabars and the Fairway Market Cafe and Barney Green Grass for breakfast. We enjoyed cheap great entertainment at the Upright Citizens Brigade, caught a Moth Story Slam, took the Staten Island Ferry, walked the High Line down to Chelsea Market, saw the Rubin Museum (2 for 1 passes online at website), and the FIT museum (free) and saw a staged reading of our daughter's play in progress, "Chutzpah" ( https://www.facebook.com/events/689919554407240/ )
The weather was just as described, cool but only a bit of light rain. Perfectly described.
We had a ball.
posted by SamFrancisco at 9:23 PM on October 17, 2014
Just got back and thanks to all above who posted. We loved Zabars and the Fairway Market Cafe and Barney Green Grass for breakfast. We enjoyed cheap great entertainment at the Upright Citizens Brigade, caught a Moth Story Slam, took the Staten Island Ferry, walked the High Line down to Chelsea Market, saw the Rubin Museum (2 for 1 passes online at website), and the FIT museum (free) and saw a staged reading of our daughter's play in progress, "Chutzpah" ( https://www.facebook.com/events/689919554407240/ )
The weather was just as described, cool but only a bit of light rain. Perfectly described.
We had a ball.
posted by SamFrancisco at 9:23 PM on October 17, 2014
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2. Depends on what you like to do, I personally like walking around downtown and seeing all the different neighborhoods, walking across the Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, etc. All free.
3. Depends on what you like to eat.
5. Not that cold, fall-ish
posted by pravit at 11:06 AM on September 27, 2014