If you consider yourself a transplanted New Yorker, there are some staples that will always be on your to-do list when you visit the city. Of course, the city is known for having new and exciting things popping up all the time. Last year, I had the opportunity to visit twice, and here are a few of the Big Apple’s Best (with a few Brooklyn finds for good measure!).
Written by: Elena Murzello
Best Brunch Chain: Isla & Co
Isla & Co. is Parched Hospitality Group’s popular Aussie all-day cafe and restaurant with locations in Midtown at Hotel Hendricks and in Williamsburg adjacent to the William Vale. Executive Chef Matt Foley’s brunch menu, which is served daily until 3pm, includes favorites like Brioche French Toast, Isla Benedict, Smashed Avocado Toast and Mushroom Toast. There are new additions to the menu like Kangaroo Tucker, traditional Australian rubbed kangaroo skewered over herbed tahini, marinated cucumbers and pickled onions. I highly recommend the Kangaroo Tucker! Brunch pairs perfectly with an Aperol Spritz, Bloody Mary or Espresso Martini.
Best Famed Irish Pub: The Dead Rabbit
The Dead Rabbit, the world’s most awarded pub can be found at 30 Water Street in a the five-story, 19th-century townhouse. The pub is named after The Dead Rabbit gang who fought to defend their territory in mid 1800’s lower Manhattan. In 2013, The Dead Rabbit opened and has survived a hurricane, a fire, an expansion and a pandemic. Setting new sites on a US expansion, The Dead Rabbit is opening in Austin and DC in the coming year.
I visited the pub on a snowy day and took refuge in the Taproom for some of the pub’s favorites. The hearty Lamb Stew and the pub’s famed Irish Coffee made from Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey, Calendar Coffee, Demerara, Freshly Whipped Cream, Nutmeg hit the spot.
Best Rooftop Bar: Moxy Chelsea’s Fleur Room
A nod to the Flower District, you will find the Moxy Chelsea’s Fleur Room at 35 stories high. The new concept by Tao Group Hospitality and Angelo Bianchi, interiors that reference the Flower Market (a chandelier that resembles oversize water droplets; dazzling floral-patterned seating; and a copper-clad bar).
A list of creative cocktails is accompanied by a simple, elegant menu of elevated bar snacks—warm olives with Marcona almonds, king crab club sandwich, truffle grilled cheese toast. The lounge area comes complete with a DJ booth and a massive vintage disco ball—a one-of-a-kind artifact salvaged from the 1980s L.A. nightclub Vertigo. The glass-enclosed rooftop lounge has expansive 360-degree views that stretch from the Statue of Liberty to the Empire State Building. Like magic (and at the touch of a button), a retractable window wall transforms the lounge into an alfresco sky veranda.
Best Cityscape View: Edge NYC
Looking for that breathtaking 360-degree view of the iconic NYC skyline? Look no further than the Edge. It’s the largest and highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere at 1,131 feet. Situated on the 100th floor of 30 Hudson Yards, (NYC’s newest neighborhood accessible by the Number 7 train) you can lean out over the city on angled glass walls and take some fantastic footage for your next reel (I did!).
Tickets cost $40 (£33) per adult, $38 (£31) per senior (age 62 and above) and $35 (£29) per child (age 6-12 years), an additional $10 is added to the ticket price for sunset visits. Ticket prices include access to The Glass Floor, Angled Glass Walls, The Skyline Steps, The Eastern Point, and a free digital photo souvenir. Visitors also have the option to purchase a personalized photo book and a glass of champagne upon arrival.
Best New Museum: The Museum of Broadway
Opened in Fall 2022 in Times Square, is The Museum of Broadway. The museum is founded by entrepreneur and 2-time Tony Award-winning producer, Julie Boardman, and founder of award-winning experiential agency Rubik Marketing, Diane Nicoletti.
Both immersive and interactive, the museum features work of dozens of designers, artists, and theater historians which take on a journey along the timeline of Broadway. The Museum highlights more than 500 individual productions from the 1700s-present. There is a three-floor display of costumes, props, rare photos/videos, interactive sets and plenty of instagrammable moments to share.
Best Day Spa: Naturopathica
This day spa has two locations in the city which includes Chelsea and TriBeca, with two other locations in East Hampton and Palm Beach. I visited the Chelsea location for the signature ‘Chill Massage.’ After a red-eye, this is the perfect way to recover and buy some time if you are waiting to check into your hotel room. Besides the typical Facial and Massage offerings, the spa also offers body treatments and Holistic Healing Therapies as well. You can even become a Naturopathica Spa member to give you exclusive pricing on both treatments and products, and priority access to spa events and experts.
Best Boutique Hotel: The High Line Hotel
From a 17th century apple orchard to an 18th century cloistered seminary, The High Line Hotel has transformed into Chelsea Square’s architectural masterpiece. The preserved gothic molding and fireplaces are only highlighted by the hand-selected, one-of-a-kind pieces (like vintage typewriters) sourced from antique fairs and vintage markets alike. These fine details can be experienced in the 60 oversized, light-filled rooms.
This location is the ideal spot to explore Chelsea. Guests are welcome to borrow complimentary Shinola bicycles and a helmet for a ride to Hudson River Park or for use in the local area. Before you leave, say hello to Daisy, the 1957 London double-decker bus that is parked in the front garden. Or grab a coffee to go at Intelligentsia. When you return, switch your coffee for a cocktail at the Lobby Bar.
Best Hotel Chain: The Moxy
Wherever you stay in the city, the Moxy properties have you covered. Each with their own distinct flair. There are a total of six in the surrounding boroughs, which includes Moxy Times Square, Chelsea, East Village, Downtown and the latest additions – Lower East Side and Williamsburg.
I had the pleasure of staying at the 303-room Moxy Lower East Side hotel in early Spring and was able to experience the convenience of their central location first hand. In between Soho and the Lower East Side (and in between Subway stops), I was able to traverse the city with minimal hiccups. This was my favorite part of the Moxy LES, besides the complimentary coffee at The Fix, the lobby cafe. What a great way to start the morning!
In addition to The Fix, there are four other drinking and dining establishments created in collaboration with Tao Group Hospitality. Feast at the modern Japanese Izakaya restaurant ‘Sake No Hana’. Listen to some live tunes at the piano lounge, ‘Silver Lining’. Dance the night away at the subterranean nightclub, ‘Loosie’s’ or take in the breathtaking NY skyline at the indoor/outdoor rooftop bar, ‘The Highlight Room. ‘
The Moxy Williamsburg is a 216-room boutique hotel overlooking the Williamsburg Bridge and the Manhattan skyline. The bright, airy rooms emphasize natural materials and space-saving design solutions, a large backyard garden provides a spot to unwind alfresco, and flexible co-working and meeting studios serve the needs of Brooklyn’s creative class. Food and beverage options include Mesiba, a festive, Tel Aviv–inspired restaurant serving Levantine cuisine; Bar Bedford, a destination cocktail bar and all-day café; Jolene Sound Room, an energetic lounge with a custom sound system; and finally LilliStar, an indoor/outdoor rooftop bar.
Best in Brooklyn (Eats): Gair
Dumbo’s premier destination for elevated, distinctive cocktails, Gair serves locally-sourced, seasonally-inspired dishes in an unmatched environment. Located on Washington Street, guests can snap their iconic Manhattan Bridge photo before heading to Gair for delicious cocktails and appetizing share plates. My drink pick is the Mezcal based cocktail, Under the Influencer and you will want to order the Fried Chicken Sandwich. Conceptualized and owned by architectural designer and Dumbo local Kevin Cimini, Gair was developed to create an elegant yet approachable destination that serves as an oasis for its community, and an authentic New York experience for visitors.
Best in Brooklyn (Shop): Rue Saint Paul
Rue Saint Paul is Brooklyn’s sustainable closet, offering new, rental, and pre-owned sustainable fashion. The first in Brooklyn. Kelly Wang, founder of Rue Saint Paul, is committed to helping reduce the fashion industry’s environmental footprint, promote ethical manufacturing, and drive responsible and circular consumption. Kelly’s hope is that one day sustainable fashion will just be fashion.
Best in Brooklyn (Stay): Penny Williamsburg
In 2022, Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood welcomed Penny. The newest addition to the Sydell portfolio – creators of NoMad, Freehand, and LINE brands – Penny is the portfolio’s younger artist sibling with colorful interiors and a distinctive art collection by local neurodivergent artists. Penny is small in size, at 118 rooms but big at heart.
The namesake is Sydell CEO and Founder, Andrew Zobler’s small chihuahua with a big personality. The rooms at Penny Williamsburg offer homey comfort with hardwood floors, kitchenettes, pour-over coffee systems with complimentary coffee, unlimited free filtered water (my necessity!) The hotel shares a building with beloved NY institution Bard College classrooms and dorms.
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