Babbo is Mario BatBabbo
110 Waverly Place
New York, NY 10011
(212) 777-0303
www.babbonyc.com
ali's gem, set in a West Village carriage house. It is a beautiful room and the food is unbelievable. It's hard to get a table but you can always go to the bar for an incredible plate of pasta and a glass of wine. One of the city's best.
Cookshop
156 Tenth Avenue
New York, NY 10011
(212) 924-4440
www.cookshopny.com
Cookshop is a delight in seasonal cooking. It is abuzz with foodies who come to taste the ever-changing menu.
Balthazar
80 Spring Street
New York, NY 10012
(212) 965-1785
www.balthazarny.com
Balthazar is one of the classic downtown spots. It looks like a real Parisian brasserie and has the raw bar to match. I love this place.
Barney Greengrass
541 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10024
(212) 724-4707
www.barneygreengrass.com
What can I say, it's a NYC institution. An absolutely great New York brunch, bagels and smoked fish galore.
Elio's
1621 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10028
(212) 772-2242
Elio's is one of my all-time favorite places in the world. The food is sort of classic Italian by way of New York. It’s got a great uptown, old-school vibe where you rub shoulders with the likes of Joan Didion, Charles Gwathmey and Jerry Seinfeld. The waiters, who I have known almost my entire life, don’t even give me a menu.
Gramercy Tavern
42 East 20th Street
New York, NY 10003
(212) 477-0777
www.gramercytavern.com
One of New York's most popular restaurants for a reason. Seasonal, American, unbelievable cheese board, East Coast romantic atmosphere.
HanGawi
12 East 32nd Street
New York, NY 10016
(212) 213-0077
www.hangawirestaurant.com
HanGawi is a vegetarian Korean place that I have been going to for years. Korean food is one of my favorite cuisines and here you can have it in a quiet and meatless atmosphere. I take all of my veggie friends here when they are in NYC.
Kelly and Ping SoHo
127 Greene Street
New York, NY 10012
(212) 228-1212
eatrice.com/kellyPing.html
Another SoHo spot that has been there for ages. I love this place for fried rice, dumplings and green tea. It also reminds me of the New York of my youth when SoHo streets were quiet and cobblestoned.
Lupa
170 Thompson Street
New York, NY 10012
(212) 982-5089
www.luparestaurant.com
Lupa is like a Roman trattoria, bustling with life. I love to go for spaghetti aglio e olio.
Milos
25 West 55th Street
New York, NY 10019
(212) 245-7400
www.milos.ca/en/newyork/
Milos is unbelievable Greek food with a price tag to match. But it's worth it; the fish is just off the boat, incredibly fresh. I love all of the dips and the tuna burger for lunch.
Omen
113 Thompson Street
New York, NY 10012
(212) 925-8923
Authentic Japanese in the heart of SoHo, Omen has been there since long before SoHo was trendy. I always see amazing artists at this place.
Sushi Yasuda
204 East 43rd Street
New York, NY 10017
(212) 972-1001
www.sushiyasuda.com
Best sushi in NYC, hands down. Order what the sushi chef recommends, you will not be disappointed. Make sure to get there on time for your reservation; they will give your table away.
Tartine
253 West 11th Street
(between West 4th Street and Waverly Place)
New York, NY 10014
(212) 229-2611
A very quaint, tiny French café on a perfect West Village corner. I used to live a stone's throw from here. It's an idyllic little New York spot for brunch on the weekend but go early, lines form and stay throughout the service.
Market Table
54 Carmine Street
New York, NY 10014
(212) 255-2100
www.markettablenyc.com
I just recently discovered Market Table and I adore it. The food is simple and perfect, same owners as the famed Little Owl.
Taim
222 Waverly Place
New York, NY 10014
(212) 691-1287
I have an obsession with Taim. It is a hole-in-the-wall (literally), West Village Israeli place. They have the best falafels in the entire world, three varieties. Also amazing soups, sandwiches and smoothies.
BLT Fish Shack
21 West 17th Street
New York, NY 10011
(212) 691-8888
www.bltfish.com/shack/
This is one of my most frequented spots. I always order the kumamoto oysters and panfried flounder with tartar sauce and French fries. The Fish Shack is downstairs from the fancier BLT Fish and is very laid back.
15 East
15 East 15th Street
New York, NY 10003
(212) 647-0015
www.15eastrestaurant.com
15 East
15 East 15th Street
New York, NY 10003
(212) 647-0015
www.15eastrestaurant.com
The food at 15 East is served in an elegant, minimal, calm room just off Union Square. The menu is authentic and delicious; the sushi is incredibly fresh. One of my faves.
Pearl Oyster Bar
18 Cornelia Street
New York, NY 10014
(212) 691-8211
www.pearloysterbar.com
Oh, how I love Pearl Oyster Bar. I go for oysters, the lobster roll and the hot fudge sundae.
Angelica Kitchen
300 East 12th Street
New York, NY 10003
(212) 228-2909
www.angelicakitchen.com
Angelica is a delicious, super-healthy place with a macrobiotic bent that I have been going to for years. East Village granola heaven.
Hundred Acres
38 MacDougal Street
New York, NY 10012
(212) 475-7500
www.hundredacresnyc.com
From the folks that bring you Cookshop. Hundred Acres is in a beautiful classic space that used to house Provence, an old SoHo fave. Delicious.
Momofuku Noodle Bar
171 First Avenue
New York, NY 10003
(212) 777-7773
Momofuku Ssam Bar
207 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10003
(212) 254-3500
www.momofuku.com
These places became two of NYC's hottest spots in a very short time. The reservation policy is a bit tough (email at 10am EXACTLY for the same night, tables are gone by 10:03) but worth a shot.
Aquagrill
210 Spring Street
New York, NY 10012
(212) 274-0505
www.aquagrill.com
Super fresh fish, incredible raw bar, great wine list. One of my regular spots.
Otto
One Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10003
(212) 995-9559
www.ottopizzeria.com
Otto is a busy, happy pizzeria on 8th Street that serves incredible pizza and gelato. My favorite is the white clam pizza. A great place to bring kids.
Places to Stay
I have been redecorating my apartment for a year so I have recently stayed in many hotels. I have only included the ones that I loved, but I did include The Greenwich, which I have not yet seen.
The Lowell
28 East 63rd Street
New York, NY 10065
(212) 838-1400
www.lowellhotel.com
The Lowell is a small, quiet, uptown luxury hotel. The rooms are gorgeous, some with libraries and wood-burning fireplaces. I have stayed here numerous times and have loved every stay.
The Bowery Hotel
335 Bowery
New York, NY 10003
(212) 505-9100
www.theboweryhotel.com
The Bowery has been one of my homes-away-from-home in the last year. It is a very cool spot, with the people to match. As it is located on Bowery I wouldn't recommend it to the Park Avenue set, but my English rock star friends can’t get enough of it.
The Inn at Irving Place
56 Irving Place
New York, NY 10003
(212) 533-4600
www.innatirving.com
This is a very rare gem in NYC. The Inn has 12 rooms and is appointed in beautiful Victorian décor but with all the comforts of modern life. Near Gramercy Park, it is one of the most charming spots in the city.
The Carlyle
35 East 76th Street
New York, NY 10021
(212) 744-1600
www.thecarlyle.com
The Carlyle is my favorite big uptown hotel. It's very grown up and old school, almost like another world and time. Woody Allen plays clarinet with his band in the Café Carlyle on Monday nights. Talk about classic New York.
The Mercer
147 Mercer Street
New York, NY 10012
(212) 966-6060
www.mercerhotel.com
The Mercer is a NY legend. The rooms are very comfortable and chic and it's right in the heart of SoHo. People watch in the lobby; it's pretty amazing.
The Greenwich Hotel
377 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10013
(212) 941-8900
www.thegreenwichhotel.com
I haven't stayed here yet or even been inside, but I am very curious. This is Robert DeNiro's newly opened, long-awaited hotel in Tribeca. It looks good on the website anyway.
NEXT WEEK
Next week some of my closest friends and I will be sharing our favorite novels.
GOOP, 7 World Trade Center, New York, NY, 10007
