Refinery Hotel
Photo Courtesy of In Good Company Hospitality Group
Whatever the season, New York City has more things to do than just about any place in the world, and the list is always growing. Want to eat some of the best food around? Head to the city. How about catch the hottest play? Yup, there are more new shows on and around Broadway than you have fingers and toes. Hotels offer unique experiences, too, from rooftop bars to chic rooms and art around every corner.
With all these ideas in mind, here are three different ways to fall in love with NYC right now.
Kat & Theo, Photo Courtesy of Morgan Ione Yaeger
Eat up the city
One place any food-loving diner should check out is chef Paras Shah’s restaurant Kat & Theo, a newly opened venue in the Flatiron District. Nestle into one of the plush booths overlooking the open kitchen, then start ordering items such as the scallops with green apple, green pepper and radish; Amish chicken with pureed egg yolk; a side of smoked marble potatoes with créme fraiche; and warm cookies with milk for dessert.
Another exciting eatery making waves can be found in the Lower East Side at chefs Jeremiah Stone and Fabian von Hauske’s latest concept, Wildair. The pair also owns the popular fine dining spot Contra. Though the vibe at this newer venue proves more laid back, the expertly constructed small plates (beef tartare, fried calamari) are no less addictive.
Mother of Pearl, Photo Courtesy of Linnea Covington
Next, if you want to stretch your pallet beyond American-influenced foods, try chef Simpson Wong’s Chomp Chomp in the West Village. Here he expertly dishes out Singaporean hawker food, which incorporates dishes such as succulent lamb rendang; an oyster-filled omelet called oh luak; and chee cheong fun, a flavorful mesh of spare ribs and rice noodles.
Cap off the evening with a festive yet sophisticated tiki cocktail at Mother of Pearl in the East Village. The well-balanced drinks at this trendy spot prove more flirty than cloying and come under fun names — Tide is High, Sound of Silver and Shark Eye — and are served in an equally entertaining glass.
Stay the night
If you are looking for a hotel that mimics living in an apartment in the Financial District, book one of the giant rooms in the newly opened Q&A. While the space is located in a stunning Art Deco building, the actual rooms exude more of a modern bent as they feature clean lines, cool grays and more space per unit (the two-room suite averages over 1,100 square feet) than many hotels in the city (and most apartments, for that matter).
Being in the heart of the Lower East Side is also a smart play, and at the newest incarnation of Hotel Indigo, you’ll not only find cozy, hip rooms, but amazing views of the city from the suites and the 15th-floor patio bar, Mr. Purple.
Speaking of elevated alfresco spots, no summer would be complete without a stop at Refinery Hotel‘s rocking rooftop bar. Sip on bubbles under the stars and then crawl into one of the boutique address’ 197 rooms and dream of secret keyholes, glittering lights and tomorrow’s shenanigans.
Nearby, you will also find Hotel Eventi, which recently got revamped and now looks as stylish as the properties that surround it. Indulge in chef George Mendes’ Portuguese eatery Lupulo before heading to The Vine for a nightcap. After a few toasts, crawl into Eventi’s luxuriantly soft beds.
Museum of Food and Drink, Photo Courtesy of Linnea Covington
Lights, camera, action
For a unique way to get in a bit of food history, the newly opened Museum of Food and Drink in Williamsburg showcases a fascinating take on how flavors work with a display complete with taste tests. A visit at the museum only lasts about 60 to 90 minutes so, after, you can walk around the Brooklyn neighborhood and check out nearby boutique shops like Catbird and In God We Trust.
In all of your sampling of the city, don’t forget to also take in a show. After all, a visit to the Big Apple would be remiss without a stop on Broadway. And while you may not be able to score tickets to the theatrical smash Hamilton, buzz-worthy shows like Waitress and Eclipsed still have available seats with your name on them.
Finally, for contemporary art lovers, consider heading to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s latest branch, The Met Breuer. The building, housed in the 1966-built structure designed by Bauhaus-trained architect Marcel Breuer, used to host the Whitney Museum of American Art until it moved to Lower Manhattan in 2014. See the innovative exhibit “Unfinished: Thoughts Left Visible” through September 4.
