New York

A theme of this article that you’ll quickly pick up on: there are an ABUNDANCE of options in New York. You can pretty much find something for anyone and everyone. This can also be overwhelming, so here are some recommendations.

When in New York, your mind probably immediately goes to pizza. My top hits are L’Industrie, Roberta’s, Lucali’s, and Rubirosa, just to name a few. (Those last two will likely be quite hard to get into if you don’t plan ahead). Most of these originated in Brooklyn, but a few have Manhattan outputs now due to popularity. Emmy Squared also has a great Detroit style pizza if you’re in the mood for that, and a yummy burger on a pretzel bun.

Speaking of burgers, I keep going back to 7th Street Burger, which has been popping up all across Manhattan in the last few years. It’s kind of a perfect smashburger, and great for a late night bite… my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

A few other recommendations - hand rolls spots are great for solo dining. The two I’ve tried and enjoyed are Kazu Nori, which serves classic hand rolls, and Nami Nori, which has some more interesting temaki as well as a variety of dishes from the kitchen.

For Thai food, one of my favorite cuisines, I love Thai Villa for their delicious lunch special, and Fish Cheeks and Pranakhon for nicer meals.

Lastly, if you can snag a resy and you’re willing to take the trip out to Williamsburg, Misi is our favorite pasta place in the city. They spend all day whipping up handmade pastas - we haven’t had a bad one yet, but highlights are the Sheep’s Milk Ricotta filled Occhi and the Nduja Bucatini. I also thoroughly enjoy the ricotta toast, although it is massive. If you have room for dessert, you have to get their amazing gelato. We always have a hard time deciding between the au d’lait and the olive oil, and usually end up indulging in both.

There aren't really any breweries in Manhattan itself, but if you cross over the East River, you'll find some world class options. Our favorites are Other Half and Finback in Brooklyn, and Evil Twin in Queens. Other Half and Finback both offer delicious, hazy IPAs. Other Half's tend to be more creamy, whereas Finback has a unique almost coconut-y finish. Evil Twin, on the other hand, is a great place for those not necessarily into beer. They absolutely nail the fruited smoothie style sours, as well as strong and sweet stouts.

There are so many things to do in New York that it’s hard to know where to start. Some classic must-sees include visiting iconic viewpoints like the Empire State Building and the Freedom Tower. Central Park is nice to walk around, especially at this time of year where it’s starting to warm up and trees are blooming. And if you can find reasonable tickets, there are so many great Broadway shows.

The city is full of incredible museums as well, like The Met and MoMA. I’d also highly recommend taking the time to visit the 9/11 Memorial and museum - it is incredibly moving and powerful.

If I personally had a day to explore Manhattan, I might of visit Hudson Yards and walk the High Line, then venture to SoHo for some shopping and the East Village for restaurants and bars - maybe even a speakeasy. But you really can’t go wrong, just put on walking shoes and wander!

New York can be chaotic and overwhelming, but you can find pockets of calm and more chill neighborhoods. For instance, you have to see Times Square at night if it’s your first time in NYC- it's so iconic and a quintessential part of New York City. You just have to be prepared for the overwhelm of all the tourists crowding the streets, on top of the general overstimulation of the billboards. (I used to work in Times Square, and weaving through the crowds of people in the morning got old pretty fast.) So I'd balance out some of the busier experiences with more low-key exploration.

It’s a very well connected city with the subway system, so you can get around quickly. I’d highly recommend venturing past the typical tourist spots and exploring neighborhoods like Williamsburg or East Village. Regardless, there’s pretty much something for anyone.