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Sidney Crosby's Hat · 04-28-2022, 04:39 PM

I agree with not trying to do everything. That said, here's a long list of stuff so spoiler tagged:

Spoiler!

** Note that everything is in order of most liked (by me) but everything I’ve listed is amazing so go anywhere on the list, depending on what you’re feeling like having or doing **

Restaurants

Rubirosa or Joe & Pat's -- This is the best pizza I've ever had. Both have the same ownership. Rubirosa is in SoHo and has a bit of a cooler vibe and a wider menu outside of the pizza but it's also harder to get into. I recommend the Vodka Pie with pepperoni or Tie Die. Joe & Pat's is in the East Village and they also do a happy hour late afternoon where the pizzas are $10 and they also have cheap drinks.
La Esquina (https://esquinanyc.com/flagship/brasserie) -- This is an incredible Mexican restaurant in SoHo. The restaurant is made up of three parts: (1) A taqueria where you order at the window (2) A café (no reservations) (3) An exclusive basement restaurant. I would recommend going to (2) or (3). If you want to do the basement restaurant, you’ll have to make a reservation three weeks in advance (and will need to call in for it). It’s definitely worth it. The café is no reservations so you’d probably have to wait 20-30 minutes for a table is my guess. Some of the best dishes include the Queso Fundido and Mexican Corn on the Cob (Elote).
Julianna’s Pizza (http://julianaspizza.com/) -- The second best pizza I’ve ever had and often voted as the #1 pizza place in the US. I recommend going shortly after they open (around 11) to avoid any lines they might have. It’s a sit-down restaurant and they get through their line quickly usually (and the lines are longer in the summer) but if you went on a weekday before 11:30 you’d probably be able to go right in. After your pizza, take a walk on the boardwalk which is nearby as it has a great view of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty. I recommend getting something with not a lot of toppings, like just pepperoni. You could also walk across the Brooklyn Bridge either to here or from here (it's a bit of a hike, though). Other really good Brooklyn pizza spots are L'Industrie (slice but they make them from scratch) plus two I've never been to but are universally acclaimed, Di Fara and Lucali
Ivan Ramen (http://www.ivanramen.com/) -- This place was featured on Chef’s Table (on Netflix) and is a great place to go for lunch if you like ramen. They use rye noodles and the broth is so flavourful. The chef/owner is from New York but spent a lot of time in Japan and won awards for his ramen over there. I like both the Tokyo Shoyu Ramen (amazing chicken broth) and Spicy Red Chili Ramen.
Osteria Morini (http://osteriamorini.com/soho-nyc/) -- One of my all-time favourite Italian restaurants. They serve cuisine from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, so not typical “American” Italian (red sauces, etc.). Everything is good and it’s an excellent spot for lunch or dinner. They have a really good lunch deal though where you can get a two-course lunch for $29.
Momofuku (https://ssambar.momofuku.com/) -- From chef David Chang, it’s kind of a blend of American/Southern comfort food and Asian food.

More Expensive:

Rezdora (https://www.rezdora.nyc/) -- An absolutely amazing Italian restaurant. I recommend if you go, get the pasta tasting. Food from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The best Italian restaurant I've ever been to, including Italy
Cote (http://cotenyc.com) — This is a very cool restaurant experience. Essentially a Korean steakhouse elevated. The “butcher’s cut” is the best deal with three or four different types of steak plus 10-12 sides. It’s all cooked at your table. Best rose list in the city too. If eating meat is not your thing, Undercote downstairs is an amazing cocktail bar and cool space

Quick Eats:

Los Tacos No. 1 (https://www.lostacos1.com/) -- The pork/adobado tacos are the best I’ve ever had anywhere. The cactus tacos are excellent too as a vegetarian option. A quesadilla here is also pretty much the same as a taco except with cheese. One time I was in New York for 6 days and I went here four times. It’s a taco stand inside Chelsea Market. Tacos and Quesadillas range from $3 to $5 so it’s a great place to drop in for a quick snack. The line also moves fast if there is one. A few steps from Los Tacos is Los Mariscos (same owners) which does seafood tacos and is also very good. https://www.losmariscos1.com/
Mama's Too -- Upper West side slice joint. The square pizzas are the best here but everything is great.
Joe’s Pizza -- In contrast to Mama's Too, Joe’s is the classic New York slice. It’s in Greenwich Village and is a good place to drop it at any time of night (open until 4 or 5 AM!). The slices are huge so you probably only need one.
Dominique Ansel’s Bakery -- This place is famous for the “Cronut” which is half croissant, half donut. It is an amazing pastry. I stood in line for about 20 minutes around 11 AM one day and was able to get my hands on two of them. Seems post-COVID it's easier to get. Read More: https://www.buzzfeed.com/arielknutso...yKq#.kd85v4mrd

Lighter Meal/Lunch Spot:

Pisillo Italian Panini (http://www.pisillopanini.com/) -- One of the best sandwich shops I’ve ever been to (the other being Molinari’s in San Francisco). You could definitely split one sandwich between two people. It’s in the Financial District of New York (near Wall Street).
The Bao (http://www.thebaonewyorkcity.com/) -- This is in the St. Mark’s area of town and it’s a great lunch spot. The best thing to get here are the soup dumplings (Xiaolongbao).
Katz’s Deli (http://www.katzsdelicatessen.com/) -- If you want to go to a classic New York deli, this is it. Pastrami sandwiches, corned beef, you name it. A good tip is to order at the counter and tip your slicer and the sandwich you’ll get will just be that much better.

Cocktails

ONieal’s Restaurant & Bar (http://www.loungenewyork.com/) -- Awesome cocktail bar where they’ll make whatever drink you want. The bartenders are very good at their job!
The Ship (http://www.theshipnyc.com/) -- Kind of a secret type of bar in SoHo that’s worth checking out if you’re in the area
Please Don’t Tell (PDT) -- It’s a pretty neat place in the St. Mark’s area. You go to a hot dog joint called Crif Dogs and step in the phone booth and that’ll get you in. I recommend making a reservation earlier the same day (around 3:00 p.m. is the recommended time to do so) and that's how you get the secret password
Darling - New cocktail bar up near Central Park in the Park Lane Hotel
NoMad Bar - Another great spot in, well, NoMad (near Flat Iron)

Touristy Things Worth It

Chelsea Market – Definitely go here for great food (Los Tacos!) and even just to check it out. It’s built out of an old Nabisco Cookie Factory
High Line – If you’re going to Chelsea Market, a good way to get there is via the High Line which is an old abandoned elevated railway track that they turned into a park. Also a way to get to Hudson Yards
Central Park – Must see. It’s massive but worth popping in there for a walk. It’s amazing to walk around the city and notice how quiet and peaceful everything is in the middle of the rest of the city’s chaos
NBC Tour / Top of the Rock – I really enjoyed this. The view is better than the Empire State Building because you can see the Empire State Building! Less expensive, also.
Museum of Natural History – This was very cool. It’s also massive and takes a long time to go through if you want to see everything.

Touristy Things Not So Worth It

Empire State Building – I think it’s expensive and takes a long time to go to the top (I think 3 elevators if I remember right) and once you’re up there, you’re looking through a fence into the city so the view isn’t the best.
Statue of Liberty – Long way to go and really not much more to see than if you just looked out into the water for the statue from, say, Brooklyn. If you really wanted to get near the Statue of Liberty and not spend any money you can take the Staten Island Ferry for free
Coney Island – A neat area of town but it takes a really long time on the Subway to get out there so I’d say go there only if you’ve run out of other things to do.
Little Italy – Not really great Italian food in this area anymore with the exception of Lombardi’s Pizza (the place that actually first brought pizza to North America).
Chinatown – Shanghai Joe’s is the only place worth going to in this area. Lots of people trying to sell you cheap knock-offs of things.
Times Square – It’s a must-see spectacle, but don’t you don’t need to spend too much time there. Most of the restaurants are either chains or bad or both.

04-28-2022, 04:39 PM	#7
Sidney Crosby's Hat Franchise Player Join Date: Oct 2001 Exp:	I agree with not trying to do everything. That said, here's a long list of stuff so spoiler tagged: Spoiler! Note that everything is in order of most liked (by me) but everything I’ve listed is amazing so go anywhere on the list, depending on what you’re feeling like having or doing Restaurants Rubirosa or Joe & Pat's -- This is the best pizza I've ever had. Both have the same ownership. Rubirosa is in SoHo and has a bit of a cooler vibe and a wider menu outside of the pizza but it's also harder to get into. I recommend the Vodka Pie with pepperoni or Tie Die. Joe & Pat's is in the East Village and they also do a happy hour late afternoon where the pizzas are $10 and they also have cheap drinks. La Esquina (https://esquinanyc.com/flagship/brasserie) -- This is an incredible Mexican restaurant in SoHo. The restaurant is made up of three parts: (1) A taqueria where you order at the window (2) A café (no reservations) (3) An exclusive basement restaurant. I would recommend going to (2) or (3). If you want to do the basement restaurant, you’ll have to make a reservation three weeks in advance (and will need to call in for it). It’s definitely worth it. The café is no reservations so you’d probably have to wait 20-30 minutes for a table is my guess. Some of the best dishes include the Queso Fundido and Mexican Corn on the Cob (Elote). Julianna’s Pizza (http://julianaspizza.com/) -- The second best pizza I’ve ever had and often voted as the #1 pizza place in the US. I recommend going shortly after they open (around 11) to avoid any lines they might have. It’s a sit-down restaurant and they get through their line quickly usually (and the lines are longer in the summer) but if you went on a weekday before 11:30 you’d probably be able to go right in. After your pizza, take a walk on the boardwalk which is nearby as it has a great view of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty. I recommend getting something with not a lot of toppings, like just pepperoni. You could also walk across the Brooklyn Bridge either to here or from here (it's a bit of a hike, though). Other really good Brooklyn pizza spots are L'Industrie (slice but they make them from scratch) plus two I've never been to but are universally acclaimed, Di Fara and Lucali Ivan Ramen (http://www.ivanramen.com/) -- This place was featured on Chef’s Table (on Netflix) and is a great place to go for lunch if you like ramen. They use rye noodles and the broth is so flavourful. The chef/owner is from New York but spent a lot of time in Japan and won awards for his ramen over there. I like both the Tokyo Shoyu Ramen (amazing chicken broth) and Spicy Red Chili Ramen. Osteria Morini (http://osteriamorini.com/soho-nyc/) -- One of my all-time favourite Italian restaurants. They serve cuisine from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, so not typical “American” Italian (red sauces, etc.). Everything is good and it’s an excellent spot for lunch or dinner. They have a really good lunch deal though where you can get a two-course lunch for $29. Momofuku (https://ssambar.momofuku.com/) -- From chef David Chang, it’s kind of a blend of American/Southern comfort food and Asian food. More Expensive: Rezdora (https://www.rezdora.nyc/) -- An absolutely amazing Italian restaurant. I recommend if you go, get the pasta tasting. Food from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The best Italian restaurant I've ever been to, including Italy Cote (http://cotenyc.com) — This is a very cool restaurant experience. Essentially a Korean steakhouse elevated. The “butcher’s cut” is the best deal with three or four different types of steak plus 10-12 sides. It’s all cooked at your table. Best rose list in the city too. If eating meat is not your thing, Undercote downstairs is an amazing cocktail bar and cool space Quick Eats: Los Tacos No. 1 (https://www.lostacos1.com/) -- The pork/adobado tacos are the best I’ve ever had anywhere. The cactus tacos are excellent too as a vegetarian option. A quesadilla here is also pretty much the same as a taco except with cheese. One time I was in New York for 6 days and I went here four times. It’s a taco stand inside Chelsea Market. Tacos and Quesadillas range from $3 to $5 so it’s a great place to drop in for a quick snack. The line also moves fast if there is one. A few steps from Los Tacos is Los Mariscos (same owners) which does seafood tacos and is also very good. https://www.losmariscos1.com/ Mama's Too -- Upper West side slice joint. The square pizzas are the best here but everything is great. Joe’s Pizza -- In contrast to Mama's Too, Joe’s is the classic New York slice. It’s in Greenwich Village and is a good place to drop it at any time of night (open until 4 or 5 AM!). The slices are huge so you probably only need one. Dominique Ansel’s Bakery -- This place is famous for the “Cronut” which is half croissant, half donut. It is an amazing pastry. I stood in line for about 20 minutes around 11 AM one day and was able to get my hands on two of them. Seems post-COVID it's easier to get. Read More: https://www.buzzfeed.com/arielknutso...yKq#.kd85v4mrd Lighter Meal/Lunch Spot: Pisillo Italian Panini (http://www.pisillopanini.com/) -- One of the best sandwich shops I’ve ever been to (the other being Molinari’s in San Francisco). You could definitely split one sandwich between two people. It’s in the Financial District of New York (near Wall Street). The Bao (http://www.thebaonewyorkcity.com/) -- This is in the St. Mark’s area of town and it’s a great lunch spot. The best thing to get here are the soup dumplings (Xiaolongbao). Katz’s Deli (http://www.katzsdelicatessen.com/) -- If you want to go to a classic New York deli, this is it. Pastrami sandwiches, corned beef, you name it. A good tip is to order at the counter and tip your slicer and the sandwich you’ll get will just be that much better. Cocktails ONieal’s Restaurant & Bar (http://www.loungenewyork.com/) -- Awesome cocktail bar where they’ll make whatever drink you want. The bartenders are very good at their job! The Ship (http://www.theshipnyc.com/) -- Kind of a secret type of bar in SoHo that’s worth checking out if you’re in the area Please Don’t Tell (PDT) -- It’s a pretty neat place in the St. Mark’s area. You go to a hot dog joint called Crif Dogs and step in the phone booth and that’ll get you in. I recommend making a reservation earlier the same day (around 3:00 p.m. is the recommended time to do so) and that's how you get the secret password Darling - New cocktail bar up near Central Park in the Park Lane Hotel NoMad Bar - Another great spot in, well, NoMad (near Flat Iron) Touristy Things Worth It Chelsea Market – Definitely go here for great food (Los Tacos!) and even just to check it out. It’s built out of an old Nabisco Cookie Factory High Line – If you’re going to Chelsea Market, a good way to get there is via the High Line which is an old abandoned elevated railway track that they turned into a park. Also a way to get to Hudson Yards Central Park – Must see. It’s massive but worth popping in there for a walk. It’s amazing to walk around the city and notice how quiet and peaceful everything is in the middle of the rest of the city’s chaos NBC Tour / Top of the Rock – I really enjoyed this. The view is better than the Empire State Building because you can see the Empire State Building! Less expensive, also. Museum of Natural History – This was very cool. It’s also massive and takes a long time to go through if you want to see everything. Touristy Things Not So Worth It Empire State Building – I think it’s expensive and takes a long time to go to the top (I think 3 elevators if I remember right) and once you’re up there, you’re looking through a fence into the city so the view isn’t the best. Statue of Liberty – Long way to go and really not much more to see than if you just looked out into the water for the statue from, say, Brooklyn. If you really wanted to get near the Statue of Liberty and not spend any money you can take the Staten Island Ferry for free Coney Island – A neat area of town but it takes a really long time on the Subway to get out there so I’d say go there only if you’ve run out of other things to do. Little Italy – Not really great Italian food in this area anymore with the exception of Lombardi’s Pizza (the place that actually first brought pizza to North America). Chinatown – Shanghai Joe’s is the only place worth going to in this area. Lots of people trying to sell you cheap knock-offs of things. Times Square – It’s a must-see spectacle, but don’t you don’t need to spend too much time there. Most of the restaurants are either chains or bad or both.