We all know the New York that everyone loves, The Plaza, Central Park, Balthazar, and shopping in SoHo.The classics that flood Instagram from your friend who “really knows New York,” but spends the whole trip Ubering between Uptown and SoHo. So here is your “not so typical” guide to New York so that you can feel like a local on your next visit.
Where to stay
New York City has five boroughs: Staten Island, Queens, The Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. We know, shocking! There’s more beyond Central Park.
Manhattan splits into East and West sides. Avenues run north to south, 1st to 12th, and streets east to west, 220th down to 1st. Then comes Houston (pronounced “HOW-Stun”, say it like Houston, Texas, and you’ll out yourself as a tourist.) Below Houston, numbers give way to names like Broome, Allen, and Orchard.
If you want to stay on the East Side
These hotels capture the perfect mix of downtown grit and glamour, dim lights, dark wood, and martinis that taste like old New York, balanced with marble lobbies, modern luxury, and a crowd wearing either a silk ascot or the latest Supreme drop. Don’t be surprised if you spot a familiar celebrity sipping next to you; this is downtown cool at its finest.
- 9 Orchard
- The Bowery Hotel
- Public Hotel
- The Ludlow Hotel
If you want to stay on the West Side
On the West Side, these hotels redefine luxury with a wink, Art Deco decadence, minimalist calm, and just the right touch of rock ’n’ roll edge. You might even catch Janis Joplin’s ghost at The Chelsea. Between warm wood details, hidden spas, and celebrity sightings that feel almost casual, it’s the kind of indulgence that never needs to try too hard.
- The Greenwich Hotel
- Foquets
- The Chelsea Hotel
- The Standard Hotel
If you want to stay in Brooklyn
Across the bridge, Brooklyn’s hotels prove that cool can still be conscious. Think reclaimed wood, exposed brick, and skyline views that make Manhattan feel like your backdrop. Mornings start with sunlight and coffee that feels cinematic, and nights end with rooftop cocktails among the effortlessly creative crowd. It’s all skyline views, laid-back confidence, and that “too cool to care” energy that only Brooklyn can pull off.
- Wythe Hotel
- ONE Hotel Brooklyn Bridge
Where to eat:
These are the spots where you’ll find a little bit of everything, some that touristslike, and others where New Yorkers slip in dinner or the best $9 dumplings you’ve ever had. From white-tablecloth classics to hole-in-the-wall gems, every plate and cup tells a story. It’s a taste of the city’s chaos and charm all at once, the kind of places where you might overhear a deal being made over martinis or a breakup happening over noodles.
For Breakfast:
- Dimes Deli
- Baby Blue’s Luncheonette
- Breakfast by Salt’s Cure
For Coffee:
- Sunday to Sunday
- Do Not Feed Alligators
- Ludlow Coffee Supply
For Matcha:
- Mxdin
- Kettl Tea
- Isshiki Matcha
For Bagels:
- Russ and Daughters
- Apollo Bagels
- Leon’s Bagels
For Pizza
- Lucia Pizza of Soho
- Scarrs
- L’industrie
For Japanese:
- Sour Aji
- Raku
- Nami Nori
- Dr. Clarke
For Mediterranean:
- Kiki’s
- Cafe Mogador
- 12 Chairs
For Italian:
- Fiaschetteria Pistoia
- Forsythia
- Baccaro
For Chinese:
- Congee Village
- Pinch Chinese
- Spicy Village
For French:
- Le French Diner
- Lucien
- Le Dive
For Thai:
- Wayla
- Thai Diner
- Fish Cheeks
For Indian:
- Adda
- Semma
- Punjabi Grocery and Deli
For Various Tastes:
- Casino
- Veselka
- Cafe Katja
- Dudley’s
- 7th Street Burger
- The Snail
Where to Drink:
These are the spots that make you sip your drink like a true New Yorker, the kind of places where martinis meet dive bars, and everyone looks like they might be in a band or own a gallery. Some are sleek places, others are candlelit hideaways where time blurs after your second Negroni. From Brooklyn to Downtown, each one offers a peek into the city’s nightlife in all its messy, magnetic energy, where nights out turn into stories you’ll probably only half-remember.
If you want something chill:
- Elvis
- Sauced
- The Ten Bells
If you want to dress up:
- The Nine’s
- The Swan Room
- Temple Bar
If you want to people watch:
- Funny Bar
- Bar Bianchi
- Bar Oliver
If you want to dance
- People’s
- Nightmoves
- Jeans
- Joyface
- Public Records
- Monsieur
Where to shop:
Everywhere you go, whether it’s uptown, overseas, or somewhere in between, you’ll spot the same big-name brands and identical window displays. But this isn’t that kind of shopping. Here, we’re talking local shops with real character. These are the kind of places where you find the perfect vintage jacket, a handmade ceramic mug you definitely don’t need but can’t leave without, and that one item that makes you say, “I got it in New York.”
Local Gems:
- Tumbao
- The Cast
- Wythe
- Sweet Pickle Books
- Coming Soon New York
- Bode
- Assembly New York
- Colbo
- Beverly 1975
- Sandy Liang
- Le Pére
- Goods for The Study
- Sabyasachi
- Casa Magazine
- Bomi
Vintage Shopping:
- Reservations Only Vintage
- James Veloria
- Lara Koleji
- Desert Vintage
- Heart and Lous
- Khata Space
- 7 Wonders Collective
- Moth Food
- Above Chinatown
- Cherire Vintage
- Hamlets Vintage
- Screaming Mimis
Where to see art:
The city that never sleeps is also the city that never stops creating. Beyond the classics, there’s an art scene thriving in hidden places. These are the spots for when you’re ready to swap the tourist trail for local exhibits, new artists, and maybe a moment of pretending you understand that abstract piece everyone’s staring at.
- Noguchi Museum
- The New Museum
- ICP
- Perrotin
- Brooklyn Museum
- Museo de Barrio
- Hauser and Wirth
- David Zwirner
If you want to touch some grass:
We get it, New York can be a lot. Between the sirens, the schedules, and the sidewalk traffic jams, sometimes you just need to trade concrete for calm. So when the city starts feeling like too much, these are the parks and gardens to escape to. Whether you’re looking to actually hug a tree, have a quiet picnic, or just remember what fresh air smells like, these green spots will reset your New York state of mind.
- Elizabeth Street Garden
- Prospect Park
- Tompkins Square Park
- Brooklyn Botanical Garden
- McCarren Park
Remember, being in New York isn’t about going to every viral spot on TikTok or checking off every place on this list. It’s about wandering, getting lost, finding the gems even we haven’t discovered yet and then letting the city work its magic on you. Embrace that anything can happen to you in this city and your next story to tell is just around the corner.
Text by: Wika Soto-Hay
