New York is one of those cities where you can plan every second of your itinerary and still end up discovering your favourite moments entirely by accident. We spent a week in the city that never sleeps and while some of these recommendations were planned, others came entirely by surprise, asking locals, waiting staff and strangers for their favourite spots.
This was not my first time in the Big Apple, but what I love most about New York is that no matter how many times you visit, you still manage to find somewhere new to surprise you. If you’re planning a trip and want to know which restaurants, bars and experiences are genuinely worth your time right now, these are the reservations I suggest you make before you arrive!
1. Cecconi’s Chelsea: the kind of dinner New York does best
From the second you walk into this Chelsea restaurant, there’s an ease to the place that makes you instantly relax. It’s glamorous, certainly, but not intimidatingly so. The lighting is low, the crowd is chic and the whole restaurant hums with conversation and candlelight.
But while the food was incredible, honestly, the service is what really stood out at Cecconi's. It’s exquisite from start to finish and while definitely not part of the New York elite ourselves, for that moment over dinner, we felt we were.
We dined on elegant and elevated American Italian at its best. Rich pasta dishes, delicate seafood, enormous bowls of parmesan appearing on table just when you wanted it. We liked the look of the pizzas so much we shared one to start. Then we finished the night with an espresso martini and a dessert honestly we all were reluctant to share!
2. The Ned: New York’s coolest members’ club?
There are “exclusive” places in New York that feel like they desperately want you to know how exclusive they are. The Ned, while being super exclusive, manages the opposite. It feels genuinely cool.
Located right next door to Cecconis, access to the Atrium is reserved for members or hotel guests only, which instantly gives the entire place a hidden-away feeling from the bustle of Manhattan outside. And honestly it’s worth staying at the hotel purely to experience it.
The members’ areas feel incredibly special from the moment you arrive. One minute you’re sipping cocktails quietly in the library surrounded by shelves of books and stylish people pretending not to notice each other, the next you’re wandering into the Atrium where live music fills the huge open space late into the evening.
The atmosphere is what makes it. It feels luxurious but relaxed, glamorous but somehow still intimate. Everyone looks fabulous but nobody appears to be trying too hard. It’s old-school New York energy reimagined for a younger crowd and it's great. Uncrowded, elegant but modern and chic.
And the live music is exceptional. There’s something about sitting there late at night with a cocktail listening to a live band under the glow of the Atrium lights that makes you feel like you’ve somehow wandered onto a film set.
3. City Dinner Cruise: don’t underestimate this tourist gem
I’ll be honest, I boarded the New York Bateaux Premier Plus Dinner Cruise expecting it to be one of those should-do tourist experiences but not expecting it would make my list of must-visit NYC nightspots. I certainly didn’t expect it to become one of the highlights of the entire trip - and I literally cannot put into words the magic you feel as you sail alongside Manhattan Island, with a live rendition of ‘Empire State of Mind’ playing beside you. Just writing about it now puts a huge smile on my face.
The busy Chelsea Pier atmosphere changes the moment the boat pulls away from the dock and the skyline starts unfolding around you. Suddenly New York feels cinematic, the way it does in films. The live music onboard brings the city alive and the welcome fizz gets the evening going perfectly.
Then comes the moment everyone waits for: the approach to the Statue of Liberty. Stepping out onto the deck as the boat slows beside Lady Liberty at night is an experience that beggars belief. The power of the statue, lit up behind you, as the the skyline glitters beyond, and the moon reflects off the Hudson is a moment you will remember forever. True traveller gold and photographs to treasure for life.
But while the boat trip was exceptional, what really surprised me most was the food. Usually with attractions like this, dinner is secondary to the experience, but here it’s actually genuinely delicious. Properly good steak, ribs that melted off the bone, attentive service and cocktails flowing while Manhattan twinkles outside the windows. Not bad for a Tuesday night in New York.
4. Zuma: High end, buzzy and absolutely worth it
You can tell whether a restaurant is genuinely good in New York by whether locals still go despite the prices. Zuma was packed, always a reassuring sign.
The energy hits you immediately as you walk in. The huge dining room buzzes with conversation, cocktails and waiters weaving through the restaurant carrying immaculate sushi platters that help you figure out exactly what you want to order, quickly!
The food is every bit as good as the hype. We treated ourselves to the omakaze experience and all I can say is, if you do the same, don't eat anything before you go! The food just keeps coming and coming, and you cannot turn any of it down! The black cod melts in your mouth, the sushi is exceptional. But what Zuma really gets right is pacing. Dinner here feels exciting from beginning to end. The drinks list is equally exciting, from cocktails, to saki on ice, to a wine list to die for. It’s a special night, with a price tag to match, but you won’t regret a celebration at Zuma.
5. Bathtub Gin: the speakeasy fantasy
Hidden behind a coffee shop in Chelsea, Bathtub Gin fully commits to the speakeasy experience, and pulls it off brilliantly.
Walking inside feels like entering another era entirely. Velvet booths, candlelight, jazz music, cocktails arriving in crystal glasses and cabaret performances unfolding around the room.
The cocktails are excellent (and strong enough to justify the prices!), and the entertainment gives the evening a proper sense of occasion rather than just feeling like another Manhattan bar.
It’s impossible not to have fun here. The bathtub in the middle of the room (which we may or may not have decided to pose for Instagram photos in) used to be used to brew gin, during prohibition. The sense of history and hidden naughtiness is something that give NY speakeasies an atmosphere you just don’t get anywhere else. You can party here til 3am.
6. Obvio: where downtown Manhattan goes for a very good night out
There’s a confidence to Obvio that you notice almost immediately. Hidden away in NoMad, it manages to feel both glamorous and relaxed at the same time.
Created by Juan Santa Cruz, the founder behind Casa Cruz, the space has a distinctly international feel to it, richly textured interiors (including giraffe-print walls), golden lighting, tropical cocktails arriving at tables while disco pulses through the room.
The crowd was exactly what you’d hope for from a downtown Manhattan hotspot: fashion people, creatives, chic groups in the candlelight, DJs building the atmosphere from their inbuilt hole-in-the-wall. The cocktails are excellent, particularly the Tamarind Mezcalita and the food more substantial than you might expect - beautifully presented small plates, fresh ceviche, tuna tartare tacos and flatbreads.
As the night went on, the music got louder and doors here stay open late! It's the sort of night New York does better than anywhere else
7. N’Between: the hidden Chelsea Market speakeasy
Chelsea Market is hardly short on food and drink options, but hidden amongst the crowds and chaos is one of the coolest little bars we found in New York.
Tucked discreetly behind the hand-roll sushi restaurant Maki A’ Mano, NBetween feels like stepping into another world. One minute you’re weaving through tourists hunting tacos and souvenirs, the next you’re inside a dark, moody little cocktail bar that feels far more Tokyo than Manhattan.
The inspiration comes from Japanese speakeasies, and the whole place has that wonderfully understated feel. Nothing screams for attention. The lighting is low, the room is intimate and the cocktails are thoughtful without becoming pretentious.
Drinks have Japanese flavours and ingredients (think yuzu, miso, sake and plum). The food is excellent too, particularly if you’re in the mood for small plates to accompany drinks rather than a full formal dinner. We enjoyed yakitori skewers, hand rolls and an addictive cabbage dish (which definitely tastes better than it sounds!).
What I loved most about N’Between though is that it still genuinely feels like a discovery. New York loves a speakeasy, but this one manages to avoid feeling gimmicky because the details are done so well. It’s not just hidden for the sake of it, and you actually want to stay once you’ve found it.
8. The Standard Grill at The Standard, High Line: a calm corner of downtown Manhattan
© ERIC MEDSKERAfter a few days in New York, you begin to realise just how loud the city is. The constant movement, the sirens, the packed restaurants where you practically have to lipread across the table by 8pm. Which is partly why dinner at The Standard Grill at The Standard, High Line felt like such a treat.
Situated beneath The Standard hotel alongside the High Line, the restaurant occupies one of the best spots downtown. The High Line itself is one of New York’s great success stories, a former elevated railway line transformed into a beautifully landscaped walkway winding above the streets of Manhattan. And the area surrounding it is a true destination. Samantha, from Sex and the City, had an apartment just doors away from the Standard Hotel.
The restaurant itself is gorgeous. As you walk in, there’s an airy white café space before the room opens out into the main dining area with its barrel-vaulted ceilings, warm lighting and huge banquettes. I can absolutely imagine this place coming alive in summer, when the terraces fill up and the Meatpacking District spills out into long warm evenings and late-night cocktails.
But honestly, visiting on a quieter evening in Spring turned out to be a hidden blessing. After the pace of the city outside, the calmer atmosphere felt incredibly welcome, and the service was exceptional from start to finish.
Every dish we tried was excellent, from the seafood ceviche to the pan-seared sea scollops. The location makes it an ideal stop within a downtown itinerary too. You can walk the High Line beforehand, head towards Little Island afterwards, or wander into the West Village for cocktails later in the evening. Very New York, very cool and exactly the sort of place you end up recommending to everyone when you get home.
9. Sunset cocktails at The Fleur Room: New York at golden hour
For sunset drinks in New York, it’s very hard to beat The Fleur Room. Perched on the 35th floor of the Moxy Chelsea, this glass-encased rooftop has views sweeping right across the skyline from the Empire State Building all the way downtown towards the Statue of Liberty. Arriving just before sunset means you get the city at its absolute best.
The atmosphere early in the evening is surprisingly relaxed too, especially compared to some of the city’s more chaotic rooftop bars. We went for happy hour and their their mini martinis are worth a sample.
The interiors are fun and Insta-worthy, enormous disco balls, floral touches that nod to the hotel’s position in the flower district.
As the evening goes on the atmosphere elevates, DJs crank up the music and I’m sure the crowd gets younger and louder. We left for dinner but it could be a fun return at the end of the night, if you’re fancying a night cap and a dance before turning in for the night.
