New York, New York – wow, what a city! I headed to the Big Apple at the beginning of September to celebrate my big 3-0 and it didn’t disappoint. It’s a city buzzing and brimming with life – at times it can feel a bit too much and even more fast paced than London, but New York’s feel-good attitude, grunge and grit is infectious as it is all-consuming.
The scale of the city is both fascinating and awe-inspiring, you can go from teeny dim sum cafes in Chinatown and the chic boutiques of SoHo to soaring high-rises and broad, open avenues. You’ll rack up a lot of steps but walking is the best way to see the city. It’s impossible to get lost among the city’s network of orthogonal streets, even if you do spend most of the time looking up at what is around you and not looking at a map. As you’ll probably see, I became obsessed with capturing the fire escapes on the exterior of old buildings that seem to me quintessentially New York.
Here I have put together my favourite places for a design-packed weekend in New York City, taking in the best art galleries and museums, the coolest boutiques and the hippest cafes, that have all got the Instagram seal of approval. I went with the biggest list of coffee shops, restaurants and eateries, recommendations from friends and followers – it was impossible to see them all, we would have ended up jittery with coffee and very poor! – but here’s the best bits if you like things well-designed and slightly off the beaten track. There are A LOT of photos, so grab a cuppa and enjoy!
I’ve made a handy, downloadable guide below with places to see, shop, eat and drink coffee in New York. Here they are listed in brief, scroll down after the map for my more detailed recommendations and lots of pictures of course!
Places to see
– The Oculus, World Trade Center
– The High Line
– The Metropolitan Museum of Art
– Central Park
– Museum of Modern Art
– The Met Breuer
– Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
– The Whitney Museum of American Art
– Wythe hotel (for the view of Manhattan)
Places to shop
– Studio Oliver Gustav
– Le Labo
– The Apartment by the Line
– Apiece Apart
– Everlane showroom
– Glossier
– Reformation
– MoMa Design Store
– Mast Brothers
– Reform showroom
Places to eat and drink
– Flora Bar, The Met Breuer
– Smith & Mills
– ATLA
– La Esquina
– Tacombi Bleecker
– Brooklyn Barge
– Dominique bistro
– Maman NYC
– Jack’s Wife Freda
– The Butcher’s Daughter
– Buvette
Places to have coffee
– Happy Bones
– Egg Shop
– Butler Bakeshop
– Ludlow Coffee Supply
– Blue Bottle Coffee
– Gotham Coffee Roasters
Places to see
– The Oculus, World Trade Center
Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava’s way-over-budget but nonetheless magnificent Oculus soars above your head in a feat of engineering. It caps a shopping centre and subterranean station, but is worth going just to gawp at its beautiful form. The white ribs are designed to appear from the outside like a dove taking flight.
33-69 Vesey St, New York, NY 10007
– The High Line
Opened in 2009-11, The High Line is a 2.33km-long, elevated park built on a disused rail track on the Lower West Side of Manhattan. It stretches from the Whitney Museum of American Art to W 34th street. Designed by James Corner Field Operations, architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Dutch landscape designer Piet Oudolf, the High Line’s landscaping is inspired by what the team found after the viaduct had already been abandoned for 25 years. Wooden benches appear to peel away from the ground like they grew from the rail tracks, while wild planting creeps between the cracks, taking back the urban landscape.
– The Metropolitan Museum of Art
A must-visit for any art lover and history buff. Colloquially known as ‘The Met’, the museum is the largest in the US, presenting over 5,000 years of art from across the world. When we visited they had a brilliant exhibition on the avant-garde fashion designs of Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons. Her pieces were presented in a minimal, white setting designed together with Kawakubo that was totally different to any exhibition design I’d seen before. Make sure to visit the Sculpture Court at the heart of the museum and take a walk afterwards around Central Park.
1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028
And don’t miss:
– Museum of Modern Art – the best in modern and contemporary art
– The Met Breuer – a design lover’s idea of heaven with brutalist concrete interiors and a beautiful new restaurant
– Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum – climb the swirl of this Frank Lloyd Wright building and take in a collection of abstract and surrealist paintings
– The Whitney Museum of American Art – reopened in a new building by architect Renzo Piano, head to the outdoor terraces for views over Manhattan
– Wythe hotel – watch the sunset from the top of this trendy Brooklyn hotel
Places to shop
– Studio Oliver Gustav
Oliver Gustav is a creative consultant who creates interiors that are artisanal and thoughtful, where the stark and modern are contrasted with rare antique finds and curiosities. His gallery boutique in New York is worth popping in to for a browse – you’ll find unique, limited edition pieces and Gustav’s beautiful collection of dyed hemp or linen sofas and armchairs.
11 Howard St, New York, NY 10013
– Le Labo
Cult fragrance brand Le Labo has a number of locations across New York, and indeed the world, but it’s cafe and store in Williamsburg, Brooklyn impresses the most with its shabby, industrial interior. Take in the fragrant smells, pick up a gift for a loved one and grab a coffee at the hip bar serving roasts made in collaboration with La Colombe.
120 N 6th St, Brooklyn, NY 11249
– The Apartment by the Line
Make yourself at home in the intimate setting of The Line’s beautifully curated Apartment in SoHo. The light-filled, open-plan loft – ‘a carefully considered canvas for a life well-lived’ – encompasses objects for the home and original works of art as well as fashion and beauty products.
76 Greene St, New York, NY 10012
Don’t miss:
– Apiece Apart – originally just a pop-up, now Apiece Apart has a permanent home selling homeware, objects and simple clothing
– Everlane showroom – browse the clothing label’s latest collection. Partnering with ethical factories around the world and using the finest materials, their staple pieces are well made and designed to last – think cashmere sweaters, Italian shoes and plain tees
– Glossier – The beauty brand’s first shop where you can sample and choose from their hugely popular products
– Reformation – eco-friendly fashion created in limited-edition collections in the brand’s factory headquarters in downtown Los Angeles
– MoMa Design Store – a huge array of design products, some created exclusively for the Museum of Modern Art opposite
– Mast Brothers – chocolate heaven in Williamsburg, pick up a bar of this hipster chocolate or sip on a warming cup of hot cocoa
– Reform showroom – if Danish design and minimal kitchens are your thing, pay a visit to Reform’s Brooklyn showroom
Places to eat and drink
– Flora Bar, The Met Breuer
Newly opened in the lower ground floor of The Met Breuer museum, Flora Bar fuses brutalist interiors, rich materials and luxurious finishes. There’s a bar to grab a coffee and a cake as well as an outdoor area decked in Hay furniture designed by the Bouroullec brothers. We didn’t eat in the restaurant but having a nose from the gallery above, it looked delicious.
945 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10021
– Smith & Mills
Tucked away down a side street in Tribeca, Smith & Mills is a small, intimate restaurant and bar. Walk in and have a cocktail at the bar, or book ahead for one of their prized banquette corners seats.
71 N Moore St, New York, NY 10013
– ATLA
A simple, contemporary setting for modern Mexican food in NoHo. It’s open all-day and serves up tasty breakfasts, beautiful small plates and tacos, and Mexican coffee.
372 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10012
– La Esquina
No frills Mexican food and tequila bar served below an unassuming deli.
114 Kenmare St, New York, NY 10012
– The Standard
A sunny spot for brunch below the High Line.
848 Washington St, New York, NY 10014
– Tacombi Bleecker
A colourful, lively taqueria that transports you straight to the streets of Mexico. Guaranteed to brighten up your day.
255 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10014
– Brooklyn Barge – skip the food, but do watch the sun set over Manhattan from this floating barge in Greenpoint
– Dominique bistro – Parisian-style cafe serving comforting French fare in a cosy setting
– Maman NYC – a cafe and bakery serving family-inspired recipes from the south of france and north america
– Jack’s Wife Freda – a popular brunch spot, prepare to queue, but it will be worth it
– The Butcher’s Daughter – a plant-based restaurant, cafe and juice bar
– Buvette – transport yourself to the teeny restaurants of Paris at this cute bistro. Again expect to wait a while, it’s in demand!
Places to drink coffee
– Happy Bones
Some of the best coffee in the city, served in this small, minimal cafe with white marble tables. Try the vegan banana bread and take home one of their tortoise shell spoons as a souvenir.
394 Broome St, New York, NY 10013
– Egg Shop
A light, airy cafe with a focus on eggs. Go for the interior and to people watch from the bar, but don’t expect the best food in the city.
151 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10012
– Butler Bakeshop
A lovely cafe that brings together sweet and savoury baked goods from Michelin starred pastry chef Ryan Butler. Open for breakfast and lunch.
95 S 5th St, Brooklyn, NY 11249
And don’t miss:
– Ludlow Coffee Supply
– Blue Bottle Coffee
– Gotham Coffee Roasters
I hope that’s given you lots of inspiration and ideas if you’re planning a similarly design-packed trip to the Big Apple too. There’s so much to see in New York, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and attempt to do everything at once. There really is something for everyone. But, I think if you consider what really interests and inspires you – for me, it’s good design and great coffee – you’ll find a place for you in the hustle and bustle of the city.
All images: Cate St Hill
