New York City has always been a favoured young professional destination for weekends away with the guys or girls, shopping and theatre trip with the parents, and romantic getaway alike. If you do find yourself in the sleepless city, here are some places you must check out for everything from a rowdy night out to a civilized dinner and the best brunch spot…because when in New York, brunch is just as important as dinner. These are our top picks.
Beauty and Essex
Very New York City-esque, this bustling cocktail spot is nestled behind the doors of a pawnshop. It is a restaurant in the early hours but then becomes a YP (and often celeb) filled hot spot that features a selection of carefully crafted cocktails. Drinks include specialties like the Jalapeno Margharita, the Beauty Elixer (made with gin, strawberry, and rose) or the Book Burner (scotch bonnet-cherry infused Zacapa rum, maraschino liqueur, grapefruit, sour cherry jam). There is an extensive wine list and the ladies restroom even serves pink champagne! Don’t let the exterior fool you – the space features elegant and impressive decor with highlights like a chandelier staircase, elegant leather seats and carefully selected décor items. The music is usually hip-hop and R&B and the crowd, as expected, is easy on the eyes.
PH-D at The Dream Hotel
Located midtown, this nighttime “it” spot captures the essence of NYC nightlife with breathtaking panoramic views of the city’s skyline from this penthouse venue, which is Manhattan’s first bi-level rooftop lounge. It offers a mix of unwinding hotel guests and well-dressed locals a like, with beautiful servers armed with trays of deluxe custom cocktails. Designed to be the ultimate penthouse, Ph-D features deluxe touches like Italian Porto marble, amber Venini glass chandeliers, a state-of-the-art audio and light system.
Catch Restaurant
Catch Restaurant in the West Village is a favourite restaurant for the city’s moving and shaking YP set. As its name would suggest, Catch is for the seafood and sushi lover. The ambience is rather scene-y (but, hey, it’s New York) but it is a perfect and impressive spot for a date or client dinner. An elevator manned by a security guard takes guests to the floor of the restaurant, where they are greeted with low lighting, exposed brick, surrounding windows and a bar in the centre. The restaurant offers everything from an assortment of rolls to the ultimate comfort foods like lobster mac and cheese, garlic shrimp and lobster mashed potatoes. Other big hitting menu items include the crispy snapper entree, Kumamoto oysters, tuna tartare rice cakes, and Salmon Carpaccio. The desserts at this place are heavenly and definitely diet-breaking worthy; think items like the s’more pizza and pumpkin donut or the banana brulee split. For beautiful people and mouth-watering food, Catch is the place to be…if you can get a reso.
Park Avenue Autumn
This Park Avenue restaurant transforms its menu and décor seasonally, offering Park Avenue Winter/Spring/Summer/Autumn in a 48-hour makeover each season. For the colder, darker months, Park Avenue has officially undergone its seasonal transformation, complete with an icy winter white décor, glass chandeliers, white-washed woods, and elongated birch branches built into the lighting elements and cool silver accents. Coveted chef Kevin Lasko creates a seasonal and refined menu, while award-winning executive pastry chef Richard Leach crafts a selection of tantalizing dessert presentations that highlight winter fruits and chocolate. Chef Lasko has also developed a special menu that focuses on the communal spirit of the season with their Gatherings Menu, of dishes meant to be shared amongst guests like a Dry-Aged Porter House with Roasted Root Vegetables & Paprika Butter and Truffle Roasted Chicken with Black Truffles and Foie Gras Stuffing. The menu at Park Avenue Winter offers comforting wintery dishes like the Barley Risotto & Santa Barbara Uni with Grilled Meyer Lemons, Park Avenue Winter’s Veal Chop Holstein with Anchovy Brown Butter and a Fried Egg, Berkshire Pork Chop with Maple-Coffee Glaze, Roasted Quince and Oats. In late March, the restaurant will close its doors to make way for Park Avenue Spring.
Morandi
Morandi is the best brunch spot for a refined traditional and unpretentious Italian dining experience. Located in the West Village, the restaurant offers an Italian infused brunch, going beyond your typical bacon and eggs with menu options like Uova in camicia (two poached eggs over artichokes, squash, mushrooms and spinach), the Panino con le uova (egg sandwich with prosciutto, stracchino, peppers and arugula) or their famous frittata. Their selection of crepes are a major draw as well, with options like warm crepes with nutella, warm crepes with lemon ricotta and strawberries or baked crepes with ham and fontina. They also offer an assortment of salads, pastas and seafood. If you’re going with a group, be sure to treat yourself with the Cestino di Pane, a basket of sweet breads that include things like brioche with chocolate and hazelnuts, ricotta fritters, sugar doughnuts, cinnamon raisin spirals plus more. As most of the NYC brunch spots, you will probably have to wait in line…but it’s worth it!
