Next StoryPrevious Story✕new york — 11.03.14

New york city guide

Kristina.Bazan.NewYork. 014

 

If you guys follow me on Instagram then you must know that even though I love fashion, I am also highly into lifestyle experiences : food, spa, fun sports, concept stores, you name it. Since we travel that much, we had the huge chance to discover some truly amazing places that I couldn’t even dream of in my wildest fantasies. It’s funny because each time my experience of the city gets better and better as I come back and do my home work properly before the trip (hello hours on trip advisor and yelp): in order to find the best place possible with the highest quality, the coolest concept or a unique interior.

I’ve been thinking about it for a while and even though you get to follow our experiences on Instagram (we even have this hashtag #kaytureplaces where you can discover some of our favorite picks), I thought like food and lifestyle experiences totally deserve their place on Kayture. Thing is that I know that I personally am interested. So honestly who doesn’t like a good recommendation?

Therefore, I would like to introduce you to a new concept that we’re going to be trying out, the city guides! I am so excited to share with you my addresses, I love discovering and so if you have any other suggestions send it all in! This one is mainly going to be about my fav. food experiences in NY (it would take pages and pages to do a full review so this time let’s just stick to the yummy food).

This is obviously a non exhaustive list, there are so many places I still want to try. But I think there are definitely some spots you guys simply need to look up and go to. You won’t regret it. Now the pictures bellow represent some of the experiences we had but the list you’ll find bellow is what you should really keep in mind! Okay so here we go, here are some of my favorite food spots in NY now in 2014 :

1. Nobu 105 Hudson St

You’ll understand thanks to this list that I am a huge…a HUGE, fan of Japanese food. I do my best to eat healthy, especially since I discovered that I’m slightly gluten + lactose intolerant… which makes Japanese cuisine the best option (especially since I don’t eat meat, only fish). But more than that, I am a huge fan of the food. And Nobu is definitely, hands down, one of my international favs (it’s a chain, you’ll find great Nobus in Milan, Dubai, Malibu)… My personal favorites : black cod of course and rock shrimp tempura… Not very gluten free but so delicious. Careful because the place is so discrete, you can barely see it from the outside as there is no sign or what so ever.

2. Megu 62 Thomas St

Another great Japanese restaurant with an absolutely gorgeous interior and succulent food. Try the black cod there as well and see if you prefer the one from Nobu or this one, very hard choice! It all depends of the cook you’ll get that day but so far they seem to be on the same level. Their miso soup is fantastic, but seriously their fish is beyond everything : sashimis or grilled fillets, you can go for it! At the end of the meal, don’t forget to have some of their mochis, even if you’re not hungry anymore. It’s so fresh and light, perfect little end of the meal treat.

3. Blue Ribbon Sushi bar & Grill 308 W 58th St

Okay so I had to start with three Japanese places. No it’s not going to be a Japanese In NY City Guide, I promise!!! It’s just to show you how much I LOVE it. Blue Ribbon Sushi is juste amaze-zinga. They have several locations in NY but this one is my favorite because of it’s ambiance and the food they serve. Love their fish, for lunch they sometimes have super yummy salads. Again, they have all the classics, but their are just so good, so fresh. The service is very sweet too. Obviously, get the sushis there : you won’t forget them.

4. ABC Kitchen 35 E 18th St

Now if you like to eat healthy, this is your spot. Start with one of their nutrient packed juices, then pick one of their many delicious organic dishes. You really can’t go wrong. The chef, famous Jean-Georges (he has another restaurant by his own name in NY which I am dying to try, much more high cuisine) creates great healthy variations of our favorite dishes, like pizzas or pastas. Make sure to have your reservation a couple of weeks in advance, they are always soooo busy.

5. Hangawi 12 E 32nd St

Okay now this is not another Japanese option like I am sure you could have thought by reading the name. This is actually a vegan Korean restaurant, with some of the most delicious food I’ve e-v-e-r tried. I absolutely love eating vegan. It’s so light, so healthy and delicious. Plus you don’t harm anybody by doing so, which is a win for me, isn’t it? The particularity of this place is that as you walk in, we ask you to take your shoes off and slide in your little bellow ground level table to enjoy a stunning meal in a very traditional ambiance. The service was beyond incredible, so caring and kind. I’ve fallen in love with their tofu dishes and dumplings. They even have a special section in their menu for the ones who avoid gluten in their diet.

6. Barbounia 250 Park Ave S

After Japanese, Mediterranean is probably my second favorite type of cuisine. Just because it’s so fresh, light and healthy, with lots of fish and delicious salads. I definitely suggest you to try their hummus (my personal international favorite, and believe me… I’ve tried many) and greek salad, their feta cheese is truly something. The whole ambiance of the place is just so cozy and festive. Try to go there with a bunch of friends and share one of their pizzas as a starter.

7. Candle 79 154 E 79th St

My favorite vegan spot in town so far. Amazing selection of cocktails, the coolest things you could ever think of : you can get your juices with coconut water, chia seeds, açai, hemp, with all sorts of fruits and vegetables you want and can possibly think of. Their menu is full of traditional dishes with of course a vegan twist. We tried their raviolis and I honestly thought they were better than the regular ones. So fresh, light and… creamy! A must, without any doubt.

8. Blossom 187 9th Ave

Another one of my favorite vegan restaurants. You can try both Candle 79 and compare the two of them to decide which one you prefer. I definitely prefer the drinks menu at Candle but the dishes at Blossom are super elaborate and have an incredible variety of flavors which I really enjoyed discovering. If you’re into vegan cuisine, then you definitely have to try it out. Anything from the menu is delicious, and it’s great because they crew has such good knowledge of nutrition and can talk hours about the products and ingredients they use in their dishes.

9. Bergdorf Goodman’s high tea 754 5th Ave

Okay so this isn’t the healthy option, neither is it the gluten free/dairy free one. So even if I get cramps  afterwards, it’s totally worth it because their high tea is really, really yummy. But to be totally honest, I like to go there more for the ambiance as I feel like a fancy little New Yorker when I sit there, which is always very funny. Their lunch menu is very goo though, they have delicious salads and many different options to satisfy everybody. It’s a perfect spot for a food break in the middle of a shopping spree!

10. Alice’s teacup 156 E 64th St

I discovered this place as we were walking around near Park Avenue. Being a huge fan of scones, I’ve heard a lot about this place from different people, some rumors being told that they do the best scones in the city… I definitely wanted to learn more about it. Turns out not only do they have the best VEGAN scones I’ve ever tried, they also have the most amazing teas. I’ve had the almond one and I just couldn’t stop. Seriously so good.

11. Standart Grill 848 Washington St

The perfect place for brunch. Enjoy a fun day of shopping at Owen, Scoop and Jeffrey before heading to the Standart! Get your dose of granola or their classic eggs Benedict! I usually like to take an egg white omelette with spinach and a side of berries. I love how they are super flexible and can easily make something special if you just ask for it! What I love the most about this place is obviously the ambiance, it’s so pretty and so typically New York.

12. Anywhere at the Chelsea Market

My favorite thing to do when I am in NY, is to head to the Chelsea market, begin the fun with a little stop at Anthropology before trying all of their food places. So we kick it off with a short stop by Eleni’s to get some of their super fun cookies, and maybe try their gluten free red velvet mini cupcake, then we go to the brownie shop, to One Lucky Duck to get a green juice or some vegan sweets, we might finish it all with some ice cream. Plan a couple of hours in front of you to really enjoy the place and try all they have to offer. You can also enjoy one of their restaurants for a nice brunch!

13. Juice Generation (find the closest one to you!)

My go-to place for a quick healthy fix! I am obsessed with their Aloha Green Juice, their Açai bowls are super good, but also their salads and all the cute little snacks they sell. James also tried the protein smoothies and he said they were delicious! And you can see them juice it up right in front of you so you don’t have any bad surprises.

14. The Shop, Andaz hotel 485 5th Ave

Another great place for brunch. I personally fell in love with this spot because of it’s gorgeous interior. So chic, sleek and modern. Plus their menu is full of very nice dishes that you can have fun discovering. I know for sure that I want to go back to try more things because I loved it that much. Their coffee too is very nice and you’ll definitely be treated and pampered during the whole meal.

16. Nerai 55 E 54th St 

Another one of my fav Mediterranean restaurants in NY. Not far from the 5th Av. this little restaurant doesn’t look like anything special from the outside but is a real treasure gem. The service there must be one of the best ones out of all this list : they are so kind, friendly and careful about every single detail, I’ve rarely seen that. Plus the quality and freshness of the food and ingredients is outstanding. Again, try their Greek Salad : incredible feta cheese.

17. Eleven Madison Park 11 Madison Ave

To be totally fair with you, I’ll tell you this : this place and the experience I’ve had there, has probably been one of best food journeys I’ve ever experienced. Why? Because it’s more than just eating. It’s a real food quest discovering new flavors, textures and ingredients you might have never tried before. Proper to it’s name, Eleven Madison park serves you 11 courses, so nope you don’t get to order “A La Carte” what your dish is going to be : you get served the 11 mini sized creations of the chef. So many surprises along the way, but definitely plan 4 hours in front of you to fully enjoy the experience. Oh and make sure to have a reservation several months in advance, it is extremely hard to get it so plan it for a very special occasion ;)

18. JG Melon 1291 3rd Ave

Now we do need to finish this list with a proper NY pick : the best burger of the city. And yes there is a lot of speculation going on and yes every restaurant in town say they have the best burger… But you know what : it’s not true. Because JG Melon seriously do have the best burger! James, who is a HUGE fan of burgers confirms that. You have to get their cheeseburger in medium rare. Now don’t expect too much from the place itself, it’s a very traditional old pub, very noisy and crowded : you can’t make a reservation or pay by credit. But oh lord do they know how to make burgers and fries.

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