Recs
for New York City
Written by Jasmine
Last Updated June 2025
At the fear of this becoming outdated very quickly, here’s a list of some of our frequently visited spots and bookmarks. Our list is from the perspective of people who live in New York so it’s not exactly packed with tourist activities and active things to do but we have a few!
Our most visited
Restaurants
There are so many amazing restaurants we’ve tried, but these are the ones we really frequent.
The Four Horsemen in Williamsburg, BK — We are big fans of this place!! We’ve celebrated many birthdays here and take our parents when they visit. The service is absolutely incredible.
Thai Diner in Soho — One of Musashi’s off-the-clock favorites.
Los Tacos No. 1 for tacos— Another one of Musashi’s off-the-clock favorites. He used to eat at the Grand Central location all the time when he was working at Blue Hill at Stone Barns.
ACRE in Greenpoint, BK — Japanese cafe we also go to all the time. My parents swear by their karaage.
Taku Sando in Greenpoint, BK — Katsu sandwiches with a cute outdoor area (we come here a lot).
Kisa in Lower East Side — A favorite Korean spot of ours. The lunch menu is different from the dinner menu (dinner is where you get a full spread of banchan) and if we don’t have reservations, we will start lining up at 4:30pm on a weekend.
Okdongsik in Ktown — They make a traditional pork-rice-soup (dweji guk bap) that I find so comforting. Was going to this place 1x per week for a good stretch in the winter.
Bonnie’s in Williamsburg, BK — We love Bonnie’s <3 Canto American food, my canto mom loves it here.
L’Industrie in Williamsburg, BK — Musashi’s favorite pizza in NYC (the burrata slice is a must! -m 👨🏻🍳)
Fini Pizza in Williamsburg, BK — My favorite pizza in NYC (you have to get their white slice).
Raku — 8 years since first eating here and it’s still a regular spot for me.
Radio Bakery in Greenpoint, BK — Iconic spot, you’ve gotta try it at least once! Prepare to wait in a line.
Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Tarrytown — Okay….not that we frequent this place all that much, but I’ve eaten here twice and I truly love the experience.
Wooga in Fort Lee — This is not conveniently located but this is our favorite spot for KBBQ. We’ll always visit after going to King Spa.
Asian Jewels in Flushing for dim sum.
Fiaschetteria “Pistoia” in East Village — There’s another location in West Village but I find this space slightly larger and more comfortable. Loveee the pasta here and the vibe is cozy and energetic.
Apollo Bagels — There are a few locations. Solid bagel option, worth trying at least once.
Tompkins Street Bagels in East Village for bagels—still one of my favorites!
Forma Pasta Factory in Williamsburg, BK — Homemade pasta in a very casual setting (you order at the counter then grab a number) yet the service is still really awesome.
Cheung fun cart in Chinatown — I love Cheung fun (rice rolls) and this is literally a cart on the street. Great for a snack.
Soothr in East Village — Thai food favorite for us.
Tonchin for ramen — They have 2 locations (one in Ktown, one in Williamsburg) and we’ve been to both a ton of times. Pretty solid, nice for a date night or friend catchup.
Paulie Gee’s in Greenpoint, BK — Solid pizza option, recommend trying at least once.
Wu’s Wonton King near Dimes Square — Quickly learned that this is a favorite spot of F&B industry folk.
Cho Dang Gol in Ktown - Solid Korean food (more traditional than new school) and a more expansive menu than some other spots. If you’re eating on a weekend, show up early to put your name down (like >60 min before you want to eat and probably not worth attempting to get a table after 7:30pm)
Win Son in Williamsburg, BK — Taiwanese food, great for brunch of dinner. Also worth stopping by their bakery across the street.
Bo Ky in Chinatown — Casual noodle spot that’s a hybrid of Chinese and Vietnamese.
Shu Jiao Fu Zhou in Chinatown - No frills homemade dumplings and soup noodles.
Fish Cheeks in Noho — Thai food with a seafood focus, nice vibe (good spot to take parents or a date).
Ho Foods in East Village — Taiwanese beef noodle soup.
Rossini’s in Midtown — Older school white-tablecloth Italian joint with a live pianist.
Adda Indian Cuisine — Solid Indian food.
Bernie’s in Williamsburg, BK — Somewhat sceney but still down-to-earth American spot near McCarren Park.
Bars
Bar Pisellino in West Village - Kind of sceney but fun place to people watch.
Sake Bar Decibel in East Village - Cozy underground sake/beer spot. A little loud but energetic vibe.
Sake Bar Asoko in Dimes Square — The owners are so friendly <3
Bar Orai on 52nd & 3rd ave — Vinyl bar with Japanese-inspired cocktails and drinks. Cute date spot!
Tomi Jazz on 53rd and 2nd ave — Japanese jazz bar with food and drinks.
Hi Collar in East Village — Japanese cafe that’s open for brunch, but I usually come at night for drinks!
Korean bars (soju, beer, food/snack vibes) in Ktown:
Soju Haus - They just expanded their food menu! It’s pricey but reliable (they only take AMEX for card, fyi)
Osamil - Another reliable drinking spot.
MUI - The most casual option of this list—still good vibes and food.
Seoul Salon - This place is more restaurant than a pure drinking spot (you should probably come here when you’re hungry) but they also have a cocktail bar for drinks only.
Dear Irving Gramercy near Gramercy Park — Reliable spot for cocktails and catchups on the pricier side.
Clemente Bar in Flat Iron — Bar by the team at Eleven Madison Park. It’s a loungey vibe with good cocktails and great NA options!
Public Records in Boreum Hill, BK - This space does a lot lol it’s open during the day for brunch and as a cafe, and at night they open up to have a bunch of rooms that borderline listening lounge and club.
La Milagrosa in Williamsburg, BK - This is a smaller dance-y bar (not the place to talk and catch up with friends), we like the music and DJs that’s usually playing here.
Food/Cooking Shops
Cibone/Kama-Asa at 50 Norman in Greenpoint for artisan Japanese pottery and kitchen tools.
MTC Kitchen for Japanese cooking supplies and knives.
Korin for knives.
Rainbow Restaurant Equipment Supplies Inc. for restaurant supply store.
J.B Prince for restaurant supply store.
Big Night for specialty drinks, snacks, and cooking supplies/gifts.
Ten Ichi Mart for Japanese groceries (there are a few locations).
The Meat Hook is our butcher (there are a few locations).
Desserts/Cafes
Kettl Tea in Greenpoint, BK - Musashi’s favorite for matcha.
La Cabra — You’ve probably heard of this one—there are 3 locations, we prefer Soho and Bushwick for the space. On the pricier side for drinks, but I loveee their croissants and loaves.
Abraco in East Village - I have such fond memories of this place <3 Nice neighborhoodly cafe (you’ll see the same regulars over and over again). They don’t allow laptops so it’s not a great place to work, but I do like journaling/reading here. They have wonderful homemade pastries/treats. Note: they don’t serve alternative milks (they only have whole milk). Go to Tokio 7 next door while you’re there for a Japanese-owned consignment shop.
Te Company in West Village - Nice little Taiwanese tea shop with tea snacks. Space can be limited especially on weekends so plan accordingly.
Land to Sea in Williamsburg, BK - Cafe with Chinese pastries (think: pork buns). Love getting work done here.
Variety Coffee Roasters — I tend to prefer coffee that’s a little less acidic, and so I like Variety for that reason! There are a few locations across Manhattan and Brooklyn.
From Lucie in East Village - Cute shop with lovely homemade cakes!
By Clio in Park Slope, BK - Another cute cake shop.
Usagi in Dumbo, BK - Japanese-inspired cafe and exhibition space.
Almondine in Dumbo, BK - Pastry shop, it’s nice to get a little treat if you’re in the area.
Ninth Street Espresso in East Village - A bit tucked away in Alphabet City, and I like that it’s a bit quieter. There’s space to work and drinks are a reasonable price.
La Colombe in Noho - Another go-to spot for me to get work done. I think their drinks are a bit on the pricier side but I like the high ceilings and vibe.
Activities
King Spa - Our regular Korean bathhouse/spa! It’s ~40min by car, they also offer a free shuttle bus service out of Ktown—check out their IG page for more details—but line up a bit early because there’s limited space. Nothing too special about it if you’re been to other jimjilbang’s but it’s one of our favorite activities to relax.
Rockefeller State Park - 1 hour train ride north, with beautiful hiking and running trails.
West Side Highway - Great for a run or long walk, especially during sunset.
Brooklyn Ferry - I always take my mom on this when she’s visiting and it’s more efficient to get between Dumbo <-> Greenpoint/Williamsburg than the train.
Central Park - Pretty obvious but if you need a place to picnic, go to Sheep’s Meadow!
The Full List
Contains everything listed above and more!