Categories: Local & Entertainment; Eat & Drink

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Hidden Gems in NYC

By HelenaHandbasket
updated 8 days ago

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New York is so big there is plenty of room for great restaurants, bars and fun things to hide. Sure you may know about some of the things but maybe not! Please note all pictures are taken by me.

Restaurants

Alexandra

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This is a great little chef’s restaurant in the West Village. They have the best calamari I’ve ever had in my entire life. They also have an amazing roasted vegetable entree. The restaurant is named after the chef’s niece.

Stop 125

3143 Broadway New York, NY 10027

Great restaurant in Morningside Heights. Their description is “downtown dining without the cost or cab ride”. It is a great restaurant with a mix international and American cuisine. They have happy hour specials during the week and live Jazz Wednesdays and Fridays.

Stop 125 Website

Edwards

136 W Broadway, New York, NY 10013

Great neighborhood bar/restaurant. They have great service and fabulous drinks and food. Try the Pimm’s Highball!

Great neighborhood bar/restaurant. They have great service and fabulous drinks and food. Try the Pimm’s Highball!

Viva Herbals Pizzeria

179 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003

They are totally kosher here. You can get inventive kosher and also vegan pizza.

They are totally kosher here. You can get inventive kosher and also vegan pizza.

Macys Herald Square New York City New York

New York, NY 10001

Babycakes Nyc

248 Broome St, New York, NY 10002

I am a vegan/veg and can have absolutely no dairy because of allergies. I thought I knew all the places to get fun treats (mostly Whole Foods and vegan restaurants) but then my friends surprised me with their delectable vegan cupcakes on my birthday this year. The owner/baker was on the Martha Stewart show so you know they are good!

I am a vegan/veg and can have absolutely no dairy because of allergies. I thought I knew all the places to get fun treats (mostly Whole Foods and vegan restaurants) but then my friends surprised me with their delectable vegan cupcakes on my birthday this year. The owner/baker was on the Martha Stewart show so you know they are good!

Bars

Champagne at Another Room

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Another Room

249 West Broadway New York, NY 10013

Great bar in Tribeca. It is small and dark. So dark that I walked by it for years thinking it was closed. One day I walked in and found an extensive beer and wine list and it has been a favorite ever since. It has a nice chill vibe. Check it out.

Smith and Mills

71 North Moore Street New York, NY 10013

Tiny carriage house converted to a bar. It is always packed but they have great drinks and cute bar tenders. Lots of Tribeca finance types here but it is still a fun bar.

Websites

Beer Menus Web Site

Find your favorite beer in NYC. Do you like hard to find cider or Belgian beer? Beer Menus.com searches beer menus from bars and pubs all over the city to find your favorite beer. It tells you not only where you can find it but how much they charge for it.

Menupages.com

Exactly what it says! They have menus for most restaurants in NYC. Very helpful if you have allergies like me. Also helpful reviews and info about hours, delivery etc. Bookmark it! Now you don’t have to keep those stupid paper menus around that seem to multiply when you leave them alone for a couple hours.

Hopstop.com

You are venturing into a neighborhood you are not too familiar with to check out some of the things in my guide and want to make sure you don’t get lost. Use hopstop to get directions! They also automatically update directions due to subway construction so you don’t have to worry about walking to the subway and realizing it’s not running. Easy to print directions and maps as well as an e-mail and text feature so you can save trees.

Other

Teardrop Park

Located in the middle of a group of apartment buildings it has hills, a huge slide, sand area and lots of foliage. It is between Warren and Murray Street near the Embassy Suites.

Teardrop Park on the Web

Teardrop Park snowman

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Alexandra Restaurant

455 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014

Perch Cafe

365 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215

Cute little restaurant in Park Slope. Great food and a nice garden out back. Events ranging from kids dinner specials to live music every day.

Cute little restaurant in Park Slope. Great food and a nice garden out back. Events ranging from kids dinner specials to live music every day.

Perch Cafe website

Check out their website for more information on events.

Siggy's Good Food

76 Henry Street Brooklyn, NY 11201

Great little organic restaurant in Brooklyn Heights. They have amazing coffee and vegan muffins and breads. You can grab something to go or eat it there. They have delicious hummus and go beyond the normal stir fry for veggie and vegan menu choices. Great service and friendly staff.

Siggy's Good Food Website

The Cellar at Macy's

There is nothing hidden about Macy’s and I will admit, I despise it. Hate it. But, most people do not know that The Cellar has great food! Take the old wooden escalators to basement level and there is an area where you can get foccaia, a fresh pasta bar where they cook it right in front of you, great salads and gourmet desserts. It used to be Eatzi’s when I first moved here ummm 9 years ago and was a grocery store as well as a place to pick up something to eat there. They had the most beautiful blemish free produce. It was heaven! Now it is a Cucina and Co. and the produce/grocery store aspect is gone but the food is still great and decently priced. There is food court type seating so this is a good place to go when you are on your own.

Shopping

De Janeiro Stores Inc

30 New St, New York, NY 10004

Great cheap brand name clothes and shoes. Not everything is nice, you definitely have to dig but they have some great deals. I spent less than $50 for a J Crew skirt, Sam and Libby ballet flats and a white short sleeve button down and I get tons of compliments whenever I wear it. You would never know that I bought it at a hole in the wall off Wall Street on my lunch break for some retail therapy. Except that, I just told you.

Great cheap brand name clothes and shoes. Not everything is nice, you definitely have to dig but they have some great deals. I spent less than $50 for a J Crew skirt, Sam and Libby ballet flats and a white short sleeve button down and I get tons of compliments whenever I wear it. You would never know that I bought it at a hole in the wall off Wall Street on my lunch break for some retail therapy. Except that, I just told you.

Family Jewels the

130 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10011

Awesome vintage clothing, accessories and of course jewels! They have decent prices. Can’t find the outfit you want? They have vintage patterns so you can make it yourself!

Awesome vintage clothing, accessories and of course jewels! They have decent prices. Can’t find the outfit you want? They have vintage patterns so you can make it yourself!

New York City Opera-Thrift Shop

222 E 23rd St, New York, NY 10010

Great thrift shop with clothing, books, furniture, housewares etc. And it’s all for a good cause!

Great thrift shop with clothing, books, furniture, housewares etc. And it’s all for a good cause!

Bell Bates Co Inc

97 Reade St, New York, NY 10013

Great health food store in Tribeca. Their prices are a little better than Whole Foods and other stores. They also have things that Whole Foods does not have like rye berries!

Great health food store in Tribeca. Their prices are a little better than Whole Foods and other stores. They also have things that Whole Foods does not have like rye berries!

I will show you the way

Greenacre Park

217 E 51st St, New York, NY 10022

Greenacre Park

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Urban oasis in midtown. Located on 51st Street between 2nd and 3rd. The beautiful waterfall drowns out all the sounds of busy midtown so you can have a peaceful lunch or just sit and chill.

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The waterfall wraps around one side of the park.

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