Weekend Trip to NYC- PLEASE HELP!!
 

I am meeting my boyfriend in the city for a quick weekend trip in early November. We will arrive Friday and are planning to catch a NY Rangers game on Saturday night. I think we are going to stay at the Bryant Park Hotel this time - the options are slim because of the marathon. We enjoy hanging out in the Meatpacking District, Village and the LES when we visit. My boyfriend is orginally from Long Island and I have been to the city a few times, so we can get ourselves around pretty well.

Friday night I want to have a nice dinner and possibly walk to a couple places for drinks after. We are looking for something somewhat trendy, romantic, in the $$-$$$ price range. Type of food doesnt really matter, we are open to suggestions. For drinks we enjoy the social/lounge atmosphere - nothing too clubby.

Saturday for lunch my boyfriend wants to find a really good pizza place. He has been disappointed with our last tries. So any suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks for your help.

Some ideas for Friday night: In LES, try Public or Pheasant (pheasant I think got the NY mag award for best first date restaurant a few years ago). Could try the Dove in W. Village for drinks, also a lot of places around the LES. If you want something smaller/more charming than trendy try Cafe Cluny in the West Village. For Pizza I like Zoe in Soho or Patsy's. Have fun!

Pylos, greek or the e.u. international flair, more casual italian, frank, supper or cacio e pepe
all in the East Village, or 5 Points in NoHo

then for cocktail lounges, Death & Co. or P.D.T. inside criff dogs, I think. p.d.t. is apparently only a few seats and you may need to make reservations. No idea what the drinks places are like on a weekend night.

or if in SoHo the Pegu Club. again late night, who knows? and Aquagrill or Raoul's for dinner.

in the LES try Tides for dinner, a tiny little fish joint, fair wines and bad desserts. Walk up to Schiller's Liquor bar if you want dessert. Can't help with bars in the area.

For pizza, I still like Lombardi's, Arturo's on Houston, and John's on Bleecker.

or if you want a real experience you can go to Brooklyn and go to DeFara's.

The food at Peasant is great and it's definitely romantic but the last time I was there the service was terrible. I prefer Il Buco.

Thanks for the great suggestions. I think we are going to change our hotel to The Bowery Hotel, looks like a better location in a not so touristy area. Any reviews??

Just wanted to drive home the point to make restaurant reservations. The city will be a zoo that weekend.

We are all booked at the Soho Grand for the first weekend in November. (I know I changed it again!)

So after obsessively trying to find the perfect places to go for our Friday night dinner and drinks date ---- here is what I have come up with (OPINIONS PLEASE!!)

Mercer Kitchen
Blue Ribbon
The Tasting Room
The Little Owl
Public

I think Public looks great, but I don't think my bf will go for the unusual menu. I am thinking maybe stopping there for pre-dinner drinks and maybe an app. I also really like what I have read about Blue Ribbon, but how long will we have to wait for a table for 2 on a Friday?? Maybe it would be better to go there after the Rangers game on Saturday night??

Saturday day I think we will walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and try Grimaldis.

Sunday I would like to do brunch in the Village and walk around and do some shopping before our flight out. Any suggestions for that area??? And any specific streets we can walk up and down??

Thanks for your help again!!

Good places for brunch downtown

Zoe's
Blue Ribbon Bakery
Five Points
Le Bistro Jardin
Capsouto Freres
Bubby's (The cheapest and busiest of the lot)
Check to see if City Hall has a weekend brubch

I love Blue Ribbon but the thing is since they serve so late, it will still be busy past midnight. I would make a reservation.

However, Blue Ribbon is my favorite Sunday Brunch.

If you want to eat at Little Owl you need to make a reervation NOW. They are on opentable.

There are several Blue Ribbons all together. There's also a tiny Blue Ribbon bar. Figure on an hour wait at Blue Ribbon.

For Brunch, Danal at the edge of the East village has a nice brunch. Prune is not worth the hours of waiting for brunch. Clinton St. Bakery has a fantastic brunch, but again usually a long wait. Landmarc in Tribecca is also good for brunch and food all day long.

if you're staying at Soho Grand, could do Zoe's for brunch Sunday, walk west on Prince or Spring til seventh, then cross over into Bleecker and take that into the west village - Bleecker west of seventh has a very different vibe - some streets to wander around in are Bedford/Commerce, west fourth, waverly, and bleecker - you'll get a mix of boutiques (bleecker), restaurants (west fourth) and beautiful old cobblestone streets (bedford, waverly). you could also try Tartine or the cupping room on Hudson for brunch - more basic/ diner-ish food than Zoe but they're both in good locations in the village.

As for th pizza, the only place I would consider is under the Brooklyn Bridge. I believe it is called "Grimaldi's" You won't be disappointed.