The Williamsburg Guide: Where to Eat, Drink and Go Out in 2026
Steak, pasta, rooftop views and a closing venue worth catching while you can. Williamsburg grew up, but it still knows how to throw a Saturday.
Neighborhood
Williamsburg.
Classical Music in NYC: 16 Ways to Go on a Budget
Hear world class music for less. Our guide covers free tickets at the Met Opera, $20 seats at Carnegie Hall, and free concerts at Juilliard and Trinity Church.
Where to Throw a Bachelorette Party in NYC
Drag brunch, a private pole class, karaoke rooms that hold 30, burlesque on Orchard Street and rooftops with a view. The best bachelorette plans in New York, plus a night you can copy.
The Best Breakfast Spots in NYC
Sixteen places to eat a real weekday breakfast in New York, from a 1925 soda fountain and a 24-hour Williamsburg diner to Chinatown roast pork buns and mangú in Washington Heights.
The Best Cheesecake in NYC
Fourteen slices that define New York cheesecake, from Junior's and a Bronx bakery that supplies Peter Luger to Basque burnt tarts and an ube jiggly cake in Chinatown, plus how cream cheese made it all possible.
The Best Cookies in NYC
Twenty cookies worth crossing the city for, from Levain's six-ounce chocolate chip and Red Gate's toffee cookie to black and whites on the Upper East Side and pignoli by the pound in the Bronx.
The Best Happy Hours in NYC
Fifteen happy hours worth leaving work early for, from $1.50 oysters in the West Village to $10 negronis on MacDougal and half-price wings in Williamsburg, with the days and hours for each.
The Best Matcha in NYC
Where to drink matcha made properly in New York, from a Greenpoint tea counter and an East Village stone mill to single-cultivar shots in Nolita, plus what "ceremonial grade" actually means.
The Best Sustainable Fashion Boutiques in NYC
Shop ethically without compromising on style at these eco-conscious New York boutiques prioritizing upcycled materials and fair-trade production.
Birthday Ideas in NYC for Every Budget
Private karaoke rooms, family-style tables that seat 12, a drag dinner show, a free ferry at sunset. Where to spend a birthday in New York, sorted by what it costs.
First Time in New York: What Locals Actually Tell Their Friends
Where to stay, which landmarks are worth the line, how the subway works now that it is all tap to pay, what to tip, what to skip, and a three day plan.
How to Watch the 2026 NYC Marathon: Best Spots Along the Route
A mile by mile guide to watching the five borough race, from Brooklyn dives to the Central Park finish line.
NYC With Kids: The Guide for Parents Who Live Here
The best museums, playgrounds, food halls, and climbing walls for keeping toddlers, kids, and teens entertained in the city right now.
Things to Do in NYC in November 2026
From marathon pavement to Thanksgiving balloons, here is how to navigate the busiest and best month on the New York calendar.
The Best Arcade Bars in NYC
Combine craft cocktails with vintage pinball and classic cabinet games for the perfect nostalgic night out.
The Best Blues Clubs and Live Music Joints in NYC
Experience the soulful sounds of live blues every night of the week in these historic venues and intimate dive bars keeping the blues alive in NYC.
The Best Cooking Classes in New York City
Master the art of handmade pasta, perfect sushi rolls, or classic French pastry with these hands-on culinary workshops.
The Best Bar Trivia Nights in NYC
Gather your smartest friends and order a pitcher at these highly competitive, reliably fun pub quizzes across the city.
The Lottery Is Open for the NYC Bakery Run. Here Is How to Score a Spot.
The 13.1-mile route swaps water stations for cardamom buns and includes a seated pastry course inside Eleven Madison Park.
The Best Antique Stores in New York City
Hunt for historical treasures, unique artifacts, and enduring furniture at the city's premier antique shops.
The Best French Restaurants in New York City
From classic brasseries to intimate natural wine bistros, New York's French food scene is thriving. Here is where to find the perfect steak frites.
The Best Home Decor Stores in NYC
Upgrade your apartment aesthetic with curated finds from the city's top home design boutiques, vintage furniture shops, and tableware havens.
The Best Magazine Shops and Newsstands in NYC
Support print media by browsing the incredible selections at these dedicated independent newsstands, bookstores, and specialty shops.
The Best Pottery Classes in New York City
Get your hands dirty and channel your inner artist at these welcoming ceramic studios across the five boroughs.
Top Chef’s Rasika Venkatesa Is Bringing Tamil Fine Dining to Williamsburg
With the opening of Mythily on September 30, the breakout chef translates her South Indian heritage through a decidedly Brooklyn lens.
The Best Board Game Cafes in New York City
Where to roll the dice, pull a card, and drink a good beer while you ruin your friendships over Catan.
The Best Cafes for Remote Work in NYC
Tired of working from your apartment? We found the best coffee shops, hotel lobbies, and public spaces to open your laptop.
The Best Comic Book Stores in New York City
From massive megastores to strictly independent zine shops, here is where to buy comics in the five boroughs right now.
The Best Date Ideas in New York City
From free ferry rides and gallery hops to late night jazz and cozy dinners, here is how to actually have a good date in New York.
The Best Dog Parks and Runs in NYC
Let your furry friend off the leash at the city's top canine playgrounds. We rate the best dog runs based on space, cleanliness, and community vibes.
The best electronic music venues and clubs in NYC
From subterranean techno bunkers to intimate listening rooms, here are the spaces driving New York's electronic music scene.
The Best Farmers Markets in New York City
Shop for fresh regional produce, artisanal cheeses, and baked goods directly from local purveyors at our favorite greenmarkets across the five boroughs, from Union Square to Grand Army Plaza.
The Best Food Halls in New York City
From historic markets to sprawling new destinations, these are the New York food halls worth your time and the single best thing to eat at each one.
The Best Ice Cream and Gelato in NYC
We rounded up the artisanal shops, classic parlors, and authentic gelaterias in New York that are actually worth standing in line for.
The best ice skating rinks in New York City
Embrace the upcoming chill at the city's most magical outdoor and indoor ice rinks. These spots offer a perfect winter activity for every skill level.
The Best Irish Pubs in New York City
Grab a proper pint of Guinness and settle in at these authentic, cozy taverns around the city.
The Best Italian Restaurants in New York City
From red-sauce joints that feel like a movie set to the new wave of pasta labs, this is where to eat Italian in New York right now.
The Best Independent Jewelry Stores in New York City
Beyond the big boxes, these are the city's best local designers and curators for everything from permanent bracelets to custom engagement rings.
The Best Latin Dance Clubs in New York City
Dance the night away to live salsa, bachata, and high-energy reggaeton at the liveliest Latin clubs and parties across the five boroughs.
The Best Lesbian Bars and Queer Spaces in NYC
New York City has more dedicated bars and parties for queer women than anywhere else in the country. Here is where to go out right now.
The Best Barbershops and Hair Salons in New York City
From a quick fade in a classic barbershop to a transformative color treatment, these are the New York City spots we trust for great hair.
The Best Omakase Menus in New York City
Treat yourself to a masterclass in sushi at the city's finest tasting counters, from the $600 blowout to the $69 weeknight steal.
The Best Open Mic Nights in New York City
Whether you have five minutes of new stand-up, three chords and the truth, or a poem to get off your chest, these are the stages to find.
The Best Oysters and Raw Bars in New York City
Where to find the city's sharpest mignonettes, deepest raw bars, and oyster happy hours that actually justify leaving your apartment.
The Best Parks in New York City
Forget the tourist-clogged lawns of Central Park. This is your guide to the green spaces where New Yorkers actually live, relax, and play.
The Best Sandwiches in New York City
From the platonic ideal of a pastrami on rye to the bodega-born chopped cheese, these are the sandwiches that define New York.
The Best Sports Bars in New York City
From massive mega-screens to cozy neighborhood pubs, these are the top spots to catch every game, fight, and match with passionate fans.
The Best Steakhouses in New York City
From expense-account classics to new-school grills, these are the rooms, the cuts, and the reservations that define New York steak.
The Best Sushi in NYC
From affordable neighborhood hand-roll counters to life-changing luxury omakase, New York has it all.
The Best Tattoo Shops in New York City
Looking to get inked by world-class artists? We highlight the most reputable, hygienic and stylistically diverse tattoo parlors across the city.
The Best Thai Restaurants in New York City
From fiery Isan duck larb in Elmhurst to upscale coastal curries in NoHo, here is where to eat Thai food in New York right now.
The Best Vegan Restaurants in New York City
Plant-based dining in New York has moved past the era of sad salads and dry veggie burgers.
The Best Views in New York City
More than just observation decks, this is our guide to seeing the skyline from every angle, from waterfront parks and bridges to rooftop bars.
The 19 Best Secret Gardens and Pocket Parks in New York City
Escape the relentless pavement by stepping into these tucked-away courtyards, community plots, and rooftop green spaces scattered across the five boroughs.
The Ultimate NYC Ferry Guide
Ditch the crowded subway and take to the water with our comprehensive guide to the NYC Ferry system's best routes, ticketing tricks, and skyline views.
The Best Rainy Day Things to Do in New York City
Your phone says it’s going to rain all day. Here is our list of the best museums, movie theaters, markets and other indoor escapes that are actually worth your time.
Where to Eat Thanksgiving Dinner in NYC
Skip the cooking and cleaning this November by booking a table at these exceptional New York restaurants.
The Best Bagels in New York City
Eighteen bagel shops worth the line, from century-old appetizing counters to sourdough upstarts, with exactly what to order at each one.
The Best Bakeries in New York City
Eighteen bakeries worth the line, the train ride and the sugar crash, from Greenpoint croissants and Bahraini morning buns to Bensonhurst cannoli and Bronx sfogliatelle.
The Best Breweries and Beer Bars in New York City
Forget Manhattan. The real heart of New York beer beats in the warehouses of Brooklyn and Queens, from world-class IPAs to perfectly poured lagers.
The Best Brunch in New York City
Where to find the pancakes, eggs and morning cocktails that are actually worth getting out of bed for, from SoHo to Prospect Heights.
The Best Burgers in New York City
From the perfect, simple smash burger to a dry-aged steak on a bun that costs more than your Con Ed bill, here is where to find the best burgers in NYC right now.
The Best Cocktail Bars in New York City
Twenty bars pouring the best drinks in New York right now, plus a straight answer on whether the hidden-door speakeasy is still worth the hunt.
The Best Coffee Shops in New York City
From single-origin pour-overs to laptop-friendly spaces with strong wifi and even stronger espresso, here is where to get your coffee fix in NYC.
The Best Comedy Clubs in New York City
From legendary Greenwich Village basements to indie stages in Brooklyn and Queens, this is your guide to the best stand-up, improv, and alternative comedy in New York.
The Best Date Night Restaurants in New York City
Eighteen rooms for every stage of the thing, from the first drink to the anniversary, with what to order, where to sit and how to get in.
The Best Dive Bars in New York City
Twenty-one bars across Manhattan and Brooklyn where the beer is cheap, the jukebox has opinions and nobody has redecorated since the last recession.
The Listening Bar Boom: Where to Hear Records on a Great Sound System in NYC
New York went all in on hi-fi bars, the Tokyo-style rooms where a vinyl selector and a wall of vintage speakers matter more than the cocktail list. Here are the ones worth your ears.
The Best Flea Markets in New York City
From the essential Brooklyn lots with skyline views to curated Manhattan showcases for vintage collectors, these are the markets worth your weekend.
The Best Gay Bars in New York City
From West Village landmarks where history was made to the Bushwick warehouses where it's being made tonight, these are the rooms that define queer New York now.
Where to Hear Hip-Hop Live in New York
From open mics in Harlem to DJ sets in Bushwick, these are the rooms and recurring nights that keep the city's essential art form moving.
The Best Hotel Bars in New York City
From storied piano lounges on the Upper East Side to cinematic rooftops downtown, these are the New York hotel bars worth the trip, whether you're checking in or not.
The Best Independent Bookstores in New York City
Twenty-five shops across four boroughs where the staff picks are sharp, the readings are free and nobody minds if you browse for an hour and buy one paperback.
The Best Literary Bars in New York City
From historic taverns where Dylan Thomas drank to modern bookstore bars hosting the city's sharpest reading series, here is where to drink with writers.
The Best Menswear Stores in New York City
From Japanese denim specialists to custom tailoring houses, these are the independent shops that define men's style in New York right now.
The Best Movie Theaters in New York City
Beyond the multiplexes, New York's independent and repertory cinemas are where the city's real film culture lives, from downtown palaces to outer-borough originals.
The Best Natural Wine Bars in New York City
Seventeen places to drink skin contact, pét-nat and funky Jura in New York right now, from twelve-stool counters to backyard hangs with a pool table.
The 30 Best Novels About New York City
Gilded Age drawing rooms, Harlem tenements, Brooklyn stoops and a Manhattan apartment where a woman tries to sleep for a year. The city, told by the people who wrote it best.
The Best Pizza Slices in New York City
Nineteen counters across four boroughs, from the plain cheese that sets the standard to the burrata and oxtail slices worth crossing a river for.
The Best Ramen in New York City
From rich, porky tonkotsu to delicate shio, here is where to find the most satisfying bowls of ramen in the city, and how to get a seat.
The Best Rooftop Bars in New York City
Thirteen rooftops worth the elevator ride, from 64 floors above Wall Street to a Rockaway deck facing the Atlantic, with straight notes on prices, lines and dress codes.
The Best Small Music Venues in New York City
24 rooms under 500 capacity where you can still stand ten feet from the band, pay less than a movie ticket and see someone before the rest of the city catches on.
The Best Sneaker Stores in New York City
From the impossible-to-get drops to the vintage grails, these are the only sneaker shops in New York that matter.
The Best Thrift Stores in New York City
Charity shops with Upper East Side closets, a Bushwick warehouse priced for students, and the buy-sell-trade counters that turn your old clothes into new ones.
The Best Vintage Stores in New York City
From Orchard Street designer racks to a Bushwick warehouse where the denim never ends, these are the vintage shops worth your Saturday and your rent money.
Is This Still It? The rooms that made New York rock again, and the ones you can still walk into
Between 1999 and 2005 a few hundred people in a handful of small clubs changed what guitar music sounded like. Most of the rooms are gone. Some are not.
First Shout: New York acts to see before everyone else does, fall 2026
Ten New York artists with records out and rooms to fill, from a Harlem rapper Tyler, the Creator already vouched for to a two-drummer electropunk band that played a laundromat.
Free Live Music in New York City, All Year
The big summer stages, the no-cover bars that run every night of the year, and the in-stores and atriums where rising artists play for nothing. Your wallet can stay home.
Where to Eat After Midnight in New York
Pastrami at 3am, pierogi at 4, empanadas whenever: the New York kitchens that stay open after the bars close, checked and confirmed for 2026.
Every Major New York Concert Venue, Ranked by How It Feels to See a Show There
Sound, sightlines, lines at the bar and the walk home. We ranked 25 New York concert venues from the 575-capacity perfect room to the arenas by the only measure that matters: the night itself.
Where to Hear Writers Read in New York: The Reading Series Worth Your Night
A red room above an East Village bar, a poetry church turning sixty, a Crown Heights bar that books future prize winners. The best readings in the city, most of them free.
Where to Dance in New York: Clubs, Warehouses and Late Rooms
The dance floors worth your Saturday, from Queens techno bunkers and Brooklyn warehouses to tiny rooms where the DJ is two feet away and nobody is filming.