I haven’t written much about New York for the newsletter, which is curious since I’ve lived here for twenty-something years. The city has certainly changed—Other Music, Great Jones, Barneys and the Rusty Knot are no longer with us, alas. But New York is still one of the greats, no matter how much local residents complain, and I thought it would be good to collect some favorite spots in one list.

These are places I actually go. They’re all in Manhattan. That’s just the way it is.

DINING / DRINKING. I don’t anything that feels like an intense scene. I don’t like places that are loud. I don’t like places that are gimmicky and expensive. And if a place feels designed with Instagram in mind that can’t be a good thing. Now that we have that out of the way, here are places I do like. Most of these have been around for a while and aren’t exhausting.

-Frenchette. Great modern French cooking. If you want a little sunlight then sit in the bar at lunch. There’s a natural wine list, but they’re not annoying about it. If you’re lucky to get a banquette you’re very happy with how things are going.

-I Sodi. Beloved West Village Italian. Haven’t been to the new, larger space (around the corner from the old one). But it looks great.

-La Mercerie. I love this room for lunch. The light is lovely and the entire space, designed by Roman + Williams is fantastic. Don’t sleep on the buckwheat crepe!

-Dr. Clark. Not just Japanese, but specifically Hokkaido cuisine (which means more lamb) spearheaded by the genius Yudai Kanayama. Lively room with a younger crowd.

-Minetta Tavern. Flattering light and expensive steaks. Handsome room that’s always loud. Excellent, but more excellent in small doses.

-Raku. Good Udon noodles in Soho.

-Orsay. Upper East Side Balthazar, which is to say, less cool but still an eccentric crowd. Not a destination as much as a place to walk to if you’re at the Met or up visiting an aged relative.

-Il Buco. I still love Il Buco after all these years. Dark, moody, they call it Mediterranean, but it feels more Italian. Makes you wish you could afford to live on Bond Street.

-Le Bernardin. Did you option your podcast to Hollywood? Then this is where to celebrate. There are many ways to enjoy Le Bernardin and they’re all great. I would try lunch, which is fairly reasonable, all things considered. But the bar (they call it a salon) is great for a serious drink and something light.

-Walker’s. A good place for a beer in Tribeca.

-Ear Inn. Another good place for a beer, but in west Soho.

-Houseman. A friendly neighborhood restaurant (around the corner from the Ear Inn, incidentally), that’s easygoing and quite good.

-Café Altro Paradiso. Lovely room for Italian lunch or a drink at the bar.

-Odeon and Balthazar—what do you want, these places are institutions.

-Keens. You don’t need to commit to the whole lamb shank. Just go to the bar for a drink or the Tap Room for lunch.

-Russ & Daughters Cafe. Delightful. Everything they do—salmon, cocktails, entrees—they do well. Aim for off hours.

-Cafe Luxembourg. Where to eat after a show at Lincoln Center. Saw Lauren Bacall here once, which is really all you need. Still great.

-Soba Ya. Good for, wait for it, soba. Especially lunch.

-Morandi. I have breakfast here quite a bit. You can sit it in the casual area near the bar (to the left when you enter) and read the papers.

STORES.

-Three Lives. Everything you want in a neighborhood bookstore. And more.

-John Derian. Yes, John Derian is great, but don’t miss the Dry Goods store next door.

-For clothes I would visit: Drake’s, Jake Mueser, Sid Mashburn, RRL on West Broadway, the Ralph Lauren Mansion on Madison, the Armoury Hong Kong (if you enjoy paying $350 for a tie).

-Leffot. Legendary shoe store.

-The Strand. Still great for books, new and used.

-Dashwood Books. Good focus on art and design.

-The Guild at La Mercerie. This space, which adjoins the restaurant (mentioned above), is great for ceramics and other things that are nice and that you don’t need.

-Eataly. I was late to the appeal of Eataly. There are plenty of places to eat inside or to take to the park across the street. A fun place for kids, whose affections can be bought with gelato. There’s also a viable market if you’re staying in the area and a great wine store (Italian only) next door.

-Casa Magazines. Worth stopping in if only to buy a weekend Financial Times and a copy of WM Brown magazine.

CULTURE.

-The Morgan Library. Great if you want an enlightened museum that takes an hour to visit, if you’re with kids or don’t have much time. There are wonderful, carefully curated small exhibitions. And then there’s Morgan’s insane red-walled study and the book rooms themselves.

-The Shed. I finally went to The Shed and it was excellent. Yes, it’s weird being in Hudson Yards, but you can walk right in from the High Line. Also a nice bookstore and a cafe for something after the performance. Impressive.

-Perleman Performing Arts Center. This lovely marble building just opened across from Ground Zero. I haven’t been inside yet but am looking forward.

-Film Forum. My favorite cinema on Earth and any other planet.

-The Metrograph. A wonderful theater on the Lower East Side. If they’re showing a film you want then definitely go and visit the Commissary upstairs for dinner or a drink. A great night out.

-The Village Vanguard. Classic jazz club. Everything they show is worth seeing. One-drink minimum.

HOTELS. New York hotels, like apartments, are expensive and small, not an ideal equation. You’re really looking for something not too expensive and not too small.

-The Marlton. This is where my family usually stays when they visit. It’s well-located and charming. Hopefully the lobby isn’t too busy with workers on Zoom calls. My dad has cracked the code for rooms big enough that you can open the bathroom door without laying in the bed—hopefully you can find a good one too.

-Bowery Hotel. Same family as the Marlton, just bigger and more expensive.

-The Jane. Small rooms if you’re on a budget (shared bathrooms down the hall—you’ll feel like you’re back in college). Consider the Captain’s Suite, there’s one on each floor, that are more spacious. Extreme West Village is not central but very lovely.

If you want something expensive further uptown then The Carlyle or The Lowell are classic, elegant choices.

Places to Avoid:

-Grand Central Oyster Bar. Great room. Too bad about the food and service.

-Chelsea Market. Chaos.

-Bemelmans Bar. You’re really taking a gamble these days.

-The High Line. Unless the sky is grey and it looks like it’s about to rain.

-Any Italian Street Market. These seem like they’re local. But they’re not.