Share your city and win!

Back in 1916, Abraham Orwasher opened up a pint-sized bakery in the Upper East Side. It bore his name and was planted in an area once coined as "Little Hungary." There, Orwasher supplied the neighborhood with kosher goods, baking loaves out of coal ovens tucked away in the basement. The bakery became a neighborhood institution, carried forward by three generations. But in 2007, the family sold the bakery to Keith Cohen, who comes from a line of bakers. Fears of changing the bakery for good were quickly assuaged as Cohen continues the legacy of the Orwasher family while introducing artisan breads for the modern-day era. Now three locations sit under the Orwashers umbrella, with the 109-year-old bakery standing strong in the UES. The Orwashers of today continue to sell goods made popular by the founder, including loaves of pumpernickel and rye bread and sourdough bagels. Cohen's influence is clear, as baguettes and whole wheat loaves line the walls behind the counter at the original shop. The pastry window gleams with a mix of worlds as rugelach and black-and-white cookies sit next to sugar-dusted morning buns and croissants that burst open with crunchy pistachio phyllo. 

Arriving at Kabawa for a late-night dine, my eyes were immediately drawn to one of the patrons standing at the bar, rum drink in hand, hips in mid-whine to the music. A fitting welcome to a restaurant that centers its food as much as it does its culture. Kabawa is the latest from the Momofuku Group—the first to open in nine years—residing in the same Momofuku Ko space where David Chang long enticed diners down the makeshift alleyway for matcha-tea–dusted mille-feuilles and snow-like shavings of foie gras. Now it’s Paul Carmichael's Caribbean cooking leading New Yorkers down the same corridor—ready to rip and swipe crumpled partha through heated guava chutneys and pepper jelly for a buss up and shut bread service and spear royal red shrimp, blushing with dried hibiscus and dollops of bright orange pepper oil. Prentension here is long gone: chefs in watercolor-dipped aprons swing between casual catch-ups with patrons and then wow them with solid hunks of goat shoulder, slow-roasted in an orangey-reddish Creole sauce that yells with habanero peppers. Drinks lean into the islands with coconut water martinis, sorrel-flecked daiquiris (though, more daiquiri iterations reside next door at Bar Kabawa) and even a Caribbean lager made to tame any flames on the plate. And when you leave, bellies full and tongues likely still dancing, you'll hopefully carry the ethos of Kabawa home and remember to "Love Yuh Self."

If you've happened to walk by 10th Street during the weekend hours, you've likely come upon a lively scene of people lining the sidewalk. It is all for Apollo Bagels, a buzzy, pandemic-era pop-up turned permanent shop whose bagels have reached such popularity that the landlord has already tried to evict them. The frenzy is warranted, as their sourdough-fermented bagels have already risen to six locations in NYC, including one in New Jersey, in just one year of business.  Yet once you've made it past the fanfare outside, you'll find yourself in a shop so minimal—the East Village shop is outfitted with a large marble counter, a glowing sign and a nondescript cold case—it almost seems like they moved in yesterday. The menu follows suit, as there are only three bagel types to choose from—plain, sesame and everything. The bagel itself? Following the ethos of a "new-school bagel shop rooted in old-school technique," the boiled bagels start with a naturally fermented dough, resulting in a crust that's pimpled like a teenager, bites like a baguette, and has a light and slightly tangy finish. The New York go-to order of bacon, egg and cheese? Non-existent. But what you can find here are open-faced, almost Nordic-style sandwiches donned with bright red and bagel-sized slices of tomatoes, cucumber rounds and lox showered in capers and dill.

While the giant signs that adorn this department store with the label of “The World’s Largest Store” are not true anymore, there’s no doubt that the flagship Macy’s is massive (with a big history to boot). For over a century, New Yorkers and visitors from the world over have been visiting Macy’s at its iconic location at 34th Street and Broadway. Though originally founded as a dry goods emporium in the 19th century, today shoppers flock to the store's 2.2 million square feet—which takes up a whole city block—to buy clothes, accessories and home goods.As one of the few major brick-and-mortar shops specializing in mid-priced fashion left in New York in this age of online retail and luxury brand–palooza, Macy’s carries a large amount of designer names you recognize that won’t cost you premium prices—especially during the deeply discounted sales offered periodically throughout the year. The 63,000-square-foot shoe department is the biggest on the planet and carries everything from dress shoes and delicate stilettos to work boots and slippers. Last-minute gift shoppers might be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of options of perfumes, ties, scarves, watches and more, but great deals await those with patience.   Pro-tip: Look for the cool wooden escalators, which feel like stepping back in time.

When I asked my friend to come with me to L’Industrie Pizzeria in the city on a Friday evening, she mused that perhaps they wouldn’t have a line, given the two adequately spaced locations in New York: the original in Williamsburg and the new(er) location in the West Village. I assured her that, no matter what time of day, they always do. I sadly confirmed I was right as we neared Christopher Street, walking toward the stretch of people who were coming out of the door and down the block. L’Industrie's perpetual wait times are just a result of the pizzas crafted by Massimo Laveglia. The Tuscan-born chef opened up shop in Williamsburg back in 2017, perfecting and then hawking wonderfully blistered and crisp pies à la New York style, dressed in all things Italian with prosciutto di Parma and milky balls of burrata. I knew I was in for a wait at the city's current "It" slice shop. So, I steeled myself, clocking the time for 7:54pm.  I will say, as long as the line was, the crowd of tourists, twenty-somethings, and older individuals was a jovial one. We collectively scooted down the block at a nice and steady pace, fast enough to feel like I was making progress but slow enough to hear a chorus of strangers say some variation of “I don’t do lines.” Over the next hour, I chatted with the bouncer/doorman at the neighboring TALEA Beer Co.—who graciously invited all future slice holders to come back and grab beer, a pro tip! I also peeped a sleepy shop cat inside a liquor store and...

Some things get better with age. The Empire State Building—now approaching its 100th birthday—is definitely one of them.  The Empire State Building became an icon when it opened in 1931 as the world's tallest building. Though the landmark may have lost its No. 1 height status, it's remained a beloved destination with incredible views of the city. Thanks to recent updates, it's not just about the views anymore. The building now spotlights art, architecture, and history; plus, it offers a slew of cool events and excellent dining options.  Tourists tend to make the Empire State Building their first stop upon arriving in New York City, and they're onto something—it's worth a visit, no matter if you're a lifelong New Yorker or just passing through town. Here's everything you need to know to make the most of your trip to this essential gem of the Manhattan skyline. RECOMMENDED: 101 best things do in NYC Why is the Empire State Building so famous? This building was a Very Big Deal since day one. It was the world’s first building to soar higher than 100 stories, and it was completed in a record-breaking 1 year and 45 days thanks to seven million man-hours of hard work. The 102-story skyscraper opened to plenty of fanfare. On May 1, 1931, President Herbert Hoover pressed a button in Washington, D.C., officially opening the building and turning on the Empire State Building’s lights for the first time. The building quickly became a tourist hotspot, even more so when it became the...

Large, crusty bagels with pillowy insides are hallmarks—along with notoriously long lines—at this beloved shop, which launched in 1976 on 21st Street before expanding to Midtown East. Expect 18 varieties of house-made cream cheese, from sweet (blueberry, banana nut, Oreo) to savory (sundried tomato, cheddar, jalapeño), and an entire lunch docket of bagel sandwiches (turkey club, pizza bagel). 

We really like eating around the city, and we're guessing you do, too. So lucky for all of us, we've packed all our favorite restaurants under one roof at the Time Out Market New York. The DUMBO location in Empire Stores has fried chicken from Jacob’s Pickles, pizza from Fornino, delicious bagels from Ess-a-bagel and more amazing eateries—all cherry-picked by us. Chow down over two floors with views of the East River, Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyline.  RECOMMENDED: The best things do in NYC

If you thought getting a table at Per Se was tough, try getting into Rao’s. On second thought, don’t. Rao’s (pronounced “RAY-ohs”) is really a private club without the dues. To eat here, you’ll need a personal invite from one of the heavy hitters who “owns” a table. These CEOs, actors, politicians, news personalities and neighborhood old-timers established a long-standing arrangement with the late, legendary owner Frankie “No” Pellegrino, and that's what ensures a seat at one of the ten tables at the Italian-American icon. In fact, reading this review is probably the closest you’ll get to Rao’s.

Adda Indian Canteen was something of a revelation when it debuted in 2018; its refusal to compromise when it came to the bold side of the cuisine laid the groundwork for chef Chintan Pandya’s and Roni Mazumdar’s brand of cooking, and certainly influenced the name of their restaurant group: Unapologetically Foods. And yet, the original that kicked off a slew of award-winning restaurants (Dhamaka and Semma) came to a close earlier this May. But before we had time to write a eulogy, the closure came with a caveat: they would be back sooner than later. And they made good on that promise this April, moving operations to a larger space in the East Village. Alive yet again with a refreshed sense of self, Adda is continuing its long-standing ethos of presenting the cuisine in “its full, honest form.” Backdropped by graffiti-covered newspapers and magazines on the walls—which should look familiar, as the wallpaper was lifted from the old restaurant—Adda’s top hits return, including kebabs, soft housemade paneer and the combo of a silky egg custard and steamed goat brain in the bheja masala. But Adda’s evolution continues with lamb cooked every which way, with excellently seasoned minced meat pressed between layers of flatbread and skewered (Roti Aur Boti), and shreddy hunks bubbling in cast irons made even more unctuous with dollops of lamb butter. Chutneys? You can dip them and drink them in the same dinner, as tart tamarind, smoky mango mezcal and earthy onion brine martinis come...