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In 1891, heiress and philanthropist Margaret Louisa Vanderbilt founded the Margaret Louisa Home for Protestant Women, a six-story home in Union Square to house such self-sufficient working women. As of last year, the building has now been converted to the luxury hotel and exclusive members club import from London, The Twenty Two, with a ground floor is open to all. Carrying on the legacy of this historic home, the restaurant is now open, powered by an award-winning women-led team.  The team behind the Michelin-starred Musket Room and Raf’s lead the charge here, including sisters Jennifer and Nicole Vitagliano, alongside executive chef Mary Attea and executive pastry chef Camari Mick. The menu travels through chef Attea’s Lebanese heritage, on the plate with dips and spreads and Moroccan spiced mains to sumac-dusted and arak-forward cocktails.

Nine Orchard occupies the iconic Jarmulowsky Bank, a deeply historic building restored using its original 1912 blueprints. The Neo-Renaissance architecture has been brought back to life with care: vaulted ceilings, pink Tennessee marble floors and Botticino marble walls create a backdrop for bold artworks and patterned banquettes.  It’s a hotel that works just as well for coffee, dinner or drinks as it does for an overnight stay. It’s also a magnet for celebrities and tastemakers—on my way out, I clocked model Lucky Blue Smith and his social-media-star wife Nara Smith gliding in to check in—proof, if any were needed, that Nine Orchard is one heck of a swish place to stay.  Why should you stay at Nine Orchard? Let me count the reasons. Firstly, the location is spot on: just off the beaten path in the Lower East Side, with an indie edge and some of the city’s best boutiques on the doorstep. The design is genuinely swoon-worthy, and the dining options deliver, with the ground-floor Swan Room calling for a cocktail once evening rolls around.  What are the rooms like at Nine Orchard?  There are 113 rooms across six categories, starting with classic and studio spaces with queen or king-size beds. At the top end, there are two-bedroom suites ideal for families, plus a rooftop terrace suite and the aptly named Supreme View Suite, with skyline vistas.  While the public spaces lean into opulent maximalism, the bedrooms feel calm and relaxed, drawing on mid-century modern influences....

On a random summer night, a bouncer perched outside Bar Snack called out to me and other passersby on the street, luring us with the promise of great drinks, great food and "the best bathroom in the East Village." Reader: I am here to tell you—he was right. But if a disco-fresh bathroom isn't enough to tempt you in, the convivial nature and solid list of tasty cocktails (and snacks!) found at Bar Snack certainly will.  The vibe: After surveying the East Village and its many, many (expensive) cocktail bars, bartender Iain Griffiths and Brooklyn-based bar owner Oliver Cleary decided they wanted to create something—and so they did, serving "dressed-up classics for dressed-down people." The inside gives off '70s lounge—think wood paneling and a dark, walnut-wood bar lined with glittery orange bar stools. Snagging a seat during the nighttime hours can prove difficult as this bar certainly attracts a crowd, making standing room your best bet. But even the daytime can bring a rowdy good time, as rock and throwback hits (hello Spice Girls!) blare through the speakers. The food: Snack is in the name, isn't it? And snacks, they do so well. Fried cheese curds are tossed in pickle dust and hot dogs get a little fancy with onion jam and a hot pickle. But the snack of all snacks is the Spice Bag ($18). Leaning on Griffith's Irish roots, the bag comes to the table in a white paper bag labeled "Spice Bag" fashioned in the style of the Spice Girls logo. As much as you'll want to save it,...

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...

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

With entree selections like a crab cake Benedict and fried chicken and shrimp waffle, seafood lovers who love sweet sips are in luck. For $60, Sweet Catch offers guests their choice of entree and 90 minutes of unlimited mimosas and “bellies,” both of which are available in the usual orange and peach flavors in addition to strawberry, mango and passionfruit.    

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.

Delmonico’s has had several twists and turns in its 196 years as a hospitality enterprise. Expansion and retraction. Ownership changes and licensing agreements. Fires. Financial battles. And status grabs as the nation’s first fine dining destination, its largest, and as the originator of such august entrées as eggs Benedict.  It has occupied the distinguished tip of a triangle block downtown in one form or another for most of the time since 1837. Its last gap was during the pandemic. Then, another zag last winter, when news of its impending return was announced, then retracted, then proclaimed once more, with new owners and some cosmetic alterations attached. Delmonico’s reopened, replete with a ribbon cutting and a visit from the mayor, in September.  Like centuries, I suppose, 20 minutes can seem subjective, depending on how you spend them. I recently spent what ended up being 20 minutes waiting for my Delmonico’s reservation acquiring knowledge.  First, I learned that the delay had no estimated end because “a couple of tables” were “finishing up.” Second, I learned that I could beat it to the separate bar to wait for an undetermined period, but there might not be space because it was “pretty crowded.” Third, I learned that if you while away on the pretty blue settee near the entrance, instead, you will be walled off by a dense line of vacation-wear or business casual-clad people clamoring to retrieve their items from coat check. And finally, I eventually learned that 20...

Tucked into the heart of Hell’s Kitchen, Jan Jao Kha feels like stepping into a quiet, moonlit corner of Thailand. Inspired by an ancient Thai lullaby and the elegance of Siam’s royal cuisine, the restaurant leans into deep tradition without ever feeling heavy. Every dish reflects slow-cooked heritage from the Sukhothai-Ayutthaya era with handcrafted spice pastes, meticulous techniques and recipes passed down through centuries, reimagined with a modern New York sensibility. It’s intimate, glowing and instantly transports you, it’s the kind of place that turns dinner into a small ritual. The menu is full of dishes you simply won’t find elsewhere. Signature items like the royal Kanom Jeeb Nok, a delicately folded bird-shaped dumpling filled with caramelized peanut, onion and preserved radish. Comforting bowls like Gaeng Thay Po (pork belly curry with morning glory), the bright and aromatic Tom Som Boran with jumbo shrimp and young tamarind leaves and the richly layered Gaeng Pla featuring king fish steak in kaffir lime-infused curry highlight flavors that go beyond what most people think of as traditional Thai cuisine. Expect deeper spice profiles, softer textures and the nostalgic aromas of old Siam. The ambience completes the experience. Warm lighting, timeless details and a gentle evening glow make the dining room feel like a romantic night in Thailand. It’s the perfect backdrop for date nights, comfort meals or anyone craving refined Thai flavors served with heart.

I am used to being the only Black face in the room. Growing up in the suburbs of California, it was easy to count the amount of Black students who shared a classroom with me. Moving to Colorado, even easier. While I now live in New York and representation is found just a few steps out my door, my career covering food media tells the same story of division. Especially in restaurants, the hierarchy can be clear: people of color are usually relegated to service positions and it’s the white chefs who win awards.  But when you see the opposite—a dining room and kitchen staffed entirely of people of color and women, it’s enough, for me at least, to pause and take notice. This was by design at Hav & Mar. A Marcus Samuelsson restaurant, Hav & Mar tells the story of Samuelsson’s heritage, from the food it serves down to the name itself (“hav” translates to “ocean” in Swedish, while “mar” is Amharic for “honey,” the official language of Ethiopia). But more than that, Samuelsson wanted his latest to pay homage to the women who shaped his career, telling us in 2022 when the restaurant opened, “We thought of people of color and women and decided to focus on female leadership.” Making good on that promise, the kitchen and crew are entirely staffed by women and people of color. And at the helm of it chef Fariyal Abdullahi. A finalist for 2024 “Emerging Chef” from the James Beard Foundation, chef Abdullahi seems perfectly suited to the role, even sharing key similarities with Samuelsson...