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If anyone can claim to be an expert on Neapolitan pizza, it’s Keste’s Roberto Caporuscio: As president of the U.S. branch of the Associazione Pizzaiuoli Napoletani, he’s top dog for the training and certification of pizzaioli (a former dairy farmer and mozzarella maker, he’s also intimately familiar with that most essential cheese). In addition to all the hallmarks of the Neapolitan product—San Marzano tomatoes, double zero flour, a scorching-hot wood-burning oven—Caporuscio uses a slow-speed mixer to work his dough. Then, he gently stretches it into a round with his hands, since it’s far too soft for tossing. The resulting crust is tender yet resilient, puffed with warm pockets of steaming airs. All over the golden surface is an even spotting of tiny black blisters, just enough to deliver that brick-oven sear, but not so much that any single bite tastes burnt. Whatever you put on it, from the classic Margherita toppings to butternut squash puree with smoked mozzarella, it’s as close to the platonic ideal as we’ve found.

In need of a summertime adventure? Set sail for The Yacht Club. The same seafaring squad who brought us bivalves on a barge (Grand Banks) and a waterfront hangout in the West Village (Drift In) adds to last summer's ever-growing fleet with The Yacht Club. Docked in Chelsea, the restaurant is the largest of the bunch, with a whopping 20,000 square feet spanning two floors, featuring an indoor dining room with blue-hued booths and nautical touches, and a sprawling terrace that sings a sweet siren call in the summertime. Stuffy and snobby, this club is not, as the hall is home to a friendly crew ready to ply you with seafood towers and shucked oysters, lobster made every which way—in a roll or even lobster frites—and tater tots strewn with caviar, better known as Yacht Tots. When the weather is warm, take to the terrace for the duration of your journey with a glass of bubbles in one hand and an oyster in the other. 

This DUMBO gem serves up an elevated omakase experience that’s as dreamy as its Zen-like atmosphere. From artfully-plated tempura to luscious nigiri and house-made desserts, each dish features the freshest ingredients both local and global-including fish flown in fresh daily from Japan’s legendary Toyosu Market. Surrounded by serene decor dotted with bonsai trees, you'll feel like you're dining in a little Japanese oasis, making each bite even more special. Personalized menus and surprise gifts turn this into more than just a meal—it’s a full-on celebration.

The rooftop restaurant inside Equinox’s very first hotel is just as you’d envision a restaurant from a luxury-gym brand to be: health-conscious, sleek and upmarket, catering to a see-and-be-seen crowd that may or may not have just worked out.  The vibe: Electric Lemon mimics the monochromatic stylings of the luxury gym down below: much of it grey, much of it grand and mostly sparsely decorated except for curved metal accents, a fireplace and wavy reflective art pieces. The real draw is the sprawling, 8,000-square-foot terrace, offering excellent views of the river and a stockyard of subway cars lying in wait down below. Don't be surprised if a flock of gussied-up influencers magically appear at the golden hour to snap a few pics. But you can't really hate on them, as you'll likely be right alongside them, taking shots of your own. The food: Two words: clean eating. What that phrase actually translates to here is food that feels healthy enough, but is bordering on boring. Mindfully nosh on tightly packed summer rolls plump with an assortment of rainbow petals, "new-fashioned" deviled crab (that needs more helpings of its creamy ginger dressing and a vehicle to eat it with) and a juicy piece of chicken served over a bed of spring veggies.  You can get a bit naughty with a wonderful lemon spaghetti featuring pops of bottarga and a generous sprinkle of fresh lemon zest and Parmesan. The cheeseburger ($32) is sufficiently indulgent but exorbitantly priced at $46, once you add...

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.

A decade into her cooking career, Rasheeda Purdie has already made history a few times, first running the only Black-owned ramen shop in America out of a tight stall in The Bowery Market and now operating New York’s first ramen shop dedicated to asa-ramen, or breakfast-style ramen. While she follows the principles of the Japanese dish, she layers in flavors meant to appease a New Yorker’s diet, from bacon, egg and cheese bowls to lox-inspired varieties. The vibe: Purdie has held a lot of titles over the years—from stylist to the Obamas to now chef. She can add interior designer to the list, as she had a hand in assembling her East Village storefront. Everything is intentional here, from the chocolate woods and crystal glassware inherited from Purdie's mother, down to the lace curtains and lace headwraps that Purdie and her sous chef, Brianne “Brie” Waller, wear. But it is Purdie and Waller who make it feel like home, as they converse and connect over the counter.  The food: Purdie fell in love with asa-ramen, and so will you. With 15-plus years of living in New York under her belt, she’s blended the style with breakfast flavors locals will find familiar. The Bacon, Fried Egg & Cheese is a crowd favorite, with thick cuts of bacon, a jammy egg, curls of Parmesan and dredges of bacon fat and lard oil tying it all together. The lox bowl drinks more like the sea, with a nori-infused broth and cream cheese foam—though the lox gets saltier the longer it sits, so eat with speed....

New York’s ever-changing skyline acquired another sky-high attraction for Gothamites to climb in 2019: Vessel. The 150-foot-tall, 60-ton landmark, located at sleek cultural destination Hudson Yards, resembles a honeycomb, although some New Yorkers say it looks like a waste can. Others say the larger-than-life art installation designed by British architect Thomas Heatherwick is New York’s version of the Eiffel Tour. As for what we say? The gleaming bronze-toned structure looks like a good excuse to get your steps in and snap some pics for Instagram. We climbed the spiral staircase made up of 154 interconnecting staircases, almost 2,500 individual steps and 80 landings—the various outlook points offer panoramic views of the Hudson River, the West Side skyline and the ever-expanding Hudson Yards campus, all of which appear mighty dreamy at sunset. Bonus: New Yorkers can visit for free on select days; here's how.

Coffee Project owner Chi-Sum Ngai grew up serving traditional condensed-milk–splashed coffee at her parents' cafe in Malaysia before studying the dark stuff at Portland's American Barista and Coffee School. Ngai and her partner Kaleena Teoh have cafes in the East Village, Chelsea, and Brooklyn, and a roastery and training center in Long Island City. They also source from small, often women-owned, cooperatives and family farms that prioritize good working conditions, wages, and benefits for farmworkers. The drinks menu includes drip, pour over and espresso staples, as well as good chai and matcha lattes, a hot chocolate and tasty sandwiches, toasts and baked goods. It's one of the best spots for top-notch coffee in the city.

In the years since it opened its gates in May 2021, Little Island has become one of New York's primo warm-weather destinations. Open from 6am daily, the “floating” greenspace is an elevated oasis of trees and knolls and winding paths that rises—as though suspended on a bed of coupe cocktail glasses—above Pier 55 in the Hudson, just west of the Meatpacking District. In the same brief period, it has established itself as one of the city's most vital sources of low-cost high culture in the summer. Concerts, plays, dance shows, operas: These and more can be found on Little Island all summer long, whether at its 687-seat open-air amphitheater (the Amph), its smaller performance stage (the Glade) or at pop-up locations throughout the space.