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As Carrie, Miranda and Charlotte strut back into New York City for their next chapter, we couldn’t help but wonder what’s happened to some of their original hotspots. You know, the places the former foursome clinked Cosmos and swapped scandalous stories, the bars and restaurants that real New York women (and visitors) off-screen couldn't get enough of, for years after the half-hour episodes aired on HBO.
Over twenty years and a pandemic after Carrie’s tutu first graced the sides of an MTA bus, many of the eateries the show made famous are still very much thriving. Here's the current status of 10 of them.
Il Cantinori
The Italian eatery where Carrie hosted an ill-attended thirty-fifth birthday party is still very much up and running, doling out dine-in and delivery Italian classics. Carrie infamously sipped a Shirley Temple here while waiting for her friends to arrive and “drink a lot of champagne” but the East Village restaurant does have a full service bar and seasonal dinner menu, with highlights like homemade pappardelle.
Magnolia Bakery
Carrie and Miranda sat outside the West Village location of this small bakery, snacking on cupcakes, and started a baked goods revolution. Since, Magnolia’s corner of Bleecker Street has not only attracted blocks-long lines (especially in peak tourist season), but the brand has expanded across the city, the country and even internationally. And yes, they still serve the same buttercream frosted cupcakes.
Sushisamba
Much like Samantha Jones—who tossed a martini in Richard Wright’s face at this downtown Brazilian sushi spot—Sushisamba is no longer with us at its old location at 87 7th Avenue S. But Sushisamba devotees, fear not! A new location just opened in Dubai! Perhaps that’s where Samantha’s been all along…
Two Boots
One of the things SATC just did so well was show New Yorkers in their element. Sure, they were hyper glamorized and often obnoxiously privileged, but they were also relatable in so many ways, like when BFFs Carrie and Miranda go out to pizza after an insufferable raw dinner at RAW (a fictional parody of the trendy vegan eateries in the early 2000s). (Fun fact: The location of the pizza chain on 7th Ave. S. used to be home to the famous lesbian bar, The Duchess, and has a special pie in its honor, featuring a rainbow of cheeses.)
Lucky Cheng’s
Featured in the first ever episode of SATC, with Miranda celebrating her birthday at the notorious drag queen Chinese restaurant, Lucky Cheng’s lives on. Though the original East Village location closed, Lucky Cheng’s 2.0 is now in Hell’s Kitchen, offering dinner and a show with plenty of fabulousness.
TAO
SATC ushered in the era of the clubstaurant, and there’s perhaps no venue more iconic of the era than TAO. The giant buddha! The over-the-top menu! The pulsating music and neon drinks! Is the theme a bit culturally appropriate and problematic in this age? Yes, but that hasn’t stopped TAO from expanding into a second Chelsea location and operating two hotspots that usher in both nostalgia of the pre-Obama years and a generally good time.
Russian Samovar
That 1am date Carrie goes on with Aleksander Petrovsky before seeing Marina Abromovic at the MoMa? Still possible! Well, without the all-night performance art. This Russian restaurant is open until 2am and boasts an impressive selection of vodkas, plus live piano music.
Cafeteria
Not mentioned by name, this is the diner the four women met up at regularly for breakfast, late-night eats and everything in between. The all-day and all-night 24-hour eatery was once famous for attracting hungry clubgoers, famished after dancing, as well as daytime shoppers, and is easily bouncing back to a post-2020 people-watching hotspot. We’d be surprised not to see it in And Just Like That.
Pastis
SATC coincided with the development of the Meatpacking District as an “it” location for fashionistas and foodies, and Pastis was central to this movement. The trendy Keith McNally bistro briefly shuttered, but has since reopened with ample outdoor seating and all the charms of its earlier iteration. Treat yourself to a midday steak tartare with a side of gossip.
McDonald’s (Multiple Locations)
The golden arches may not be as associated with Carrie and her crew as Manhattan’s chicer spots, but even New York’s most fabulous sex columnist was a frequent consumer of Big Macs and fries. The franchise she visits for an iconic scene in season six, at 45 West 57th St in Midtown West is now closed, but it’s easy to think of Carrie when indulging in a late night fast food combo, dressed to the nines and just craving some fries.