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For a true oasis in what can often feel like one of the most bustling neighborhoods of the city, the Crosby Street Hotel is the place to be. Tucked away on its namesake street, just a stones throw from Balthazar and the chaos of Broadway, this art-filled hotel brings a colorful English aesthetic to its rooms, common areas, and restaurant. The design paired with its famous exceptional service has earned the hotel 3 Michelin Keys.
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This casual, Chicago-inspired restaurant brings more to the table than its deep dish pizza (though you’re welcome to order one if that’s your vibe.) Personally we opt for a thin tavern-style pie, plus a salad and an app or two.
Stride past the hours-long line outside the nearby froyo spot and up to the window of Softside - a soft serve spot from the team behind Upside Pizza next door. With just a few options for ice cream and toppings, here’s you’re getting nothing but the best takes on the classics.
Part restaurant, part luxury cocktail bar, The Crosby Bar located in the Crosby Street Hotel is a perennial favorite of ours in the neighborhood. While we love eating just about any meal here, the English afternoon high tea is one of the meals we will always return here for. From the wide array of teas to sandwiches and pastry, The Crosby Bar knows exactly what they’re doing.
A new Japanese izakaya spot in SoHo, Noury’s menu features modern izakaya fare, with signature dishes like Grilled Montauk Tuna Belly, Crab Futomaki and a daily changing Sashimi. They’re serving up an exceptional wine and sake list with a focus on rarity, craftsmanship and terroir, alongside a selection of cocktails and refined spirit-free options.
Burger scholar George Motz made his frycook debut with Hamburger America – a chic burger-focused diner in Greenwich Village. In addition to a classic smashburger, Hamburger America is serving the Fried Onion Burger which is a midwest specialty the owner has brought into the spotlight. One more cool thing about this place? A single-patty burger will only set you back $7.25.
There are typically lines for tables at this Nolita hotspot and for good reason. The fare here, true to the name, adds Thai flavor and influence to American Diner classics like their disco fries topped in spicy massaman curry. The secret sleeper here is the Thai diner breakfast sandwich, which uses roti as the bread…so so good.
Thai Diner’s chicken finger and tropical fruit drink concept is a tribute to chef-partner Ann Redding’s mother, Ampai. Their menu is centered around Thai chicken fingers served up in flavors like Lemongrass and Coconut. We’re super excited about the “Mommy Cakes” (coconut scallion pancakes) and the Curry Puff Mozzarella Sticks.
We'll take a Santo Taco run over a sit-down dinner nine times out of ten when we're shopping our way through SoHo. It's a no-frills counter serving some of the “trompo” style tacos in the city. Order at the window, grab an agua fresca, and eat standing up outside if the weather's on your side.
There's a reason this tiny Thai & Sushi spot on Elizabeth Street has kept a line out the door for years, and it's not just the low prices. Cash (or AMEX!) only, no reservations, and the kind of place where you'll wait for a table but never regret it once the coconut curry shows up.
We love a restaurant that hasn't tried to reinvent itself, and Fanelli Cafe hasn't budged much since 1922, back when SoHo was still mostly warehouses. The tin ceilings and boxing memorabilia on the walls haven't changed, and neither has the appeal of a straightforward burger and a cold one at the bar. Oh, and if you want to be seen in soho…grab a table outside - this is the place to be.
This Rome staple has made its way to NYC, we’re so happy about it. The restaurant features a small pantry shop up front, with casual dining and a salumaria in the same area. Downstairs you can find a pasta tasting menu in a slightly more upscale setting. Anyway around, you’ll have an authentic Roman meal here!
This Mediterranean/Japanese skewer spot from the team behind Lighthouse centers around the skewers (as well as sandwiches and plates) inflected with Japanese ingredients and served alongside housemade mezze, pita, and softserve.
This small steakhouse chain is exactly the type of spot that SoHo needs. They’re serving up ice cold martinis and an insane stack of onion rings, in a chic uptown feel interior. If you’re visiting on a day with great weather, sit out front for Parisian vibes and dine at one of their bistro tables.
No SoHo guide is complete without it. This is the brasserie that put the neighborhood on the map for a certain kind of diner, and decades later it's still doing the job better than most of its imitators thanks to the heavy hand of owner Keith McNally. Come for the raw bar, stay for the onion soup, and don't be surprised if you spot someone famous two tables over.
This Nolita cafe is a perfect way to transport yourself to a garden in the south of France. Their more to-go and casual coffee area up front leads you into an all day cafe inside with cozy tables, and finally their backyard patio is where you want to be on a Spring day…frose and quiche in hand!
This small cafe quietly serves some of the best coffee in the city, all roasted themselves in Brooklyn from Nicaraguan beans. Owner César Vega also produces very chic and delicious natural wines under the label Barbichette, available up the block at Wine Therapy.
Copenhagen’s La Cabra has made its mark on NYC with multiple locations now of their popular and minimalist cafes. SoHo got lucky with their La Cabra as it features a cool interior with
Gem Home brings a grocery, cafe, and home goods store all under one concept at 181 Mott Street in Nolita. Head over for everything from a hand blown glass carafe to a slice of vadouvan focaccia.
A perk of staying at any Firmdale hotel, is access to their cozy “honor bar” in the guest-only lounge. We loved playing a round of backgammon in the sculpture garden out back, before coming into the lounge for a DIY honor bar cocktail in the Crosby Street’s coziest space.
Just around the corner from King, the food here will be truly British (think Scotch Eggs and Fish & Chips) and will boldly adopt a no reservations policy (something we can all get behind.) Polish things off with a frosty 20oz pint of Guinness.
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This Elizabeth Street boutique deals in clothing and objects that feel considered rather than trendy, a tightly edited mix of independent designers, ceramics, and home goods that makes browsing feel like a small education.
You already know Catbird, even if you don't think you do. The Brooklyn-born jewelry brand basically defined dainty, everyday-fine jewelry when they introduced their signature zap bracelets and their SoHo outpost is still the place to go for a stackable ring or a delicate gold chain you'll never take off.
For shoes and bags that split the difference between polished and playful, we always point people toward Loeffler Randall's SoHo shop, especially if you're after something for a wedding season that's a little more fun than the usual black heel.
PS. Read our interview with founder and cool friend Jessie Randall
If you miss the days of an actual newsstand, this is your spot. Iconic Magazines is packed floor to ceiling with fashion, art, and design magazines from around the world, plenty of which you'll never find anywhere else in the city. While prices have crept up over the years, this is still one of the best places for periodical print in Manhattan.
Our favorite independent bookstore in the neighborhood, we love their thoughtfully curated shelves, consistent events calendar, and the kind of staff picks that actually feel handpicked.
When we need a reliable tee or a pair of jeans that actually fit right, Buck Mason is where we go. Classic, well-made basics with a slight edge. Oh, and the in-store coffee is legitimately great.
Part used bookstore, part cafe, and entirely for a good cause, since all proceeds go toward Housing Works' mission to help New Yorkers affected by homelessness and HIV/AIDS. Come for the used books, stay for the cafe, and don't be surprised if you leave with an armful.
Even if you're not shopping, it's worth stepping into Ulla Johnson's SoHo flagship just to see the space. Known for flowy, romantic silhouettes with a global, handcrafted feel, it's the kind of store that's as much a design destination as a clothing one.
This is the retail arm of the museum uptown, but the SoHo location has its own personality entirely, full of clever home goods, books, and gifts that manage to feel design-forward without being precious about it. Especially after its recent renovation, this is a wonderful place to find unique and left-of-center gifts for the art and design lover in your life.
Abbode is our go-to when we need a gift that feels personal without much effort on our end. This Nolita shop on Elizabeth Street specializes in custom embroidery, think monogrammed totes, waffle pouches, and robes, all made to order in house. Great for a bachelorette, a hostess gift, or honestly just treating yourself.
The LA-founded handbag and accessories brand has become something of our downtown uniform staple, and their Nolita shop is stocked with the striped totes and little coin purses you've probably seen all over your Instagram feed.
Walking into the French brand's NYC flagship genuinely feels like stepping into a Parisian apartment, cafe included. Come for the effortlessly chic basics, and try what most other Américains can only buy online.
We're suckers for a good pen and notebook, and Goods for the Study is where that particular addiction gets fed. This stationery and desk-goods shop in Nolita (they've also got an outpost in the Village) stocks everything from fountain pens to hand-marbled journals.
The Nolita boutique for the New York-based designer known for quirky it-girl clothes in interesting fabrics. A go-to if you want something that doesn't look like everyone else's closet.
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The New Museum is dedicated exclusively to contemporary art, and it's always worth checking the current show before you commit to a full visit, since the programming rotates constantly and can range from quietly cerebral to genuinely strange in the best way. They’ve also recently opened a restaurant as part of the renovations led by Julia Sherman (aka Salad for President)
We still get a little thrill walking into this one, even after visiting more times than we can count. This public sculpture garden tucked behind a row of buildings on Elizabeth Street is the kind of hidden spot that makes you feel like you've found a secret, even though plenty of people already know about it.
If your idea of a good time downtown involves working up a sweat, FORWARD_Space on Spring Street is our pick. It's a dance-cardio studio built around high-energy dance classes set to a great soundtrack… a fun way to shake off a few too many Balthazar breakfasts.
Donald Judd's former home and studio on Spring Street, preserved almost exactly as he left it. Visiting requires a reservation, but it's one of the most fascinating ways to see how a working artist actually lived alongside his own work, plus the occasional curation of work from other artists like light artist Dan Flavin.
We love this niche nonprofit dedicated entirely to drawing as a medium. It might sound strange until you're standing in front of the current show and realizing how much range that one category of art can actually contain.
The go-to downtown spot for indie and arthouse films, with the added bonus (or occasional annoyance, depending who you ask) of feeling the subway rumble beneath your seat mid-movie.
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