New York is currently playing host to the latest in the long history of Armory Shows. Let BLOUIN ARTINFO guide you to the best places to eat, drink, shop and sleep.
Alder
A 56-seater in the heart of the East Village, this latest venture from Chef Wylie Dufresne offers a playful interpretation of comfort food, from Jalapeño Poppers with trout roe and ponzu to the pistachio–white fig “Pub Cheese” with specialty potato chips. Meanwhile, check out the eclectic cocktail menu, featuring choices like the Burnt Reynolds, a smooth mix of rye, smoked vermouth, and Campari.
157 Second Ave
(212) 539-1900
The Elm
Paul Liebrandt was the first two Michelin-starred chef to make his way to Brooklyn with the opening of The Elm this past July. Located in King & Grove Williamsburg hotel, this upscale eatery features French-inspired dishes from one of four categories: Raw, Sea, Land, and Share (for multi-person plates) — or, guests can spring for an eight-course tasting menu.
160 N 12th St, Brooklyn
(718) 218-1088
Nolita
A self-proclaimed “beverage-driven restaurant,” this cozy Nolita eatery certainly sports an impressive wine list, but the entrees served up by Chef Ignacio Mattos — from raw bay scallops with radish and yuzu to ricotta dumplings with percorino and mushrooms — give “bar food” a good name.
47 E Houston St
(212) 219-7693
Cherry
A hip sushi spot sporting French décor, Cherry specializes in delicious fusion dishes, such as foie gras and tuna with umeshu cherries and spiced cashews, and steak au poivre with Japanese sweet potato kakiage.
Dream Downtown, Basement, 355 W 16th St
(212) 929-5800
Cover image by Flickr/ Matthew Field
The Raven
Named for Edgar Allan Poe’s famous fowl, this dimly lit MePa haunt resembles a punked-out Victorian living room, with black leather couches and ornate blood-red walls. Presided over by on-the-rise nightlifer Henry Stimler, The Raven offers a healthy mix of grit and glitz, attracting the likes of Charlotte and Samantha Ronson and LL Cool J.
55 Gansevoort St
(888) 833-6054 ext. 7
No. 8
Veteran club-hoppers who long for the days of quaffing cocktails at Bungalow 8 need look no further: Amy Sacco has revived the legendary hot spot in its new incarnation, No. 8, just down the block from the Dream Downtown Hotel. However, its exclusivity is also a holdover — est to know someone on the inside, or fake a convincing celeb connection: George Clooney, Liam Hemsworth, and Michael Fassbender have all been spotted behind its imposing iron door.
357 West 16th St
(212) 206-1096
Bossa Nova Civic Club
If you’re looking to get down — down enough to dip into Brooklyn — best to check out this fast-growing party hub. With a pseudo tropical theme, an ever-bustling dance floor, and a line halfway down the block come midnight, Bossa Nova offers some respite from the aggressive quaintness of most North Brooklyn watering holes, serving up reasonably priced drinks and fresh electronic sound.
1271 Myrtle Ave, Brooklyn
(718) 443-1271
Le Baron
Andre Saraiva’s infamous international nightclub chain may seem like old news since its buzzworthy 2012 NYC debut, but the party rages on in this three-story Chinatown funhouse. Perfect for scenesters savvy enough to circle back around and newcomers in search of an outrageous anecdote for the friends back home.
32 Mulberry St
No phone available
Reformation
Tired of wearing last year’s duds? Well, at Reformation, you’ll beg for them back. Led by veteran designer Yael Aflalo, the Reformation design team takes the idea behind Molly Ringwald’s Pretty in Pink prom dress to a whole new level, creating one-of-a-kind garments from repurposed vintage pieces. With over 80% reclaimed materials in each one of their limited edition collections, Reformation champions sustainability and locally-sourced labor, offering a distinctly fashionable way to go green (or whatever color’s in this season).
156 Ludlow St
(646) 448-4925
23 Howard Street
(212) 510-8455
Cloak & Dagger
Launched in 2006, Brookelynn Starnes’s “Cloak & Dagger” line was quick to take off, with its playful silhouettes and gauzy tops. Today, Starnes owns and operates two boutiques — one in the East Village, one in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn — where she sells other like-minded brands alongside her own, including Lauren Moffatt, Sessun, and Chloe Sevigny for OC.
441 E 9th St
(212) 673-0500
77B Hoyt Street, Brooklyn
(718) 875-0500
Opening Ceremony
A store storied for its avant-garde international collections, this Soho fashion juggernaut shows no signs of slowing, announcing Russia as its featured country of 2014 — a timely choice, given the Olympics’ locale. (2013’s country was Belgium, 2012’s Korea.)
35 Howard St
(212) 219-2688
The NoMad Hotel
With 168 rooms restored by French designer Jacques Garcia, the NoMad offers a Parisian sensibility, complete with handmade vintage Heriz rugs, mahogany writing desks, and a number of rooms with clawfoot bathtubs. Perks include an in-house restaurant featuring cuisine by Michelin-starred Chef Daneil Humm and French boutique Maison Kitsuné’s first ever U.S. outpost.
1170 Broadway
(212) 796-1500
The Standard
Manhattan’s top scenester haunt certainly is “standard” by now, with its hopping upstairs nightlife at Le Bain Discothèque and its central MePa locale. Still, if you’re looking for a slightly more subdued experience, maybe check out the East Village location — all the swank without quite so much brouhaha.
High Line, 848 Washington St
(212) 645-4646
East Village, 25 Cooper Square
(212) 475-5700
Refinery Hotel
Located in the heart of the Fashion District, Refinery Hotel’s 197 guest rooms were once home to a hat factory in the garment boom of the early 20th century — a fact the hotel preserves with pride, leaving its gothic arched entryways intact and furnishing its accommodations with millinery artifacts, such as desks inspired by Singer sewing machines. A thoroughly modern addition, however, is the 3,500-square-foot rooftop bar, featuring biochemical cocktail concoctions from Alex Ott and spectacular city views.
63 W 38th St
(646) 664-0310
