The 50 Coolest Places in New York City Right Now

New York City has many merits, but being easily conquered isn't one of them. This city's streets hold a myriad of secrets. So many, in fact, that even after living here for a decade, you can expect to regularly stumble on tiny treasures lurking just blocks away.

Luckily for you, we take exploring these streets very seriously. Here, find our favorites, both old and new, known and obscure.

These are The 50 Coolest Places in New York City Right Now.

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Neighborhood: East Village
Address: 207 Second Ave.
Website: momofuku.com

Is it one of those too-tired Manhattan cocktail bars you've heard far too much about, that makes too far a fuss over their mixology standards? Sure, yeah, it's one of those. But it's also the kind of place that can make you leave your cynicism about institutions like these behind, as it's operated by David Chang and Co, the reigning kings of taking ostensibly stupid ideas and turning them into brilliant Manhattan institutions that have yet to lose their luster. Yes, master bartender Dave Arnold is clarifying liquids and using liquid nitrogen and doing all kinds of wacky shit with his booze. But at the end of the day, it's a great space to grab a solid-if not downright incredible-drink, and the snacks are halfway decent, too. Avoid at your own peril. -Foster Kamer

Neighborhood: SoHo
Address: 126 Crosby St.
Website: housingworks.org/bookstore

Bookstores generally tend to attract thoughtful people, but in a used bookstore where you can buy a Proust paperback for 50 cents (the proceeds of which go towards homelessness and AIDS issues funding) the crowd is more or less enlightened. Lingering over your latte in the literary fiction section, conversations quickly escalate into heated discussions about social issues. Maybe it's the smell of old books in the dusty air, but something about this coffee shop gets people talkin' 'bout a revolution. -Shanté Cosme

Neighborhood: East Village
Address: 43 3rd Ave.
Website: metropolisvintageonline.com

From the outside, Metropolis looks like any other New York City thrift store, but the difference quickly becomes apparent when you start sifting through the racks. The selection's hand-picked and carefully curated, and on the top floor you can find anything from old Harley Davidson tees and leather motorcycle jackets, to vintage Prince shirts from the '80s. Downstairs you'll find unlimited combat boots and army gear, and although the items aren't cheap, Metropolis offers the authentic, original style that stores like Urban Outfitters try to replicate and label as vintage. Go here: All killer, no filler, the Real McCoy. -Jacob Moore

Neighborhood: Flatiron
Address: 37 West 26th St.
Website: hogpit.com/home/

There is something beautiful about drinking a 40 oz. of Colt 45 in a bar instead of, you know, in bed, at home, or in your backyard. The Hog Pit is nothing special; it's decorated like a townie bar which makes it not a townie bar at all...because it is decorated. It has pretty decent barbecue food, but who are we kidding? It's all about the 40 oz. and the buckets of PBR. -Lauren Nostro

Neighborhood: Upper West Side

Address: 94th to 95th Street, btwn. Broadway and West End Ave.

Website: N/A

New York City's coolest architectural gems often go unnoticed. Hidden between Broadway and West End, this cooperative apartment complex resembles a Tudoresque London street. In fact, the name draws from an early 20th century romantic comedy by Louis N. Parker and near enough mirrors a stage set of miniature Queen Anne mansions. It is as surprising as it is magical, and even if you can't step inside, peering through the gates grants just enough of a glimpse to remind of the restorative power of architecture. Pomander Walk is truly an escape from New York's regularly towering streets. -Nick Schonberger

Neighborhood: NoMad/Flatiron
Address: 1170 Broadway
Website: thenomadhotel.com

It may not have the draw of the younger, tech-scene crowd and media scene hangout that populates the lobby of the Ace Hotel right up the street, but all the more reason to take refuge in the NoMad's dark hallways and various bars instead. The NoMad has a more international crowd attending to it, and its celebrity draw has proven pretty powerful lately. Having a Maison Kitsune boutique for a "hotel store" doesn't hurt, and neither does a choice of six different spots within the hotel to grab a bite or a drink, all drawing from the same critically acclaimed menu, though with occasional distinctions. We say hit the atrium during the day, one of the greatest naturally-lit spaces in New York to grab a drink or a cup of coffee right now. Expensive as hell? Yes. But if you've got it, and got it to spend? Spend it here. -Foster Kamer

Neighborhood: Upper East Side
Address: 865 First Ave.
Website: chouxfactory.com

If your ever find yourself on the Upper East Side and you're craving something sweet, make your way to Choux Factory. Choux is known for their delicious cream puffs, filled fresh to order. You'll find flavors such as vanilla, chocolate, green tea and strawberry to name just a few. If custard isn't your thing, they also have a variety of pastries, kona coffee, and macaroons. #fatbastardcrew -Patrick Judabong

Neighborhood: Lincoln Center
Address: 70 Lincoln Square #4
Website: filmlinc.com

Casual moviegoers looking to enjoy the latest big studio production can always head to the nearest AMC or Regal location, but what about the much more hardcore, Béla Tarr-loving cinema enthusiasts? It's all about Lincoln Center's Film Society theaters, a passionate, adventurous cinephile's one-stop shop for the latest American-made independent films, critics' favorites from all around the world, and repertory screenings of undisputed classics and obscure, unearthed treasures.

The best bet: Become an official Film Society member (for anywhere between $35 to $610 per year, depending on your desired package and perks). That way, you'll receive discounts and gain early access to purchase opportunities for the Film Society's seemingly endless string of festivals (i.e., the prestigious New York Film Festival). Many of the various festivals focus on specific countries (next week kicks off the "Celebrating the Australian Film Revival" lineup), acclaimed filmmakers (such as Stanley Kubrick), or certain genres (October's annual Scary Movies series is a must-attend event).

Not to mention, Film Society also offers events like last year's "An Evening with Christopher Nolan," during which the Dark Knight franchise overseer sat down for a live Q&A covering the inner workings of his beloved Batman series. You won't get that kind of intimacy at the local overpriced multiplex. -Matt Barone

Neighborhood: Williamsburg
Address: 205 Grand St.
Website: samuraimama.com

This Japanese restaurant specializes in udon, but everything on the menu, from the pan-fried gyoza, to the curry rice, is super delicious. The food is authentic, the service is awesome, and the patrons are stylish and surprisingly unpretentious. The small booths and long communal wooden table makes Samurai Mama the perfect spot for a casual dinner with friends or a lady. -Soo-Young Kim

Neighborhood: East Village
Address: 422 East 9th St.
Website: goodbeernyc.com

The problem with a lot of cool places in New York City is the overwhelming feeling that everyone inside knows how cool they are and how cool the places are. It can be stressful. When you walk into Good Beer NYC, a craft beer store in the East Village (where you can drink the beer you buy), it feels like you're being transported to Raleigh, North Carolina. The setting is rustic, subdued, and unpretentious, the music selection is on point, and the atmosphere is more like a coffee shop than a bar. Except there's beer. Lots of beer. -Jacob Moore

Neighborhood: Chelsea
Address: 75 9th Ave.
Website: artistsandfleas.com/chelsea-market

After eating your weight in dulce de leche crepes and Fat Witch brownies in Chelsea Market, ambling to the end of the corridor might be an effort, but it's a worthwhile one thanks to Artists & Fleas. The large marketplace has a well-curated selection of vintage and handmade goods where artists and independent designers hawk their unique wares. Browse the 4,000-square-foot and expect to find anything from quirky home goods like clocks made from old books, to a t-shirt made with superhero bedsheets. Leave with something one of a kind, knowing your purchase supported a budding local proprietor. It's only a pop-up offshoot of the original in Williamsburg, so support the cause while you can. -Shanté Cosme

Neighborhood: Lower East Side
Address: 205 Chrystie St.
Website: cocktailbodega.com

Besides the fact that this is a Chef Roble joint, Cocktail Bodega is the most versatile spot to eat and hang out at. The food is fantastic. Although the portions are relatively small, the prices are low enough to allow you to order four entrees, or more. The kimchee Reuben is on point, the waffle fries are addicting, and a Cuban Sandwich quesadilla is an all-around A+ idea. Saying the service is friendly doesn't cover the half of it. You'll do shots with your server, and he'll tolerate you asking a million questions about their alcoholic smoothies. After dark, the basement turns into a trap rap heaven with a plethora of poles to dance on and an engaging bar staff. Cockail Bodega is the best of all worlds. -Lauren Nostro

Neighborhood: Sheepshead Bay

Address: 2901 Emmons Ave.

Website: rollnroaster.com



At Roll n' Roaster they've been making "simply delicious" food for over 40 years. The menu focuses on roast beef sandwiches, but extends to fried shrimp and a pizza. What makes it cool? In a time when "throw back" to "old" New York often requires navigating hipster pretense, Roll n' Roaster is nothing more than it purports to be. And, being situated in the neighborhood of Sheepshead Bay, is deep in traditional New York City values. -Nick Schonberger

Neighborhood: Williamsburg
Address: 103 North 3rd St.
Website: sketchbookproject.com

Brooklyn Art Library is a place where you take someone special to you, whether it be a dear friend, or someone you love (or, are working towards it with). The gorgeous space is lined with shelves sighing under the weight of many books. But not just any books. This is the home to The Sketchbook Project, where people are given empty books to fill with anything their tiny hearts desire.

The project travels the world with the many volumes submitted to the project, and here in Brooklyn, you can browse many of these volumes in a charming setting. Create a custom library card, and choose a topic, and one of the library employee's will pluck the books from the shelves and bring them to your table. Many are funny, some personal, but each one is creative and surprisingly poignant. You will laugh, be moved, and leave inspired to create something of your own. -Shanté Cosme

Neighborhood: Lower East Side
Address: 131 Chrystie St.
Website: figurenineteen.com

Based on its location and expected coterie, most would think that Fig. 19 (short for Figure 19) is another pretentious hipster spot in the Lower East Side. Thankfully, it's a hidden gem for those wanting a clean, dimly lit spot with excellent cocktails and a Depeche Mode soundtrack. It has a speakeasy vibe (it's also located in the back of an art gallery) and while it may be difficult to get in (there are often events and private parties) it's hard to deny such a laid back place with sage candles all around. -Cedar Pasori

Neighborhood: Flatiron
Address: 200 5th Ave.
Website: eataly.com/index.cfm

Eataly is right across the street from the Plex offices, but the sheer size of the place can be so overwhelming I seldom go there. Mario Batali's Italian mega market-chock full of amazing meats, breads, pastas, pesce, wine, and produce occupies much of a Manhattan city block, and yet it's almost always jam-packed with people.

Perched atop the Eataly megaplex, this rooftop restaurant and brewery is an oasis of calm and only-in-Manhattan cool. Open and bright even in winter months thanks to the retractable glassed-in roof, Birreria is a great place to enjoy some grilled meats or a tasty cheese plate washed down with the flavorful craft ales that they concoct just a few feet away. And it's nowhere near as crowded as the rest of Eataly. Just don't tell anybody, okay? -Rob Kenner

Neighborhood: West Village
Address: 254 Bleecker St.
Website: murrayscheese.com

Cheese caves are the type of awesome thing you expect to find in the countryside of the south of France, not below a busy street in the West Village. But if you look on the ground outside Murray's Cheese you'll see a see-through window offering a peak down below ground to the rooms where the shop's expert cheesemongers aged more than 100 varieties of curds. Pretty fucking awesome. Even more awesome is that you can set up a subterranean tour and see them yourself. -Chris Schonberger

Neighborhood: East Harlem

Address: 2145 2nd Ave.

Website: ricardosteakhouse.com

Part steak house, part party, Ricardo's in East Harlem boasts one of New York's most vibrant dining rooms. Where else can you get a mixed grill and watch a 65-year-old woman dance to 50 Cent songs in celebration of her birthday? The buzzing bar is great for people watching and the regular live music sets the vibe. -Nick Schonberger

Neighborhood: Midtown East

Address: 5 East 48th St.

Website: svenskakyrkan.se

You don't have to love God to love good coffee and fresh made cinnamon buns. This church is a pretty amazing date spot—they serve tasty Swedish sandwiches (some, like fish and egg on brown bread, may be only for more adventurous eaters), and the buns are made fresh daily, and they cost just $2. Nothing shows you have unique knowledge of the city like ducking down a midtown side street to find refuge in a beautiful church that servers delicious snacks and coffee. Go to the back to order your grub, then enjoy it in the spacious and comfortable library. Staying for the service is optional. -Noah Johnson

Neighborhood: East Village
Address: 43 East 7th St..
Website: jimmysno43.com

Jimmy's No. 43 is the unofficial clubhouse of craft beer and sustainable food in Manhattan, minus any of the pretentiousness and tweeness that distinction might suggest. It's actually full of the people who are on the front lines of these movements, making things happen because of their passion rather than any hope for financial gain. That same spirit extends to the artistic life of the intimate back room, which bar owner Jimmy Carbone opens up to all sorts of small theater groups, musical acts, and so on. The whole bar used to be a Polish social club, and it's got an awesome cavernous feel to it. That back room is a rare incubator of interesting creativity and community in a city that needs it more than ever. Jimmy makes that happen, and for that reason I think the back room is one of the coolest places in New York. You can find out about events going on back there on the bar's website, and learn more about it from the Kickstarter campaign to improve the facilities. -Chris Schonberger

Neighborhood: Lower East Side
Address: 54 Orchard St.
Website: missionchinesefood.com

There is your neighborhood Chinese take-out joint, and then, in another realm entirely, there is Mission Chinese. By now, you've undoubtedly heard the whispers around town. They speak of Americanized Chinese food, waits upwards of an hour, and, inexplicably, free beer. From a keg. Danny Bowiens take on Chinese food (more inspired by the latter than interpreting it) is the stuff hype is made of. It is also, as it happens, really fucking good. Whimsically decorated, Mission's menu mirrors its decor. Big, exciting flavors dominate the menu, from thrice cooked bacon rife with Sichuan pepper and paired with soft Shanghai-style rice cakes, to tender Chongqing chicken wings fit only for heat-seeking masochists. Get your mouth here before your tastebuds revolt. -Shanté Cosme

Neighborhood: East Village
Address: 201 1st Ave.
Website: jeepneynyc.com

Filipino food is really hard to explain. Especially to my white friends. They just know "balut," which is essentially aborted duck fetus-in a shell. Now I can just take them here, and be like: "This right here is sisig. This will change your life." It also doesn't hurt that the clientele consists of a steady rotation of the freshest-looking Filipinos in New York. -Jian DeLeon

Neighborhood: Nolita
Address: 52 Prince St.
Website: mcnallyjackson.com

There are a handful of independent bookstores in NYC, but McNally Jackson still manages to set itself apart. The shop's selection is extensive, yet easy to navigate, making it one of those rare places where hours seem to slip away in minutes. The cozy room downstairs is frequently used to hold engaging talks, like Joyce Johnson's upcoming look into how Jack Kerouac's work is interpreted "Whose On The Road is it anyway?" Their cafe, which is plastered with old book pages, serves a serious cafe au lait, and is a great way to kill time while you're waiting for your book to print. Yes, they print public domain books on demand while you wait with their shiny Espresso Book Machine. We told you this was the best bookstore in the city, didn't we? -Shanté Cosme

Neighborhood: Lower East Side
Address: 35 Orchard St.
Website: cheeky-sandwiches.com

The small space just east of Chinatown is unlabeled and unnumbered. In truth, it's difficult to even find the place unless you know what you're looking for. And once inside, you'll find more of the same rough-around-the-edges aesthetic. But even with uneven floorboards, chipped paint, and scarce seating, Cheeky Sandwiches charms. The fare channels New Orleans, offering up lovely and legit NOLA sandwiches and munchables, all under $10: One of the only places in New York City one can get a certifiably decent Po Boy. A braised short rib sandwich comes on the softest bread you've known, a fresh, challah carb-pillow filled with tender beef and finished with a horesradish zing. The half-shrimp, half-oyster 'Boy is a winner too, with bread imported straight from New Orleans and a generous heap of heavily-dressed, freshly-fried sea fare. Come here, and leave Crescent City-Content. -Shanté Cosme

Neighborhood: Lower East Side
Address: 49 Essex St.
Website: pk-ny.com

Not just another NYC tiki bar, PKNY defies cheesiness with the sole fact that they have bartenders who actually know what they're doing. The pina coladas, daiquiris, and mai tais are all made with fresh juice, and are slightly transportive, in that they can make you forget how cold the East Coast is with just one sip, or just make you forget where you are with a few rounds. -Soo-Young Kim

Neighborhood: Financial District
Address: 30 Water St.
Website: deadrabbitnyc.com

This pub and cocktail bar hasn't even officially opened to the public yet (keep an eye on its Twitter stream for the green light), but it's already the coolest thing in the Financial District by miles. The guys behind the place, Sean Muldoon and Jack McGarry, made a name for themselves at the Merchant Hotel bar in Belfast, and they're promising to show New Yorkers a new side to Irish boozing, beyond Guinness and Jameson. Downstairs is a working-man's taproom, ideal for setting the world to right's over a pint after work, while upstairs you'll find an immaculately staged cocktail den that resurrects obscure old drinks like flips, cobblers and bishops. Check out photos of the space here. -Chris Schonberger

Neighborhood: Chelsea
Address: 530 W 27th St.
Website: mckittrickhotel.com/gallowgreen

Sleep No More is the interactive theater project that has taken the city by storm, causing people to go back time and again in a way they never would with a traditional performance—you walk through five floors of the "McKittrick Hotel" (a warehouse space) however you see fit, interacting with live actors and wandering into everything from an old-fashioned insane asylum to an ornate ballroom. It's crazy, weird, but mostly: awesome. Of note: The rooftop bar connected to the production, with fittingly elaborate stage-setting and archaic punches created by cocktail historian David Wondrich. Your favorite speakeasy just got sonned. -Chris Schonberger

Neighborhood: Lower East Side
Address: 54 Clinton St.
Website: essexstreetmarket.com

The historic Essex Street Market on Essex and Delancey in the Lower East Side is still a happening place to get groceries, snack, or just browse the eclectic bodegas within. Home to the Saxelby Cheesemongers, Brooklyn Taco, Tra La La Juice Bar, Shopsin's General Store, Roni-Sue's Chocolates, and other speciality shops, one could easily discover a new item or meal after hundreds of visits. It's not a particularly shiny establishment, but if you're willing to do a little bit of exploring, it'll be a rewarding experience every time. -Cedar Pasori

Neighborhood: Greenpoint

Address: 113 Franklin St.

Website: eastrivertattoo.com

In a city full of great tattoo shops, none is cooler than East River. Owned by contemporary artist Duke Riley and designed by tattooer Sue Jeiven, the shop has a quirky old-school maritime vibe fitting of the type of tattoos they needle into skin. Walk-ins are welcome, and even if you aren't looking for any body modification, its worth a visit for inspiration alone. -Nick Schonberger

Neighborhood: Williamsburg
Address: 245 South 1st St.
Website: tendertrapbk.com

Go to the Tender Trap (aka The Trap House) on a Saturday night and experience the best of what The Burg has to offer. Pay no mind to the cynics (read: haters), because even in the face of lurching gentrification on the Northside, the Tender Trap preserves all that is beloved about the Southside: an utter lack of downtown pretense and an enduring community spirit (read: crew love). Saturday nights feature a mix of consummate hip-hop jams and nostalgic 90s R&B. But be forewarned: What happens at the Tender Trap stays at the Tender Trap. -Jason Parham

Neighborhood: Long Island City
Address: 22-25 Jackson Ave.
Website: momaps1.org/about/mwells

The original M. Wells diner in Long Island City was easily one of New York's most exciting restaurants, dishing up lusty, over-the-top Quebecois food out of a beat-up old diner. Sadly, it lost the space within a year, but now chef Hugue Dufour has popped back up in what may be even cooler digs: A casual cafe inside MoMA PS1, which pays homage to the modern art museum's former life as a public school with rows of desks that serve as communal tables, and the menu written on a classroom-style chalkboard. In terms of museum restaurants that don't suck, this one is tops. -Chris Schonberger