Best Upper West Side Restaurants & Cafes

Restaurants:

Isabella's : 77th and Columbus. Hands down my favorite restaurant for food quality. Excellent, friendly service also. They worked with us when our guest had a peanut allergy-- meticulously. They have an outdoor cafe that is a great place to people watch. Brunch is excellent if packed. Dinner is excellent. Really my favorite place. Entrees average about $20. Love the salmon and their desserts are to die for (about $12). Somewhat costly but worth it.

Josies: Amsterdam and 73rd. All lactose free, decently priced, good organic meals. I love the Shrimp and Brown Rice! Not spectacular atmosphere, but friendly service and a nice place for a dinner with friends.

Sarabeth's: Amsterdam and 80th. Excellent food. Entrees in 13's to 20s. Packed for brunch.

Cafe Fiorello: 64th and Bway. Yummy Italian food, and UWS institution, with a wonderful outdoor cafe with a view of Lincoln Center. A great see and be seen place, lively action day and night if you stay in the outdoor cafe! Also niext door to this is:

Jacobs Pickles: Amsterdam and...85th? I hear the food here is great and the brunch awesome. Beer-centric!

Shake Shack: Columbus and 77th: Delicious fries and burgers, not a restuarant but really take out (tho there are small tables) it is super well know for its yummy if bad-for-you burgers, fries, and frozen custard. Amost always a line--but worth it!

Sugar and Plumm: Amsterdam and 78th. For desserts, ice cream, sweets etc.! Lovely new cafe, though lots of kids on the weekend.

5Napkin Burger: Bway at 84th St. Upscale, nice burger place. Outdoor cafe.

Serafina: Bway and 77th.  Can be LOUD and crowded  but...yummy Italian. I had the pesto pasta once and it was delicious. Pastas around 20-25. They also serve breakfast.

Coffee Shops: 

Utopia Restaurant:  Amsterdam bet. 72nd and 73rd. No NYC visit is truly complete without a visit to a real NY coffee shop! My favorite is Utopia, on Amsterdam between 72nd and 73rd--not just for the name--and definitely not for the food, which is acceptable but standard coffee shop fare-- but for the neighborhood experience. Lots of regulars, waiters who've been around forever, and a classic NYC coffee shop decor (Don't miss Christmas!), this is an experience any true--or wannabe-- New Yorker doesn't want to miss!

Cafes and Bake Shops and Misc:

Magnolia Bakery: 69th and Columbus. The famous Magnolia...with the cupcakes made famous on "Sex and the City." Walking in here, the smell is to die for! Awesome cakes by the slice. This place is crazy good. Do NOT miss it!


Crumbs Bake Shop:Amsterdam between 76th and 77th. Delicious amazing cupcakes, lots of great concoctions. I love the Dulce de Leche and Cosmo cupcakes. And plain old vanilla with vanilla frosting. Don't miss the mini -sampler of 12 cupcakes! Yummy!


Le Pain Quotidien: 72nd between Columbus and CPW, also in Central Park above Sheep's Meadow: Wonderful little French cafe with great cafe au laits and pastries and bread...also light salads and sandwiches, reasonably priced, for lunch or early dinner. A great place to just sit and read. Also in Central Par, outdoors--on a nice day, a wonderful place to have breakfast though you may have to wait.


Arte Cafe Around the Corner: Columbus, between 73rd and 74th. Coffee, pastries and light lunch/ dinner...nice place to sit and rest, read, have a coffee. Small outdoor cafe area.

16 Handles:  75th and Amsterdam. YUMMY!!! My favorite indulgence. 16 flavors of frozen yogurt, with additions from Butterfinger bars to rainbow cookies (my personal fave), mini-Reese's pieces...friendly staff, clean and very well run.

Hell's Kitchen doesn't live up to its name

I approach basically everything between 34th and 59th with trepidation. The tourist crowd is overwhelming and makes walking, people-watching--everything I love about NYC-- frustrating at its best, and infuriating at its worst (and I usually lean towards the latter, in case you're wondering). But a recent necessary foray into the wilds of the Theatre District/ Times Square (to see July 4 fireworks from the Interprid--which were FANTASTIC!) introduced me by default to a "new" Hell's Kitchen; a wondrous thing. We walked up Ninth Avenue (far less crowded and crazy-making than B'Way or 7th or 8th) and from about 44th to 55th were just amazed at the number of chic/ cool/ hipster-y restaurants and bars, filled with young people-- and we also saw lots of interesting looking and affordable menus. While I myself probably wouldn't hang out there on a regular basis I think it's a great area to send a younger crowd looking for more sophisticated bars than the usual East Village or Columbia or NYU fare--and I definitely want to check out at some point some of these really interesting looking restaurants. Or take a walk up or down just to people-watch. Hell's Kitchen definitely looks like the hot new place to live based on the crowd we saw there and it's wonderful to see it coming into its own.

Museum of Arts & Design

I've just discovered that the American Craft Museum--which I visited a few times with great pleasure--has been renamed The Museum of Arts & Design, and relocated since 2008 to Columbus Circle! It is now the Museum of Arts and Design. Hello! I look forward to visiting this weekend and seeing the "new" facility.

HOURS
Museum
Tue. - Sun. 11:00 am to 6:00 pm
Thurs. 11:00 am to 9:00 pm
Closed Mon. and Major Holidays

A sample Mom Upper West Side-Based Tour -6 days

When my mother was here we had a whirlwind trip with barely a moment to breathe. Doesn't sound terribly appealing does it? But I've found that while I often need a vacation-from-my-vacations--and this time was no exception--I never regret packing in the "extras". It is important to have balance. Sitting in a cafe for 2 hours reading a book trumps a second museum in one day almost all the time. With proper planning, you can fit a lot into a day and still have time for an afternoon rest (essential, especially when dealing with jet lag).
Herewith, an itinerary especially suited to moms and grandmas; tho a lot of these activities are universal and can be enjoyed by all ages, this is a great trip for that age group.
Most important however: taking cabs. I cannot emphasize enough how draining taking the subway is unless you are young, and how much it cuts into your time. So taking taxis is essential for this itinerary as there is a lot packed into each day. But it does add up quickly so it only makes sense if you are willing to pay $8-20 for each trip:
Day 1 (arrival)-Dinner at an outdoor cafe (in our case, French Roast at Bway and 84th). Outdoor cafes are a great way to get into the cosmopolitan flavor of NYC, quickly. Dessert at another cafe (on the upper west side, Edgar's for example). Or grab a Tasti-d-Lite at one of its many location (such as Bway and 85th)--a frequent sitcom co-star (Seinfeld and Sex and the City to name 2 off the bat).
Day 2-Boat tour (in our case the yacht brunch with Sail NYC). Evening: Broadway show (in our case the magnificent, moving Billy Elliot...as good as they say, but with far more depth, and relevance, than it's given credit for). Late dinner at one of the many restaurants in the Theater District (try Joe Allen's for a real B'way experience...but there are tons of places to go).
Day 3- Metropolitan Museum. Don't try to do everything. Choose a few special exhibits, then focus on the 19th century Europeans and the well-known pieces--they have a magnificent collection of Rembrandts and Dutch paintings, and the Impressionist collection, with some signifcant Pissaros. Van Goghs, Gaugins, and more, is a must see. Lunch at the absic American Wing Cafe, the pedestrian cafeteria downstairs, or at the lovely Petrie Court Cafe, which faces Central Park (they also serve an afternoon tea here).
Movie at the Paris Cinema on 58th and Fifth. Light dinner at the Plaza Oak Room Bar ( do NOT miss the wonderful paintings!). Grab a babka for the next morning at Hot and Crusty (many locations--Bway and 83rdish being one of them).
Day 4: South Street Seaport. Clipper tall ship ride. Late lunch in the Seaport. Dessert at a cafe such as Cafe Lalo (83rd bet. Amsterdam and B'way--AKA the "You've Got Mail" cafe).
Day 5: Another museum--in our case an eclectic one--the Mt. Vernon Hotel Museum (or try the Frick museum at 70th and Fifth). Dylan's Candy Bar on 60th and 3rd for fun. Serendipity on 60th between 2nd and 3rd for ice cream if you can get in (we couldn't). Or try a "real" NYC diner just for the experience ("real" means at least 2 people have to be speaking Greek--loudly--behind the counter). I love City Diner on 90th and Broadway for the quality of food and friendly service. It is not ancient like a lot of classic NYC diners but it is cleaner and has better food than most...so you give up a little atmosphere for the promise of no food poisoning. Then another Broadway show (in our case "Blithe Spirit" with Angela Lansbury and Rupert Everett-- no longer playing). Dessert in the gracious, old world Algonquin Hotel lobby.
Day 6: Visit Central Park--the Conservatory Garden at 105th and Fifth is always a gentle surprise (don't miss the "Secret Garden" statue) . Tea with finger sandwiches and sweets at Alice's Tea Cup ( a few locaitons--one at 73rd and Columbus). Movie at Lincoln Plaza Cienemas on 62nd and Broadway (for the typical NY independent film experieince). And--in our case--a visit to Midsummer Night's Swing--gone at the end of July but not to be missed if you are here in July. It was tango night when we went. Seeing the mix of dancers, the sheer breadth of "types", is truly enlightening.
Day 7: (leaving-day). Last breakfast at Le Pain Quotidien....in our case the 91st and Broadway location. While it has a lost a bit of its charm as it expands, the baguettes are still to die for as our the croissants and other pastries.
Things I wanted to do in this time but didn't: prepared foods at Zabar's at Bway and 80th (not to be missed...but we did); a grocery trip to Fairway at 74th and Bway (just for the experience of having old ladies crash their carts into you...everyone is actually so nice in NYC lately, that a trip to Fairway will reassure you the NY spirit of "me first" still lives on!). More to come...

Concerts in the Parks-NY Philharmonic, live and free

The New York Philharmonic gives a series of free outdoor concerts each July. This year on July 14 and 17th they'll be performing in Central Park on the Great Lawn (enter at 81st and CPW or 81st and Fifth Avenue to get there). The concerts start at 8PM and are free, of course. Like most Central Park concerts, this is really more of a "scene" than a musical event. The musical picks are usually crowd-pleasers (or classical- music -crowd pleasers), and frankly it is really for hanging out and saying you went there. I usually avoid it but it is an event, and out of towners will be impressed by the beauty of the location and the fact that so many New Yorkers manage to get together in one place without killing each other (though there is a definite divide between the music buffs who actually come to hear the music, and the "rest" who come to hang out in the park on their blankets and drink wine and eat cheese and talk and let their kids and dogs wander. ..which is fun too. But....really only if you ...like. Being. With. Lots. Of. People. In a crowded space. Not really for the music. But...an event!!!

Midsummer Night's Swing at Lincoln Center-best free show in town!

Midsummer Night's Swing is Lincoln Center's July 7-25th. Tues-Sat. outdoor dance event for professionals, amateurs, and just-watchers. It's one of those "only in New York" experiences that just makes you feel happy being there-whether you ware only walking by or decide to take the lessons they offer beforehand....or brave the dance floor. Most start at 6:30 with a dance lesson (free), and 7:30 with the live music. The bands are often world-renowned. This is fun for everyone, and a great thing for young kids also. You don't have to be inside the dance circle to enjoy hanging out...some of the best people-watching in town can be found here, and in New York that's saying a lot! All sorts of music and dance--from rockabilly to jazz to Latin to world music. Thursday July 9th has the Woody Herman Band (big band, swing); Friday, July 17th features the Best Dance in Town: Rockabilly.
When-Tues-Sat. July 7-25, 2009. Usually starts at 7:30 (lessons at 6:30).
Where: Damrosch Park, 62nd between Columbus and Amsterdam.

The New York Historical Society-little gems

(NOTE: The NYHS will be closed until Sept., due to renovations, starting July 12th...so RUN don't walk to these exhibitions if you are in NY right now!) A trip to The New-York Historical Society yielded yet another transcendent experience--which may sound a bit hyperbolic for a small museum that attracts relatively few visitors. But every time I go there I find something surprising. This time I went for the Harlem photo exhibition, which turned out to be more documentary than art. But upstairs were two lush, delightful painting exhibitions: "New York Painting Begins: 18th Century Portraits," and "Nature and the American Vision: The Hudson River School."Beautifully presented against dark blue walls (LOVE when museums think about the presentation in this way--I felt like I was in an 18th century parlor), they had 6 children's portraits that were especially unusual and vibrant. The Hudson River exhibit had some lovely paintings from lesser known painters (to me anyway) as well as Thomas Cole (him I know of!).
And there was a moving Lincoln "In His Own Words" display, with examples of Lincoln letters, notes and documents, that gave me chills. When I read the Emancipation Proclamation with his signature, it was a revelation. I suddenly understood the courage and inner strength it took to take this step. I was moved by the content--but also understood for the first time the personal weight of his decision. And a simple letter he wrote to a friend of his son who was not accepted at Harvard, filled with encouragement and exhortation to never give up, was inspiring (the friend was accepted at Yale). It revealed a kindness and positiveness I wish more politicians had.
They also have cool events here for kids (otherwise the museum is not particularly interesting for kids)--July 4th there will be an event with actors portraying Ben Franklin, etc, and Revolutionary War re-enactors.
INFO (CLOSED FROM JULY 12, 2009-Sept. 2009!!): The New-York Historical Society is located at 170 Central Park West between 76th & 77th Street.Tel. (212) 873-3400. Subway: B or C to 81st Street. 1,2, or 3 to 72nd & Broadway or 1 to 79th and B'way. Bus: M10 to 77th Street; M79 to 81st Street and Central Park West. Public parking garages are located at 203 West 77th Street, 207 76th Street and 201 West 75th Street, all between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue.

Hours

Tuesday - Thursday:	10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday:	10:00 AM - 8:00 PM, Pay what you wish for admission between 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Saturday:	10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday:	11:00 AM - 5:45 PM
Monday:	CLOSED