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(TriBeCa)
135 Watts Street, New York, NY 10013
Tel. 212-431-0111
High Chair/ Stroller Parking
As you might know, we are big fans of dim sum in this household (see here). That said, we're not always fans of mega chaos (shocking, I know), usually there's plenty of that around the house that generates on it's own. As hubby says every time I tell him we're doing dim sum, "it's going to be a shambles," he sighs.
So imagine my delight when a colleague recently informed me about China Blue in TriBeCa!!! The name isn't great (Chinese version is better), but inside is evocative of old world Shanghai, all velvet, red lanterns, drapery, and even a mega saxophone to boot.
(Gramercy)
900 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
Tel. 212-461-4300
High Chair/ Stroller Parking
Weekend brunching is always a delicate balance between finding the right spot for littles and seeking the most optimal culinary experience for grown-ups. Lucky for us establishments for Craftbar exists (e.g., just enough sophistication for grown-ups, but without so much fanfare that you need to worry about toting around a mini-me, or two, or three!!). For info: there are Craft locations in New York, Dallas, and Los Angeles, and Craftbars in New York and Los Angeles.
As it happened… we were a party of seven (four adults, three little ones under the age of three… yeep! That’s right, there were two two-year olds, and one miniature munchkin who’s just about four months old, nutso right, it’s a wonder we even left the house.
That said, the dining experience at Craftbar, fun by the celebrity-TV chef Tom Colicchio à la Tom Chef struck all of the right notes – the food was the right blend of up-market cuisine creativity suitable for your typical foodie, the ambience was slightly upscale/sophisticated but definitely casual, the space was open and very bright (it helped too that we were seated right next to the windows), and the price point was just suitably affordable so as to not scare away your dining companions (though calibrated much higher it might just turn away some!).
(Tribeca)
375 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10013
Tel. 212-941-3900
High Chair/ Stroller Parking
After some time away from the NYC scene (we spent much of the winter in Florida, and then spent much of January catching up and coming to terms with it being 2016) – it is officially time to hit the scene back in New York City!
We caught up with some friends of ours over at the Tribeca Grill, which has been a long-standing establishment in the neighborhood best known for Robert De Niro (who is the co-owner). For some reason, I’ve never been here (strange but true), so when doing my research (our friends lived in the area), it hit me that this would be the perfect venue for a meet-up. It’s tucked away on Greenwich Street (arguably one of the prettier streets in Tribeca), and boasts some very impressive personal touches. For starters, the exposed brick walls showcase artwork done by De Niro’s father (since my father is an artist, I have a particular affinity towards these fine details).
(Lower East Side)
182 Allen Street, New York, NY 10002
Tel. 646-350-3973
We've always had a fondness for our neighborhood coffee shops, and Konditori on Allen is no exception. It's a charming little nook to pop by for some delicious coffee and pastry. Note the word Konitori means café/baked goods & confection in Swedish, pronounced “Khan- da- tor- ree.” Not “Khan-di-tor-rye,” which was apparently how I pronounced it for the very first time, much to hubby’s ceaseless amusement.
(Tribeca)
2 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013
Tel. 212-519-6677
High Chair/ Changing Table/ Stroller Parking
A friend and colleague recently asked me for brunch recommendations in Tribeca. Well I say – as far as options go, you are spoiled for choices! (Tribeca being the most baby-friendly neighborhood in all of downtown Manhattan and all). However, one place that I would always endorse, as you really cannot go wrong any way you slice it, is Sunday brunch at the Tribeca Grand. With a well-curated, classic American buffet menu that includes both sweets from Doughnut Plant and lox from Russ & Daughters, plus live jazz and complimentary children’s film screening – it really is foodie heaven for both grown-ups and kiddos alike.
(Soho)
199 Prince Street, New York, NY 10012
Tel. 212) 335-0566
Stroller Parking
We swung by the Little Prince (cleverly located on Prince Street) some time ago, right after a fun hour at Baby Disco at La Poisson Rouge (which we recommend that you check out at least once btw!).
I've traditionally had the habit of "cooing" every time I pass by the Little Prince. Put simply, it’s just got one of these beautiful veneers that draws the ladies in with its “cuteness.” Perhaps it’s the large open doors, or the white-washed walls, the plants perfectly perched outside, or the staunch commitment to pretty (right down to the clientele). Whatever the case, I’ve always wanted to venture inside and see what it’s like for myself.
(West Village)
121 West 10th Street, New York, NY 10011
Tel. 212-243-2827
Stroller Parking
Generally speaking, 3-6pm is a big gap to fill for us in the late afternoons… so what better way to occupy the time than with happy hour at the Happiest Hour? Our friends recommended the new Tulum-inspired cocktail-den/restaurant in the West Village, brought to you by the same folks behind Acme, NoMad, and Pegu Club (aka the dream team). So off we went – mamma and crew, and I couldn't be happier with our experience there.
(Noho)
325 Bowery, New York, NY 10003
Tel. 212-220-9100
High Chair
It's hard not to dig Andrew Carmellini’s pasta restaurant on the Bowery. For one thing, that particular corner is somehow always infused with eclectic energy, complete with boisterous laughter and gorgeous people on a sunny afternoon. I’ve been a fan of the scene ever since Peels came in. Though we were sad to learn that the Freemans team has left the building, we were more than thrilled to welcome Bar Primi, the new low-key pasta eatery that opened last year by the “Noho Power trio,” front-lining Andrew Carmelli (the brain force behind the Dutch, Lafayette, and so much more) and serving up delicious Italian fare amidst a family-friendly setting.
(East Village)
91 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10003
Tel. 212-614-9333
Sigiri, the Sri Lankan restaurant near and dear to my heart since my early days in NYC remains a hot spot for yours truly, even with the little one in tow. In fact, he's so much of a regular that even his photo was on the wall at one stage (okay so it was a Christmas card, but I digress).
(Nolita)
30 Prince Street, New York, NY 10012
Tel. 212-941-9100
I've always had a fondness for the Little Cupcake Bakeshop on 30 Prince Street, as it straddles all of my favorite things in the neighborhood (i.e., McNally and Jackson, Cafe Gitane, Sigerson Morrison, Pinkyotto, just to name a few). I can't tell you how many times I've strolled past the cupcake shop and went in for a cup of tea (they actually carry Harney & Sons) and some sweets (during the summer time they serve up a mean gelato in-house), and these days they even carry gluten-free cupcakes! (For the health-conscious mammas in all of us).
(Nolita)
163 Elizabeth Street, New York, NY 10012
Tel. 212-966-0446
Now that the weather is finally nice (hurray!), we've been doing lots more walking out and about, re-exploring our neighborhood. One thing that we always like to do is to walk up and down the quaint little streets of Nolita, check out the local restaurants, cafes, and shops. This is precisely how we first stumbled upon Little Rascal on 163 Elizabeth Street.
(Lower East Side)
127 Orchard Street, New York, NY 10002
Tel. 212-475-4881
High Chair
Changing Table
Ever since I moved to NYC back in 2002, I have loved the ritual of going to Russ & Daughters and picking out amazing artfully cut smoky fish treats. Part of the charm is wending your way to the always packed counter…much less charming when you have a howling impatient toddler in tow.
Sturgeon separation anxiety solved with Russ & Daughters Café! We popped in for an early dinner last week with the monkey. The café is beautifully decorated down to the wallpaper in the bathroom. It keeps the old school NYC charm of the original shop (signs in the same fonts and an old fashioned counter) with artful twists (marble herringbone pattern tile floors, fruit garnished on the bar in lovely see through mason jars).
(NoHo)
380 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10003
Tel. 212-533-3000
High Chair
Much like DBGB (which we'll get into another time), Lafayette in NoHo is also as close to "having it all" as you're going to get. It's got a number of things which are key ingredients the modern foodie family
(Lower East Side)
Whynot Coffee and Wine
175 Orchard Street, New York, NY 10002
Tel. 646-682-9065
On the weekends, we like to explore our local neighborhood and just generally laze around post a mid-day family nap. When we're in the zone and craving a cup of good coffee, glass of ice-cold beer, or just a light snack or two, Whynot Coffee on Orchard is our go-to spot.
(SoHo)
433 Broome Street, New York, NY 10013
Tel. 212-933-4853
While tea shop Harney & Sons is largely known for its extensive tea selection, a nice little fact (which I’m almost reluctant to share) is that they have a charming café in the back of the massive tea shop, where you have the option to purchase any of their teas, plus some additional drinks (i.e., chai lattes and the like) that are not necessarily sold at the front of the store. The atmosphere there is chic and classy, without being overly stuffy and slow.
(West Village)
103 Greenwich Ave, New York, NY 10014
Tel. 212-255-0155
High Chair
Monument Lane, a gastropub set in a "colonial-style" tavern in the West Village serves up one mean Bloody Mary. In fact, I think you'll be spoiled for choices when it comes to Bloody Marys, as they literally have one section of their brunch cocktail menu dedicated entirely to bespoke Bloody Marys. The other great thing the restaurant has going for it, apart from delicious comfort food and cute decor, is an incredibly warm and friendly staff that is decidedly baby friendly.
(Chinatown)
Living in downtown Manhattan, and so close to Chinatown at that, it would be criminal to not do dim sum every once in a while. Although hubs often gripes about the "zoological experience," I've never walked away from a dim sum experience that I didn't enjoy.
(NoHo)
55 Bond Street, New York, NY 10012
Tel. 212-388-0038
High Chair
Now that the weather is getting nicer (finally!), we can start talking about outdoor dining (our favorite topic). One of my go-to spots in the neighborhood is Le Philsophe on Bond street. The food is delicious, the service attentive, and the outdoor seating is both low-key and high-brow (a bit of an oxymoron I know, but ‘tis true!). I also like that they’re not super-duper hyped, so you never find the space to be ultra cramped.
We had called ahead and inquired whether they had high-chairs. Yes – they answered. Score! The one they gave us was of a slightly different variety than your typical box-standard restaurant type (see photos), which did not go unnoticed by the little man. I think he appreciated the novelty of it all…
(Soho)
189 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012
Tel. 212-219-2773
While the cronut craze may be dying down (we think), delectable puffy pastries from renowned dessert chef Dominique Ansel's eponymous sweets cafe isn't going away anytime soon.
For you busy mamma's on the go, this is a great place to stop for coffee and light sandwiches. We also love it because it's a great place to stop by for an afternoon snack.
(East Village)
162 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009
Tel. 212-228-6900
I came to love Australian cuisine while I was living in London (check out the amazing Granger & Co if you’re ever in West London), it’s fresh and delicious, heavy on the avocado and those folks know their coffee (flat white, yes please! See recent feature on Flat Whites at Happy Bones). Flinders Lane was the first proper sit down Aussie restaurant I’d seen in the neighborhood so we decided to give it a go for brunch with the tot and we were not disappointed!
(NoHo)
344 Bowery Street, New York, NY 10012
Tel. 212-388-0148
I got a Sunday afternoon text from a girlfriend who’d been traveling in Europe for three weeks for work (lucky wench) letting me know that she was back and wanted to meet up for some jet lag cocktails. She lives in NoHo (aka north of Houston street), which made The Wren the perfect equidistant spot for us to meet up and to indulge my love of gastropub food!
(Little Italy)
394 Broome Street, New York, NY 10013
Tel. 212-673-3754
It seems like these days, antipodeans are the ones who have seriously cornered the coffee connoisseur market – with flat whites being the word du jour (you know it'd a thing when even your local Starbucks serves it!).
FYI – a flat white = generally two shots of espresso + velvety, microfoam (with equal proportions of coffee and froth). Check out the Coffeehunter’s post for a more comprehensive definition of a flat white.
So where to find a lovely cup of flat white in the hood, you ask? Well, we were pretty stoked when a Kiwi coffee shop opened up not too far from us back in 2014 called "Happy Bones." Besides flat whites, macchiattos, and teas – they also sell insanely delicious doughnuts from Dough (as if you needed any more convincing!).
(East Village)
Prune
54 East 1st Street, New York, NY 10003
Tel. 212-667-6221
I can’t even tell you how many foodie magazines and bespoke travel guides have raved about brunch at Prune, on 1st and 1st in the East Village. Suffice to say, it seemed absolutely criminal to not check it out ourselves, given that it’s just a few blocks from where we live.
So how about the experience, you ask?
For one – I would definitely go for brunch only, skip dinner (unless it’s super early and even then – chances are it might get too packed for a rambunctious and fatigued little one).
(SoHo)
79 Crosby Street, New York, NY 20012
Tel. 212-226-6400
High Chair
Hubby and I have been coming to the Crosby Bar for quite some time now. Situated in Soho, it’s a lovely place to visit no matter what the season, and during the summer, the backyard garden is one of the loveliest places to take a break, meet a break, and grab an aperitif (or digestive, depending on your preference).
We actually stumbled upon their afternoon tea quite haphazardly, as we were cruising in the hood for a nice chill place to just sit down and put our feet up with the munchkin. The Crosby Bar is quite perfect for the following 3 reasons.
(SoHo)
41 Mercer Street, New York, NY 10013
Tel. 212-219-1019
High Chair
Antique Garage, located on 41 Mercer street (between Broome and Grand), is situated in the heart of SoHo and possibly one of my favorite “afternoon lounging” spots.
My first encounter was with a few girlfriends for a leisurely weekend “bachelorette brunch.” Suffice to say, it was très packed and très oh-so-very-very (also, we may have gone there right about noon, which was prime brunch time).
On the other hand, as I discovered two years later… if you just go a little bit on the later side (say, right after munchkin’s nap time), you’ll find that it’s a fabulous place to bring the little ones!
(SoHo)
265 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10012
Tel. 212-966-2770
My first introduction to Sant Ambroeus was in Southampton, followed by the Upper East Side, all of which are indicative of its undeniable stamp of family friendliness. So imagine our happy surprise when a Sant Ambroeus SoHo opened right in the neighborhood on 265 Lafayette! It’s literally kitty-corner to Delicatessen (also a good family dining spot), but without the hustle and bustle.
(Lower East Side)
95 Delancey street, New York, NY 10002
Tel. 212-228-0909
Believe it or not, our first introduction to Dinner On Ludlow was via their Sunday Vanilla Sky/White Party – which is truly a sight to behold (think throwbacks to P. Diddy, with lots of white on white on white, and loads of booty… everywhere).
Not that that’s a bad thing necessarily, it just doesn’t scream “baby friendly.”
So imagine my surprise when one Sunday morning, we cruised over to the restaurant (not sure the exact reason… proximity?), and were met with a pleasant surprise. It wasn’t crowded (in fact it was nice and tranquil), the food was simple and delicious, and above all – beautiful chandeliers all over the place. I mean, who doesn’t love a nice, glittering chandelier?
(East Village)
77 St. Mark's Place, New York, NY 10003
Tel. 212-777-2537
High Chair
After a crazy Friday at work I forged home in the snow desperately wanting: 1. Spring to (finally f-ing) get here and 2. A massive margarita to take the edge off a long day. Husb was working late and I hadn't planned dinner so I grabbed the monkey and hopped over to La Palapa (77 St. Mark's Place).
La Palaps (as I call her) was a favorite for happy hour in my mid-twenties...the margaritas are delicious and potent and the food (in my Arizona born and bred opinion) is one of the best upscale Mexican options in the city. When we moved back to NYC with the babe I was pleasantly surprised that my old haunt was very child friendly as well!
(East Village)
Edi and the Wolf
102 Avenue C, New York, NY 10009
Tel. 212-598-1040
For years, we’ve been going to the Edi and the Wolf (Austrian restaurant in the East Village, 102 Avenue C) for their fantastic schnitzel and apple strudel (okay they make some pretty delicious fare in general, but schnitzel is where it’s at!). So why should it be any different with baby? You ask.
Well – the long and the short of it is – it shouldn’t.
Edi and the Wolf is just as fantastic with baby. Though word to the wise, you may want to come here either for a late brunch or early dinner, so as to avoid the maddening crowd (but I would argue that this fits within my general preference irrespective of babies).
(Lower East Side)
Balvanera
152 Stanton Street, New York, NY 10002
Tel. 212-533-3348
Stroller Parking
This weekend, I insisted to hubs that we had to take the kiddos out for brunch. Why? Just the thought of cleaning up after these muchkins after one more meal is making me want to rip my hair our (argggh!!! Just can't).
I'll be honest, when I launched City Baby Dining more than three years ago, life was very different for this mamma. We only had one munchkin (who was pretty calm and well behaved overall), and we were able to handle dining out pretty well. Fast-forward to end of two munchkins at the end of 2016, and life has been a bit more chaotic. We are just getting back into the hang of things, and we discovered this little gem in our neighborhood called Balvanera.