Share your city and win!

In 1891, heiress and philanthropist Margaret Louisa Vanderbilt founded the Margaret Louisa Home for Protestant Women, a six-story home in Union Square to house such self-sufficient working women. As of last year, the building has now been converted to the luxury hotel and exclusive members club import from London, The Twenty Two, with a ground floor is open to all. Carrying on the legacy of this historic home, the restaurant is now open, powered by an award-winning women-led team.  The team behind the Michelin-starred Musket Room and Raf’s lead the charge here, including sisters Jennifer and Nicole Vitagliano, alongside executive chef Mary Attea and executive pastry chef Camari Mick. The menu travels through chef Attea’s Lebanese heritage, on the plate with dips and spreads and Moroccan spiced mains to sumac-dusted and arak-forward cocktails.

Many people consider the River Café to be the best restaurant in Brooklyn, and it is probably the most expensive. The romantic waterside eatery, which could easily skate by on its gorgeous views of downtown Manhattan, has spawned a long roster of great chefs, including Charlie Palmer (Aureole, Crimson & Rye), David Burke (David Burke Kitchen) and Rick Moonen (RM, Oceana). Stellar dishes include crisp oysters with smoked salmon and caviar, rack of lamb or lobster specials. For dessert, few can resist the chocolate marquise Brooklyn Bridge, shaped like its sparkling namesake.

Even 10 years later, a reservation is just as hard to come by at Lilia, which is why I jumped at the chance at a last-minute, late-night reservation, before even confirming the possibility of tablemates. And as someone who had yet to make it inside (really, I gave up trying some time ago), I was relatively surprised that most of what was revered in the early days at Lilia still remains. Comparing notes left by our previous restaurant editor, who reviewed back in 2016, a recent 2025 visit yielded the same "crispy, fresh-from-the-fryer hulls" of cacio e pepe, sheep’s milk agnolotti and ribboned malfadine from the pasta section and a filet of bass that's still coated with a punchy and herby salsa verde dressing. You might pause and think that Lilia is due for reinvigoration. But perhaps, when you've become the blueprint of modern Italian cuisine in the city, it is best to follow Missy Robbins' lead and "keep it simple." And at a decade in, Robbins' greatest hits still look good. The aforementioned agnolotti remains one of the most popular for good reason: the silky, saffron thread-laced sauce coats ravioli, plump with an airy and soft whipped goat cheese that may just take you to heaven. The flame still churns out filets of bass with a salsa verde that should be mixed with the potatoes underneath, but now blowfish tails are also pulled from the fire, as the little charred morsels come to life with a nice crust of lemon and earthiness from cracked coriander. And the finisher...

Nearing 17 years in business as a New York City restaurant is an achievement in itself. Doing so powered solely by vegetables is a triumph all its own. Dirt Candy's vegetable-only ethos was unique when it opened in 2008. Owner Amanda Cohen firmly set herself apart from the hippie and health-conscious restaurants around her, creating a space where vegetables were sought after, admired, and, most importantly, craveable. Her bestselling cookbook (Dirt Candy: A Cookbook: Flavor-Forward Food from the Upstart New York City Vegetarian Restaurant), James Beard Award and Michelin Star reaffirmed that plant-based foods aren’t just for vegetarians or vegans, but rather for those who simply enjoy eating well. Dinner consists of a seasonal, five-course tasting menu, featuring an equal mix of hits and misses. The first course—a fluffy bread similar to a scallion pancake, oozing with a sweet celery crème fraiche and oodles of seaweed caviar—made me believe in the power of plants. The Brussels sprouts were in a category all their own, coated in a sauce that could snag first place at a barbecue competition. Full stalks are halved, charred and served whole to nibble and gnaw like succulent ribs—soft “marrow” and all. It’s messy but worth it for the tongue-tingling Sichuan peppercorn sauce.  But not everything blew me away. The miso carrot consommé lacked depth, and the squash soup—with only a whisper of Thai curry—should’ve yelled as loudly as the Brussels before it with bolder Asian...

Named for the hwaro, a traditional Korean charcoal brazier that anchors Hwaro’s 13-course tasting menu, this intimate marble chef’s table is tucked inside chef Sungchul Shim’s Midtown steakhouse, Gui. The rounded counter seats just 22 guests, guaranteeing an up-close-and-personal view of the chefs at work on your meal. The price of the tasting menu, at $295 per person, puts this spot firmly in “special occasion” territory, and Shim does his part to make every occasion feel legitimately special.  The vibe: Intimate, secretive and exuding “quiet luxury,” the round marble counter lets you keep your focus on just two things: your date and the food. If you’re looking for something to keep the conversation going, just take a look around the room. Custom dishes accompany every course, and the walls are full of ceramics and sparkling mother-of-pearl inlays that will reward your attention to detail.  The food: A seasonal, market-driven tasting menu features luxurious ingredients like black truffles shaved over scallops, foie gras served with milkbread and rich jajang bordelaise spooned lovingly over bowls of comforting jook. Expect the menu to change frequently, although the hwaro will always remain at its heart.  The drinks: A list of wines by the glass makes it easy to pair with each course. Or ask your server to guide you towards one of their excellent bottles, which range in price from $100 to well into the thousands.  Time Out tip: Because it’s a tasting counter, expect the...

Some things get better with age. The Empire State Building—now approaching its 100th birthday—is definitely one of them.  The Empire State Building became an icon when it opened in 1931 as the world's tallest building. Though the landmark may have lost its No. 1 height status, it's remained a beloved destination with incredible views of the city. Thanks to recent updates, it's not just about the views anymore. The building now spotlights art, architecture, and history; plus, it offers a slew of cool events and excellent dining options.  Tourists tend to make the Empire State Building their first stop upon arriving in New York City, and they're onto something—it's worth a visit, no matter if you're a lifelong New Yorker or just passing through town. Here's everything you need to know to make the most of your trip to this essential gem of the Manhattan skyline. RECOMMENDED: 101 best things do in NYC Why is the Empire State Building so famous? This building was a Very Big Deal since day one. It was the world’s first building to soar higher than 100 stories, and it was completed in a record-breaking 1 year and 45 days thanks to seven million man-hours of hard work. The 102-story skyscraper opened to plenty of fanfare. On May 1, 1931, President Herbert Hoover pressed a button in Washington, D.C., officially opening the building and turning on the Empire State Building’s lights for the first time. The building quickly became a tourist hotspot, even more so when it became the...

There are some places you go where history seems tactile, and Mohonk Mountain House is one of those places. Even without the framed black-and-white photos lining the hallways and paintings of the property dating back to the 19th century, you can sense the many stories that have happened there as soon as you approach the sprawling Hudson Valley resort. You’ll find yourself driving up a curving mountain road after passing through a manned checkpoint, before emerging from the forested land and catching sight of a grand, castle-like resort astride a picturesque glacial lake. After dropping off your car and walking into a deceptively simple lobby, you’ll travel through to the other side of the hotel, out onto a wooden patio dotted with rocking chairs and, seemingly, back in time. Being a part of the shared history of Mohonk Mountain House is a huge draw of visiting this destination. The resort dates back to 1869 when a local entrepreneur Albert Smiley purchased a modest, lakeside inn, Stokes Tavern, along with the surrounding 280 acres. Since then, Mohonk has grown enormously, evident in varying styles of the main building as well as through the scattered “summer houses” that dot the landscape. Over the years, the resort has garnered a number of accolades—including “Best Historic Resort” by Historic Hotels of America and as a National Historic Landmark site by the federal government—that attest to its longstanding presence.  That’s all very interesting, but you may be asking...

We really like eating around the city, and we're guessing you do, too. So lucky for all of us, we've packed all our favorite restaurants under one roof at the Time Out Market New York. The DUMBO location in Empire Stores has fried chicken from Jacob’s Pickles, pizza from Fornino, delicious bagels from Ess-a-bagel and more amazing eateries—all cherry-picked by us. Chow down over two floors with views of the East River, Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyline.  RECOMMENDED: The best things do in NYC

If you thought getting a table at Per Se was tough, try getting into Rao’s. On second thought, don’t. Rao’s (pronounced “RAY-ohs”) is really a private club without the dues. To eat here, you’ll need a personal invite from one of the heavy hitters who “owns” a table. These CEOs, actors, politicians, news personalities and neighborhood old-timers established a long-standing arrangement with the late, legendary owner Frankie “No” Pellegrino, and that's what ensures a seat at one of the ten tables at the Italian-American icon. In fact, reading this review is probably the closest you’ll get to Rao’s.

This new Malaysian spot in Greenpoint from the team behind Hainan Chicken House in Sunset Park is worth a ride on the G train for the poached half chicken alone. Cooked in ginger, scallion and deep, dark soy, then served up with house-fermented chili and fragrant chicken rice, it might be one of your favorite dishes this year.  The vibe: Intimate and cinematically lit, you can clearly see the influence of co-owner Chris Low, who is also a filmmaker. Kelang retains the low-key coziness of the original Hainan Chicken House while upping the drama to make it a date-night destination.  The food: Comforting Malaysian dishes, like the pork trotter with dark soy and root tea, bring depth, while udon noodles with scallops, pork shoulder and prawns are extremely easy to love. (And of course, you can’t leave without tasting the aforementioned chicken.) Try to save room for their singular dessert, a malty Milo sundae with candied peanut brittle and toasted coconut.  The drinks: As of this writing, Kelang is still waiting on its liquor license, so there’s no alcohol currently on the menu. In the meantime, try their nonalcoholic options, including Sarsi, a spicy Southeast Asian sarsaparilla soda, and calamansi limeade with ginger, honey and mint.  Time Out tip: If you’re feeling snacky, stop by for brunch: a plate of crispy curry puffs with mint chutney, flaky paratha with straciatella and sambal oil and a bowl of coconut curry will keep you going until dinnertime.