Time Out Love New York Awards 2014: Soho, Tribeca & FiDi

The name means “grandma” in Yiddish, but to celebs, punksters and stroller-pushers who wait all morning for a table, it means brunch. The sun-blasted restaurant, originally a pie kitchen, has morphed into an all-day gourmet picnic; at the front, insulated from the pram parking lot, is the bar. The fluorescent dessert cases and gaudy floral wallpaper will fade after one of the signature “loco” cocktails (the Slow Comfortable Screw blends Southern Comfort, champagne and OJ). Top off your buzz with Bubby’s mile-high apple pie. Then, stick a fork in it you’re done for the day.

This Philadelphia-based coffee company roasts all of its beans—which are often sourced through direct trade—and sells pastries from Ceci-Cela.

One of H&M’s spin-offs makes its U.S. debut with this Soho outpost. Originally, & Other Stories started as a beauty concept but quickly evolved into a fashion brand offering accessories and Euro-flavored ready-to-wear women’s clothes. While the prices here aren’t as low as what you’d find at H&M, they’re not too steep, either. And items like a coral handbag ($195), a wool striped skirt ($90) and gold knuckle rings ($45) definitely have the added bonus of looking more expensive than they are.

By the peak of summer even New York’s most venerable boat bars have become flooded with frat-tastic curios, all watered-down brews and Lonely Island references. This season, a new anchor drops in the Hudson, offering grown-up alternatives to that bustling sea of bros: Grand Banks, the historic schooner turned oyster bar captained by Mark Firth (Marlow & Sons). Bid farewell to plastic chairs and “I’m on a boat!” sing-alongs—it’s only smooth sailing from here. ORDER THIS: Small plates outshine the cocktails, so pass on the lager-based Engine Room ($16), which hits too hard on the ginger. Instead, opt for a white-wine Sherman’s Cup ($16) with fresh berries. (Pro tip: Ask for the fruit muddled.) The waitstaff runs like a well-groomed crew, outfitted in navy striped shirts, delivering baked oysters in shallot marmalade ($18) and bacon-flecked fluke crudo ($17).  GOOD FOR: Blowing out-of-towners out of the water. Though docked at amenity-rich Pier 25, the elegant Sherman Zwicker sits belowdeck for an out-to-sea feel, but with the glittering World Trade Center and spotlighted Statue of Liberty still in sight. THE CLINCHER: Two brass-tapped bars flank the bow and mizzen-mast, offering prime seating even without reservations, while the yellow-and-white-striped awning and business-casual crowd hint at the Hamptons without diving deep into bourgie-dom. —Rheanna O'Neil Bellomo

RECOMMENDED: 50 best New York attractions This historic harbor is home to the former Fulton Fish Market, the Seaport Museum, the country's largest privately owned fleet of historic ships and a shopping mall with retail stores and restaurants. It hosts outdoor concerts during the summer, as well as a range of lectures and public programs.