Rachel Pelz

We love ice cream in any form—and every season. Though we’ll happily partake in a sweet cone even in the glacial New York winter, ice cream—like music festivals, park-set picnics and outdoor dining—is a joyful, delicious harbinger of warmer weather. Just try to be grumpy with a great big ice cream cone on a sunny day—it's physically impossible. New York City has an abundance of options for when you can’t catch the Mister Softee truck, from old-school scoops to newfangled soft serve. These are our favorite ice cream shops in NYC—including the classic, offbeat, unique and traditional frozen offerings this season. Updated July 2026: This summer, we added Albero Dei Gelati and L’Industrie, both serving up some of the city’s best gelato, the nostalgic newcomer Julia Jean’s and The Screen Door, whose “flurry sundaes” with a base of blended soft serve, marshmallow fluff and mix-ins put it over the top.  How we curate and review at Time Out.

There are nearly forty islands in New York City, making for a lot of waterside property. While it can be hard to remember when you’re stuck in gridlock midtown traffic or wandering among the high-rises of downtown Brooklyn, we’re lucky enough to be living in a city of islands. From waterfront restaurants to sunset boat tours, there are plenty of ways to celebrate New York City’s waterways. Our favorite? Tucking into some of the city’s best seafood, including raw bar seafood towers, East Coast oysters, luxurious tins of caviar and the currently trending (again!) shrimp cocktail. Whether you’re in the mood for the city’s best lobster roll or a bag-it-yourself experience at a bustling Astoria fish market, we’ve rounded up the 17 best seafood restaurants in NYC. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best restaurants in NYC Updated July 2026: This summer, we’ve added Carmellini’s latest venture Carne Mare, notable for its spicy lobster spaghetti and crowd-pleasing mozzarella sticks with caviar. Tommy Bahama’s midtown restaurant made the cut for its coconut-shrimp-scented power lunches, along with underground date-night destination Smithereens and the recently expanded aguachile emporium Mariscos el Submarino. How we curate and review at Time Out.

Middle Eastern favorites like spicy kebabs, creamy baba ganoush and classic falafel sandwiches can be found on the menus of some of NYC's best restaurants. From Astoria to Bay Ridge, Middle Eastern fare is just as satisfying at a fine-dining destination as at a late-night stop for cheap eats. Whether you’re craving kibbeh from Lebanon, stuffed Kurdish dumplings or a bubbling pan of shakshuka at brunch, you can find the best of NYC’s Middle Eastern dishes at these 16 restaurants.  RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best restaurants in NYC Updated July 2026: This summer, we’ve added Shifka, a brand-new NoHo lunch option with an under-the-radar tahini-vanilla soft serve, West Village rotisserie-chicken destination Cleo, plus the UES’s Dear Margo and the Eastern European-meets-Middle Eastern spot Gusi. Whether you’re looking for a falafel to eat on the street or a spot to linger over dips and drinks, these are the best newcomers and most beloved longtime Middle Eastern restaurants in NYC. How we curate and review at Time Out.

Whether you’re after amazing views of the New York skyline, an ocean breeze off the beach or a happy hour with your favorite co-workers that feels like a mini vacation, head to one of the best waterfront restaurants in NYC. You can go super nautical and have a drink on a boat bar or take a dinner cruise, or DIY it and grab some cheap eats to have a romantic picnic on a park bench along the shoreline. RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in New York Our favorite way to celebrate summer in the city is to make a reservation at one of the city’s very best restaurants along the waterfront—whether it’s on the Hudson River, the East River or overlooking the Atlantic Ocean—and remind ourselves that New York is, believe it or not, surrounded by water. We’ve rounded up the best waterfront restaurants in NYC right now to eat, drink and enjoy the New York shoreline and skyline. Updated July 2026: This summer, we’ve added Six Coasts, a brand-new Pan-American restaurant from the Smorgasburg team; Lalaon, a Korean BBQ spot inspired by the dining culture along the Han River; The Yacht Club for a not-so-quiet-luxury experience; and Anable Basin for an easygoing hang with one of the best views in NYC.

Looking for a new spot to watch the big game? Our list of NYC’s best sports bars includes rowdy beer halls, low-key hangs with craft brews, some of NYC’s best dive bars and even a bar dedicated to all things Canadian. Whether you need a weekly place to root for your footie team or just want to drink a few great brews with friends, we’ve rounded up our favorite places to shout at a really big TV. RECOMMENDED: See all of the best bars in NYC Updated June 2026: It has never been a better time to be a sports fan. With the energy surrounding the Knicks and the FIFA World Cup upon us, plenty of New Yorkers are heading to their favorite bars or even taking to the streets to catch the action that's been projected onto buildings. As a result, we figured it was high time to update our sports bars list.  This go-around, we added a bi-level sports bar that's been in midtown for over 30 years: Mustang Harry's. We also updated our entry for the Clinton Hill sports bar Athena Keke's after a review.

​Already ate and drank your way through all the best rooftop bars and waterfront restaurants in NYC? It’s time to upgrade to the high seas (or at least, like, the low rivers). To take in the best views of the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building and the Brooklyn Bridge while you dine, check a dinner cruise off your must-do-in-NYC list. The breeze off the Hudson, the diving gulls, the sunset over the skyline…it’s enough to make even the most mid glass of Prosecco taste like the best thing you ever drank. ​Whether you’re looking to book a dinner cruise for a romantic night out, a happy hour with friends or a family reunion, we’ve rounded up the best options from casual buffets to black-tie-optional affairs with five-course plated dinners, live music and dancing on boats. Setting sail from the Hudson River, the East River and New York Harbor, you can splash out on caviar and lobster tail or set sail for $0.00 on the Staten Island Ferry. ​Summer 2026 update: This year, you’ll find plenty of special cruises to celebrate America’s 250th birthday. Watch the arrival of the 250th fleet of “tall ships,” watch the fireworks and see Lady Liberty up close and personal. Make sure to book ahead, especially for big groups, because the best times will fill up quickly now that the weather has turned. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here.

The pastry cases in New York City's bakeries hold some of the best reasons to get out of bed in the morning. You can grab a perfect almond croissant from a French-trained pastry chef, pick up a box of the city’s best cookies for a friend's birthday and still have room for a quick stop at your favorite doughnut shop. New places are always popping up—and new favorites are always popping up on your feed—leaving you with a running list of all the places you have to try: That’s living the dream. Built on hundreds of years of tried-and-true family recipes or from a career pivot away from corporate life, these bakeries have become part of the fabric of their neighborhoods. Whether you’re heading to Little Italy for a classic cannoli or making a special cross-borough trip for the city’s best cake, these spots need to make their way onto your must-eat list.  Updated May 2026: If you’re welcoming spring with an iced coffee (or if you never stopped drinking them, even through the City’s Worst Winter), these bakeries are celebrating with seasonal flavors like strawberry, asparagus and sweet peas. Use the new season as an excuse to start a Sunday pastry ritual or a reason to explore a brand-new neighborhood: these bakeries will make it worth your while. 

New Yorkers treat brunch like a personality trait, and Manhattan has enough options for all of our personalities: the two-carafes-of-mimosas, the sip-a-coffee-solo-with-a-book and the we're-splitting-everything-and-still-getting-ice-cream-after. We've spent years working our way across the borough at brunchtime, so you can skip the guesswork and head straight for the good stuff at some of the best restaurants in NYC. Find red velvet cake in Harlem that rivals the city’s best bakeries, a French dip that has earned its place as one of NYC’s best sandwiches and the best cocktails for clinking glass from, say, ten a.m. to four p.m.  Updated April 2026: Just in time for patio season’s big comeback, a few new Manhattan brunch spots have made the cut. Grab a table and get ready for spring menus that lean hard into the season with bright citrus, asparagus and the briefly, sweetly omnipresent ramps.  RECOMMENDED: See more restaurants for the best brunch in NYC

A glazed doughnut with sprinkles from a cart with your morning coffee? A New York City classic. A $7 fancy-schmancy cruller from a Williamsburg pop-up? Also classic, in its own way. The doughnut scene in NYC is always frying up something delicious, from a beloved Greenpoint institution that’s been open for more than 70 years to brand-new shops doing numbers on TikTok.  Sweetened fried dough has roots all over the world, which means there are more kinds of doughnuts to eat than we can in a lifetime. But…let’s try. Pair one with a latte from one of the city's best coffee shops, grab a dozen on your way out of one of the city’s best bakeries or settle the great breakfast debate by picking up a doughnut and a BEC from one of the best bagel shops in NYC. Updated March 2026: Some of the most exciting new doughnut shops in NYC were started elsewhere, so you can take a tour of the global doughnut scene without ever leaving the city. RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in NYC

New York City doesn't follow breakfast rules. Pancakes at 3pm? Sure! A full dim sum spread in the middle of the night? Why not! It’s a dining scene that starts early, ends late and, in some cases, never stops. Within a few subway stops, you can grab a classic BEC, a big bowl of congee topped with golden sambal, a baguette spread with butter and radishes and a Malaysian spread of coconut rice that'll make you wonder why you ever settled for drip coffee and a protein bar.  RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in NYC The city's most beloved breakfast spots have long reflected their histories, as families turned morning staples into their neighborhood’s everyday rituals. Find your own favorite way to wake up with this list of the best-of-the-best breakfast spots in NYC, from Northern-Mexican style burritos to a classic bagel sandwich from a counter that’s been slinging lox for more than 100 years.  Updated February 2026: As winter finally loosens its grip, iced coffee season is coming sooner than you think. That means the lines for the city’s most viral spots will be getting longer, too, so grab breakfast at new L.A. import Croft Alley or Cafe Mulberry’s celeb-studded French restaurant before it’s too late. 

Chinese food has been one of the most influential and beloved dining scenes in New York City for more than a century. Shaped by generations of chefs, families and communities across the five boroughs, today’s Chinese restaurants reflect deep regional traditions and the ever-evolving ways New Yorkers eat, from Shanghainese comfort food to Chinese-American dishes that have become NYC staples in their own right. Whether you’re heading to one of NYC’s Chinatowns for a sumptuous weekend brunch or a bakery crawl, tucking into a traditional dim sum spread or chasing the city’s best dumplings, there’s always a new way to experience Chinese food in New York City.  Some of these restaurants are longtime institutions that still make some of us say, “Remember when?” The newer arrivals, whether they’re serving up Italian-Chinese fusion fettuccine or sweet Fujianese ice rice, are all building on that shared history.  January 2026 update: Winter is prime time for finding your new favorite Chinese food in NYC. Cold weather makes warming soups and slurpable noodles especially craveable, and the Lunar New Year will bring renewed energy and celebratory menus across the city.

The most romantic restaurants in New York City fall into two categories: the old-school classics that have been setting the mood for generations, and the new-kid-on-the-block spots where just scoring a reservation is part of the seduction. While some of the restaurants on this list lean pretty pricey, you don’t necessarily need to propose over a 20-course tasting menu. (Although if that’s your thing, we’ve got you, too.) If you know where to look, the city’s full of romantic spots at all price points for first dates, special occasions and even popping the question. Whether you’re looking for a table at one of the best restaurants in NYC, a bowl of pasta at a romantic red-sauce Italian restaurant or just to toast to the night with bar snacks and a pair of the city’s best cocktails, every one of these spots takes date night to the next level. Make sure to save room for dessert: you’re going to want to linger together just a little longer.   Updated January 2025: Valentine’s Day always comes up faster than you think. If you want a table for two on the 14th (and not half of a barstool at 9:47pm), now’s the time to book a romantic reservation. 

Stout first opened in 2005, and its locations in some of the city’s busiest hubs bring laid-back public house energy to nine-to-five New Yorkers and international tourists alike. They’ve moved their Stout Penn Station location to a new spot just two blocks from Macy’s Herald Square and Madison Square Garden, so you can join the throngs of sports fans and Swift-wedding-crawlers to soak up a pint or two before or after the action. They even open early for every Garden game and concert, so you’ll always have a place to escape the throng of Midtown.  Classic pub fare still reigns here, with prime beef burgers (made “Angry” with Buffalo hot sauce or Oklahoma-style with griddled onions) and house-cut French fries, fish and chips and chicken wings on the menu. The cheddarwurst sausage, which is also served rinkside to the ice skaters at Bryant Park, is available here year-round, dripping with honey-bourbon braised onions and earthy Düsseldorf mustard. On the weekends, you can stop by for breakfast burritos and bottomless brunch, where two hours of unlimited bloodies, rum punch, mimosas, screwdrivers and select draft beers will run you $25 when you purchase a brunch entrée.  Over 75 beers, ciders and seltzers are on offer day and night, from crowd-pleasers like $7 Miller Lites and peach High Noons to harder-to-find suds like Lawson’s Sip of Sunshine and more cult-favorite IPAs. If you’d like to try a few from their extensive list, draft beers are available in half pints or flights; i

This old-timey soda fountain on idyllic Henry Street calls to mind two Grease-style sweethearts, sipping out of a shared straw while they kick their legs beneath the counter. That’s not wrong, necessarily, with a menu that features chocolate and vanilla egg creams, cherry-lime rickeys and malted milkshakes. Luckily, the Sir Twix-a-Lot sundae, with chunks of shortbread, cold caramel and fleur de sel and the 99 Problems, with a brownie, chocolate ice cream, an entire vanilla milkshake and a dark chocolate shell, ground us firmly in the post-poodle-skirt present. Still, you can share a float with your sweetheart or order a Dubai sundae with two spoons.  The vibe: Inside an actual former apothecary, the charming tiled floors and glass domes of cakes to gawk at feel pleasantly old-fashioned. Rows of wooden apothecary drawers line the walls, and a vintage soda fountain holds pride of place; on a weekend night, it’s half local families and half swooning couples on a date to a sundae destination.  The food: Serving up scoops of Adirondack Creamery ice cream in simple flavors like chocolate, vanilla and strawberry, the magic comes alive when the ice cream arrives in their outrageous sundaes. Even though they’re served in classic silver dishes, everything—including their banana split—is a little different. The Bandana Split comes with vanilla, chocolate and coffee ice cream, a whole banana (natch), plus hot fudge, caramel, whipped cream and a cherry. If you’re finding it hard to choose

Having been around for about 100 years, Eddie’s Sweet Shop’s claim to fame is being New York City’s oldest ice cream parlor. Enter the time warp, order a sundae with cherry syrup and a huge dollop of homemade whipped cream and make sure to bring cash. What, you thought you could pay with your phone? The vibe: The soda fountain and fixtures add to the throwback vibe, as do the prices, which are significantly lower than those at some of the city’s more modern scoop shops. It’s frequently crowded, but don’t despair if you come to see a packed house. The tables move quickly, and the team is good at turning them over—after all, they’ve been doing this for quite a while.  The food: This is the ice cream of American youth. Thick scoops of childhood flavors like mint chip, cherry vanilla and orange sherbet take you back like Proust’s madeleine (if Proust’s madeleine came smothered in whipped cream, topped with nuts and sprinkles and finished with a maraschino cherry dipped in Red No. 40). Order your scoop as a sundae, drizzled with syrup or topped with crushed pineapple, hot fudge or caramel, or go for the Banana Royal, which comes with three scoops of ice cream and toppings to feed the whole T-ball team.  The drinks: Milkshakes, malteds, floats, freezes and frosteds (soda spun with ice cream) give you plenty to sip on while you sit at Eddie’s century-old counter. Mix and match any of their ice cream flavors with syrups like orange, cherry, root beer and lime.  Time Out tip: Seriousl

Along just a few blocks on Park Slope’s 5th Avenue, you’ll find the shops that make up ice cream row: Culture, the viral, so-tart-it-makes-you-pucker frozen yogurt; Van Leeuwen’s kooky flavors and Pentagram millennial-bait branding; and Albero Dei Gelati, a walk-up counter scooping up hand-churned, small-batch flavors with seasonal ingredients that align with its Slow Food ethos. It’s so small, you just might miss it—if it weren’t for the line that wraps around the corner on hot summer nights.  The vibe: The friendly scoopers are always happy to give you a taste; since the flavors can be savory and occasionally unusual (think lettuce and olive oil, zucchini or pale-blue spirulina), it’s always worth trying what’s on offer.  The food: Made with more milk and less cream than ice cream, gelato is, at its best, decidedly stretchy and pleasantly dense, with a lower temp and concentrated taste that lets its simple ingredients shine. Served piled on a cone or in a cup with a tiny spoon-like paddle, this gelato might just be the platonic ideal of the form. Chocolate and hazelnut, without a pile of chunks or toppings to contend with, have a depth of flavor that makes you feel like you might actually be walking down a piazza. But it’s the butter and salt, a sweet-and-savory favorite you’ll almost always find in the case, that helps Albero edge out its competition on ice cream row. It’s elegant, simple, surprising, a delight: absolutely everything you want in a cone. And, now that we th

This scoop shop near McGolrick Park is open March through November, with its annual reopening acting as a welcome reminder that spring is on its way to NYC. Its menu mixes old-school treats like chocolate egg creams and rainbow-sprinkle-topped cones with newfangled inventions like ice cream nachos (dippable waffle-cone pieces drizzled with hot fudge) and “flurry sundaes,” huge mounds of soft serve whipped with marshmallow fluff to create a sweet, airy base for mix-ins.   The vibe: A super-casual ice cream parlor that would be as much at home in the suburbs as it is on Greenpoint’s vibey Driggs Avenue; it doesn’t have the millennial-coded trappings of some of the other scoop shops in the neighborhood. And that’s what makes it special: owner Kate Covey, who lives down the block and grew up working in her family’s restaurant, has created a spot as much for locals as for those looking for the next sweet for their feed.  The food: Flurry sundaes make The Screen Door a destination, with their ooey-gooey whipped combination of soft serve and marshmallow topping. Get one mixed with Heath bars, pretzels and butterscotch syrup or cookie dough and blueberry sauce: they come piled with whipped cream and served in a giant bowl.  The drink: Freezes—soft serve vanilla ice cream blended with root beer, cola or orange soda—and the Bam Bam, a strawberry milkshake mixed with Fruity Pebbles, will cool you down on even the hottest days in the park. There are also slushies mixed with fruit sorbet,

This restaurant shares the branding of your uncle’s favorite Hawaiian shirt; it’s also a hot spot for some of Midtown’s most infamous lunchers. Stop by after a matinee or before happy hour to watch orders of “World Famous Coconut Shrimp” and frozen mai tais devoured by tourists and transplants alike.  The vibe: In the weird world of Midtown eating, folks in finance are flocking to this worldwide chain. The food comes out fast, the phones stay in hand and the food, while not being beside the point, necessarily, is best paired with a frozen mai tai or two.  The food: Some of us remember the days when theme restaurants ruled Times Square: Mars 2112, Señor Frog's, the flagship Red Lobster…it’s coming back in all its kitschy glory with crab cakes with “island slaw,” seared ahi tuna with sushi rice and fried-to-perfection, coconutty curls of sweet-and-salty shrimp.  The drinks: Is that an island breeze in the air? No, it’s just a Coconut Cloud Martini on an August afternoon in Midtown. Sweet tropical drinks go down easy, as do the appealing chardonnays and sauvignon blancs.  Time Out tip: Happy hour runs from 3–6pm, Monday through Saturday; live music starts at 4:30, giving you an hour and a half to catch the island rhythm. (The island of Manhattan, that is.) 

This wine bar’s always-changing food menu features bar snacks designed to pair with its list of unusual, coastal-leaning bottles. It’s got the cozy feel of a neighborhood fave, plus the culinary chops that make it a legit destination.  The vibe: As unassuming as it might seem, Saint Julivert remains a Cobble Hill fave for those in the know. High-top tables and a long bar keep things pretty casual, which makes their wonderfully weird wine list even more unexpected.  The food: Jump in the shallow end with an order of spicy peanuts with shrimp salt or whipped mackerel to spread on crispy slices of sourdough. If you find you like your date enough to order a second glass of wine (or like the wine enough to keep talking to your date…), bigger plates like cod pot pie with a pepper sofrito and squid a la plancha are enough to make a meal out of.  The drink: Niche faves like Encruzado, a tough-to-find white Portuguese grape, and orange Zibibbo (a tart, silky number that’s as fun to drink as it is to order) dot the unusual wine list. There’s a tight roundup of cocktails, too, but you’re better off letting your server guide you toward one of the wines by the glass.  Time Out tip: Saint Julivert’s only open until 9:30 every night, so you can guarantee you’ll be in bed by 10. 

Built by fifth-generation fishmongers, this Greenpoint market and restaurant focuses on sustainability, from responsible fishing practices to celebrating the nutritious, oft-overlooked offcuts of fish. Their seafood can be found in kitchens all over the city and served up in their own charming dining space.  The vibe: Their half-market, half-restaurant model makes for a bustling meal that might make you forget you’re just blocks from the G train. Grab a seat indoors or out, order up impossibly fresh East Coast oysters from the raw bar or a lobster roll dripping with butter, and finish off the New England cosplay with a $6 can of Narragansett.  The food: Both lunch and dinner keep it casual, with lobster bisque and New England clam chowder, Cape Cod poutine doused with chowder and a list of sandwiches including lobster rolls, tuna burgers and a classic fried fish dressed with tartar sauce. Even their salads feature seafood, with herring dressing on a Caesar and octopus nestled in fennel.  The drinks: Go for the ‘gansett or one of the beers on tap; we’re also partial to the Clamato Michelada, made with Narragansett (naturally), briny Clamato and a dash of Tabasco and lime.  Time Out tip: Score East Coast oysters at $2 a pop during happy hour, which runs until 6pm every day.  

This surf-and-turf spot from Andrew Carmellini is a masterclass in pleasing a crowd. Plush booths, easy-drinking cocktails, mozzarella sticks with caviar (!) and the fun-and-funky aged, Gorgonzola-cured Wagyu striploin all make for a standout high-end chophouse experience in a city increasingly full of them.  The vibe: The wooden paneling, deep yellows and reds, plush curved booths and glowing lamps are giving “first 90 minutes of James Cameron’s Titanic” (complimentary). Expect lots of business associates, finance-meets-marketing Bumble dates and slices of birthday cake coming out of the kitchen.  The food: It is a chophouse, so don’t miss that Gorgonzola striploin. If you’re not a fan of the funk, skip the shareable steaks, too, which are both dry-aged, and go for the boneless rib eye or the center-cut filet mignon. For those who lean more “surf” than “turf,” there are grilled oysters, a classic jumbo Gulf shrimp cocktail and spicy lobster spaghetti.  The drink: House cocktails like the Granita (Campari, grapefruit, limoncello, vermouth, prosecco) and the Verde (Japanese whisky, Lustau Vermut, Genepy, basil) join an extensive list of aperitivi that showcase the breadth of bitters.  Time Out tip: If you’re not ready to splash out for a $155 steak, stop by on weekdays from 4–6pm, when happy hour features $11 “Tiny Mare’tinis” plus $2 oysters.

This “New York rotisserie” makes a good case that NYC has yet to reach peak roast chicken. While the discourse has our City Council members posting through it, Cleo’s lightly spiced bird, marinated in baharat and served with zhug, labneh ranch and Fresno chili, flies in at $32 for half—and $58 for the whole thing.  The vibe: Hard to get into, easy to be inside: that’s the West Village recipe for success. Alongside their lovely roast chicken, Cleo’s cute seating and see-and-be-seen windows make it unsurprising that reservations for a rotisserie restaurant are already booked out.  The food: Sides, like tender corn ribs dusted with za’atar, and skillet cornbread topped with a quenelle of melting harissa butter, are a joy to eat; so is Cleo’s Salad, its Little Gems tossed with sundried tomatoes and chickpeas.  The drinks: Why wouldn’t there be a cosmo, a paloma and an Aperol spritz on the cocktail list? When in the West Village, do as the West Village girlies; cheers to your roast chicken with your pink drink.  Time Out tip: While reservations book out fast (thanks to the West Village girls being so quick on the draw), it’s worth trying your luck with a walk-in.

Named for a beloved grandmother, Dear Margo’s menu is inspired by foods of the Levant. There’s plenty of new-world cooking on the menu, too: find rib-eye bao buns and pastrami flatbreads among the shareable mezzes, skewers and salads.  The vibe: Already beloved by the neighborhood, the space is airy enough to feel convivial even when it’s packed on a Saturday night. Small dishes encourage sharing across the table, with fresh-baked, pillowy, pocketless laffa bread coming hot out of the oven all night.  The food: Nods to virality, like the 1,000-layer arayes, made with beef and Colorado lamb layered with pita, and the pastrami flatbread with deli mustard and garlic confit, are just as satisfying as the more traditional dishes like hummus, baba ganoush and skewers of kofta.  The drink: Order from the short list of wines by the glass or bottle, or go for the red sangria, made in-house with fresh fruit.  Time Out tip: Stay for the free frozen yogurt, which comes twisted like soft serve and topped with sweet fruit to cut through the dessert's tartness. 

Two separate dining experiences await you at Gusi: downstairs is The Geese, and upstairs is the more intimate cocktail lounge The Swans. Both floors serve Eastern European-meets-Middle Eastern cuisine, with tender hand-folded pelmeni, creamy hummus and a list of Georgian wines.  The vibe: The whole place is overseen by a pair of titular porcelain geese who rule the moody, red-hued roost. Even if you’re unfamiliar with dishes like sour okroshka or “Herring Under a Fur Coat,” your server is more than happy to walk you through the menu.  The food: Start with spreads like hummus and tzatziki served with pita bread before moving on to the rest of the menu, which leans on old-world Eastern European delights like blini with deep pink caviar, golubtzi cabbage rolls and an assortment of pelmeni filled with beef, bison, duck, yak and more.  The drink: Their wine list focuses on bottles from the country of Georgia, which has been producing wines for over 8,000 years. With a tradition of making amber wine using qvevri, clay pots buried underground, along with plenty of full-bodied reds, chances are high you’ll find something you love.  Time Out tip: Okay, we’ll save you the Google: the “Herring Under a Fur Coat” salad is a throwback to the U.S.S.R., with layers of salted herring and veggies with a “coat” of vibrant beets.