When you think of what’s hot and what’s not in New York City nightlife, you think about the Zagat Survey and Yelp as well as Google ratings to help you find something fun and exciting to do. If you are new in town, and have no locals to show you the way, your best bet is the trusted and crowd-sourced ratings system that Zagat includes. Zagat was purchased by Google in 2011 to round out Google’s local recommendation engine, but continues to be strong today.
New Yorkers Love to Eat (Out)
It’s a proven fact, New Yorkers eat out significantly more than the national average, and tend to spend more at each meal–again, over and above the national average by over $10 ($48.44 in NYC v. $36.30 for the national average). Why is this? The abundance of excellent food and nightlife choices in New York give its residents a never-ending playground of options that appeal to every possible taste. In the current year alone, nearly 120 new restaurants opened while only around 50 of the restaurants closed. People who know restaurants know that if they can make it in New York, they can make it anywhere and are excited to test out their luck in the Big Apple.
Change In Trends
New York was previously known for splashy and fancy high-end restaurant openings and galas, however in the past few years the trend has been more towards high-quality, yet casual style dining options. Smaller and less-prestigious openings in the New York City scene included any number of Raman and sushi houses–with an omakase sushi restaurant winning the coveted Top Newcomer Restaurant award. Restaurants that specialize in coffee, ice cream, dumplings and tacos continued to flourish as did those focused on the “small bite” or appetizer-size options.
Late Night Options
Sometimes, when you’re out late at night all you want is to grab a quick bite at a local eatery and know that you’re going to get good, hearty fare that is simple and quick–and served after midnight! This seems like a tough combination to meet in the big city of New York, but fortunately there is a growth spurt going on around casual dining restaurants that offer extended hours in the evening on into the wee early morning. If you’re looking for food after midnight, here’s a quick list of options and where you can find them.
* The Greenwich Village area is well-known for being fun after dark, so it only makes sense that you’ll find some good eats in this area. Check out Bar Sardine, which is open until 2:00 am,, if you’re looking for a great sports bar that has something for everyone. A nice mix of hearty and healthy tempts the palate, while a gorgeous view out into the West Village Streets keeps you engaged.
Another great option for this area is Dell’anima, with their final seating at 1am. The full menu of inventive Italian food includes everything from bruschetta to pastas and more substantial entrees. The Minetta Tavern serves a special menu after 11pm up until 1am, but you can still get a hefty steak at the bar along with options like roasted bone marrow.
* Soho includes some great pizzerias such as Prince Street Pizza, which is a piece of NYC pizza history as home of the original Rays, where you can get arguably the best slices in town. Raoul’s offers an eclectic mix of tourists, fashionistas and locals and has a chill, bohemian vibe that can really make your evening. The Blue Ribbon Brasserie is a friendly and accommodating late-night option for oysters from the raw bar or a hanger steak with onion rings–your choice.
* Momofuku Ssam Bar in the East Village area has superstars like a rotisserie duck with chive pancakes or dry-aged ribeye, but don’t forget to try the octopus escabeche at Booker and Dax while you’re in in the area! Veselka offers a Ukranian good time with filling Eastern European flair.
No matter where you find yourself in New York City, you are certain to find a good option for a good time after midnight–whether you’re looking for food, drinks, dancing or just a little local culture. It truly is the city that never sleeps.