Where To Stay And Eat

There are plenty of hotels in New York, but we suggest that you book as early as possible in order to get the best possible rate. We’ve also put together a list of our favorite restaurants, shops and sightseeing spots. If you’re looking for something different, feel free to contact us.

The Jane Hotel: 113 Jane Street – New York, NY 10014-1797 – (212) 924-6700 – The Jane is a hip hotel in Manhattan’s West Village neighborhood. Rooms are usually $99 — insanely cheap for New York — but they’re very small. We’d stay here if we were coming to New York for a wedding.

Ace Hotel: 20 West 29th Street New York, NY 10001 – (212) 679-2222 – If you’re planning on doing plenty of sightseeing while you’re in town, the Ace Hotel is a good bet. It’s located in a strange neighborhood, but that means it’s super close to Times Square as well as Union Square, Chelsea and SoHo. There are also some lovely restaurants and shops within the hotel. We actually go there for business breakfasts/lunches all the time!

Club Quarters World Trade Center: 140 Washington Street – New York, NY 10006 – (212) 577-1133 – This Financial District hotel is moments away from Brooklyn.

Nu Hotel: 85 Smith Street – Brooklyn, NY 11201 – (800) 677-9329 – For those who don’t mind spending a bit more and want to be near the wedding venue, we suggest Nu Hotel. It’s right in our neighborhood — BoCoCa — and it’s really lovely. There are plenty of great restaurants, boutiques, and it’s only a 15 minute subway ride into Manhattan.

Super 8: 265 3rd Avenue – Brooklyn, NY 11215 – (718) 534-0451 – It’s not the fanciest hotel or neighborhood, but it’s super close to the venue and smack dab between Park Slope and Carroll Gardens, which means there’s plenty to do just five to ten minutes away.

Great Pizza: Neapolitan style pizza — very thin, gourmet ingredients — have kind of taken over the city. These are some of our favorite spots:

Keste’ Pizza & Vino Place – 271 Bleecker Street New York, NY 10014 – (212) 243-1500

Motorino – 349 East 12th Street New York, NY 10003 – 212-777-2644

Great Burgers:

The Spotted Pig – 314 West 11th Street – New York, NY 10014 – (212) 620-0393 – This is Lauren’s favorite burger in the city. It’s bistro style, on a brioche bun with yummy blue cheese.

Shake Shack – Multiple locations – The Shake Shack is super famous for its backyard-like burgers, but made with the freshest, fanciest ingredients around.

Sushi:

Osaka – 272 Court Street – Brooklyn, NY 11231 – (718) 643-0044 – Our local joint. We’ve eaten a lot of sushi — from Nobu and back — but this place just can’t be beat when it comes to quality and affordability.

Italian:

Lunetta – 116 Smith Street – Brooklyn, NY 11201 – (718) 488-6269 – If you like modern Italian food, this is our top choice.

Shopping:

Big Department Stores: If you want to simply see what a New York department store is really about, you’ve got to hit the triumvirate: Bergdorf Goodman, Henry Bendel, and Barneys. They’re all located around each other, right off of Central Park. And don’t miss the 24-hour Apple Store at 59th Street and 5th Avenue!

Boutique Shopping: Looking for something special to take home? Head downtown to Nolita and the Lower East Side. You’ll find plenty of incredible boutiques. If you’re planning on staying in Brooklyn, Smith Street and Court Street in Cobble Hill are great, or try Bedford Ave. in Williamsburg.

Museums: If it’s warm enough, we say the number one thing you should do is take a stroll around Central Park or Prospect Park (in Brooklyn). But if the weather isn’t great, make sure to stop by one of our favorite museums: MoMA, the Guggenheim, Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, and Museum at FIT.

Bars: Email us directly, let us know what you’re looking for, and we’ll offer some suggestions.