New York Tour Guide (6)

China, Italy and Brooklyn

Today, we go international… (although the Big Apple is in a certain way always multicultural).


Start the day in Chinatown where even the street signs are translated into Chinese. You will see a lot of tiny stores filled with (fresh?) fish, strange looking vegetables, and all sorts of Chinese nic nacs. If you’re adventurous, try one of the restaurants here (they can be really good, but I get nervous when I don’t recognize the food on my plate, especially when it looks like a strange jelly-like substance).

Then go up to Little Italy through Mulberry Street, right next to Chinatown (it’s hard to see where Chinatown ends and where Little Italy begins). It is not exactly how you picture the romantic streets of Italy but the Italian restaurant signs make a nice picture frame for the Empire State Building at the horizon. For one of the best pizza’s in NYC, head to Lombardi’s (but be prepared for a long wait!). While we are on the subject, other excellent pizza places are John’s (see my previous post on Times Square), Otto (at NYU), Patsy’s (6 locations in NYC including one in the Upper West Side) and Grimaldi’s (under the Brooklyn Bridge but a bit too touristy in my opinion).


Take Elizabeth Street and walk through NoLiTa (or North of Little Italy), with its trendy boutiques and if you're hungry, have lunch at the one Michelin star restaurant Public. Next, take a detour crossing the Bowery, through the Sara Roosevelt Park. If you want a genuine "New York Deli" experience, stop at Katz's Delicatessen. Maybe you remember this place from the famous quote out the When Harry Met Sally movie scene: "I'll have what she's having!". Have the pastrami, corned beef, OR Rueben sandwich - I said "OR", please don't combine unless you want to risk an indigestion!

In the afternoon, go to SoHo (or South of Houston Street - pronounced Howston!) where you can shop till you drop. Definitely go inside the Prada store, which used to be the Guggenheim museum. The Mango across the street is located inside the beautiful old Singer factory. Other stores you have to see? Sorry, you're on you own here... there's so much to see (and buy) in SoHo - I don't even know where to start!

For dinner, I can recommend Mercer Kitchen, one of the many excellent restaurants of Jean Georges Vongerichten. By the way, his 3 Michelin star restaurant "Jean Georges" offers an affordable prix fixe lunch during the week (about USD 40 for three courses) and is located inside the Trump Hotel at Columbus Circle (don't forget to reserve your table). Having lunch here is definitely an "I'm in New York City and I'm enjoying life" moment!