So we could afford said hotel, we were lucky enough to stay in my friend's beautiful apartment in Dumbo for the first half of the week while he was away with business. Every morning we would wake up to the most beautiful view and drink fresh vegetable juices from Foragers before setting up our laptops against the unbelievable backdrop...
For the Best Brunch: Vinegar Hill House in Dumbo
The best foodie recommendation I have for the area is Vinegar Hill House. I was feeling experimental so ordered the Shrimp and Grits which came with poached eggs, pickled fennel and shallots, whilst Rosie had the most delicious eggs Benedict I have ever tasted (and I have tasted a lot of eggs Benedicts!) It came with succulent, salty brisket and sharp, sweet pickled baby onions - I will definitely be trying to recreate this one at home.
For the Best Hangover Lunch / All Day Grazing: Smorgasburg Market
On sunday we headed over to Smorgasburg market in Brooklyn. The walk along the river is pretty spectacular and the weather couldn't have been more perfect. Once you get there, you are met by a vast array of venders setting up shop and tempting you with all sorts of evils! I went for the infamous ramen burger - a meat patty sandwiched between two solid bap-like clumps of fried noodles. It was under-seasoned and overhyped but a fun idea all the same. The chips on the other hand were well worth the wait and truly delicious. I was rather sad that I didn't have a bigger appetite at the time since the pulled pork and doughnut stalls were very tempting.
We walked from there into Manhattan and then strolled along the high line so I could pick up my favourite blood orange olive oil from Chelsea Market's Filling Station.
For the Best Steak: Quality Meats
We wanted to experience the best steak in New York and after a some digging around, ended up in Quality Meats. The service was impeccable, delivered by attractive thespian waiters, and the food was divine. I had a melt in your mouth tuna tartare followed by a flavoursome fillet mignon. The pudding of sticky toffee pudding was a real taste of home and came with extra pouring sauce so I was extremely happy.
So there you have it, my three foodie recommendations. If you have the budget I would also highly recommend The Ludlow hotel in SoHo. It is in one if those iconic brown brick buildings and has the most lovely decor and wood fires on cold evenings. El Ray around the corner also does fantastic coffee and rather delicious light lunches. The area is also great for clothes and wine shopping with Pixie Market and the lovely guys at September Wine Shop a couple of minutes' walk away.
