My favorite things to do in Gramercy/Flatiron, New York City

I lived in the Gramercy neighborhood when I first moved to the city and it was the perfect place to get introduced to the vibrance of the city. Located in the heart of the city, I felt lucky to be in a place where I was within walking distance to a number of neighborhoods. I feel like this always happens to people when they move to a different neighborhood within New York City - but whenever I do go I feel a sense of nostalgia and familiarity for the past.

Coffee Shops -

• Irving Farm: My absolute favorite coffee shop in downtown Manhattan! It is one of the coziest coffee shops I’ve ever been to - maybe my love for it is due to how it was my old neighborhood coffee spot when I first moved to the city, but regardless, I still love it. There are a number of other Irving Farm Coffee Shops located around the city but this is my favorite location.

  

• Hutch and Waldo: This coffee shop feels like it should be based in San Diego, not New York City. Its  ½ indoors and ½ outdoors vibe makes it the perfect place to grab a light breakfast on a summer day. 

• Devocion: A fan-favorite in the city, Devocion probably has the best tasting coffee on this list. They import their beans from Colombia and roast them in their roastery in Brooklyn. You really can’t go wrong going to Devocion - although there may be a long line, it is worth the wait. 

• Ralphs Coffee: Ralph’s Coffee in Flatiron is another one of my old neighborhood favorites. It’s perfect if you are doing a day of shopping in the Flatiron neighborhood and want to grab something along the way. 

Restaurants

• Scarpetta - I went to Scarpetta last year for Valentine’s Day Weekend - they had VERY good Italian food - a little pricey, and a bit small portioned - but it was a romantic environment to have dinner. 

  

  • The Seville: After dinner, we wandered to the basement of Scarpetta, and found The Seville - a chic basement bar that had some of the best live music I've seen in the city. Going to Scarpetta and going downstairs for drinks at The Seville after was one of the best Valentines Days I’ve had yet. Especially since we didn’t even have to step foot outside on a cold February night. 

• Ilili - If you’re looking for Lebanese + Mediterranean Food, I would definitely recommend going to Ilili. I went here with a party of 3 of my friends and we all split small plates. The interior is gorgeous, the food is extremely delicious, and it was all at a somewhat reasonable price point. 

• Hawksmoor: I went to Hawksmoor to celebrate my boyfriend’s birthday this past year - it is definitely a place for celebration. You can choose between the bar area and the dining area - along with their steak, they are also known for their cocktails. If you are looking for an upscale steakhouse that is not packed with tourists, I would definitely recommend coming here. 

Bars

• Pete’s Tavern: Pete’s is a place I always recommend people visit when coming to New York. It’s New York City’s oldest continuously operating restaurant and you can see that history when going to Pete’s. The photography on the walls shows the charm of the restaurant throughout history. In the winter, the restaurant is decked out in Christmas decorations which is what it is most well-known for. I prefer to go to Pete’s in the spring or in the summer and sit on the patio and people watch on Irving Place. It is the perfect neighborhood bar/restaurant and is the perfect blend of new and old New York. 

• Veronika: In my opinion, Veronika is one of the most beautiful restaurants/bars in the city. With high ceilings and unique architecture, you can tell that Veronika is a special place to grab a drink. It truly feels like you’re at a historical restaurant in Europe or somehow stepped back in time to a place where they made every building with care and with attention to intricate detail. Although it is a bit pricey - I went with my boyfriend and we split some smaller plates and got a drink and it didn’t end up being horribly priced. 

• Hidden Lane: Hidden Lane is really a Hidden treasure in the city. If you’re looking for a low-key night out (and you’re in the area), I would definitely go to Hidden Lane. It’s more of a chill bar where you go to chat with friends, not a club or dance bar by any means. It’s the perfect place to go if you’re done with dinner, but you’re not ready to go home quite yet. One of my favorite things about this bar is their outside backyard space. It makes you feel like you’re having a drink in somebody’s backyard - which is something you really don’t get to experience much in New York City. 

• Lillie’s Victorian Establishment: Lillie’s is where you should go if you want to really embrace the season you’re in. Throughout the year, they decorate for each season very elaborately. In the springtime it’s themed like Alice in Wonderland, in the fall it’s halloween themed and in December it’s a Christmas Wonderland. 

Activities 

• Irving Place - Irving Place is my absolute favorite street in New York. It isn’t too busy, the streets are lined with cute restaurants and it feels like you’ve found a secret area of the city away from the hustle and bustle. If you’re looking for an area of the city to get brunch or dinner and want to sit outdoors,  I would 100% recommend coming to this street. Warning- the majority of restaurants here are a bit pricey. 

• Union Square Weekend Farmers Market - On the weekends, Union Square hosts a farmers market each weekend with vendors from all over the area. It does get really busy as the day goes on, so I would recommend going in the morning before the business of the day begins. 

• Madison Square Park: Being one of the few green spaces in this area, Madison Square Park is a great place to sit with a coffee or take pictures of the Flatiron building. I haven’t spent a lot of time hanging out in this park, but I used to frequently walk through it on my way to and from work. If you find yourself in Madison Square park, stop for a burger at the Shake Shack and people watch for a while. 

• Eataly - Although there are Eataly’s across the globe, I hold a place in my heart for the Flatiron Eataly, as it was the first one I ever went to. Eataly is an Italian marketplace where you can purchase any type of Italian food you could ever want and stop in for a glass of wine with a bowl of pasta. 

• Cafe Panna - Prepare to stand in line for ice cream here! Located on Irving Place (my favorite street in New York), Cafe Panna is my favorite place to go for ice cream post-dinner. They have a bunch of flavors to choose from and you can eat the ice cream while walking through the city, or sitting by Gramercy Park.

• The Stand - I love going to comedy shows, and The Stand is one of my favorite places to watch live comedy in the city. Start your night by grabbing a drink at the upstairs bar before the show and once they let you know your show is about to start, you head downstairs to watch comedians do their stand up where you can order food and drinks. It’s the perfect date night. 

• Shopping - When you think of New York Shopping, you typically think about SoHo, 5th Ave, Madison Ave or the West Village. Flatiron has recently become one of the biggest shopping hotspots in the city. Not only can you find nearly any brand you can imagine, the stores are housed in buildings with stunning architecture.

Haven’t been, but are on my list to try next :) 

• Chapel Bar 

• COTE: Korean Steakhouse