Lunch there before a visit at the MET with a walk in Central Park

Stupendous views of Manhattan and what feels like all of Brooklyn from the only tall-ish building around. And very good beer.

Tucked away on the second floor, it’s easy to forget you’re in the middle of Manhattan. Order the Ika geso (squid legs) and the nankotsu (chicken cartilage), my personal favorites. You might notice people waiting around a nondescript door inside the restaurant; this is actually the entrance to the speakeasy bar Angel’s Share.

After the full moon, when the tide is the lowest, you'll find a century of fossils from a gone NY, trails of washed-out rainbow colored bottles, a graffitied shipwreck buried by time. Hundreds of years of history written in the sand.

Books are Magic is a great local spot for bookworms. The staff is warm and friendly with regular events happening monthly.