My favorite restaurant in Manhattan, it's super fresh, vegan/vegetarian and tasty and the staff is wonderful.

While the current trend in noodles may well be ramen, this bafflingly-named Japanese restaurant just ten minutes from my apartment specialises in udon. Unless you are my friend Diego Zambrano it will probably take you several visits to get through all the things you need to try on the menu - the gyoza are otherworldly, the sushi 'tacos' clever enough without being silly. New York has thousands of awful Japanese places; this is not one of them. It's super nice to come in on a Sunday night and eat at the bar next to curmudgeonly old guys barking at each other in Japanese.

This is my favorite bar in the city: original cocktails, an unpretentious crowd and live jazz.

 incredible curated and unique art shows

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