Sharlene Chiu’s guide to shopping and eating in NYC

Date July 28, 2011

Whenever I’m in Manhattan for a few days of shenanigans, it usually goes down like this: brunch, shop, eat, drink…and repeat. Whether it’s a couple of days or a couple of weeks, it’s just never enough to conquer all the shops and restaurants New York has to offer. You can drive yourself nuts trying to hit every new “hot spot”—for me, I prefer to sprinkle in a few places that I’ve never tried before (whether or not it’s in the latest New York Times) along with my tried-and-true standbys.

As any serious shopper/eater knows, the key to a successful day relies heavily on efficiency and stamina. So, by neighbourhood, here are some of my favourite shops and the delicious pit stops I make to refuel.

Read Sharlene Chiu’s NYC guide now »

Jump to: East Village | Lower East Side | SoHo | West Village

East Village: Shops

Tokio7 
(83 East 7th St.)
Tokio7 is always my first stop in the East Village. My most coveted finds include a Prada heart-print chiffon blouse and a gold embroidered Anna Sui dress—both were so new their original price tags were still intact, and they cost less than $200 each.

East Village: Restaurants

Fabulous Fanny’s 
(335 E 9th St.)
Fabulous Fanny’s has almost every type of vintage eyewear you could think of. Once you manage to squeeze into this charming space, you’ll also discover a fabulous selection of vintage accessories.

Photography: Fabulous Fanny’s by Simon Pearson

Goat Town
(511 East 5th St.)
Goat Town has an incredibly fresh farm-to-table menu—my faves are their veggie side, ricotta bread, and beef burger.

Veselka
(144 2nd Ave.)
Its homemade pierogi is the perfect shopping snack and is available with a variety of fillings, such as sauerkraut and mushroom, potato, and arugula and goat cheese.

Prune
(54 E 1st St.)
The Eggs Benedict! The Monte Cristo! The Devilled Eggs! I can go on…and on.

Photography: Prune by Advencap

Jump to: East Village | Lower East Side | SoHo | West Village

Lower East Side: Shops

Assembly New York
 (170 Ludlow St.)
I love coming here specifically for the otherwise hard-to-find shoes and accessories. Labels range from A Détacher to Henrik Vibskov and appear alongside curated vintage and art.

Pixie Market
(100 Stanton St.)
Pixie Market is my go-to for pretty dresses and rompers—the stock is updated frequently, so if you see something you like and want to avoid fashion regret, grab it.

Maryam Nassir Zadeh
(123 Norfolk St.)
Every time I step into the store, I feel like I’m walking into an art gallery. Each piece of jewellery and clothing is impeccably selected and utterly inspiring. Expect labels like All For the Mountain, Brook & Lyn, Isabel Marant, and Rachel Comey.

Lower East Side: Restaurants

Earthmatters
(177 Ludlow St.)
I’ve only ever had the mighty “salad bowl,” which I pile with as many of its unbelievable organic options as I can.

Clinton St. Bakery
(4 Clinton St.)
I always save myself for a major culinary indulgence at Clinton St. Bakery. Here’s a sample of what I usually order to share with a friend: buttermilk biscuit sandwich, crispy potato pancakes, banana walnut pancakes with warm maple butter, and a side of grilled chorizo. The things dreams are made of.

The Fat Radish
(17 Orchard St.)
 It is more of the simple, fresh market food that I love so dearly—a terrific spot for vegetarians.

Jump to: East Village | Lower East Side | SoHo | West Village

SoHo: Shops

Alexander Wang 
(103 Grand St.)
An entire store dedicated to Alexander Wang—need I say more? I spend hours here debating how much of my bank account I can leave behind.

Uniqlo 
(546 Broadway)
The best shop for basics. I recently left here with a great classic white button-down from the Jil Sander collection and about 20 pairs of socks.

Photography: Uniqlo by Atsuto

INA
(101 Thompson St.)
A staple for the vintage-designer shopper.

SoHo: Restaurants

Photography: Bread by La Citta Vita

Bread
(20 Spring St.)
A chic space where I like to have a prosciutto di parma sandwich and a mint iced tea to refuel. The wait staff here is deathly gorgeous.

Cafe Gitane
(242 Mott St.)
A true standby. The avocado toast is a must.

The Mercer Kitchen
(99 Prince St.)
Right in the heart of SoHo shopping. During my last visit, I had the seared sea scallops and cleaned up the entire plate in about two seconds.

Photography: The Mercer Kitchen by Kate Gabrielle

Jump to: East Village | Lower East Side | SoHo | West Village

West Village: Shops

A.P.C. Specials
 (92 Perry St.)
The new West Village location is a bit inconspicuous from the outside, but inside it carries all the past collaborations from the classic French label as well as vintage A.P.C.

Fisch for the Hip
(153 West 18th St.)
High-end designer vintage for men and women with a really fabulous shoe selection.

Rag & Bone
(104 Christopher St.)
There are several other locations around Manhattan, but this one is my favorite—the space is so comfy and the staff is always incredibly friendly and helpful.

West Village: Restaurants

CALiU
(557 Hudson St.)
A new West Village favorite of mine. The Spanish tapas at CALiU are well done and surprisingly affordable. My friends and I had a big dinner here and lots of sangria and it only cost about $40 each. You can’t beat that.

A.O.C.
(314 Bleecker St.)
The mussels and the burger are perfection.

Chelsea Market
(75 9th Ave.)
I like to walk over to Chelsea, stroll through the Market, and grab a cinnamon and sugar challah knot from Amy’s Bread and a hot chocolate from Jacques Torres.

Jump to: East Village | Lower East Side | SoHo | West Village