Favorite Spots for Food & Drinks in NYC

Happy Friday! Today's post is super fun, as it's focused on NYC and some amazing places to eat and drink there.  You all know I adore NYC and spending time there, so I'm truly excited to share more about it and the spots I love spending my time at there!

Grand Salon at The Baccarat

Holy cow is this a glorious spot to visit in NYC.  It's very expensive, so definitely count on spending beaucoup $$, but know it will be for a very special time.  I would consider it a place perfect for celebrating getting engaged, graduating, or another special life event, since the prices are high.  But the food and drinks are incredible, as is the ambiance, so it's definitely the place to go when you want to go all in for a spectacular time!

Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels

This is one of my favorite wine bars, ever.  Not only do they have a fantastic selection of wines, but every single waiter is a sommelier and consequently very knowledgeable and interesting to talk to.  The wines aren't the only amazing things here though, the food is equally as fantastic as the wine!  Even the smell that hits you as you walk in is to die for... On top of that, there is a red and white mystery wine at all times.  You get a guess for each glass that you order of either one, and if you guess right you take a bottle home for free!  I love that extra bit of fun they spin into the experience!

Benoit

It's not news here that I am a Francophile.  I adore the French and anything that reminds me of them!  After having spent a month out of 2018 in France, I crave the culture, atmosphere, and food, so when I found Benoit, a restaurant so authentic you feel like you're actually in Paris, I fell in love.  I always feel like I'm walking into a Parisian restaurant during the 1920s when I walk into Benoit; it's magical!  The food and wine are also authentic and wonderful; I couldn't recommend more!

Santina

Santina is another restaurant that makes you feel like you've escaped to another county!  The inside sports orange trees, gorgeous, bright aqua and yellow art, and gives all the Positano feels.  The ambiance is so warm and cheerful, I love going there to brighten up a rainy day!  The food and drinks are also delicious, with the entire menu being gluten-free and on the lighter side, but still full of flavorful coastal Italian dishes.

Sugarfish

I'm going to have to do a whole sushi post, but Sugarfish had to be included here.  Their sushi is some of the best I've ever eaten.  Their focus is quality & simplicity, so they don't have any of the crazy rolls that some places offer, but you can be sure that every bite will still be flavorful and delicious.  They have a good selection of wines and drinks, nice tableware and great service, which is why I often prefer going there over a hole-in-the-wall place with equally as good yet much cheaper sushi.

Ayza NYC

I stumbled on this place by accident while looking for a place to snack and work for a few hours one late afternoon, and I'm so glad I did!  It is a but tiny, but what a cute wine bar!  They don't just have wine though, they have chocolate boards and cheese boards, chocolate and wine pairings, and a whole list of chocolate martinis, not to mention a list of organic, raw, kosher, gluten-free, soy-free and dairy-free desserts ... yeah.  They have allll the good stuff in one place.  It's a little insane.  And everything I tried was delicious!!

Fig & Olive

Just like the name hints, Fig & Olive serves fresh, wholesome Mediterranean cuisine.  I've been to two of the three NYC locations, and both are as beautifully decorated as their food is beautifully presented.  They're technically French restaurants, but the food takes after that of all along the Mediterranean coasts.  It's fresh, delicious, and the have truffle parmesan fries which are basically the best thing ever.  Highly reckoned!

Eataly

This will always be one of my favorite places in NYC!!  To start, the food is amazing... authentic, fresh Italian food that's prepped before you if you eat downstairs.  They have several mini restaurants, one in each section... pizza, pasta, seafood, meat... as if that's not enough though, they have a rooftop bar & restaurant upstairs that is just divine.  Everything is delicious, flavorful, and beautifully presented and the ambiance of the lovely rooftop area is the icing on the cake!