Our Guide to the Big Apple

Turnbull & Asser owner James Fayed gives us his top tips on what to see, do and enjoy in New York. If you’re planning a trip to the Big Apple, be sure to visit these highly recommended spots.

The Library at the NoMad Hotel on Broadway and West 28th Street is a beautiful two-level bar with great cocktails and a really good vibe. The bar is an actual library with a carefully curated collection of books and is complete with eclectic custom-made furnishings and atmospheric low lighting.

I love Johnny’s Bar, it’s a no frills, bare walls, friendly neighbourhood place in the West Village on Greenwich Avenue. It has been around for years and is the kind of place a crowd of all ages and backgrounds goes for a beer and to try one of Johnny’s famous shots of the day.

Owned by James Mallios, a former corporate lawyer, Amali on East 60th Street is a great spot in Midtown. It serves delicious seasonal Mediterranean food, using ingredients sourced from local farms, with an emphasis on Greek and Italian cuisine.

The best steak in Manhattan is at 4 Charles Prime Rib in the West Village on Charles Street. It’s small and has a buzzing atmosphere along with an elegant vintage feel. It’s dangerously addictive, I could stay there all evening, every evening.

There really isn’t anywhere better than the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) to spend a spare hour. The museum is one of the finest in the city, and the world, and always has interesting temporary exhibitions as well as an unparalleled permanent collection.

Ninth Street Espresso serves the best coffee I’ve ever had. It keeps it simple and straightforward and has none of the fuss of some coffee shops. There are a couple of Downtown locations but I prefer the Ninth Street Espresso in Midtown, on East 56th Street in the Lombardy Hotel.

This has to be Wogies Bar & Grill in the West Village on Greenwich Avenue. It’s a family-owned restaurant that is known for its Philly cheesesteaks, but for me the highlights are the bread, which they bake in-house, and the wings, which are the best in NYC.

The Bowery Hotel in the Lower East Side is one of my favourite spots in NYC. It has really great food, beautiful rooms, fantastic service and it’s a lot of fun to stay there thanks to the chic and buzzy art deco Lobby Bar and popular Tuscan restaurant, Gemma.