Le Gamin
Visit an authentic French Cafe in New York City by taking the subway to Brooklyn. Le Gamin Cafe is a warm, cozy bistro that is well off the tourist map and popular among locals. Owned by Robert Arbor, a native of France, visitors will find this restaurant casual and affordable while offering simple, tasty meals. Prix fixe brunch is delicious and a big draw, but the wise will drop in during the less crowded, candle lit evening hours. Of special note is the back courtyard, which gives a little more space and nice ambience during the warmer months. Menu changes seasonally and is small, though entree proportions are on the large size. Head south 10 blocks afterwards for a stroll in the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens and Prospect Park.
Le Gamin Cafe
1556 Vanderbilt Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11238
(718) 789-5171
legamin.com
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
1000 Washington Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11235
(718) 623-7200
bbg.org
Porter House
Book a reservation at the classy Porter House New York. Offering creative versions of the standard American cuisine, this luxurious restaurant offers appetizers of seafood, endive salad and roasted beets with goat cheese among others before hearty meat options like chili-rubbed Brandt rib-eye, aged 45 days, and lobster poached in butter. Side, dessert, wine and specialty drink lists are extensive. The restaurant is located in the Time Warner Building, just off Columbus Circle, and forms the southwestern corner of Central Park. This massive green space is an ideal place to walk, jog, ride a bike, play sports or just fall asleep with your partner underneath a maple tree.
Porter House New York
10 Columbus Circle, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10019
(212) 823-9500
porterhousenewyork.com
Mamajuana
It would be a mistake not to visit the northern tip of Manhattan. This largely Dominican neighborhood is the home of both excellent cuisine, at Mamajuana Cafe, as well as a good place to do some city hiking. Mamajuana is a type of Dominican rum drink, and fare at this intimate spot leans towards traditional dishes such as salmon a la parilla, grilled salmon with garlic spinach and mashed basil truffle potatoes, as well as the paella vegetariana, seasoned vegetables over saffron rice. A great way to visit this area is to combine it with a hike into the last remaining stretch of original forest that once covered the island. Inwood Hill Park is only partially groomed and offers single track hiking through dense brush and forest with few others to bother you.
Mamajuana Cafe
247 Dyckman St.
New York, NY 10034
(212) 314-0140
mamajuanacafenyc.com
Inwood Hill Park
Dyckman Street at the Hudson River
New York, NY 10034
(212) 304-2365
nycgovparks.org
