An Editor's Guide to New York City: What to Eat, Where to Stay and Everything to Pack

Welcome to Out of Office, Who What Wear UK's chic travel guide that provides you with the most stylish take on any destination by tapping creatives who know where to stay, what to eat and, more importantly, what to pack. This month, Who What Wear UK beauty director, Shannon Lawlor, shares her tips for a memorable trip to New York City.

I'm one of those Londoners who everyone hates to see coming—I'm not quiet about my admiration for the city that I get to call home. I'll fight anyone who tries to tell me it's not the best in the world. And if you think I'm bad for it, you should meet my husband, who, despite his U.S. heritage, is a Londonphile through and through. The main difference between the two of us, however, is that I have long believed the only city in the world that can come close to rivalling London's greatness is New York.

Having been a beauty journalist for over a decade, it's not uncommon that I find myself in New York—whether it be for work or pleasure—and I'd be lying if I didn't say I feel at home when nestled amongst its concrete grids. The city's culture, penchant for local business, up-and-at-'em approach to everything and, frankly, its walkability mean that whenever I land back at Heathrow from a quick jaunt in NYC, my husband knows to expect an obligatory "Are you sure you don't want to move to New York?" text from me. And yet, despite hailing from just a few hours south of the state, at the ripe age of 33, he'd never actually stepped foot in the Big Apple. So, at the end of last year, I set out to change that.

When my husband informed me he had some admin that would be easier to do in the U.S., I, naturally, used it as an excuse to book us a six-day trip to New York and finally show him what the fuss is all about. Having visited New York as a tourist and for work on different occasions, I like to think I've seen most of what Manhattan has to offer, but the joy of New York is that it's whatever city you want it to be. If you want a trip filled with sightseeing and Broadway shows, you can fill a whole week in Midtown, no doubt, but I know what joy the rest of the city holds, too. So, I went about creating an itinerary that would fill our cultural cups and show off the things that, in my opinion, make New York the undisputed coolest city in the world.

I want to caveat two very important things about New York: it's expensive and space is scarce. Once you come to terms with these things and accept them for what they are, you'll have a much easier time. In my opinion, it's best to keep your base Downtown, and there is no better place to situate yourself than in the East Village—more specifically, The Standard East Village.

I consider myself to be in the top 5% of The Standard fans—whatever location you're staying at, you can expect excellent service without any pretence. Beyond that, you can pretty much always guarantee they will be located in exceptionally cool parts of town, that you'll have incredible food at your fingertips and that you'll be able to find a chic and lively place to grab a late-night drink on one of its floors. And The Standard East Village is no exception.

Rooms are compact and cosy, but the thoughtful design means they remain practical and never feel cramped (which is more than I can say for other NYC hotels). The floor-to-ceiling windows also guarantee you'll never miss an iconic Manhattan sunrise from your cloud-like bed. Situated on Bowery, the unofficial western border of the East Village, you're only ever a 20-minute walk max. from the best that Downtown has to offer—from brunch spots in the West Village to the boutique-lined streets of SoHo. Plus, you have some of the city's best bars and clubs right on your doorstep.

As soon as you set foot through the door of The Standard East Village, you become a part of New York life. The hotel and its cafés, restaurants and bars are a hub for locals—whether it's to grab a cup of coffee and some breakfast at Café Standard (the pancakes are not to be missed, although they taste even better from bed), meeting some friends for a late-night drink at Cuna Bar & Lounge or taking an al-fresco business meeting in the secluded garden in the warmer months.

You could spend weeks in New York and still feel as though there are things you haven't seen or done, and I've learned that firsthand. Over the years, I have learned one very important lesson: just prioritise eating. If you prioritise eating your way around the city, you'll never feel as if you have missed out.

There is no doubt that New York City offers some of the best food the world has to offer, all crammed into a relatively small space. My biggest piece of advice is to eat little and often, avoiding sit-down reservations where you can. This is the single best way to save money. (It's not uncommon for a sit-down meal for two at one of New York's coolest restaurants to set you back $400 with tip, and whilst it's a lovely thing to do, it's not something I want to be doing every night for a week.)

Breakfast

When it comes to breakfast, there are a few spots I would consider unmissable. First up, Breakfast by Salt's Cure specialises in oatmeal griddle cakes that taste better than you could possibly imagine. Do not overlook the side of house-ground sausage, either. I dream about it often.

You are also spoilt for choice when it comes to on-the-go breakfast options thanks to New York's countless artisanal bakeries. My top spots include Librae, Hani's, Rigor Hill Market and Clinton St Baking Company.

And do not, by any means, overlook the power of the great American diner—NYC is brimming with old-school haunts that deliver a truly authentic and in no way touristy experience. Visit Pearl Diner in the Financial District and thank me later.

Slices

If you don't eat pizza, New York City is simply not the place for you. Luckily, I've done a pretty extensive tour of Manhattan's pizza offerings and have named what I think are the best three pizza spots in town. Joe's (a true NYC icon), Prince Street Pizza (now a chain, but this one is the OG) and the pizza joint of the moment, L'industrie. Every single one of these places is worth a visit or two for an exceptionally good slice. I'm not a fan of deep-pan pizzas (I'm European, what can I say?!), but I have it on good authority that Mama's TOO! is as good as it looks if you're deep-pan inclined.

Katz's Deli

Yes, I'm giving Katz's Delicatessen its own section in this guide. Why? Because it's the one massively hyped NYC food establishment that deserves every bit of its praise. Yes, it's touristy (that When Harry Met Sally scene was filmed at its tables), but you'll be queuing at the meat counters alongside many locals, too. The Katz's pastrami sandwich is, indisputably, world-class. It's unmissable. My seasoned tips are as follows: if you don't want to queue on the sidewalk for over an hour, head down later in the evening (it's open until 11pm most nights, and a full 24 hours on Saturdays). It's more than enough food to fill you up for dinner. Make sure you're armed with cash. Know what you want to order before you go inside. Tip your meat cutter a dollar or two and they'll top you up with extra. You're welcome.

Tacos

Another unmissable aspect of New York cuisine is its taco offering. In fact, as someone who has never been to Mexico, I can only assume that some of the best Mexican food the world has to offer outside of the country itself hails from New York. It's hard to find a bad taco in New York, but my favourites are undoubtedly Santo Taco, whose Steak Trompo features wafer-thin strips of sirloin, topped with avocado salsa, and Los Mariscos in Chelsea Market, home to the finest fish tacos you'll ever encounter.

Dinner

I know I said that you don't have to commit to sit-down dinners when visiting New York City, but that's not to say that you won't be missing out somewhat if you avoid them completely. In fact, some of the best meals I've ever eaten happened in New York. For starters, Cuna (situated inside The Standard East Village) by Chef Maycoll Calderón delivers some of the most exceptional fine-dining-style Mexican food out there. If you're after a livelier dining experience, head to Zuma. Despite hailing from London, the New York location should be top of your list for a night of delicious food. Finally, if you're missing European cuisine, try your hardest to get a reservation at Borgo, order the focaccia for the table and thank me later.

Countless books have been written about all of the amazing things there are to do in New York City, so I'm going to keep this section short. The main thing to do is walk. NYC, and particularly Manhattan, is probably the most walkable city I've ever visited. Walk out of your hotel and go wherever your feet take you—every block will leave you feeling like you've discovered something new. You can walk the sidewalks and while away your day, hopping in and out of various shops and establishments. For the fashion girlies, the best place to shop for some of the coolest brands is no doubt SoHo, but some of the bigger department stores of Midtown (notably Saks) are also unmissable. For vintage finds and records, meander the Lower East Side, and you'll be spoilt for choice. My favourite place to visit is Yan's Antique Jewelry in Chinatown, where vintage designer watches are piled up high for your perusal.

And whilst we're on the topic of walking, you'll have noticed that my recommendations have been very Manhattan-centric (I'd need a whole other feature to talk about the rest), but don't ever brush off the idea of walking the Brooklyn Bridge. From DUMBO and Brooklyn Heights to Williamsburg and Bushwick, Brooklyn is a melting pot of creativity, culinary excellence and impeccable boutiques.

Back in Manhattan, there are two absolute non-negotiables for me: a late-night show at The Comedy Cellar for stand-up slots at what is probably the world's most famous comedy venue and, perhaps on the other end of the cultural spectrum, a visit to MoMA. As an admirer of art, I've made it my mission to frequent as many of the world's most impressive museums, and MoMA is perhaps my favourite of them all. I've been known to spend an entire day roaming its galleries and absorbing some of the world's most iconic artworks in the flesh, from Yves Klein's Blue Monochrome and Vincent van Gogh's The Starry Night to impressive collections from the likes of Basquiat and Kahlo. For more fervent art lovers, don't skip the Whitney.

What to Pack

Having now travelled to New York several times, each at different points of the year, I can safely say that, unless you are travelling in the middle of the summer, it is often wise to pack for all weather conditions. Whilst one day might be clear blue skies and glorious sunshine, the next can welcome in a snowstorm and -15° climes. My best piece of advice? Layer. If, like me, on this trip, you're visiting in the winter, you're going to want to pack some sort of headwear, high-neck jumpers and rich face creams to make braving any unforeseen blizzards feel less daunting. You'll also want to pack some trainers—yes, the sidewalks can be icy, but any grit that gets laid down can be deceptively slippery before it's worked in, too.

For me, the days are all about embracing the cool-casual vibes of New York (whilst also keeping warm)—it's a bit like London in the sense that anything goes. Come evening, however, expect a different scene. Whilst even the most exclusive establishments at home wouldn't bat an eyelid if I turned up at 8pm after work in jeans and a jumper, New Yorkers like to dress up—and their more upmarket bars and restaurants expect you to, as well, so I'd always recommend packing some sort of heel.