The Ultimate 5: Epic Experiences You Need To Have In New York

For Sydney baker turned café chief Paul Allam, New York City is the ultimate destination. “It’s the energy of it, the vibrancy… it’s always changing, it never stays the same week to week.” The co-founder of Bourke Street Bakery, which first opened in 2004 in Sydney’s Surry Hills, took a punt on the bright lights of Manhattan four years ago in the Nomad (‘north of Madison Square’) neighbourhood and has since opened another four outlets Stateside while living in Brooklyn’s Cobble Hill neighbourhood with his family. “Americans love all things Australian, so we’ve had a good time promoting avocado on toast and sausage rolls and great espresso-style coffee,” he says. “But really, the main reason we moved here is simply because we love the city.” Here’s Paul’s pick of the best things to eat, see and do in the Big Apple.

The Ultimate Gourmet Experience: Jupiter

“Jupiter is the hot new restaurant on the ground floor of the iconic Rockefeller Centre (the building perhaps best known for its ice-skating rink and 70th floor views over the New York City skyline) in Midtown Manhattan. It was opened at the end of 2022 by three women who have run a restaurant called King in Soho for a number of years – I was taken there by a friend when I first arrived in Manhattan and fell in love with it. Jupiter promises to be just as great although on a much bigger scale. The menu focuses on Italian pasta and wine – including agnolotti stuffed with braised rabbit and spaghetti with clams – while mains include a simple grilled fish with lemon and anchovy butter. And there’s a gorgeous red marble bar great for solo snacking and drinking. A plate of fried artichokes and prosecco on tap… what’s not to love?”

The Ultimate Retreat: Ace Hotel Brooklyn

“I had to check out the Ace Hotel when it opened in downtown Brooklyn. The interiors are by Roman and Williams, which is the pinnacle of design in New York City. The lobby is beautiful in a mid-century kind of way. There’s tailored leather and velvety blue draping – it’s elegant and plush, but you feel comfortable there, like sinking into an old couch. The lighting is done so well, it makes everyone look better. Ace Hotels are always super cool but even though this is one of the largest with around 280 rooms, they’ve kept the vibe low-key. I have another reason to love it – Black Seed Bagels have opened an outlet connected to it. My Sunday morning ritual is to ride my bike there to have my bagel and coffee.”

The Ultimate Family Day Out: Governors Island

“Governors Island is one of those little gems. It’s a small island in New York harbour that’s only around a five-minute ferry ride from Brooklyn or Lower Manhattan. It’s been redeveloped and really taken off over the past 10 years as a great escape from the city. We like to rent bikes and ride around the island, which only takes 15 to 20 minutes and passes lots of public artworks. When my kids were little, they really loved the playground known as The Yard. It’s like a repurposed junkyard and parents aren’t allowed in so they can just go wild… with supervision. There’s a spa on the island too – QC NY Spa – where you can have a massage or use the steam rooms and sauna. The spa does sunset aperitivo as well, but you can also just take a picnic across to eat in front of a view of the Statue of Liberty and the New York skyline – that’s pretty cool.”

The Ultimate Culture Shot: David Zwirner Art Gallery

“The Chelsea district is considered one of the culture hubs of Manhattan and it’s where you’ll find a bunch of incredible galleries such as David Zwirner. He’s renowned for championing really interesting artists across different genres and his gallery hosts different exhibitions running throughout the year (in May the gallery will hold an exhibition of renowned artist Yayoi Kusama’s new works). An artist friend of mine first recommended we go and hang around the galleries in Chelsea but you certainly don’t have to be an expert, you can just wander in and the staff are generally super friendly and happy to talk you through the work. Make a day of it by popping your head into Zwirner and a host of other galleries like High Line Nine, C24 and Lisson Gallery in the area.”

The Ultimate New York Nightcap: The Swan Room

“It’s not so much a thing in Australia, but in New York it’s common for locals to go out to hotel bars. They’re not just for travellers, they’re for everyone, and that’s definitely the case with the Swan Room. It’s part of the new Nine Orchard hotel that opened last year on the Lower East Side in a gorgeous old bank building. The ceilings must be 20 feet high, and everything has been restored to that incredible level of New York detail. It has a great drinks list, including natural wines, which are totally my speed, and while I’m not normally a cocktail drinker there’s something about the space that makes me thirsty. I usually go for something fresh and gin based. For food, you can splash out on caviar service or a seafood platter, or foie gras terrine. The bar isn’t big – it’s only around 16 tables – but you can book ahead, or just do what I like to do and wander in to sit at the bar.”

Getting there

Fly Sydney to New York Economy one way for 1 person from 55,200 Qantas Points plus AUD $225 taxes, fees and carrier charges~. 

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