Staff Favorites

You can bet that something’s happening at all times in the Lower East Side. Artists, students, and bohemians flock to this buzzy neighborhood for its amazing bars, live music venues, cafes, and nightlife. Many of the area’s synagogues, museums, and restaurants serve as living exhibits of its immigrant history.

If you’re looking for outdoor family or pet-friendly fun, make Battery Park City your next stop. With over a third of the neighborhood designated as parkland, you can find tranquility in this fast-paced city among Battery Park’s green spaces and scenic waterfront.

From iconic castiron architecture and industrial facades, SoHo has long been considered one of New York City’s most charming and desirable neighborhoods. And thanks to many notable fashion designers and fashion houses opening shops on SoHo’s cobblestoned streets, the trendy neighborhood has also been dubbed “Manhattan’s Shopping Mall.”

Undecided about which neighborhood to visit? Just remember that all of Manhattan is a New York Minute away from your hotel room. 

Oreo Day is celebrated on March 6th and this year it will turn 108. That takes us back to 1912 in the Nabisco Bakery that stood exactly where the two-plus billion-dollar Chelsea Market looms today. Walk along the High Line behind the market and imagine carloads of baking ingredients chugging along the rails. Step inside the market, and imagine what the warehouse bakery was like before Nabisco moved out of Manhattan. Sadly it'll be tough to find an oreo there today, but don't despair. Every other kind of cookie and sweet will call your name from shelves in shops and storefronts visited every day by millions of hungry tourists. So grab a cookie, any cookie, and celebrate National Oreo Cookie Day!

Dog lovers from all over the world will come to watch their favorite canines prance, pose and paw their way into the winner's circle.  Owners spend the year, and often years, grooming their pets to compete against the best of the breed, conditioning them to handle the pressure of unrelenting attention. Watch the fur fly as they surrender their paws to the judges and jump through hoops to win their favor. The three-day event features two different locations; Pier 94 hosts daytime preliminary competitions, while Madison Square Garden hosts the evening competitions. Both are judged. Tickets are still available online for the evening showcases in MSG, including the Best in Show finale. Take it from us, it's nothing to wag your tail at!

Reserve a VIP ticket to enter two hours early and get first dibs on the 'Beast Cage' chock full of smoked alligator, lamb, bison, longhorn rounds, and other unique eats. The 'Shrine of the Swine' will be back in action, too, with succulent whole hogs available for pulling and shredding. Or take your pick of good old-fashioned BBQ favorites with accompanying sweet and tangy sauces. Then rest and digest in the Tasting Theater to meet and greet visiting expert distillers, brewers, and pitmasters. General admission gets you in the doors at 2 pm and everyone leaves with a souvenir glass and bag.

Perhaps you'd expect to see 90 minutes of women kicking their legs high in the air "A Chorus Line" style, but there's so much more! A big-budget means big-production—there are singers, figure skaters, a 3D screen showing Santa's adventure, and a group of talented men and women dancing back-up to the Rockettes. Bring a date or bring the kids--it's magical at any age! And on your way to the show, allow a few extra minutes to walk the angel and poinsettia-lined path to Rockefeller Center's famous Christmas tree. Be dazzled by the glow of sparkling lights and watch the skaters twirl on the rink below. It's a holiday experience you won't soon forget! 

A combination of a library, study hall, and exhibition space, this national poetry library and literary center invites poets and the public to step into the living tradition of poetry. Tucked away in Battery Park City on the southwest tip of Manhattan, Poets House is easy to reach by subway, bus, or even the ferry—and it's free! Poetry readings, slams, workshops, and conversations by well-known and emerging writers are scheduled throughout the month. You only need to check out their online calendar. Sign up early for Master Classes in order to reserve a seat. Rather meet a friend? You can rent a quiet space of your own. Whatever you decide, 70,000 poetry books and related materials are waiting for you. 

From October 18-20th, Open House New York invites tourists and locals alike to see the insides of hundreds of the city's buildings. Through a series of talks and tours, experts and volunteers will share details about the rise and fall and refurb of building projects in all five boroughs. Start the weekend at the Launch Party on the 17th, then trade your dancing shoes for sneakers. If you want to see it all, you'll have a lot of walking to do! But trust us when we say it's worth it. If you have any interest in the way metal, glass, brick, and mortar have shaped the unique landscape of this city, then these are the doors you want to walk through. Get your OHNY Weekend Passport today!

 Inspiration is everywhere you look at Photoville, with more than 90 exhibits inside and around shipping containers imported to DUMBO just for this occasion. It's an exhibition like no other, showcasing more than 600 artists and their stories. Expect to laugh and cry, wonder and worry at the reality these artists have captured through their lenses. Talks, screenings, seminars, and hands-on photography workshops are scheduled for the six-day event beginning September 12th from morning until night. And when you've worked up a thirst, there's a beer garden for that, with craft beer from Brooklyn Brewery and tasty bites to eat from Williamsburg's famous 'Smorgasburg' including crowd favorite's, Big Mozz, Mao's Bao and John's Juice. Better still, Photoville is free! Find exhibition and event details on the website.

For two weeks, beginning August 26th, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park is packed with all your favorites. And we're not only talking about the athletes. There's a food truck caravan serving the best treats you've ever tasted from a four-wheeled kitchen.

Buy an all-access pass to catch Wimbledon singles champions Simona Halep and Novak Djokovic along with their competitors up-close and personal on the practice courts before watching them show-off on center court. And getting to the event is easy: take the Subway or the Long Island Railroad straight out to Mets-Willets Point Station in Flushing, or take a drive through Queens. Parking is available on-site, but buy your tickets today!

In the winter, the park invites visitors to wind among its popular Christmas village of pop-up shops and cafes. In the summer, however, the delightful green offers something midtown New Yorker's covet: a little bit of space. So grab a table and chair and meet the stranger across from you who left the seat opposite them, just for you. The park has a robust schedule of free fitness and art classes, workshops, readings, theatrical performances, and concerts. But we want you to dive under the stars for Movie Night. Monday's from June 10 to August 12, watch a film with friends. Concessions open at 5 pm and the movies start after sunset. These offerings are far from secret so get here early to claim your space!

Comprised of almost 2,500 individual steps and 80 landings, the sculpture invites the energetic to climb it for remarkable views of the city, the river and beyond. Timed tickets are free.

But Vessel is just one of the High Line's stand-out artistic displays this summer. You'll also have the chance to meet the 16 foot-tall "Brick House" by Simone Leigh on a new section of the rail trail at 30th Street. This spur, or Plinth, as it's being called, will be a space dedicated to rotating art installations. No trip to Manhattan's West Side will be complete without a visit!

Between 10 am and 6 pm on May 18th and 19th, take in all the tantalizing smells and mouth-watering flavors you know you love, along with others you've never tried. Lining both sides of the road between 42nd and 57th street, foods and drinks from around the world will be made fresh to order, just for you! Sure, you can expect all the familiar street fair favorites, but save room for the small-batch crafts you won't find anywhere else. And of course, the best in arts and entertainment will keep your feet busy while you nosh. Find more information online or just show up hungry and get ready to sample your way down the street!

The fun-filled revelry begins in the afternoon on April 6th—just look for a cloud of feathers— and lasts until participants have had enough. Stand by and watch if you’d rather not participate, and bring a pillow to donate to a local homeless shelter.

If you’d like to know what you’re getting into first, check out a video online. Other parks and squares around the city will no doubt be filled with fluff, too, so drag your pillow to wherever it’s convenient. But don’t miss the spectacle, wherever you choose. If your mother ever told you no jumping on the bed, now’s your chance! Take your best swing and leave the feathers on the street.

Look up in the landmark Enid A. Haupt Conservatory where thousands of colorful orchids will reach skyward clinging to magnificent overhead arches to create a blooming rainbow. And regularly featured blooms from NYBG’s storied orchid collection as well as varieties unique to Singapore are also on display.

Greatly anticipated Orchid Evenings are back for adults 21 and older, too. This year, feel transported by the colors and flavors of Singapore. Inside the Conservatory after dark, an exhilarating display of lights and orchids offer guests privileged time to enjoy the show's esteemed featured Supertrees. Sip a Singapore Sling and get a bite to eat while freestyle dancers and DJs perform throughout the night. Tickets are available online.

Founded by members of the Russian imperial ballet, the Tea Room made its reputation as an enclave for actors, writers, politicians, and executives to plan their next deals and celebrate their friends’ latest Carnegie Hall performances. More recently, Madonna worked here before she was famous, and a scene from Tootsie was filmed here.

Think 20's when you're picking your outfit and you'll fit right in. Sit down for a three-course lunch of borscht, Chicken Kiev and other classics. Or come to see and be seen with a martini in hand. High tea is served every day from 2:00 to 4:30 pm.

From January 4th through 12th, eleven venues in the heart of Greenwich Village will host 100 bands and musicians hailing from more than 20 countries. And while you listen, event sponsors encourage you to read between the ledgers to hear socially engaged artists' trumpet for social and racial justice, gender equality, and immigrant rights. In 2015, the internationally acclaimed event was voted the #1 Jazz Festival in North America and by 2018, attendance totaled more than 10,000. Secure your marathon or half marathon tickets on sale now and get ready to lose yourself in the smooth notes of improvisation.

Fly 70 floors straight up above Rockefeller Center to plant your feet in the sky. Rounding three outdoor observatory decks, you'll go gaga for the 360-degree view, including a red, green and white Empire State Building. Go after dark to watch the city twinkle in technicolor. Or visit in the early evening as the sun sets. Download the Top of the Rock app to help you identify all that you see 850 feet below and to plot a map for where you want to go next. More fun isn't far – the Rockefeller Center's Christmas tree and ice skating rink are right at the bottom of the elevator!

In the three years since it opened, the Whitney’s new home between Greenwich Village and Chelsea has cemented itself as a new New York icon. Even the glassed-in lobby and gourmet cafe are worth a visit! But if Warhol isn't your style, the museum is filled year-round with treasures by other masters, and each floor boasts an outdoor balcony to give you four unique perspectives overlooking the city. Watch tourists stroll along the elevated railroad tracks that anchor the High Line, and on another level, peer across the neighborhood's colorful and storied rooftops. Repeat visitors agree that the museum’s architecture and open spaces are worth a visit during any time of the year. Fridays are pay-what-you-wish from 7 to 10 p.m.

The dead return to walk among the living, and little ghouls and devils scurry from house to house, collecting buckets full of candy. Here at the Hotel Hugo, we’re excited to be on the cusp of the 45^th annual Greenwich Village Halloween Parade. On Wednesday, October 31, thousands of partiers will convene in the Village to watch and participate in the parade, which will include artists, dancers, live bands, puppeteers, and countless ordinary New Yorkers who’ve dressed up in their scariest, most outrageous costumes. Wanna march too? Just wear a costume. Better still, dress for the parade’s theme, “I AM a robot!” and take your place among the special contingent honored to march alongside the parade’s Grand Marshal. The 45^th Annual Greenwich Village Halloween Parade will begin at 7 P.M. at 6^th Avenue and Canal Street and will run till around 8:30.

The festival is built around its Main Slate of a few dozen feature films, in addition to which you can also enjoy hundreds of other screenings, including documentaries, shorts, and various experimental genres. The three anchors of this year’s festival, which takes place from September 28 through October 14, are Yorgos Lanthimos’s The Favourite, a period piece which explores class and political clash during the War of Spanish Succession; Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma, which rekindles that famed Italian Neorealist magic in a depiction of a 1970s middle-class family in Mexico City; and Julian Schnabel’s At Eternity’s Gate, in which Willem Defoe gives a sublime performance as the tortured Vincent van Gogh living out his final days. Join the thousands of film-lovers who will flock to Lincoln Center to enjoy these and many other screenings across more than two weeks of cinematic splendor.

This gala event brings thousands and thousands of revelers to Governors Island, just a quick ferry ride from Lower Manhattan, to eat, drink, and dance along to the biggest hits of the 1920s. You’ll find most attendees decked out in their snazziest Jazz Age attire, but don’t worry if you haven’t got a flapper dress or homburg hat on hand. There’s no dress code. You’re welcome to come as you are. Pack a picnic and blanket, or indulge in the many on-site food trucks and vendors. The party runs from 11 A.M. to 5 P.M. on August 25 and 26.

Location: Colonel’s Row on Governors Island

As the best of the Bard is performed by internationally acclaimed actors at the Delacorte, Central Park’s open-air theater. With enough space to seat up to 1,800 viewers, you might think you’d have a hard time hearing the action on stage, but the Delacorte's state-of-the-art audio system means that every spectator has the chance to sit back and enjoy the magic of Shakespeare’s virtuoso dialogue. On June 24 the Shakespeare in the Park players finished their run of Othello, which critics hailed as masterful. From July 17 through August 19, you can catch the company’s production of Twelfth Night, wherein a shipwreck, a pair of twins, and some unexpected gender confusion makes for a funny and compelling evening. To find out how to get tickets (which are absolutely free), see the official Shakespeare in the Park website.

Address: 81 Central Park West, New York, NY 10023

As we prepare for the upcoming LGBT Pride festival in New York City, we’re especially humbled by the memory of those activities who decided to fight for the respect they deserved back in 1969 at New York’s Stonewall Inn, setting off the global movement that thrives today. On Sunday, June 24, NYC will host its biggest Pride Parade ever (to give you an idea of the scope, last year’s parade included some 450 individual marching contingents and more than 110 floats). Marchers set off at noon from 16^th St. and 7^th Ave., heading down 7^th Ave. before turning east on Christopher St. and onto W. 8^th St., then marching north on 5^th Ave. up to 29^th St. If you’re planning to attend, we hope you’ll consider staying at Hotel Hugo. Our SoHo location is the perfect home away from home, providing you a quiet, sophisticated spot to relax and recharge between your excursions out to the parade and the many popular LGBT bars and clubs across the city.

We recommend a trip to Central Park, where the city’s vibrant Japanese community will be celebrating the 12^th annual Japan Day, a festival devoted to all the marvelous cultural contributions from the Land of the Rising Sun. Live performances will blend traditional Japanese and Western arts, with demonstrations of Japanese Taiko drumming; hip hop, jazz, and yosakoi dances; karate and other martial arts; and much more. Dedicated calligraphers and origami experts will be on hand to teach you the basics of their ancient arts. The Shinkansen simulator will show you exactly what it feels like to sit at the helm of one of Japan’s famed bullet trains as it careens through the breathtaking Tohoku countryside. And of course, there will be Japanese cuisine aplenty to satisfy the appetite you’re bound to work up enjoying the many, many attractions of this gala springtime event.

Location: The Bandshell area of Central Park, main entrance at 69^th St and 5^th Ave

For his contributions to the film version of The King and I, he won two Oscars, which made splendid companions for his five Tony Awards. In addition to his work on Broadway, he was also the co-founding choreographer of the New York City Ballet. Now, to celebrate the centennial of his birth, the NYCB will be paying tribute to this art and entertainment icon with Robbins 100, a series of shows running from May 3 to May 20 featuring the very best of Robbins’s work, both classical and Broadway. The NYCB will also be premiering original productions inspired by Robbins, meaning even the most devoted fans will have the opportunity to see something utterly new and guaranteed to delight.

Location: Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts

Today, New York continues the tradition each year as revelers pour out into the streets to celebrate with music, beer, and the best pub fare this side of the Atlantic. On Saturday, March 17, at 11 A.M., the NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade will commence at 44^th St and 5^th Ave. From there, participants will head up 5^th Ave for more than 30 blocks, all the way to 79^th St and the steps of the American Irish Historical Society. If you happen to be looking for a pint of Guinness while you’re out, we recommend dropping by Finnegan’s Wake, named in honor of James Joyce’s most perplexing novel, and honored as one of the city’s most venerable authentic Irish pubs, located at 1^st Ave and 73^rd St.

You’ll find a whole host of special food vendors and costumed entertainers set up all along Canal Street for the festivities. The Lunar New Year Parade itself features ferocious lion dancers, majestic dragons, elegant ladies, intrepid warriors, merry music-makers, and much more. The party officially begins at 1 P.M. as the parade sets out from the corner of Mott and Canal Streets. Proceeding along Mott Street, it then turns onto East Broadway and up into Sara Roosevelt Park. A word of warning: those firecrackers can be pretty loud, so do yourself a favor and pack some earplugs. Make the Year of the Dog a year of good friends, good times, and good health.

Blue Note: At this cozy Greenwich Village haunt, you’ll find the finest up-and-coming talent performing alongside certifiable legends (Charlie Haden was a club favorite before his recent passing). If you’re a newbie to the scene, check out the Late Night Groove series—it’s guaranteed to please.

Smalls: A long, narrow flight of steps takes you down into this speakeasy-style den of musical delights, where traditional stylings intermix with the hottest contemporary jazz trends.

Village Vanguard: A West Village institution, the Village Vanguard has hosted the biggest names in the biz for over seven decades, from Miles Davis to John Coltrane. The Vanguard is not some relic of jazz history, though. Today, its basement stage is a favorite of industry heavyweights like pianist Barry Harris and sax legend Lou Donaldson.

Here’s a small sampling of what you’ll discover:

1 | Macy’s. Before Santa can come sliding down the chimney, there are many preparations to be made. Macy’s display, entitled “The Perfect Gift Brings People Together,” showcases six different family traditions that lead up to the big event.

2 | Barneys. The five windows at this posh retailer depart from customary Christmas themes this year to bring you mind-bending depictions of earth across the eons. Four stages of the planet—Primordial, Utopia, Millennium, and Mushroom Singularity—are illuminated using stunning LED wizardry.

3 | Lord & Taylor. Five scenes are displayed as if set inside massive snow globes: a mystical wintery forest, a pair of polar bears at play, NYC on a starry night, a 19^th-century circus act, and the Jolly Old Elf himself enjoying a little holiday fun.

Today, the parade no longer features live animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo, but it does feature premier marching bands from across the country; live dancers, including the famed Radio City Music Hall Rockettes; and an array of floats and enormous balloons cascading across the sky as the procession makes its way from 77^th Street and Central Park West all the way down to 34^th Street and 7^th Avenue. This year’s line-up of iconic cartoon character balloons will see a few new additions, including Chase, the intrepid canine leader of PAW Patrol, and the goofy and lovable Olaf of Frozen fame (if you’re not familiar with Chase and Olaf, just ask the nearest 6-year-old; you’ll get an earful). Rounding out the parade, of course, will be that Jolly Old Elf himself, Santa Claus, here in his magical sleigh to officially ring in the Christmas season. We hope you’ll join us, whether on the street or in your home via NBC’s live broadcast, on Thursday, November 23, to enjoy one of the greatest parades on earth.

Beneath the radiant Christmas tree, the two share their first kiss, and from there, it’s happily ever after (with a lot of slap-stick thrown in, of course). On Wednesday, October 11, you too can once again experience the fun, friendship, and romance out on the ice as this iconic New York rink opens for another season. If you decide to head down on the 11^th itself, you can catch the Grand Opening Ceremony, which will feature performances by Olympic ice skaters Meryl Davis and Charlie White. You don’t have to be an Olympian to fall in love with this New York treasure, though. So head over to 5^th Ave, strap on your skates, and get ready to make some enchanting memories.

Address: 600 5th Ave, New York, NY 10020

They’re also all anchoring the 55^th annual New York Film Festival, one of the most highly anticipated yearly events in world cinema. The festival, which runs from Thursday, September 28, to Sunday, October 15, will open with Linklater’s Last Flag Flying, Haynes's Wonderstruck will strike dead center, and Allen’s Wonder Wheel will roll out to conclude the proceedings. Scattered between these will be 25 jaw-dropping Main Slate features, including Agnès Varda & JR’s Faces Places, which snagged the coveted Golden Eye at Cannes, Ruben Östlund’s The Square, which won the Palme d’Or, and Aki Kaurismäki’s The Other Side of Hope, which was awarded the Silver Bear at Berlin. After an initial screening at Alice Tully Hall (the Lincoln Center home of the New York Philharmonic), each of the Main Slates will be re-screened at alternative Lincoln Center venues alongside other outstanding films by established and emerging talent from across the globe.

Just a quick ferry ride from lower Manhattan, the annual Jazz Age Lawn Party promises to bring thousands and thousands of Roaring 20s enthusiasts to the island, where Michael Arenella and His Dreamland Orchestra will headline a first-rate lineup of bands belting out the hottest tunes of the 20s and 30s. Work up a sweat moving to the Fox Trot, the Charleston, and the Tango. Then cool down with the finest classic cocktails from Prohibition days. You’ll see hundreds and hundreds of partiers in period-appropriate attire and still others buying authentic 1920s threads from merchants at the event. Don’t worry, though, if you’d rather not splurge on that flapper dress or homburg hat. There’s no dress code. The only requirement is a dedication to fun.

Location: Colonel’s Row on Governors Island

 Four centuries later, his work continues to generate not only adulation, but also controversy, as evinced by Shakespeare in the Park’s recent production of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar in which the titular dictator bore a striking resemblance to the current President of the United States. Though Caesar’s run has ended, you can still catch free performances of A Midsummer Night’s Dream from July 11 through August 13 at Central Park’s open-air theater, The Delacorte. And don’t let the (lack of) ticket price fool you. The Shakespeare in the Park series has been a staple of New York in the summer since 1962, and it has featured some of the biggest names in the business, including Denzel Washington, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Meryl Streep. Shows usually start at 8 P.M. Tuesdays through Sundays. For more information on how to get tickets, go to Shakespeare in the Park’s website here.

Address: 81 Central Park West, New York, NY 10023

Since then, the annual New York City Pride Parade has become an epic event, and this year’s march, to be held on Sunday, June 25, promises to be the best yet! Our guests who have come to celebrate will enjoy a stylish and comfortable home away from home just a short walk from the parade’s endpoint, where hundreds of thousands of revelers will be in attendance to see 80 spectacular floats, 350 unique marching groups, and the best bars Manhattan has to offer. Of course, the parade itself is just the capstone. The entire week leading up to it is filled with special events, so rest up because New York is a city that knows how to party!

near the end of the 19^th century, the building became the Huron Club, a popular venue frequented by many New York luminaries, including infamous “Night Mayor” Jimmy “Beau James” Walker. In the 1920s the main floor was converted into a theater, which by mid-century had become the playhouse of master playwright and director Edward Albee. Today you can catch a wide variety of performances at the SoHo Playhouse, including Katie Goodman’s Broad Comedy, which runs through May 20, and the gripping one-man show “On One Condition,” which runs through May 26. Lovers of sci-fi should mark their calendars for the 5^th annual Philip K. Dick Science Fiction Film Festival events on May 27 and 28. Best of all, when the show’s done, you’re just steps away from your luxurious room at Hotel Hugo.

Address: 15 Vandam Street, New York City, NY

You may have heard of the Tribeca Film Festival, and you may even know that it was started by legendary actor and director Robert De Niro. What many people do not know is that the film star and Manhattan native was inspired to found the festival in order to help revitalize Lower Manhattan after the attacks of September 11, 2001. Now in its 16^th year, this wildly successful celebration of cinema combines star-studded entertainment with brilliant artistry, bringing you the best in established and newly-discovered talent from around the world. This year’s films will cover a wide range of genres including drama, comedy, sci-fi, thriller, art house, documentary, and shorts, all showcased between April 19 and April 30 at venues across Lower Manhattan. Lectures and panel discussions featuring actors, directors, producers, and more will also take place, so you can get a real insider’s look at how a film goes from a single image in one person’s mind to an hours-long collective adventure on the silver screen.

City Winery

Unafraid to throw together grown-up decor with yuppie taste, City Winery has been buzzing since its launch and remains New York City’s only fully operational winery. This fun venue has more than enough seating to accommodate you and all of your friends.

Don Hill’s

Right in the middle of the upscale club district lies Don Hill’s, a throwback to the days of greased hair, tight jeans, and the amplified sound of good old rock & roll. But there’s no finger snapping here, just a crowd of young professionals cutting loose.

Jimmy at the James

Sure, you’re on vacation, but for that post-work feeling there’s nothing better than a dinner cocktail in a refined setting. Set high in the sky and offering unparalleled views of Midtown and the Hudson River, Jimmy places a modern twist on the classic pub.

Sample the swoon-inducing flavors of Hotel Hugo’s favorite neighborhood, SoHo!

Boqueria

Named in honor of the famous open-air markets of Barcelona, chef Marc Vidal’s Spanish-style joint delivers the authentic flavor of tapas and refreshing sangria. These perfectly shareable dishes can only be topped with a couple of hot churros, luscious hot chocolate, and a kiss.

The Ear Inn

It could just be the oldest bar still serving in Manhattan. It’s been a favorite of dashing characters hauling fish from the docks, and there’s plenty of vintage memory left right in place. Pull up at a wobbly table, grab two crayons, and best your date with a friendly round of Tic Tac Toe.

508 GastroBrewery

If this date is more about resting your elbows on the glass countertop and interrogating the roster of sudsy beers, 508 GastroBrewery might be the right choice. Brewed in the basement under your feet, this SoHo establishment has everything from light and sweet Belgians to feisty IPAs.

This ritual is the basis for FIKA NYC, a chain of cafes in Manhattan and Brooklyn that first opened in 2006. Fika is a Swedish word meaning, of course, coffee. However, it's a strange word because it's both a noun and a verb. It can mean "coffee" or "drink coffee." Fika, then, is a Swedish take on the cafe. In addition to their coffee, you'll find Swedish treats made by Hakan Martensson, Fika's master chocolatier. Don't have time for an indulgent coffee break? Then consider picking up one of Fika's gorgeous gift baskets -- the perfect present to bring home to loved ones. Fika is located on Washington St, just a five-minute walk from Hotel Hugo.