Not sure how to spend your summer? tryll’s got you covered. We’ve been running around the town scouting delightful and fun experiences that we are now excited to share with you. Check out our favorite summer spots in New York City. You’ll find recommendations for food, drinks, shopping, art and entertainment, landscapes and hotels. Sit back, enjoy and explore our hand-picked suggestions.
Food
Van Leeuwen’s Ice Cream & Vegan Ice Cream
The founders of Van Leeuwen began with the goal of reviving the ice cream truck, serving natural and delicious scoops out of a baby yellow truck in the city streets. Now, they have created a small ice cream empire, serving in both NYC and LA. All the rich and creamy ice cream at Van Leeuwen’s, both classic and vegan, are made in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
Beauty & Essex
Before your next champagne brunch or birthday dinner, take a look through the pawn shop artifacts at Beauty & Essex. After that, go and explore the many food and drink options - we recommend you gobble up a couple of their grilled cheese and tomato soup dumplings.
Roberta’s
If anything can convince the Manhattanites and tourists to travel out to Bushwick, its Roberta’s. While all their food is good, we recommend trying one of their quirkily named pizza’s, like the Jon Bon Chovy or Bee Sting.
Drinks
The Standard Biergarten
We can’t decide if this bar lets you feel like a college kid again, or just like a kid. With great beer, ping pong, foosball and giant Connect 4, the Standard Biergarten is a great spot for a casual night with friends or the first stop on a night out.
The Westlight
New Yorkers are always competing for the “best” rooftop pic, and we’re here to help. The Westlight is the perfect spot to watch the sunset over Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn, with delicious tapas and colorful drinks to include in your photos as well.
Bathtub Gin
Right behind a fully functioning coffee shop - The Stone Street Coffee Company - lies Bathtub Gin. Created in response to “bad gin”, the Chelsean speakeasy will instantly transport you back to the Prohibition Era.
Follow our founder Kiki, and her friends Insa, Lotte and Alex and literally immerse yourself in a bathtub abundant of underground chill-refined vibes accompanied by a fine selection of gins (of course).
Arts & Entertainment
The Alamo Drafthouse
The Alamo Drafthouse offers a unique movie watching experience. Dinner and a movie in one, it is great for dates, although talking during movies will get you kicked out, as will sitting on your phone, or really anything that distracts others from the movie watching experience. Be sure to get there early for the custom pre-shows, which are often almost as, if not more, entertaining than the movie itself! Their Brooklyn location is located above a bar, to be explored if you are looking to continue your night of unique experiences.
The Frick
Housing the collection of industrialist Henry Clay Frick, the Frick is one of our favorites. It used to be a private home (or mansion) and has a bowling alley in the basement, although it’s not currently a public room. However, if you are a person that sometimes needs a break during your museum days, its Garden Court (a beautiful indoor courtyard) is the perfect place to relax, draw, or read before continuing to enjoy the old master paintings and sculptures with the museum.
The Whitney
The Whitney is a New York Classic, founded by the sculptor Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney after her collection was declined by the Met. The focus from the beginning was on American artists whose work had been overlooked by other more traditional institutions. The current location opened in 2015, and after taking a look at the 20th and 21st century American art be sure to snap some pictures on its iconic rooftop – the Whitney is a must-stop for museum lovers.
Shopping
Chelsea Market Shopping
Right under the Chelsea High Line is the Chelsea Market, home to an urban food court, a shopping center, and an office building (Youtube’s headquarters!), it’s the perfect place to kill time. Enjoy the various cuisines (especially the artisan mozzarella sticks), the Artists and Fleas market, and the bustling atmosphere – sounds like a good day to us.
No Relation
Part of the L Train Vintage train, No Relation is possibly the best place to find a killer deal in Manhattan. You may have to dig around the store for a while (which is a jam packed two floors) to find your hidden treasure, but with 100% cashmere sweaters for eight dollars, jeans for ten dollars, and most importantly for summer, denim shorts for 8 dollars, it’s definitely worth the effort.
Naadam
A goat commanding the room, giant white clouds mounted to the ceiling, raw Mongolian cashmere to touch… shopping at Naadam is truly an experience. As you walk through the store, indulge in the softness of high quality, affordable sweaters - it feels almost as if you could close your eyes and travel to Mongolia to meet the herders responsible for these cashmere goodies with Naadaam’s founders Matt and Diederick.
Landscapes
The High Line
Originally a raised railroad track in 1934 that was designed to keep pedestrians safe from street level tracks, the High Line was repurposed to be one of the most unique parks in NYC. The last train ran on the track in 1980, and it is now known for the beautiful plant life, custom wooden furniture, frequent art installations, and varied city viewing points along its 1.45 mile stretch. During the hot summer months there is even a spot to sit and get your feet wet to cool down!
Manhattan Bridge
On the DUMBO side of the Manhattan Bridge, right on Washington Street, is the iconic backdrop for photos. We recommend you follow suit of our founder Kiki and her friends posing in front of the bridge, but also that you keep walking down the street where you’ll find the wonderful grassy area of Main Street Park with Manhattan Bridge views.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
At a time when New York was rapidly developing into a “concrete jungle”, as Alicia Keys and Jay-Z would say, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden set out on a mission to ensure that some green remained, over 100 years ago.
Whether or not you’re a plant lover, you can’t help but surrender to the beauty of the blooming Southern Magnolias, Cherry Esplanades, Oriental Lilies, and Free Spirit Floribunda Roses (to name a few), that peacefully coexist in the 52 acres neighboring Prospect Park.
Hotels
The Crosby Hotel
At the Crosby Hotel, each of the 86 rooms are uniquely designed in quirky and contemporary fashion by British designer Kit Kemp. The hotel is dog friendly, and you can find pictures of pups all over. The patterned walls and pops of color make for an original experience, even if you’re just stepping in off the cobblestones of Crosby Street for dinner or drinks. If you stop by, don’t forget to take home a fancy set of Crosby Hotel themed boxed matches!
1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge
Overflowing with nature and operating entirely on wind power, 1 Hotel seamlessly blends into the Manhattan skyline neighboring the Brooklyn Bridge Park. As you walk past reception, turn right, pick up a free scrumptious apple and then make your way to the hotel’s Harriet’s rooftop. Here you can relax and absorb sounds, views and joyful spirits.
The Wythe Hotel
Hard to imagine that what is now Williamsburg’s Wythe Hotel was once a barrel factory for the Domino Sugar Refinery, and during WWII an ammunition factory. When you are done taking in the almost palpable history and character exuding from its 100-year-old walls, we encourage you to venture up to the roof and enjoy what Lemon’s rooftop bar has to offer: tranquility accompanied by a breathtaking view of the Manhattan Skyline.