Thrillist Founder Ben Lerer's Ultimate Guide to New York
Ben Lerer
Lazy Traveler
New York is my favorite place in the world. My most memorable moment here was when I saw Keith Hernandez walking down the street. If you're visiting, grab a drink at The Boom Boom Room and stay at The Mercer Hotel.
The activities that can't be missed
- Go to a daytime Mets game and eat Shake Shack burgers.
- The Standard Biergarten on a weekend for steins of Koestritzer Dark Bier, pretzels and a game of beer pong.
- An early morning run along the West Side Highway. I take a run every time I visit a new city. It's the best way to see different parts of the city and to not feel so guilty when you eat 5 pizza pies later that day.
My favorite places to eat
- Empellon: awesome Mexican food in the West Village. You really can't order wrong, but the pastrami tacos and the lobster queso are ridiculous.
- Lure: this is the best spot for long lunches. When you arrive, tell Robert I say "hey".
- Minetta Tavern for brunch: You will definitely need a reservation so call ahead. Get the smoked salmon latke benedict, think cut bacon and a bloody Mary. And then find a couch to take a nap on.
The places you should definitely see
- Eataly is pretty damn awesome. It’s the largest artisanal Italian food and wine marketplace in the world. You can go for lunch and then walk around to see all the different stations and, of course, try the samples.
- The West Village is such a cool little area of the city. It’s, as my wife would say, “adorable.” There’s a ton of cool shops and great restaurants. It’s definitely worth spending a day there.
- Thrillist’s HQ in SoHo – If you want to see where the coolest people on Earth work.
My hidden gems
- Odin in SoHo is a great, sort-of underground spot for men’s clothing. They carry a ton of my favorite brands and the staff is cool and not annoying.
- Rogue & Canon is my go-to spot for drinks. It’s walking distance from my apartment and the office, and has a really cool, low-key atmosphere. If you’re hungry, get the Hangover Lo Mein.
The place I'm most excited to go next is Barcelona for a friend's bachelor party in August.