A Beer Loving NYC Vacation
- ablondewithabrew
- Nov 15, 2023
- 11 min read
Updated: Dec 30, 2024
A New York City Itinerary Designed for a Beer Lover
I have been fortunate to visit New York City many times over the years. These past trips have mainly consisted of the more touristy attractions, such as climbing the Statue of Liberty, visiting Ellis Island, the top of the Empire State Building, Times Square, and Central Park. With nearly a decade between visits, and now a thriving beer scene, my most recent visit to NYC looked quite different from those of the past.
I have detailed my entire New York City itinerary from this past summer. It's beer-centric, it's busy, but also balanced with some activities more tailored to my interests and some more touristy stops as well. I have included what I loved, what I would do differently, and what I wish to do on my next trip. Also, don't miss my funny museum anecdote.
Bonus Day
Before officially visiting NYC, I spent a few days with family in Connecticut. One of those days, we took the train into NYC for a Yankees game and some beer (hence the Bonus Day).
I'm a lifelong Yankees fan, and have attended games at Yankees Stadium before, but the food and drink selection got an update since my last visit. Along with a basic hot dog, I enjoyed Sumo Tots, which are tater tots topped with Japanese influenced ingredients. I will also always try the team influenced beer when available, so the Blue Point Brewing Company Pinstripe Pils was an easy choice. Expensive, but refreshing and worth the photo op.
After the game, we checked out the highly recommended Harlem Hops, Manhattan's first black owned local craft beer bar. This turned out to be my favorite beer bar we visited in NYC.
It had the best service, decent by NYC standards prices, and an amazing curated selection of craft beer both on draft and available in cans.
Beer bars I hope to visit in the future, but didn't get to this trip include, but are not exclusive to:
Day One
Taking the train in again from Connecticut, we checked into our room at the Hotel Indigo NYC Financial District. Our room had a perfect view of Alexander Hamilton's grave at Trinity Church. I had initially wanted to stay more central, but Manhattan hotels are expensive! But honestly, I thought this was a pretty good spot overall. The Hotel Indigo is an IHG property, and as a cardholder, if you book your stay using points, you get your fourth consecutive night free. If you would like a referral from me for this low annual fee credit card, please contact me. I think this card is well worth it, especially in more expensive cities. IHG also has very good sales where you can purchase points to use on reward stays like these.
We took the subway to Chelsea Market for lunch. I took a friend's recommendation and got tacos from Los Tacos No. 1, which is known for having some of the best tacos is NYC. I grew up in Southern California, so I am familiar with good tacos, and I think next time I'd like to try one of the other restaurants.
After lunch, we took the subway to Rockefeller Center, where I checked off a longtime bucket list brewery, Other Half Brewing, at their very centrally located taproom. We spent longer here than planned, but through ordering flights and sharing can pours, I got to try so many beers by one of my favorite breweries.
Afterwards, we briefly checked out some shops in SoHo (I can't resist a Sezane in person) before heading back over to the West Village for our dinner reservation at L'Artusi. This is reportedly one of the most difficult reservations to make in NYC, but here's the trick: reservation times go online two weeks in advance at 9am EST. If you log on at exactly this time two weeks prior to your desired date, you will have your choice of times, but don't be late -- slots go quick!
I thought L'Artusi was well worth the hype and waking up at 5:55am (since I live in PST) for the reservation. The pastas, the olive oil cake, and the service were all exquisite.
To finish off our night, we visited Proletariat, a beer bar considered by many craft beer nerds to be one of the best in the country. The draft list on any given day is an impressive list of some of the best breweries across the country, even including some European options. They get beers from breweries rarely seen on draft, like this Hazy IPA by Root + Branch Brewing. Proletariat has a sultry, date night vibe, mediocre but friendly service, and prices that gave me sticker shock, but it's hard to beat their beer selection, and it was a perfect way to end our first full day in Manhattan.
Day Two
Woke up early to get bagels at the shop closest to our hotel Leo's Bagels. I'd stay at my hotel again just to have such proximity to these bagels -- easily my favorite of the trip. I think we went three times, and also got a bag through the Too Good To Go app (we literally got 16 bagels for about $5).
Well-fed, we took the subway up to The High Line, which blew me away with its city views and feeling of peacefulness in the middle of such a big city. I truly appreciated how the original train tracks were incorporated into the landscape. I absolutely recommend grabbing a coffee nearby (I enjoyed my coffee from The Hungry Ghost) and walking the length of it to Hudson Yards where you can then admire The Vessel (but cannot go inside it). This is a great spot to find a free and clean public restroom too.
From here, we walked to our reservation at the Museum of Modern Art. My husband's favorite painting is Starry Night by Van Gogh, and we were excited to finally view it in person after being snobbishly told by an employee at The Met a decade ago that it belonged to the MoMA. The MoMA is huge and would absolutely lead to museum fatigue if we tried to see it all. We selected the exhibits that most interested us and looked up where to find Starry Night. I thought my husband was kidding when he told me where Starry Night was...on loan to The Met! We considered squeezing a visit to The Met into our itinerary, but it did not work. I still would love to visit The Met again next trip, no matter the location of Starry Night.
After the museum, I finally tried the famous banana pudding from Magnolia Bakery. With several locations in Manhattan, it was easy to plan to visit a location near our other activities. It was the perfect snack (and more, I couldn't finish it -- it's quite rich) to tide me over before lunch at Joe's Pizza. It's cash only, and if you avoid the location near Times Square, the line isn't so bad and the pizza is well worth it.
We followed up lunch with a walk in Central Park, and then on a whim decided to check out the New York Public Library and Bryant Park. It was hot, I wanted air conditioning, and I love a good library. Were I do to this again, I would book a free tour, particularly to get into the historic Rose Main Reading Room. Don't skip
the library's gift shop -- it's fantastic for not so touristy souvenirs. There's also plenty to view inside the library without a guided tour. Another great spot for a free, public restroom too.
Afterwards, we grabbed burgers and rushed over to Broadway to catch my favorite musical The Book of Mormon. This was my third time seeing this show, but my first on actual Broadway. The theatres are smaller than I had imagined, giving it a more intimate experience on one of world's the most famous stages. A Broadway show should be on any NYC itinerary.
Notice there was no beer today, or alcohol at all. On every trip, I try to balance drinking days with days without alcohol. Especially in New York City without needing alcohol.
Day Three
Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge is iconic and an easy way to get into Brooklyn from Lower Manhattan. On this pedestrian only pathway across the bridge, you get famous Manhattan views and have several opportunities to achieve that perfect bridge shot amongst all the like-minded tourists. We caught a morning that started off drizzly and gloomy, likely deterring some of the crowd, but it soon turned into blue skies and clear views.
Once in Brooklyn's DUMBO neighborhood, we beelined to Washington Street between Front and Water Streets to capture the classic shot of the Manhattan Bridge where it's so perfectly framed by the brick buildings on either side of the cobblestone street. The other tourists were kind about taking turns and helping one another with photos. We also got some great shots walking a little closer, shooting from a different angle, and from around the corner.
From here, we grabbed lunch at TimeOut Market New York where I tried the much recommended Ess-a-Bagel. It's really good, but I'm still partial to Leo's Bagels. But this was perfect fuel before grabbing beers at Talea Beer Co.'s Cobble Hill taproom. Talea Beer Co. absolutely blew me away. The taproom is urban while feminine, and the beers are of the highest quality. Check out my full review of my visit here.
Happily tipsy, we walked over to our reservation at the New York Transit Museum, which is inside a decommissioned subway station. Along with informational displays about the creation of the subway system, there are many old trains from different eras that you can go inside and explore. I learned the hard way this museum does not have air-conditioning. I do not recommend visiting on a hot, summer day.
We then took the subway we had just learned so much about to Other Half Brewing's original location on Centre Street known for having the best variety on draft and in cans. The can to go list was overwhelming, and with such an extensive draft list as well, I don't know how anyone could ever just choose one beer. We spent hours here sampling a variety of beers and indulging in their creamy Imperial IPAs that we already knew we loved. I left with nearly a case of beer to take back to Portland. Learn how I travel with beer in my luggage here.
And then I needed pizza! This craving was fulfilled by slices at nearby F&F Pizzeria, which had been recommended to visit following Other Half. I'd do this again -- it was the perfect end to the evening before heading back to our hotel.
Day Four
We started our day with what I consider a "budget cruise," the NYC Ferry from lower Manhattan to Williamsburg, Brooklyn. For only $4, I got gorgeous views of both Manhattan and Brooklyn on the river. The NYC Ferry even sells Other Half Brewing on board, but I'd had enough the night before.
After disembarking in Brooklyn, we played a round of mini-golf at one of the most clever and well-done courses I have ever visited. Putting Green is an 18-hole mini golf course right on the Brooklyn waterfront. Every hole is designed by a different community partner to highlight both the problems and solutions to some of the most pressing climate change issues. We even managed to visit during a time when admission was half off.
Putting Green was only a short walk to Other Half Brewing's Domino Park location, which I think is the prettiest of the NYC locations. It's right on the water and the inside is gorgeous too. I was choosing not to drink this day, so I opted to just enjoy their hop water collaboration with Hoplark. Next time, I'd love to enjoy a few rounds of actual beer here. This location is known for having their experimental brews.
I also couldn't stay long because I had a much anticipated appointment to Get Zapped at Catbird. This type of permanent jewelry has become popular lately, and many jewelers now offer this welding service, but I wanted a bracelet from the original spot offering a Forever Bracelet. The appointment was quick, pain-free, and an excellent souvenir from my trip to New York City.
I then grabbed a quick bagel from nearby Bagelsmith and checked out Artists and Fleas, a makers market that takes place every weekend. Markets with local vendors like these are my favorite places to collect unique souvenirs that remind me of my trip, but aren't touristy or tacky. I bought a pair of earrings great for daily wear and a painting that is now displayed in my guest bedroom.
For actual lunch, we walked over to the highly recommended L'Industrie Pizza, and judging from the line, we weren't the only people who had received this recommendation. Plan accordingly. I'm not big on waiting in line for food, but the 40 minute wait here was absolutely worth it. The Burrata Pie slice (pictured on the right) was my favorite pizza in New York. I only regret not getting more.
With rain threatening, and us carrying our painting from Artist and Fleas, we took the subway back to Manhattan and enjoyed a break at our hotel before dinner at Ichiran Ramen, which was another "worth it" line wait, and seeing Shucked on Broadway. I just can't get enough live theatre when in New York City.
Day Five
Sometimes the weather interferes with your plans, and biking through Central Park turned into eating bagels from our Leo's Bagels Too Good To Go haul and enjoying nearby Birch Coffee under umbrellas on a rainy morning.
We then took the subway out to Queens to have brunch with an old friend before heading over to the Bushwick neighborhood to explore street art and thrift shops. I walked by KCBC where I'd love to stop on a future trip, but didn't because we already had plans to visit Finback Brewing.
Finback's original location is situated in what appears to be a residential, family friendly neighborhood. The taproom is no-frills, but I loved all the visible barrels. Despite the heat, we shared a bottle of Orca Strawberry, a BBA Stout brewed with strawberry and vanilla.
Next stop was Evil Twin Brewing. I typically don't care which location of a brewery I visit, but I insisted we visit their Ridgewood taproom because it's in a greenhouse! No regrets despite that it was more challenging to get to (our bus didn't show so we took an Uber), because it was beautiful. I enjoyed beers ranging from lagers to Quadruple IPAs, and took home cans of their newly released collaboration with Trillium Brewing Company. You can read about my love of Trillium in my Boston post.
After Evil Twin Brewing, we took a bus and the subway back into Manhattan for a classic last dinner in NYC at Katz Deli. It's touristy, it's busy, but it's worth it and delicious. Absolutely one of my favorite sandwiches anywhere.
Last Day
We finally got to bike on our last day in NYC! First, we took a quick ferry from Lower Manhattan to Governors Island, a mostly car-free island consisting of parks, historic buildings, and amazing views of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty.
Governors Island has Citi Bike stations, New York City's bike share system, on the island, which makes renting a bike simple. To stay safe and further simplify renting bikes on trips in general, I usually travel with my own helmet. Biking around Governors Island is pretty flat, easy, and doesn't take very long. I probably could have done another lap or two, but I very much wanted to complete the Central Park bike ride we missed yesterday due to weather.
Central Park has plenty of mixed-use paths for both bikes and pedestrians. It's much more crowded than Governors Island and you have to be significantly more aware of people riding a bike for the first time in twenty years (or ever) plus kids and tour groups riding them too. With more time, and not a flight to catch, I'd love to spend even more time biking here next trip. It's such a fun place to bike.
After checking out of our hotel, we ate a quick lunch nearby at Eataly, a favorite of mine in any city, before heading to the airport. We flew out of Newark, and getting there by public transportation was more difficult than we anticipated due to multiple transfers. Our heavy luggage from all our beers did not help things either, and I wish now we had just taken an Uber to the airport from Manhattan. I typically never wish to take a car over public transportation, but this was one of those rare occasions.
Thinking about my next trip, I know there are some breweries I missed that I would love to visit:
Root + Branch Brewing (Long Island)
The Test Brewing (updated December 2024)
Please leave your best New York City recommendations in the comments. What did I miss? Or, is there now something you're excited to visit or try on your next trip thanks to this article?
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