Times Square is the most iconic place in New York City, but it’s also one of the most maligned. Stop any New Yorker and ask them what part of town they avoid at all costs, and the odds are high that they’d say Times Square.
Although Times Square went through a seedy period where you were more likely to find strip joints than coffee shops, times have changed: Now, the area is packed with chain restaurants, Broadway theaters and neon signs.
It can all be pretty overwhelming for a first-time visitor, and many locals avoid the West 40s around Broadway and 7th Avenue to bypass the throngs of people gaping upward and snapping photos.
But Times Square is still Manhattan, which means there’s still travel treasure to be found – as long as you know where to look.
Although the American chain restaurants may have the brightest signs, there are plenty of local dining options that don’t require a long walk.
For a fancy midday meal, Sen Sakana has pre-chosen “set meals” that combine Peruvian and Japanese cuisine: Think sushi topped with crunchy quinoa or noodles paired with spicy shellfish.
Xi’an Famous Foods is a New York City mini-chain of Northwestern Chinese restaurants where even the most snobby Manhattanites will wait in line for an hour for spicy lamb soup, hand-pulled noodles and spicy sour dumplings. The best way to experience the canteen-style restaurant is to arrive at a non-peak mealtime (3 p.m., for example) and go solo or with only one other person to increase your odds of snagging one of the few seats.
If you want the feeling of old-school New York, head to The Lambs Club, where the main dining room is lined in red velvet and centered around a fireplace from legendary Gilded Age architect Stanford White.
The food, overseen by celebrity chef Geoffrey Zakarian, has modern (usually healthier) takes on classic menu items like Dover sole and foie gras. And you’ll want to wash the whole thing down with a retro cocktail like an Aviation.
This ice cream stretches like gum
On the west edge of Bryant Park is Kinokuniya, the first US branch of the mega-popular Japanese bookstore, which can sometimes feel more like an art gallery than a bookshop: There’s everything from manga to stuffed animals to calligraphy pens.
Head upstairs to the store’s Cafe Zaiya for mulberry tea and Japanese snacks, and choose a window seat where you can have a bird’s-eye view of the park.
Sen Sakana, 28 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036, +1 (212) 221-9560
Xi’an Famous Foods, 24 W 45th St, New York, NY 10036, +1 (212) 786-2068
The Lambs Club, 132 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036, +1 (212) 997-5262
Kinokuniya, 1073 6th Ave, New York, NY 10018, +1 (212) 869-1700
Broadway and Beyond
Even the most disgruntled New Yorker will come to Times Square to see a Broadway show.
The best way to snag last-minute tickets is to hit the TKTS line in the very center of the square. Just look for the bright red staircase and get in line.
(We have to break the news now, though: you’re not going to get tickets to “Hamilton.”)
You can also use the TodayTix app, but where’s the fun (or photo op?) in that?
However, theater isn’t the only artistic offering in Times Square. The pod hotel Yotel hosts film screenings on its roof in the summer, and nearby Bryant Park has outdoor ones on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Bryant Park, just a short walk away, is worth visiting all year round, though: In the winter there’s ice skating and a Christmas market full of pop-up shops, and in warmer months you’ll find office workers on their lunch breaks having picnics or perched on orange chairs reading paperbacks.
On the park’s east side is the central branch of the New York Public Library.
The library is a celebrity in its own right–the stunning Beaux-Arts building has been a pop culture mainstay, appearing in everything from “Seinfeld” to “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” Don’t miss the twin lions out front (their names are Patience and Fortitude) or the recently-renovated Rose Reading Room.
While Mood Fabrics on 37th Street has long been a Garment District staple for fashionistas, the show’s costarring role on “Project Runway” has made it into a tourist attraction.
Stop by to gape at the colorful rows of silks and velvets, but don’t miss a chance to get your picture taken with doggie mascot Swatch.
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