Bar Primi – Carb Loving on the Bowery

/ Noho (325 Bowery)/
Bar Primi – Carb Loving on the Bowery

(Noho)

Bar Primi

325 Bowery, New York, NY 10003

Tel. 212-220-9100

High Chair

It's hard not to dig Andrew Carmellini’s pasta restaurant on the Bowery.  For one thing, that particular corner is somehow always infused with eclectic energy, complete with boisterous laughter and gorgeous people on a sunny afternoon.  I’ve been a fan of the scene ever since Peels came in.  Though we were sad to learn that the Freemans team has left the building, we were more than thrilled to welcome Bar Primi, the new low-key pasta eatery that opened last year by the “Noho Power trio,” front-lining Andrew Carmelli (the brain force behind the Dutch, Lafayette, and so much more) and serving up delicious Italian fare amidst a family-friendly setting.

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Russ & Daughters Café: Fishy Magic

/ Lower East Side (127 Orchard Street)/
Russ & Daughters Café: Fishy Magic

(Lower East Side)

Russ & Daughters Café

127 Orchard Street, New York, NY 10002

Tel. 212-475-4881

High Chair

Changing Table

Ever since I moved to NYC back in 2002, I have loved the ritual of going to Russ & Daughters and picking out amazing artfully cut smoky fish treats.  Part of the charm is wending your way to the always packed counter…much less charming when you have a howling impatient toddler in tow.

Sturgeon separation anxiety solved with Russ & Daughters Café! We popped in for an early dinner last week with the monkey.  The café is beautifully decorated down to the wallpaper in the bathroom. It keeps the old school NYC charm of the original shop (signs in the same fonts and an old fashioned counter) with artful twists (marble herringbone pattern tile floors, fruit garnished on the bar in lovely see through mason jars).

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Antique Garage – Lunch and Lounge

/ SoHo (41 Mercer Street)/
Antique Garage – Lunch and Lounge

(SoHo)

Antique Garage

41 Mercer Street, New York, NY 10013

Tel. 212-219-1019

High Chair

Antique Garage, located on 41 Mercer street (between Broome and Grand), is situated in the heart of SoHo and possibly one of my favorite “afternoon lounging” spots. 

My first encounter was with a few girlfriends for a leisurely weekend “bachelorette brunch.”  Suffice to say, it was très packed and très  oh-so-very-very (also, we may have gone there right about noon, which was prime brunch time). 

On the other hand, as I discovered two years later… if you just go a little bit on the later side (say, right after munchkin’s nap time), you’ll find that it’s a fabulous place to bring the little ones! 

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Sant Ambroeus -- Elegant Italian in SoHo

/ SoHo (265 Lafayette Street)/
Sant Ambroeus -- Elegant Italian in SoHo

(SoHo)

Sant Ambroeus

265 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10012

Tel. 212-966-2770

My first introduction to Sant Ambroeus was in Southampton, followed by the Upper East Side, all of which are indicative of its undeniable stamp of family friendliness.  So imagine our happy surprise when a Sant Ambroeus SoHo opened right in the neighborhood on 265 Lafayette!  It’s literally kitty-corner to Delicatessen (also a good family dining spot), but without the hustle and bustle.  

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Nelson Blue – Seaport Dining with Bubs

/ FiDi (235 Front Street)/
Nelson Blue – Seaport Dining with Bubs

(FiDi/ Battery Park)

Nelson Blue

235 Front Street, New York, NY 10038

Tel. 212-346-9090

High Chair

Nelson Blue is one of my favorite gastropubs in FiDi – hubs and I have literally been coming here for years, as it is one of the few New Zealand restaurants in NYC (in fact I believe the only Kiwi one in Manhattan?).  The restaurant suffered tremendous damages as a result of Hurricane Sandy, but thankfully is now making a comeback.

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