If you're looking for a place to eat for a special occasion or a family gathering, Bryant Park Grill is the place to try. Located within the beautiful park, Bryant Park Grill offers a variety of choices within their menu. The restaurant itself has a very elegant feel so it's a great place to meet up for drinks if you're not stopping by to dine! The pictures you see above are some of the meals we ordered at our table. Everything was delicious but my favorite was the Seafood Salad Parfait (an appetizer listed on the menu) since it was fresh and very satisfying, thus it's definitely a must try!

Finding a delicious, cozy and urban coffee shop in New Jersey is hard, considering the vast majority of coffee is sold at Starbucks or Dunkin. But our local town, Ridgewood, is home to our favorite coffee shop in New Jersey. It goes by the name of Ridgewood Coffee Company and it has been around for over 25 years. Their signature drinks include their Cappucino, Macciato and Americano. Their seasonal drinks as of now vary from a Pumpkin Chai Latte to a Pumpkin Caramel Latte. They're also known for their hot chocolate, which is ideal for a cold winter day as well as their organic loose leaf teas, perfect for an after dinner drink. Besides these beverages, they also serve gluten free macarons from Dana's Bakery and croissants and other pastries from Balthazar, which are perfect next to a cup of coffee. If you're ever in the area, be sure to grab a drink or snack from here because you won't regret it! 

Located on 118 Bedford Ave, Greenpoint Brooklyn, NY, Five Leaves uses quality, organic ingredients in every dish and you can tell just by tasting it. Since everything on the brunch menu sounded appetizing, we decided to order a few dishes to share; the Truffle Fries, Ricotta Pancakes, and The Big Breakie.  The fries were so fresh and crispy and had the perfect amount of truffle oil. The Big Breakie consisted of two hash browns, an egg (any style) plus a side of your choice. Although those two were delicious, the star of the show was the Ricotta Pancakes. They were topped with fresh fruits and honeycomb butter and had a light airy consistency that made the pancakes not so heavy, unlike most pancakes. This place is definitely worth a visit if you're in the area!

Imagine being able to go to Italy...without actually having to go to Italy. Sounds nice, right? Well that's exactly how I felt when I had lunch at S. Egidio last week. This new Italian restaurant that opened up 2 weeks ago in Ridgewood, New Jersey is Italy away from Italy. After visiting the magnificent country last summer and eating the best food, I thought it would be hard to find delicious tasting pizza across the ocean. But I was wrong! After eating at this restaurant, it's safe to say that the pizza here is better than that in Italy! The rustic feel, the Italian-from-Italy waiters and the brick oven pizza made me feel like I was in the heart of Florence...again. If you don't live near Ridgewood, I definitely recommend a visit the next time you're in NYC (30 minute ride) but if not, try to get the delicious taste and feel from the pictures below!

     Whenever I'm in New York, I tend to always end up at The Mercer Kitchen. For whatever meal of the day, whether it's brunch or dinner, their menu is always top-notch and the food is always satisfying. There are so many restaurants in New York that I have yet to eat at, and although my list of new restaurants to try increases by the day, my feet always wind up at the steps of The Mercer Kitchen. This sophisticated restaurant, which is located beneath the Mercer Hotel, is one of many restaurants owned by chef Jean-Georges Vongerichte. The industrial yet contemporary decor makes this restaurant one of the best joints in SoHo, from customers like celebrities to typical New Yorkers (or New Jersiers in our case). If you haven't eaten at this place yet, be sure to check it out the next time you're in the area. The service is perfect, the food is out of this world, and the decor is definitely instagrammable. Here are some pictures of the food that Lidya and I ate from our recent visit to this restaurant. Enjoy (and try not to get too hungry)!