We’ve all heard of NYC’s overrated spots (and may have fallen victim to them from time to time) — but what about the places most people have never heard of, or have heard of but just don’t appreciate fully? This is where the magic of the city truly lies.
Here are the 50 most underrated places in NYC, as told by New Yorkers:
The Noguchi Museum in Astoria, Queens is one of New Yorkers’ underrated spots.
1. “The churro lady under the 7 train tracks in Woodside. I’m fairly certain she’s magical.”
2. The New-York Historical Society
(Another commenter added: NYHS also houses my favorite restaurant, charming and feels like a homey cozy kitchen: Storico)
Storico, the restaurant at the New York-Historical Society.
Where: 170 Central Park West
3. “Bethesda Terrace before 9 a.m. on Saturday, when the dogs of Central Park are off the lease. It is a magnificent sight. The Boathouse Cafe [Loeb Boathouse] also has an outdoor seating area where dogs are welcome and people will talk to you. Breakfast is inexpensive and the conversations are fantastic.”
Centralparknyc.org
4. “The burrito truck at 41st and Queens Blvd. Usually sits by the Capital One Bank.”
5. Wave Hill Public Garden & Cultural Center, The Bronx
Facebook / Wave Hill
Where: 4900 Independence Ave, Bronx, NY
6. “The Art Student League on 57th. My wife and daughter took classes together. It is a fabulous school.”
Where: 215 W 57th St.
7. “Tea & Sympathy, a British restaurant serving traditional British comfort food since 1990. The shop next door sells popular British groceries, sweets, tea.”
Instagram / @teaandsympathynyc
8. Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn
Where: 500 25th St, Brooklyn
9. “The Rockaways and the boardwalk spanning from Far Rockaway to Rockaway Park.”
Shutterstock
10. “Little Italy in the Bronx — strip of restaurants and beautiful at night because it’s lit up (AKA Arthur Avenue)”
11. “The gyro cart on Ditmars Ave, a block away from Steinway Street — has the best shish kabob and gyro in Astoria.”
12. The Morgan Library and Museum on Madison
TheMorgan.org
Where: 225 Madison Ave
13. Cathedral of St. John the Divine on W 114 ish.
(Another commenter added: “The Hungarian Pastry Shop across the street from St. John the Divine. The bathroom inside the pastry shop has the best comments written on the wall, put there by the students of Columbia. This European-style bakery is great.”)
14. Pelham Bay Park, The Bronx
Where: Middletown Road & Stadium Avenue, NY
15. Wo Hop, Chinatown
Instagram @wohop17
Where: 17 Mott St.
16. North Woods in Central Park. Great hiking trails up that way and just lovely.
Where: Mid-Park between 101st and 110th St.
17. The Irish Hunger Memorial, Financial District
Where: North End Ave &, Vesey St.
19. The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) and the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music.
Facebook / BAM
Where: 30 Lafayette Ave & 58 7th Ave, Brooklyn
20. “Redhook, Brooklyn! Hoek for wood fried pizza, Steve’s key lime Pie on stick for dessert, sunset at Valentino Park with best view of Statue of Liberty and a cocktail at Sunny’s.”