Bagels, Bloody Marys, And Brunch Spots In New York City

When I book a trip to New York City, my first thought is, “Where should I brunch?” In my world, planning an NYC trip is synonymous with finding the best New York City brunch spots.

On each trip to New York, I have to get a proper bagel smothered in cream cheese, and I have to brunch. Yes, brunch is a verb in New York. It’s not something you go to. Brunch in New York is an experience you have. Since my visits over the past eight years often include Bloody Mary cocktails too, it felt like time to share my favorite bagel, brunch, and Bloody Mary spots in Manhattan.

Disclosure: This guide to New York City brunch and bagel spots contains some affiliate links. When you click on, make a purchase from, or reserve your New York City hotel via one of these links, I may earn a small commission. Of course, this is at no extra cost to you, and I only recommend hotels that I would book for myself.

Antique Garage | SoHo

This Turkish/Mediterranean restaurant in SoHo serves brunch of Bloody Marys and mezes starting at 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. I recommend starting with the mixed meze or traditional breakfast platters for the table. And, you’ve got to eat the borek. It’s phillo dough stuffed with feta cheese and parsley. So delish!

Antique Garage | 41 Mercer St, New York, NY 10013 | Reserve Your Table

Stay near Antique Garage at the stylish and sophisticated Crosby Street Hotel or the contemporary and chic SIXTY SoHo.

Gramercy Farmer & The Fish | Gramercy/Flatiron District

While I must caution you about the disorganized service, I still highly recommend this seafood restaurant’s brunch.

My sister and I dined here on Sunday afternoon. After being seated, we waited and waited for a hostess or server to fill our empty glasses with water. Finally, a waiter took pity on us, taking our orders despite not being assigned to our table.

In spite of the long wait for service, I was very pleased with my meal. You’ll find offerings from the raw bar, salads, and seafood brunch dishes. My sister’s farmer’s salad looked fresh and plentiful with huge shaved radishes. I opted for a delicious lobster gyro with a healthy dollop of tzatziki and a tasty side salad of chopped greens with cucumber, Kalamata olives, and feta cheese.

Also, my Bloody Mary tasted of cocktail sauce — what else would you expect from a seafood restaurant?

Gramercy Farmer & The Fish | 245 Park Ave S, New York, NY 10003 | Reserve Your Table

Stay near Gramercy Farmer & The Fish at the arty Freehand New York or posh Park South Hotel.

Murray’s Bagels | Chelsea

At Murray’s Bagels, you better know what you want by the time you step up to the counter to place your order. You’ll get to choose from classic, whole-wheat, and “flatz” (which have half the calories and carbs) bagel varieties hand-rolled and made fresh daily. I recommend the pumpernickel and sesame bagels.

Don’t even bother asking for it toasted, but pick a schmear such as tofu “cream cheese,” peanut butter, jelly, Nutella, hummus, butter or one of the nine flavors of cream cheese. The abundance of cream cheese sandwiched between your bagel halves may shock you, but now you’ve been warned.

Murray’s Bagels Chelsea | 242 8th Ave, New York, NY 10011

Stay near the bagel-laden paradise that is Murray’s Bagels Chelsea at The High Line Hotel or nautical The Maritime Hotel.

NORMA’S | Midtown

Located inside the 4-star Parker New York near Central Park, NORMA’S is only open for breakfast and brunch until 3 p.m. daily. Though the hotel is swanky, kids are more than welcome to this classy brunch spot, and they’ll love all the sweet pancake, waffle and French toast dishes. I loved my very berry brioche French toast topped with a mixed berry compote, fresh berries, and a generous sprinkle of powdered sugar. If you prefer a savory brunch dish, you won’t be disappointed. The menu features a variety of Benedicts, omelets, and egg dishes. Plus, coffee drinkers will be delighted to find bold French press coffee.

NORMA’S | 119 W 56th St, New York, NY 10019

Don’t just brunch at NORMA’S — stay at Parker New York, too!

P.J. Clarke’s | Lincoln Square

The Barman’s Jumbo Bloody Mary is certainly one of the best Blood Marys I’ve had in NYC. Pair it with a goat’s cheese and spinach omelette or classic eggs Benedict for a boozy brunch.

P.J. Clarke’s | 44 West 63rd Street, New York, NY 10023

The Standard Grill | Meatpacking District

Brunch at the Standard Grill should start with one of the brunch cocktails. My Bloody Mary was mixed with fresh herbs and garnished with a lemon and green olive. Next time I brunch here, I’d love to try the Orchard Bellini of sparkling wine with apricot liqueur and fresh peach purée.

The Standard Grill’s brunch menu offers an eclectic mix of sweet and savory, breakfast and lunch dishes. I ordered the delicious eggs benedict, but I was a bit envious when I saw my sister’s loaded bagel and lox.

The Standard Grill | 848 Washington St, New York, NY 10014 | Reserve Your Table

If you are planning to brunch at the Standard Grill, you could stay upstairs at The Standard, High Line.

Stone Street Tavern | Financial District

Sandwiched between skyscrapers is a cobble stone street filled with umbrella-covered picnic tables under strings of twinkling lights by night and full of brunch diners by day. My sister and I loved Stone Street Tavern’s brunch so much, we ate there two days in a row.

My first brunch here included bottomless mimosas, a delicious veggie-packed omelette and breakfast potatoes, and a delectable guava cheesecake. The following brunch was all about hangover cure — complete with a hearty Bloody Mary and the messiest fried-egg topped beef burger.

Stone Street Tavern | 52 Stone Street, New York, NY 10004 | Reserve Your Table

If you want to stay in the Financial District near Stone Street Tavern, the Hilton Garden Inn NYC Financial Center/Manhattan Downtown is just a few blocks away.

Before You Brunch In NYC

Before you brunch your way around NYC, I wanted to pass along some helpful resources to you. First of all, you can download this NYC brunch guide to your phone to easily access it on the go! This is offered through the GPSmyCity app, which creates walking tours from travel bloggers’ articles. You should also check out their other self-guided New York City walking tours. They have walking tours through some of the city’s most iconic neighborhoods. With the GPSmyCity walking tours, you can see NYC’s most impressive architecture, sip cocktails around Manhattan, or hit up the best ice cream spots in the Big Apple.

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