New_York_City_2012_-_Fodor_39_s

Hit the takeout window of Café Gitane (242 Mott St., at Prince St. | 10012 | 212/334–9552) for an espresso, or head inside for Moroccan French dishes like avocado toast or couscous. If you don’t mind getting your fingers messy, stop by Café Habana to Go (17 Prince St., at Elizabeth St. | 10012 | 212/625–2002) for an addictive grilled ear of corn, topped with chili powder, cheese, and a splash of lime.

BEST FOR

Too-cool-for-school clothes

Creatures of Comfort: the funky separates here are in pale, muted colors.

Duncan Quinn: whether customized or off the rack, these button-downs and suits are perfectly cut.

Resurrection: mint-condition vintage Pucci and Courrèges make this a stylist’s gold mine.

Calypso: almost half-a-dozen boutiques in NoLIta alone for softly exotic clothes and housewares.

Tory Burch: score a pair of her signature ballet flats or bohemian chic tunics and skinny cords in eye-popping colors.

Foxy shoes

Sigerson Morrison: this strappy-sandal success has the biggest footprint in the ’hood.

… and other accessories

Me&Ro: Indian-inspired gold and silver jewelry, from shoulder-duster earrings to tiny lotus-petal pendants.

SPOTLIGHT ON THE LOWER EAST SIDE

Once home to multitudes of Jewish immigrants from Russia and Eastern Europe, the Lower East Side has traditionally been New Yorkers’ bargain beat. The center of it all is Orchard Street, where vendors still holler, “Lady, have I got a deal for you!”

Here tiny, no-nonsense clothing stores and scrappy stalls hang on to the past while funky local designers gradually claim more turf. A few cool vintage clothing and furniture spots bridge the two camps. Ludlow Street, one block east of Orchard, has become the main drag for twentysomethings with attitude, its boutiques wedged in between bars and low-key restaurants. Anything too polished is looked on with suspicion—and that goes for you, too. For the full scope of this area, prowl from Allen to Essex streets, south of East Houston Street down to Broome Street. A tip: wear closed shoes to stay clear of broken glass and other crud on the sidewalks.

(188 LudlowSt., between Stanton and E. Houston Sts. |

10002 | 212/343–9922) for creamy scoops of ice cream and sorbet in unusual flavors like basil, grapefruit hibiscus, and wasabi. Cake with your gelato? Zip to Sugar Sweet Sunshine (126 Rivington St., between Essex and Norfolk Sts. | 10002 | 212/995–1960), a homey little bakery where you can nibble on a cupcake with chocolate-almond frosting or a slice of red velvet cake. For something healthy, get a table at the teany café (90 Rivington St., between Orchard and LudlowSts. | 10002 | 212/475–9190), a vegetarian spot with light meals, sweets, and more than 90 teas to try.

BEST FOR

Vintage

Edith Machinist: big names from the 1970s and ’80s, whopping shoulder pads, and often hefty price tags.

Las Venus: Danish modern furniture, princess phones, boomerang ashtrays in punchy colors.

Clothes with bite

J.D. Fisk: classic but cool menswear like distressed boots, vintage T-shirts, and denim jackets.

Foley & Corinna: mixes vintage-y new clothes with the truly vintage.

Old-world food

Russ & Daughters (179 E. Houston St., at 1st Ave. |

10002): smoked salmon, pickled herring, and babka, oh my.

The Pickle Guys (49 Essex St. | 10002 | 212/656–9739): move beyond the half-sours to the zingy full-sour and horseradish pickle spears.

SPOTLIGHT ON THE WEST VILLAGE

It’s easy to feel like a local, not a tourist, while shopping in the West Village. Unlike 5th Avenue or SoHo, the pace is slower, the streets are relatively quiet, and the scale is small. This is the place to come for unusual finds rather than global-brand goods (well, if you don’t count Marc Jacobs).

Bleecker Street is a particularly good place to indulge all sorts of shopping appetites. Foodies love the blocks between 6th and 7th avenues for the specialty purveyors like Murray’s Cheese (254 Bleecker St.). Fashion foragers prowl the stretch between West 10th Street and 8th Avenue, and avid readers lose themselves in the bookbook bookshop. Hudson Street and Greenwich Avenue are also prime boutique-browsing territory. Christopher Street, true to its connection with the lesbian and gay community, has a handful of rainbow-flag stops. High rents mean there are fewer student-oriented shops around NYU than you might expect.

BEST TIME TO GO

Tuesday through Friday afternoons for a focused shopping stint, Saturday afternoon if you get a buzz from peoplewatching or the competitive aspect of busier boutiques. (Keep in mind that most stores here are small, so even a half dozen fellow browsers can make a shop feel crowded.) On Sunday the area’s a bit bogged down by brunchers, and stores have shorter hours.

REFUELING

Skip Magnolia Bakery; there’s always a line, and besides, a vast number of other places are great for a pick-me-up in this neighborhood. The house-made sweets at Amy’s Bread (250 Bleecker St., at Leroy St. | 10014 | 212/675– 7802), like the layer-cake slices and “kitchen sink” cookies, are both homey and delicious. Try an Irish soda roll or a sandwich on raisin-and-fennel bread. At Cones (272 Bleecker St., between Morton and Jones Sts. | 10014 |

212/414–1795), you can lap up a rich ginger or pistachio ice cream.

BEST FOR

Nonchalant-chic clothes

Marc Jacobs: the casual (but not cheap) line with seemingly unstoppable downtown street cred.

Castor & Pollux: feminine pieces that feel simultaneously vintage and modern.

Írma: the place to pair cult jeans, motorcycle boots, and a revealing top.

Ludivine: a direct feed to the Parisian femme’s fashion scene.

Cynthia Rowley: party-friendly outfits for when a girl needs a halter top or a filmy dress.

Home decor

Mxyplyzyk: household necessities and accessories get a jolt of saucy humor.

Olatz: divine bedding and pajamas in a Havana-inspired setting.

SPOTLIGHT ON THE MEATPACKING DISTRICT

For nearly a century, this industrial western edge of downtown Manhattan was defined by slaughterhouses and meatpacking plants, blood-splattered cobblestone streets, and men lugging carcasses into warehouses way before dawn.

But in the late 1990s the area between West 14th Street, Gansevoort Street, Hudson Street, and 11th Avenue speedily transformed into another kind of meat market. Many of the old warehouses now house ultrachic shops, nightclubs, and restaurants packed with angular fashionistas. Jeffrey, a pint-size department store, was an early arrival, followed by edgy but established designers like Stella McCartney and a few lofty furniture stores. Despite the influx of a few chains—albeit stylish ones like Scoop—eclectic boutiques keep popping up. The one thing it’s hard to find here is a bargain.

BEST TIME TO GO

Wednesday through Friday afternoons. Most stores are open daily, but a few are closed Monday and Tuesday. On weekends some stores stay open until 7 or 8 pm, overlapping with the overeager nightlife crowd.

BEST SOUVENIR FOR YOUR GIRLFRIEND (OR BOHO AUNT)

Jewelry from Ten Thousand Things or The Crangi Family Project. You can find something sweet, funky, or industrial—or a combination of them all.

REFUELING

Hit the buzzing bistro Pastis (9 9th Ave., at Little W. 12th St. | 10014 | 212/929–4844) for a croque monsieur, a bracing coffee, or a cocktail with the namesake hooch. For

a quick stop, follow the smell of grilled meat to Pop Burger

(58–60 9th Ave., between 14th and 15th Sts. | 10011 |

212/414–8686). The mini-burgers are tempting, but locals swear by the sides: crispy fries and onion rings, and thick- as-cement milk shakes.

BEST FOR

Fabulous frocks

Jeffrey: culls the coolest outfits from high-end labels.

Alexander McQueen: impeccably tailored, take-no- prisoners style.

Catherine Malandrino: romantic chiffon and swingy layers, at more-reasonable prices.

Denim

Earnest Sewn (821 Washington St. | 212/242–3414): customize the cut, buttons, and pockets of your cult jeans.

Killer accessories

La Perla: the most minxy outpost for this brand’s lace lingerie.

Christian Louboutin: vampy heels with telltale crimson soles.

SPOTLIGHT ON FIFTH AVENUE AND 57TH STREET

Fifth Avenue from Rockefeller Center to Central Park South pogos between landmark department stores, glossy international designer boutiques, and casual national chains. What they all have in common: massive flagship spaces.

The intersection of 5th Avenue with 57th Street distills this mix of old and new, exclusive and accessible. From these corners you’ll see blue-chip New York classics (jeweler Tiffany & Co., the Bergdorf Goodman department stores), luxury giants (Gucci and the glass box of Louis Vuitton), a high-tech wonderland (another glass box for Apple), and show-off digs for informal brands (NikeTown, Abercrombie & Fitch). Capping this shopping stretch at East 58th Street is the colossal, exceptional toy store FAO Schwarz. If you’re keen to shop the high end or to see the impressive flagships, it’s worth coming to this neighborhood—but if large-scale doesn’t do it for you, you’re better off heading downtown.

BEST TIME TO GO

Wednesday through Friday if you’re trying to avoid crowds. Weekends before the winter holidays get extremely hectic and can spark “sidewalk rage” in even the most patient shopper—try to come earlier in the week, especially if you want to see the fantastic department-store window displays.

BEST SOUVENIR FOR KIDS

An incredibly lifelike stuffed animal from FAO Schwarz. They’ve got exclusive Steiff “purebred” dogs, for instance, that come with authenticity certificates from the American Kennel Club.

REFUELING

Soothe frazzled nerves with a stop at Fika (41 W. 58th St., between 5th and 6th Aves. | 10019 | 212/832–0022), a

calm, friendly Swedish café. Settle in for a meatball sandwich, a bracing cup of coffee, and a chocolate truffle. If you’d like to stay in the energetic current of 5th Avenue, nab a table, or a seat with a fold-down tray, at the stuck-in-the- ’60s Primeburger (5 E. 51st St., between 5th and Madison Aves. | 10022 | 212/759–4729). Go for a diner classic like an all-day omelet or a burger with a side of curly fries.

BEST FOR

Department stores

Saks Fifth Avenue: fashion and nothing but.

Bergdorf Goodman: these partner stores (one for women, the other for men; guess which has the housewares) are both genteelly tasteful.

Flagship stores

Louis Vuitton: every permutation of the signature handbags and leather goods, plus the jet-set clothing line upstairs.

Chanel: all the hallmarks, from little black dresses to double-C jewelry.

Apple: all sorts of chip-driven devices, 24 hours a day.

Gucci: check out classic designs and goodies exclusive to this store.

Serious jewelry

Tiffany & Co.: hum “Moon River,” check out the dazzling gems and pearls, then head upstairs for all sorts of silver ornaments.

Cartier: both classic and slinky new designs glitter in a turn-of-the-20th-century mansion.

Harry Winston: the ultimate for diamonds (just ask Marilyn Monroe).

Van Cleef & Arpels: the jewels may be big, but the logos and styles are understated.

SPOTLIGHT ON MADISON AVENUE

If you’re craving a couture fix, cab it straight to Madison Avenue between East 57th and East 79th streets. Here the greatest Italian, French, and American fashion houses form a platinum-card corridor for ladies who lunch. (If you’re going to be pointedly overlooked by a salesperson, odds are it will happen here.)

Most occupy large, glass-façade spaces, but there are some exceptions, from intimate boutiques in old brownstones to the pair of mansions that are home to Ralph Lauren. Barneys, a full-fledged if very select department store, fits right in with the avenue’s recherché roll call. But Madison isn’t just a fashion funnel. A couple of marvelous booksellers and several outstanding antiques dealers and art galleries share this address as well.