The Statue of Liberty,New York City
The universal symbol of freedom and democracy, the Statue of Liberty was the first sight to be seen by the 12 million immigrants who passed through the Ellis Island Immigration Centre. Sculpted by Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi and modelled on the Colossus of Rhodes, the statue was donated by the people of France in 1886 to commemorate the alliance between the two countries during the American Revolution. Access to the monument is available by reservation only via a ranger-guided tour and a time pass is required; advanced reservations are possible by calling (866) 782 8834 or online at www.statuereservations.com. The interior of the statue itself is closed. The ferry calls at both Liberty and Ellis Islands.

Admission:
No fee is charged, but the ferry costs $11.50 (adults), $4.50 (children). Timed reservations cost $1.75 per ticket

Opening time:
Daily 9.30am to 5pm (except Christmas Day)

World Trade Center - Ground Zero,New York City
The six-hectare (16-acre) work site that has emerged from the rubble of the twin towers has come to symbolise the dreadful events of September 11, 2001 when almost 3,000 people lost their lives. The 1,350ft (411m) World Trade Centre towers were the tallest buildings in New York and symbols of the city's skyline. Millions now come to pay tribute at the site and witness the devastation from one of the viewing sites. In April 2003, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation launched a worldwide competition to design a memorial at the World Trade Center site to honour the victims of September 11. The LMDC received 5,201 memorial design submissions from 63 nations and 49 states making this the largest design competition in history. In January 2004 'Reflecting Absence' by Michael Arad and Peter Walker was unveiled as the design for the World Trade Center Memorial, and will feature a landscaped civic plaza with two massive voids aligned with the footprints where the twin towers once stood (www.buildthememorial.org). Currently the perimeter of Ground Zero is accessible to the public. The Tribute Center, across from Ground Zero, offers tours around the perimeter, and provides visitors with an accurate account of what the community endured during the attacks. The Memorial itself is scheduled to open 11 September 2009.

Admission:
Suggested donation to the Tribute Center is $10 for adults

Opening time:
Museum: Daily 10am to 6pm, except Tuesday and Sunday when it opens at 12pm. Tours of the perimeter: Monday to Friday 1pm and 3pm, Saturday and Sunday 12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm

Empire State Building,New York City
One of the enduring symbols of New York, and once again the city's tallest structure, the Empire State Building stands 436ft (145m) high. Completed in 1931, this Art Deco behemoth remains one of the most impressive engineering feats of all time; it was built in just 410 days and remains the fastest rising major skyscraper ever built. The building has been immortalised in many films - most famously the classic King Kong. The observation decks on the 86th and 102nd floors offer magnificent views of the city.

Admission:
$18 (adults), $12 (children 6-11), other concessions available. 102nd Observatory Floor tickets are an extra $15

Opening time:
Observatory: daily 8am to 2am; last elevator at 1.15am

Central Park,New York City
With great foresight, the founders of New York set aside 340 hectares (840 acres) of central Manhattan as a public space. Central Park was officially opened in 1873 and today provides an essential 'green lung' within the concrete jungle that is New York. Originally designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, the park contains themed gardens, tennis courts, lakes and even a small zoo. Much of the park is infused by the city's bustle and on nice days swarms with joggers, skaters, buskers and tourists, but there are areas beyond the range of baseballs and frisbees where tranquillity can be found in this beautifully landscaped park. During winter, two ice-skating rinks open up in Central Park, the Wollman Rink (mid-Park at 62nd St) is one of the most picturesque in the world, set among the trees and rolling hills and against the backdrop of Manhattan's skyscrapers.

Museum of Modern Art,New York City
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), founded in 1929, owns the most important collection of modern art in the USA including works by Monet, Van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso, Max Beckman, Ansel Adams, and Kiki Smith. What started as a gift of eight prints and one drawing has developed to a vast and varied collection of 150,000 paintings, prints, sculptures, photographs and other media, and the Musuem's Library and Archives boast an impressive collection of books, historical documents and photographs. Priding itself as an educational institution, the Museum of Modern Art offers various activities and programs for the general public, as well as special segments thereof, in order to broaden the community's knowledge of, and approach to, the exciting and puzzling world of modern art.

Admission:
$20 (adults), free for children under 16 accompanied by an adult. Free on Fridays from 4pm to 8pm

Opening time:
Daily 10.30am to 5.30pm (until 8pm on Friday); closed Tuesdays

The Guggenheim Museum,New York City
The Solomon R Guggenheim Museum was designed by US architect Frank Lloyd Wright and was completed shortly after his death in 1959. It is well worth a visit just to see this icon of Modernist architecture, which was designed specifically to showcase the modern art within. Inside, it features a highly commended collection of late 19th- and 20th-century art works, as well as touring exhibitions. From beneath the huge glass dome, a quarter-of-a-mile-long ramp spirals down the inside of the building, past the collection of art, including works by Camille Pissarro, Vasily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Pablo Picasso, Toulouse-Lautrec, Cézanne, Robert Mapplethorpe and Robert Gober.

Admission:
$18 (adults), free for children under 12. Rates differ during special exhibitions

Opening time:
Saturday to Wednesday 10am to 5.45pm; Friday 10am to 7.45; closed Thursdays and Christmas Day

Metropolitan Museum of Art,New York City
The Metropolitan Museum possesses one of the greatest, and largest, collections of art in the world; it is a cherished New York institution and a must see for any visitor. Banners above the Met's Fifth Avenue entrance herald the current attractions - there are always a few exhibitions on-the-go displaying masterpieces from around the world alongside the Metropolitan's own collection. The highlights of the permanent collection are numerous - American collectors having had the foresight, and cash, to buy up a large number of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces from Europeans at the end of the 19th century. The Metropolitan Museum's collection now contains more than two million works of art from all points of the compass, from ancient through modern times, including great works by Van Gogh, Renoir, Monet and Cézanne to rival any gallery in the world.

Admission:
$20 (adults) is suggested; free for children under 12 accompanied by an adult. There is no additional charge, beyond the admission contribution, to attend an exhibition

Opening time:
Tuesday to Thursday and Sunday 9.30am to 5.30pm, Friday and Saturday 9.30am to 9pm. Closed Mondays, New Year's Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas

American Museum of Natural History,New York City
Possibly with the exception of its counterpart in London, the American Museum of Natural History is the largest and most important museum of its kind in the world. More than 30 million artefacts are packed into 42 exhibition halls - quite enough to keep anyone busy over a rainy afternoon. The most popular exhibit is a 50ft (15m) tall skeleton of a barosaurus in the Theodore Roosevelt Rotunda. There are three more spectacular dinosaur halls on the fourth floor. Other halls include the Hall of Biodiversity, the Hall of Ocean Life, the Hall of Human Biology and Evolution and the fabulous Hayden Planetarium - a 90ft (27m) wide aluminium sphere that seems to float inside a massive glass cube, which in turn is home to the Rose Center for Earth and Space. Those tired of walking can check out the Museum of Television and Radio.

Admission:
Suggested admission $14 (adults), $8 (children 2-12); plus Planetarium Space show: $22 (adults), $13 (children 2-12); plus special exhibition or Imax show: $21 (adults), $12 (children 2-11)

Opening time:
Daily 10am to 5.45pm, except Christmas Day and Thanksgiving

Broadway,New York City
Going to the theatre is one of the most popular tourist events in New York and the shows on Broadway are world famous, boasting some of the best in the world from blockbuster musicals to intense personal drama. There are ongoing shows that have been running for years, such as The Lion King, Phantom of the Opera, Chicago and A Chorus Line. This is one way to experience part of the American dream, even if only on vacation.

Times Square,New York City
Though it's just an intersection at the corner of Broadway and 42nd Street, Times Square has achieved iconic status, representing, in a single frame, the hive of activity that is New York City. Flashing advertisements and huge billboards produce a headache-inducing but memorable sight. Times Square has been used in countless films, television and literature. It is the base for ABC's Good Morning America programs and MTV's popular Total Request Live. Annually hundreds of thousands gather on New Year's Eve in the square to revel and see the infamous ball-dropping ceremony.

Admission:
Free

Opening time:
24 Hrs

Rockefeller Centre,New York City
Named for the man who developed the space, the world's first dollar billionaire, John D Rockefeller, this 22 acre (8ha) land houses a plethora of iconic New York City attractions. Radio City Music Hall used to be the most popular tourist venue in the city and still ranks highly among visitors. Radio City has hosted multiple awards shows such as the Grammies, Emmies and MTV Music Awards. It is also a concert venue frequented by today's popular performers. The GE Building, the address for which the popular TV series 30 Rock is named, is the home to Saturday Night Live and the site from which the eerie 'Lunchtime atop a skyscraper' photograph was taken. At the base of the GE building is the Rockefeller Ice Rink with the golden statue of Prometheus at its head. Underneath Rockefeller Plaza is the Concourse, an underground pedestrian mall boasting designer brands and food outlets.

Admission:
Free with a NY Pass

Opening time:
8am – 9pm

Chinese New Year,New York City
New York City's Chinatown is the largest in the United States and the site of the largest concentration of Chinese in the western hemisphere; a visit here feels like being in the country itself. It is a must-see on the opening day of the Chinese New Year celebrations when performers dance in the street in colourful costumes followed by a parade of dragon floats. Traditionally, the New Year marks the beginning of the spring and the rebirth of the Earth. It is a time for family togetherness, and begins with the 'sweeping of the grounds' - a spring clean to sweep out the old and evil, which is followed by festivities and feasts. Chinatown has over 200 restaurants representing cuisine from all the regions of China, and at New Year the suspicious should eat a whole fish as, to the Chinese, this represents togetherness and abundance; also don't chop up your noodles, as their length represents long life! Colour is also important at New Year. The luckiest colours are red, orange, yellow, gold and pink. Black and white are unlucky. In 2009 the year of the Ox begins.

Date: Parade: January 2009, TBC
Venue: Starting at Mott and Hester Street
Time: Chinatown parade: 1pm

Central Park SummerStage,New York City
Summer Stage is one of New York's greatest institutions, and every summer Central Park is filled with music, theatre, opera and dance. There is a different performance every Saturday and Sunday afternoon, and also usually on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings, and most are free. Bring a picnic if you don't want to pay for overpriced beer and French fries. For a list of events visit the Summer Stage website.

Date: 13 June to 17 August 2009
Venue: Central Park

ING New York City Marathon,New York City
As the world's largest marathon with more than 35,000 runners from around the world, only London ranks alongside New York in terms of prestige. The race passes through all of New York City's five boroughs before finishing in Central Park and is an entertaining spectacle with many runners in fancy dress; it is also a good opportunity to see some celebrities offer their best.

Date: 2 November 2008
Venue: Finish in Central Park

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade,New York City
Thanksgiving (originally a harvest festival) is celebrated across the United States as families get together and feast on huge helpings of roast turkey. Macy's Thanksgiving Parade is one of the Big Apple's most dynamic and colourful events that takes the celebrations one stage further. Its origins date back to the 1920s when the city's European immigrants decided to celebrate the American Thanksgiving Day holiday with the sort of festivities they had known in their homelands. Hundreds of people marched from 145th Street to 34th Street in costume; accompanied by floats, live animals (on loan from the zoo) and musicians. The parade attracted over 250,000 spectators and quickly became an institution. Today the colourful parade features clowns and marching bands, but the biggest attraction are the Floats and Falloons (a Macy's hybrid of a cold air balloon and float) that tower over the crowds; they usually include Angelina Ballerina, The Statue of Liberty and of course, the man of the season, Santa Claus on his sleigh. The parade starts on 77th Street and proceeds down Central Park West to Columbus Circle, then down Broadway to Macy's at 34th St, finishing on Seventh Ave. Good places to watch it include Times Square and Columbus Circle, but get there early as by the afternoon the crowds are thick.

Date: 27 November 2008
Time: 9am to 12pm

St Patrick's Day Parade,New York City
On St Patrick's Day every year thousands of Irish Americans head down 5th Avenue in New York's largest street parade. The day begins with a morning mass in St Patrick's Cathedral, after which the parade marches up 5th Avenue, clan by clan, from 44th to 86th streets. Green face paint, green nail polish, and green clothes are on display in the crowds but the parade itself is marked by more formal Irish pageantry, led by the 165th Infantry (originally the 69th Regiment of the 1850s). The annual parade honours the patron saint of Ireland and is a New York tradition that dates as far back as 1766, many years before the Declaration of Independence was adopted. After the parade New Yorkers of all origins dress in green and head to the nearest bar for a pint of the black stuff.

Date: March 2009, TBC
Venue: Up 5th Avenue from 44th Street to 86th Street
Time: 11am

Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular,New York City
Independence Day is celebrated throughout the States, but nowhere more than in New York City. Although many locals leave to spend the holiday on Long Island or in Upstate New York, thousands of others stay behind to watch Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular. This is probably the biggest and best firework extravaganza in the country, culminating in a massive party. More than 10,000 fireworks explode from barges along the west side of Manhattan, synchronized and choreographed to music. It starts at sunset and the best place to watch is from the banks of the East River.

Date: 4 July 2009
Venue: The spectacle will take place from barges positioned in New York City's East River
Time: 9pm

Commerce Bank Five Boro Bike Tour,New York City
The biggest cycling event in the USA, the bike tour sees 30,000 cyclists pedalling through the five boroughs of New York City on 42 miles (68km) of traffic-free avenues, highways and bridges, including the world's longest single-span suspension bridge, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. The route travels through Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island. The day ends with a festival at Fort Wadsworth featuring live music, food and exhibitions.

Date: 3 May 2009, TBC
Venue: Battery Park to Staten Island

Gay Pride Week and March,New York City
Rainbow flags flutter in Greenwich Village during New York's Lesbian and Gay Pride Week, with numerous events arranged to commemorate the Stonewall Riot. Highlights of the week's festivities are a massive rally, the dance on the pier and the culminating march.

Date: 20-28 June 2009
Venue: The march which follows a route along 5th Avenue, right onto 8th Street, on to Greenwich Avenue and along Christopher Street in Greenwich Village.

Broadway on Broadway,New York City
A quintessential New York City event, Broadway on Broadway is the theatre season's annual kick-off event where live shows from almost every play and musical on Broadway, as well as sneak previews of shows for the new season, are performed on a giant outdoor stage to an audience of more than 50,000.

Date: September 2009
Venue: Times Square
Time: 11.30am

Times Square New Year's Eve Celebrations,New York City
Times Square boasts one of the largest New Year's Eve celebrations in the world and the biggest party in New York. The famous lowering of the New Year's Eve Ball signifies the 60-second countdown to midnight and the tradition has become a worldwide symbol of welcoming in the New Year, viewed by millions across the globe. The festivities include the raising and lighting of the Ball, music, an hourly big screen video countdown, the lowering of the ball and a spectacular burst of fireworks. Revellers are showered with colourful confetti and are given celebratory hats, pom-poms and balloons to welcome in the New Year.

Date: 31 December annually
Venue: Times Square
Time: From 6pm

US Open Tennis Tournament,New York City
The top names and seeds vie for victory in the final Grand Slam event of the season in New York each year. Singles, doubles, men's and ladies, and mixed doubles make up the five separate tournaments within the championship. Held annually at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, the event dates back to 1881 when it was played in the State of Rhode Island as a men's singles event only and it was not until 1968 that The US Open took the shape and structure that it has today.

Date: 31 August to 7 September 2009
Venue: Arthur Ashe Stadium, Flushing Meadows

Ninth Avenue International Food Festival,New York City
More than a million hungry people descend on the Hell's Kitchen neighbourhood for two days each May to sample the delights offered at one of New York's finest street fairs. Ninth Avenue's restaurants and food stores cover a vast range of ethnic cuisines, which have made it the city's most famed food district.

Date: May 2009, TBC
Venue: Midtown Manhatten, along 9th Avenue between 37th and 57th Streets
Time: 9.30am to 6.30pm

Pier Antiques Show,New York City
The internationally renowned Pier Antiques show is attended by celebrities, major designers and decorators from around the country, as well as shoppers from around the world. Over 500 exhibits completes the largest art and antiques event in New York, while Fashion Alley holds a huge selection of vintage fashions. It has been said that 'if you can't find it at Triple Pier it doesn't exist'!

Date: 15-16 November 2009
Venue: Passenger Ship Terminal Pier 92 and 94

Village Halloween Parade,New York City
What started out as a walk from house to house in the neighbourhood for friends and family by a mask maker and puppeteer in 1973, is today the largest celebration of its kind in the world, and one of New York's most colourful annual parties. Listed as one of the 'Top 100 Things to do Before you Die', the lively event attracts millions of spectators and participants every year who take part in a parade featuring huge papier-mâché puppets, jugglers, stilt-walkers, bands and dancers, and plenty of outrageous costumes.

Date: 31 October 2009
Venue: Greenwich Village
Time: 7pm

Winter Solstice Concert,New York City
Making use of the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, the interior is turned into a stage for the musical, theatrical, dance and environmental spectacle that is an annual holiday tradition in celebration of the shortest day and longest night of the year. The performance is one of the city's biggest and showiest Christmas events and takes the audience on a symbolic journey, each year with its own unique style and special affects. For more information contact the cathedral on +1 212 316 7540.

Date: 18 - 20 December 2008
Venue: Cathedral of St John the Divine
Time: 7.30pm

New York Fashion Week,New York City
The fashion gurus, gorgeous models and Hollywood brass pop into the Big Apple to check out the latest on the catwalk for next year's Spring Collection. All the top names will be displaying their stuff but it is almost impossible for the general public to gain access to the event.

Date: September 2009
Venue: The Museum of the City of New York

Home,New York City
This aptly named restaurant, run by husband-and-wife team Chef David Page and co-owner Barabara Shinn, produces wonderful home-style cooking and is a favourite with locals. Most diners skip the cosy dining room and head straight to the patio, though it is advised to book an outside table well in advance. The cuisine here takes comfort food to an entirely new level - fresh ingredients and clever seasoning transform even the simplest dishes. Steak, pork chops, quail, and seafood preparations excel, and signature dishes include a rich, creamy blue cheese fondue with caramelised shallots and roasted chicken with spicy onion rings. A must for dessert is the sensational chocolate pudding, and the wine list gathers a number of bottles from Long Island vineyards. Open for brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, lunch Monday to Friday, and dinner nightly.

Location: 20 Cornelia Street, between Bleecker and West 4th Street

Tribeca Grill,New York City
Located in Tribeca's Washington Market area, Tribeca Grill radiates excitement and energy. Co-owned by Robert DeNiro, its association with hundreds of major media events has helped to make 'The Grill' a classic New York social gathering place. It is a massive restaurant with high ceilings and exposed brick walls - not the place for a romantic dinner, but great for celebrity spotting. The menu includes enticing grilled and sautéed selections with cross-cultural creative influences of many different cuisines, with an enormous selection of wines, and the prices are reasonable. Closed for lunch on Saturdays. Dinner nightly.

Location: 375 Greenwich Street

Le Bernardin,New York City
Le Bernardin, New York's internationally acclaimed seafood restaurant, was born in Paris in 1972 by sibling duo Maguy and Gilbert Le Coze and had earned a Michelin star by 1978. Le Bernardin opened in New York in 1986 and in no time became a four-star restaurant that is renowned for setting standards in the cooking of seafood in America. Try the red snapper baked in a rosemary-and-thyme crust, or steamed striped bass and top it off with a chocolate-peanut tart. Ideal for a romantic evening. Book well in advance and wear a jacket. Lunch Monday to Friday, dinner Monday to Saturday, closed Sundays.

Location: 155 West 51st Street (Midtown West)

Delmonico's,New York City
This attractive Wall Street landmark first opened its doors in the 1830s as the first restaurant in America and has an impressive history, even providing the setting for a birthday party for Mark Twain. Serving up delicious steaks in a leather and mahogany setting, it attracts a loyal crowd of businessmen, who feel at home sitting at the low-key bar. Reservations are recommended for both lunch and dinner. Open Monday to Friday for lunch and dinner.

Location: 56 Beaver Street, near Wall Street

Balthazar,New York City
Since its 1997 opening, this SoHo bistro has retained its buzz and irresistible allure. Restaurant impresario Keith McNallyre has succeeded in creating the look and atmosphere of an aged Parisian brassiere with pastel colours, oversized mirrors and powdery homemade bread. Nightly specials are based on classic French dishes such as duck confit with wild mushrooms. Balthazar is packed breakfast, brunch and dinner and booking is recommended, otherwise pop in to the attached Balthazar Bakery for fresh, delicious pastries and bread, or a light lunch.

Location: 80 Spring St, SoHo

Gramercy Tavern,New York City
This iconic Union Square eatery is restaurateur Danny Meyer's most appealing restaurant and a great choice for entertaining clients or for a romantic evening. Gramercy Tavern's spacious, rustic-looking interior includes a casual street-facing tavern, a lively bar and a series of formal dining areas at the back. Chef Tom Colicchio serves inventive American cuisine such as lobster salad, and venison with onion marmalade. Booking is recommended. Dinner reservations must be confirmed. For the more budget-minded both the Tavern room and the bar have reasonably priced menus offering plenty of delicious choices. The Tavern is open for lunch and dinner daily. Jacket suggested for main dining room.

Location: 42 East 20th Street (between Broadway and Park Avenue)

Nobu,New York City
Nobu opened in 1995 bringing innovative 'new style Japanese cooking' to New York City, and the critics and celebrities alike continue to adore it. It won a 'Best New Restaurant' award in 1995 and last year was voted the fifth most popular New York restaurant by Zagat. The restaurant is a visual and culinary delight - tall birch tree columns rise into the ceiling, which is painted copper with patches of open brickwork showing through, giving the effect of a Zen mountain retreat. Nobu's new style Japanese cuisine weds South American sensibility with Japanese traditions using superb raw and cooked ingredients. Try the signature dish of miso-marinated sweet black cod, or give the Matsuhisa shrimp and caviar a go. When booking (which is essential) ask not to have a table at the back. If you can't get a table try Next Door Nobu (next door), it's a smaller, simpler version and they take no reservations, so just get there early.

Location: 105 Hudson Street (Tribeca)

Washington Park,New York City
Jonathan Waxman, who was among the first to introduce New Yorkers to fresh, ingredient-driven 'Californian cuisine' in the 1980s, has returned to the kitchen for the first time in over a decade at this elegant Greenwich Village restaurant. Waxman's straightforward culinary philosophy is to use only the freshest ingredients available, and as a result Washington Park's menu changes daily, vividly showcasing the best of the season. The restaurant is bright and inviting, with a trim, marble-topped bar up front and an open-plan kitchen. The service strikes the perfect tone, and an astute team of wine experts provide careful counsel on wine pairings that best complement Waxman's menu. Dinner nightly. Reservations suggested.

Location: 24 Fifth Avenue, at Ninth Street (Greenwich Village)

Daniel,New York City
In 1993, Daniel Boulud opened his own much-heralded restaurant, Daniel. In just one year the restaurant was rated 'one of the ten best restaurants in the world'. It is still ranked as one of the city's best venues for classical French fare. The 120-seat dining room is located in the former Mayfair Hotel lobby, which has been restored to its original 1920s Renaissance splendour. Using the freshest ingredients, seasonal masterpieces including roasted squab stuffed with black truffle, bacon and wild mushrooms will not disappoint. Sommelier Jean Luc Le Dû helps guests choose wines to compliment the diverse flavours. Jacket and tie are required for gentlemen. Dinner Monday to Saturday, closed Sundays. Reservations recommended up to a month in advance.

Location: 60 East 65th Street (between Madison Avenue and Park Avenue)

Park Avenue,New York City
With the changing of the seasons this innovative restaurant changes its décor and menu to suit the changing temperatures and sensations of spring, summer, autumn and winter. Fresh summer greenery gives way to winter white with silver accents, while menus change from fresh lobster salad and fried chicken to filet mignon or grilled veal chops. Desserts include seasonal fruit with homemade ice creams or sorbets, and warm chocolate cake.

Location: 100 East 63rd Street at Park Ave

Schnack,New York City
Good, uncomplicated food in a comfortable (if somewhat kitschy) diner setting has been the secret of success for the yuppie junk food restaurant called Schnack. Breakfast, lunch and dinner offers such staples as scrambled eggs, hot dogs, spicy fries, fat onion rings, fluffy fish and chips and of course beef burgers. There are specials too, like knockwurst and bacon in a Japanese coconut-curry sauce, served with rice, or the Cuban sandwich billed as 'pork heaven'. There are also many vegeterian options including Vegan hot dogs and Tofu Reuben sandwiches.

Location: 122 Union Street, Brooklyn

Hill Country,New York City
This bi-level, 250-seater restaurant celebrates the Texas barbecue, with smoked meats including ribs, sausage and the Hill Country speciality: slow smoked beef brisket. Meat is complemented by traditional southern sides and sweets, along with a Texan wine list. There are two bars and a stage for live music. Open daily from 12pm.

Location: 30 West 26th Street

Momofuku Ssam Bar,New York City
Chef David Chang has created a highly sought after, authentic, small-plate cuisine with a menu that changes constantly. The food bar's specialty is Asian, and dishes vary from Momos and ssam (steamed buns with meat fillings) to poached Mayan prawns and spicy squid salad. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

Location: 207 Second Avenue

El Sombrero,New York City
This Lower East Side eatery has been offering New Yorkers Mexican cuisine since 1984 where the burritos and tacos are to die for. Portions are generous and diners can enjoy the laid back atmosphere while listening to Latin hits booming out of the jukebox and sipping on margaritas. The flaming fajitas are highly recommended and quite a spectacle to see. El Sombrero stays open late and has soft lighting, making it a perfect late-night spot after an evening of out. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

Location: 108 Stanton Street

ACME Bar & Grill,New York City
With its exposed brick interior, the world's largest collection of hot sauce and Catfish and hickory chips delivered fresh from Mississippi, ACME Bar & Grill is as far south you have to go to enjoy the cuisine of the Deep South. Creole delights such as Louisiana Seafood gumbo or Creole Jambalaya on offer while Catfish and Po boys (a traditional submarine sandwich originating from Louisiana) are in abundance. The mashed potato is renowned by New York foodies and the diverse and delicious menu mixed with the warm hospitality of the South is enough to keep everyone coming back for more. Open daily for lunch and dinner and brunch on weekends.

Location: 9 Great Jones Street

Great Jones Café,New York City
With the Southern style menu being so flavoursome and diverse, one would almost expect to walk out of Great Jones Café onto Bourbon Street and dance with the minstrels of the Mardi Gras. Great Jones offers arguably some of the best home cooked food New York has to offer with dishes including the likes of Cajun popcorn crawfish, grilled ham steak with brown sugar glaze, pecan pie and Mississippi mud pie. The Cajun martini and smooth electric Lemonade are recommended. Open dinner, Tuesday to Friday for lunch and open for brunch on weekends.

Location: 54 Great Jones Street