Opera trip (New York, Lee, York: hotels, neighborhood, theater)

[artsyeclectic]

Hi,
I'm hoping to go to New York next spring to attend a couple of operas at the Met. I've never been before and I'm finding it difficult to plan and make reservations without knowing the city --especially in the Lincoln Center area.

Can anyone advise me? What are some really special restaurants within an easy walk of the Met?

Any other suggestions or tips?

Thanks!

[clevedark]

Is Cafe Luxembourg near there? Shun Lee Palace? I think there's a place called Gregory's that's really popular with the opera crowd.

I'll think about this a little more. There is a paucity of fantastic restaurants in the immediate area, but if you're willing to venture a little further your options will multiply. Do you have physical limitations that will make that difficult?

[Viralmd]

Do NOT go to Cafe des Artistes - way past its prime. Rosa Mexicano is good, as is Fiorello. Picholine is excellent.

[tpk-nyc]

I go to Lincoln Center all the time but I'm not enamored of the restaurants in the area. They're some decent ones, but not "really special restaurants."

The finest restaurants in the city are unfortunately in the Time Warner building (Time Warner Center Restaurants NYC NEW YORK Area Gayot) which is walkable to Lincoln Center. I say unfortunately because the building is essentially a shopping mall, albeit a very nice one.

A fun option to try at least once is the Grand Tier restaurant in the Met itself (dining and refreshments). Depending on the opera, you can have courses during the different intermissions. It's rather decadent but fun.

Depending on the opera, personally I would head downtown for a late-night supper. Lots of good restaurants take midnight reservations.

[artsyeclectic]

Is Cafe Luxembourg near there? Shun Lee Palace? I think there's a place called Gregory's that's really popular with the opera crowd.

I'll think about this a little more. There is a paucity of fantastic restaurants in the immediate area, but if you're willing to venture a little further your options will multiply. Do you have physical limitations that will make that difficult?

Thank you for the response! No, no physical limitations to worry about.

About hotels --have you heard of the Lucerne? It sounds wonderful online and in my guidebook.

[tpk-nyc]

Originally Posted by artsyeclectic

Thank you for the response! No, no physical limitations to worry about.

About hotels --have you heard of the Lucerne? It sounds wonderful online and in my guidebook.

Don't know anything about that hotel, but the reviews are good. My only thought is that it might be a little boring. That neighborhood is very residential.

May I ask how old you are? Male/female? Gay/straight? I'm an opera-head, but I'm also 35 and gay. I would find staying in that neighborhood rather dull. It's very nice and extremely safe, but not a lot to do.

For example, the 1 Train stops in Lincoln Center. Chelsea is only a few subway stops south. The Village is only a couple of stops further. Once you're down there the restaurants are better and the street life get much more interesting.

Regarding Uptown restaurants, one of my favorite Downtown restaurants, Fatty Crab (Fatty Crab), opened an Uptown location. It's a casual place and the food is excellent; prefect for after the theater. The Uptown location closes at midnight and the Downtown location closes at 2 a.m. on weekends (I love New York hours).