• Totonno's Pizzeria Napolitano This Coney Island pizza joint relies on 900-degree coal ovens to make its extra-crisp pizza in just five minutes.
  1524 Neptune Ave.; 718-372-8606.
• Hsin Wong Classic dishes at this Cantonese restaurant in Chinatown include whole fried flounder and succulent roast pork.
  72 Bayard St.; 212-925-6526.
• Ciao Bella Café Housemade Italian gelato refreshes visitors to the Upper East Side. Order the decadent combo of blackberry cabernet and dark chocolate.
  27 E. 92nd St.; 212-831-5555.
• Bubby’s Stop by this Tribeca eatery, where the mac and cheese is divine.
  120 Hudson St.; 212-219-0666.
• Amy Ruth’s For soul food, this Harlem hangout is tops. Try chicken and waffles, a favorite of big eaters Al Sharpton and Bill Clinton. 113 W. 116th St.; 212-280-8779.
• Veselka Cheese blintzes are the house specialty at this standout Ukrainian restaurant in the East Village.
  144 2nd Ave.; 212-228-9682.
• ChikaLicious Satisfy the sweet tooth with a three course meal that is all dessert.
  203 E. Tenth St.; 212-995-9511

• Broadway Panhandler Rub elbows with restaurant chefs at this kitchen shop, fully stocked with barware and bakeware.
  65 E. 8th St.; 212-966-3434.
• Strand Bookstore The cavernous Strand retains a dusty charm with its 18 miles of new, used, rare and out-of-print books.
  828 Broadway; 212-473-1452.
• Malcolm Shabazz Harlem Market Some 85 stalls comprise this Harlem bazaar, selling authentic West African goods including jewelry, clothing, woven and leather bags, aromatic oils, and handicrafts. 52 W. 116th St.; 212-987-8131.
• Bergdorf Goodman As classic as it is cutting edge, this designer-laden department store has resisted franchising through its 108-year history.
  754 5th Ave.; 212-753-7300.
• Economy Candy Indulge in sweets from your childhood (Razzles, anyone?) and imported chocolate bars like England Cadbury Flake and Australia’s Violet Crumble.
  108 Rivington St.; 212-254-1531.
• Dalaga Boudoir meets garden at this Brooklyn clothing boutique for both sexes.
  150 Franklin St.;718-389-4049.

Every day, over 700,000 people pass through 49-acre Grand Central Terminal. “The one thing that’s such a surprise is that trains run out of there,” cracks Doria Steedman, a creative director at a nonprofit. “Grand Central is a cathedral not just for its hundred shops and dining [spots], but for oddities like the Whispering Gallery, opposite the Oyster Bar, where you can talk into a column and be heard from 20 feet away.”

Look up at the massive domed ceiling on which the zodiac was mistakenly painted backwards. Unwilling to have it redone, William K. Vanderbilt, who built the terminal in 1913, claimed it was from “God’s vantage point.” Head to the Lexington Passage for fancy pens (Joon), or toys (Children’s General Store).

Next to the passage, browse the food market for housemade almond bark at Li-Lac Chocolates and a hunk of farmstead parmigiano-reggiano at Murray’s Cheese. Wind up at the little-known Campbell Apartment in the southwest corner of Grand Central, one of NYC's most romantic bars.

• Otto’s Shrunken Head The punch glows in the dark at this rock-and-roll tiki bar where happy hour begins at 11 a.m.
  538 E. 14th St.; 212-228-2240.
• Rise Bar Set on the 14th floor in the Ritz-Carlton’s downtown property, this terrace bar offers one of the best views of New York Harbor and excellent mini-burgers.
  2 West St.; 212-344-0800.
• Dizzy's Club of Coca-Cola One of the top places in town to hear serious jazz 365 days a year, Dizzy's is part of the consortium Jazz at Lincoln Center.
  Broadway at 60th St., 5th Fl.; 212-358-9595.
• Eight Mile Creek Head to this affable, Australian bistro in Nolita for wines and beer from Oz, and a lively bar that draws ex-pat Aussies. 240 Mulberry St.; 212-431-4635.
• Café Carlyle This iconic cabaret, with its famous wall murals, was recently renovated for the first time since 1955.
  35 E. 76th St; 212-570-7189.
• Blue Bar This historic literary watering hole in the Algonquin Hotel is decorated with Al Hirschfeld prints and is still packed with people from the publishing world.
  59 W. 44th St.; 212-840-6800.