"Old Town Bar boasts a modern list of literary heavies as its customers including Frank McCourt, Seamus Heaney, Nick Hornby and Billy Collins." (via @ShelfAwareness)
Come and relax with a beer and a whiskey in this old haunt of Dylan Thomas and Jack Kerouac…you might see Dylan Thomas’ ghost!
This is the real thing. A place for Gotham insiders. Gold leaf ceilings and enchanting murals by Madeline author and illustrator Ludwig Bemelmans. Arrive by 8pm and take a small table near the piano.
McSorley's was one of the last "Men Only" pubs in Manhattan and the musky walls and sawdust floors are doing their best to uphold that odiferous tradition. - IFC Staff
The Chelsea saloon, partly owned by Perfect Storm author Sebastian Junger, is where the art world congregates for beers and shots after a hard day of gallery hopping. (Try the turkey burger!)
This magnificent 3,500 expertly curated tomes. Nab a cocktail at the bar and look through two floors’ worth of books, accessible by a spiral staircase. Titles cover medieval history to Audrey Hepburn.
“it really is the closest thing I know of to a writer’s hangout in the old-fashioned sense.”
This is the place to be on slam night. At times the poets had me snapping, clapping, and crying all at once. Drink a Heinekin and relax.
Open 11am-7pm. Read donated books, newspapers, and periodicals here for free, and there's a wi-fi hot spot. Check out the history here: http://ow.ly/5mgNo
William Coleridge and Mark Twain argued with their books; Vladimir Nabokov graded his instead. Unsurprisingly, he gave top marks to himself. Ian Frazier witnessed it. Read more.
Former commie hangout hosts free readings with budding wordsmiths. Recommend Fantastic Fiction where notables Joyce Carol Oates and Jack Ketchum have appeared, and the weekly Sunday Night Fiction.
A boutique hotel is organized by Dewey Decimal Classification. Each room has a little library of books related to its category, but surprisingly few readers. Read more at the link: Read more.
Drinking den is an ideal place to trade bookish barbs. Housed in Algonquin Hotel, where Dorothy Parker, Robert Benchley met daily as part of famed ’20s group the Algonquin Round Table/Vicious Circle.
Congratulations, you've found one of Esquire's Best Bars in America. Boxing posters and Christmas lights: a perfect place. Get a $3 Bud Light.
Walk in with an open mind, free time & a light wallet. This affordable book store carries most of the classics but could surprise you with something new.
Writer H.P Lovecraft used to live in Brooklyn Heights, at 169 Clinton Street. This is him standing in front of his house in 1925!
Small, well-curated shop with emphasis on new releases. A wonderful place for intimate author events with heavies -- also at nearby Paula Cooper Gallery. Sign up for their newsletter.
Come here for the eclectic selection of used books and relax in the back café with a delicious selection of teas, coffee and snacks. 100% of the profits go to ending AIDS and homelessness.
Place to pick up latest small press magazines, zines & books. Spare the staff your engagement & stories & head for the extensive sale section in back.
Well-curated selection of the classics, plus poetry, nonfiction section. Good prices, good people.
Enter the park from 83rd st. and climb the rock to the right. This is where E.A. Poe used to sit & look at the Hudson. True, you can't see the river from that spot anymore (trees) but who cares? Poe!
Onetime home of both Arthur Miller and Norman Mailer, the latter of which started writing The Naked and the Dead here.
The salinger letters are in the library - get on line right away if you want to read them on free fri nights - The line gets real long real quick and moves real slow.
