Hav & Mar on 26th & 11th is a hidden gem

A little out of the way if you don’t live on the block, Hav & Mar is a hidden gem on 26th Street & 11th Avenue. Nailing the industrial loft look, this place calls itself a “seafood house” but that is selling itself short—it’s an Ethiopian/Swedish fusion restaurant which nails a lamb pasta and short rib biryani. The bar wraps around and while it says you need reservations, you really don’t most of the time if you sit at the bar. Here’s the NYT write-up:

The menu’s real theme is seafood, handled with skill and resourcefulness by Fariyal Abdullahi, the executive chef, and her kitchen.

The skin on a fillet of black sea bass is seared to a pale-gold crisp before the fish is perched over hard-shell clams and purple potatoes. Underneath is a seafood-corn broth. Both the sauce and the bass are flavored with dawadawa, ground African locust beans, which acts as an intensifier in this dish, something like miso.

Recommend.

Ci Siamo is the best place to eat in New York according to Yelp

The best place to eat in New York according to Yelp in 2026 is Ci Siamo, which is like a 5-minute walk from our block (yelp.com/article/top-100-us-restaurants-2026).

Can confirm that this place is very cool, and I offer the following testimonial. My parents visited NYC recently and wandered into Ci Siamo with no reservation on a Thursday night. The servers sat them down within 10 minutes next to the bar (I arrived a little late)—and then really killed the lamb chops and smashed potatoes. Brought us non-alcoholic cocktails and cookies after dinner for free and for no particular reason. No pretentiousness for a restaurant of this quality—and straight quality. Highly recommend.

Wine Shop by Death Ave does tastings every Thursday

Wine Shop by Death Ave is an absolute hidden he most hidden gem wine shop in the city. Managed by the disarming, approachable, and supremely knowledgeable Manny—I predict that you will walk in here, get a recommendation from Manny given that he’s tried and has opinions on literally everything in the store, and walk out with something you’ve never had before and a little story about the wine for whoever you’re drinking it with.

This place is great for a gift because the wines are quirky and unusual—and Manny will let you walk out with the tags on the wine, which gives a fun little description of what your giftee is about to drink. Love that this place is on our block.

Hotel Chelsea might be the coolest

This place very well may be the coolest place on the west side and you don’t have to be staying at the hotel to appreciate that. Where the rich and famous creatives and artists (Bob Dylan, Andy Warhol Patti Smith) used to hang out, the Hotel Chelsea was “reimagined” recently to upgrade the shabby elegance or studied carelessness (the Italians might call “sprezzatura”) which basically means it looks amazing but kind of accidentally.

A vibe if you want to do anything from sit in the lobby with your laptop (occasionally people-watching) to drinking while feeling like you’re in a movie to impressing someone sitting across from you with your impeccable taste (without trying too hard of course).

Somehow also has a spa with a Swedish sauna, aromatic steam rooms, rain showers (https://hotelchelsea.com/wellness/spa).

Recent transplant from San Francisco looking for recommendations on dry cleaning, shoe repair, dog sitters, and house cleaners.

From a block resident named Audrey:

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Hello Neighbors:

I’ve relocated here from San Francisco and could use some recommendations for the following services:

• Dry Cleaning

• Shoe Repair

• Dog Sitters (when OOT)

• House Cleaners

Thank you for any leads!