As the yearly festival NYCxDesign 2025 begins in New York, we have rounded up 12 restaurants, bars and cafes around New York City where festival-goers can rest, recharge and admire design during the busy week.
The amount of programming during NYCxDesign week can be overwhelming, with open studios, exhibitions and trade shows spread across the American metropolis.
With most of the activities located either in the boroughs of Manhattan or Brooklyn, we’ve found restaurants, bars and cafes that provide opportunities for rest while perusing books and design collections, or to immerse in intricately designed spaces.
Read on for 12 restaurants and cafes to visit during NYCxDesign.
The newly opened Printemps New York department store boasts several bars throughout its sprawling interior, as well as a cafe on its ground level.
The French department store is located in the historic art deco One Wall Street skyscraper, designed by architect Ralph Walker. It includes the Red Room, which was reopened after the former bank lobby was closed to the public for years.
Find out more about Printemps ›
Flavors WSA Cafe, Financial District
Flavors is located in the lobby of cultural hub Water Street Associates (WSA), a converted 31-storey building that has hosted events such as design fair Collectible and an upcoming installation for NYCxDesign by the Consulate General of Switzerland.
The cafe’s counter is contained in a metallic volume, while cushy brown armchairs sit outside for lounging.
The Mandarin, Two Bridges
Newly opened in Two Bridges, The Mandarin cafe is designed by interior studio Almost Studio, which previously converted a chocolate factory into an apartment in Brooklyn.
The interior was informed by Ellsworth Kelly paintings and Hopewell Culture earthworks in Circleville, Ohio, according to the studio, and serves coffee, with a wine bar menu planned for the near future.
Opened in 2024, Quarters acts as a showroom for design studio In Common With, but the cosy space hosts many events throughout its residential-like interior.
Designed by In Common With founders Felicia Hung and Nick Ozemba, the space contains a bar that is open most evenings and lounge areas outfitted with vintage and contemporary pieces in rich earth tones.
Find out more about Quarters ›
Audio design studio Silence Please recently opened a showroom in Lower Manhattan designed by its in-house team, which also contains a tea cafe and record store.
For NYCxDesign, the store will be hosting a series of performances over 16-20 May that integrate audio, light and dance centred around ceremonial tea vessels for “a moment of stillness in a city of constant motion”.
Find out more about Silence Please ›
Lighting studio Astraeus Clarke also recently opened a showroom and event space in Chinatown, informed by the American West roots of founders Chelsie and Jacob Starley, who designed the space.
For NYCxDesign, the duo will host open hours from noon to 5 pm for espresso and apertivo to “recharge yourself and your phone”.
Find out more about Astreaus Clarke ›
Manuela, SoHo
Created by art gallery Hauser & Wirth founders Manuela and Iwan Wirth, Manuela is the SoHo sister of their Los Angeles restaurant of the same name.
A farm-to-table menu is served among Skittle-coloured ceramic tabletops by Mary Heilman and Mushroom-shaped lighting made from recycled plastic by Mika Rottenberg.
Time Again, Lower East Side
This restaurant at the base of the Manhattan Bridge has hosted a number of events for local design studios, including Manhattan lighting company Blue Green Works.
With an Italian theme and its large outdoor space, the bar has drawn comparisons to Milan’s Bar Basso, famous for its late-night gatherings during Milan design week.
50 Norman, Greenpoint
Japanese-design and lifestyle store 50 Norman recently expanded its Greenpoint space and offerings, building upon its roster of emerging and established brand.
The expansion included moving into the industrial space next door, which features surfaces covered with washi paper by artist Wataru Hatano and a cafe that opens in June 2025.
Rhythm Zero, Greenpoint
Designed by co-founder Ivana Somorai, Rhythm Zero serves coffee and pastries in a small shop tucked.
Contemporary pieces such as Frama chairs meet 1890 oil paintings in the minimalist space, which was informed by the coffee culture of the founders’ Serbian roots.
Hudson Wilder, Dumbo
Brooklyn’s Dumbo neighborhood is slowly transforming into a design hub, with architecture studios such as BIG making it their homebase. The neighbourhood has officially become a design district and is hosting several events highlighting the neighbourhood’s offerings during NYCxDesign.
Founded in 2015 by Conway and Joyce Liao, Hudson Wilder’s brick-and-morter flagship features homeware designed by Conway in a minimalist space that also serves up tea, coffee and wine for a design-filled rest for visitors.
Head Hi, Fort Greene
Alexandra Hodkowski and Alvaro Alcocer founded bookstore and espresso bar Head Hi in 2018, and the shop has become a mainstay in the design community, in part due to its proximity to the Brooklyn Navy Yards, where many designers have studios.
Besides a rotating collection of design and architecture-focused books, the store contains a seating area up front for sipping coffee and encourages a no-cellphone policy.
NYCxDesign runs from 15 to 21 May 2025. For a full guide of events during the festival, visit our dedicated NYCxDesign festival guide.
The post Twelve design-oriented cafes and restaurants to visit during NYCxDesign appeared first on Dezeen.
