My New York: insider tips on food, drink and culture

Thomas Carreras works in Downtown New York as GM of the super cool Four Seasons Hotel. He walks to work from his Lower East Side apartment every day and knows the city inside out – especially the restaurant scene. “Downtown is a neighbourhood worth getting lost in,” he says. “Having no plan is a good plan, in my opinion, because there’s so much to discover and it’s all accessible by foot. No matter what time of the day it is, just walking around for 20 minutes in this area is fun but also intriguing as Lower Manhattan has so many well-kept secrets.”

“I think CUT by Wolfgang Puck serves the best steak in the city. The lounge at CUT is my favourite bar in Downtown – you must try the mini burgers.”

“GoldBar in Soho is cool for Sunday night drinks. For unpretentious late evenings go to Please Don’t Tell or Employees Only. ”

“Peachy’s is a bar in Chinatown for the alternative scene. It’s underneath Chinese Tuxedo, which is a really good, vibrant and chic Chinese restaurant.”

“For fun I love going to Paul’s Baby Grand in the Tribeca Grand hotel and Paul’s Cocktail Lounge at The Roxy Hotel Tribeca.”

“La Mercerie is a French café in Soho that does a great brunch, while Frenchette is a cool Tribeca neighbourhood bistro. Plus, there’s a great rooftop restaurant at Restoration Hardware, near the Whitney Museum in Chelsea.”

“If you want a trip back in time, try Russ and Daughters or the famous Katz’s Deli on the Lower East Side.”

“For delicious pastries, go to Supermoon Bakehouse on Rivington Street on the Lower East Side.”

“After all that food, you might need a walk. I love walking across the beautiful Brooklyn Bridge – it’s a great spot for a selfie. Washington Square Park also is a nice place to spend some time outdoors.”

“There is lots of art on the Lower East side with so many small galleries.”

“I’d also recommend the Whitney Museum for avant-garde art, and the New Museum of Contemporary Art.”