Upper West Side

The story

The Upper West Side's shopping runs along Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues from West 68th to West 86th Street. It is a residential stretch of brand stores, independent shops and food stops, across from the American Museum of Natural History, so it pairs well with a museum visit.

Columbus Avenue carries most of it. The blocks from 69th to 73rd Street have athletic and outdoor brands like Lululemon, Alo and Salomon, plus menswear at Collars & Co. Farther north are Aperture's gallery, Boutique on Columbus and the Strand's Columbus Avenue branch, and on Sundays the Grand Bazaar NYC market at 77th Street. Amsterdam Avenue adds Sweet Peanut Records. It suits a museum day with a market and a few neighborhood shops.

What to Expect

At the south end, Collars & Co. is the menswear brand's first New York store, with polo shirts, sweaters and blazers. Neuhaus sells Belgian pralines and truffles and is the first U.S. Neuhaus to serve coffee and hot chocolate, with outdoor seating. Alo and Lululemon cover yoga and athletic wear, and Salomon sells trail and running sneakers, hydration vests and apparel. At 269 Columbus, Kobrick Coffee serves coffee, chai and matcha with croissants and toast, then turns into Dahlia's cocktail lounge at 5pm.

Grand Bazaar NYC fills the schoolyard at Columbus and West 77th Street every Sunday with up to 200 artists, designers, vintage and antique dealers and food vendors; profits go to four local public schools. Aperture's free gallery and small photo-book shop is at 380 Columbus, across from the museum. Boutique on Columbus mixes women's ready-to-wear and luxury basics with shoes, jewelry, apothecary, home goods and stationery. The Strand is one of two branches on the Upper West Side. Off Columbus, Sweet Peanut Records is at 463 Amsterdam and Orwashers bakery at 66 W 84th St. At 86th Street, White Rabbit's Books stocks children's titles in English, Russian, Ukrainian and Hebrew, and Lily's Roasters pours coffee.

Best Time to Visit

Posted shop hours run roughly 10am or 11am to 6pm or 7pm, with shorter Sunday hours. Sunday is the day to come, for Grand Bazaar NYC, which runs year-round. Aperture is open Wednesday through Sunday only. White Rabbit's Books is open daily 11am to 7pm and runs a Saturday painting class for young kids. Many shops here don't post hours, so call ahead.

If You Only Have an Hour

On a Sunday, start at Grand Bazaar NYC (Columbus and W 77th St). Walk up to Aperture for photo books, then Boutique on Columbus. Grab a coffee at Blank Street and finish at the Strand.

Where to Eat

Covacha, a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand pick, is a Jalisco-style Mexican restaurant with an agave bar and a short menu of crisp chicken quesabirrias and barbacoa tapatía.