How to Spend a Day in Harlem, NYC

1/2/2023

**Updated : January 2023**
Use the map to see a visual of all our recommendations - click the arrow next to our photo to have a pop up list! This post may also contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you purchase a product via these links, with no extra cost to you!

We recently had the opportunity to house sit in Harlem, NYC, and if you haven't visited the area before - you'll want to after this post. As a large, vibrant community in Upper Manhattan, there are endless possibilities of exploration - parks, shopping, jazz, and soul food - to keep you in good spirits, which is exactly why we recommend spending a day in Harlem! Although Harlem has previously had a reputation of "not safe" and was known as an area to avoid, our entire week and a half there we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and felt completely safe exploring. We do however still want to note that according to locals it is better to visit during the day and to still keep the same precautions you would anywhere in New York. Read on for a local's guide (thanks to our new friends who we house sat for) to the best places to eat, have a cocktail, and what to do when visiting Harlem. We recommend starting near 125th & Lenox (there is a huge train/subway station there) and exploring Harlem from there!

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Lucille's

Sylvia's

Bo's Bagels

Food, Drinks and Desserts in Harlem

Harlem is known for being a melting pot of different cultures and foods, and you'll see that in our food list as well. We absolutely loved the following restaurants in Harlem :

Lucille's Pizza - we had their Grandma Pie (square slices)
Sylvia’s - self proclaimed as the Queen of Soul Food, their Chicken & Waffles were amazing PLUS Barack Obama ate there!
Red Rooster - ultimate spot for comfort food, we would love to go back for their Sunday Gospel Brunch (currently $12 per person to enter)
Bo's Bagels - Google rates Bo's as the BEST bagels in NYC, so visiting is a must! we tried the Rick Reuben and Uptown Vegan and highly recommend both!

If you're looking for something a bit different, our local Harlem friends recommend :

Benyam - Ethiopian cuisine
The Edge - Caribbean cuisine
Clove - Indian cuisine
Fumo - Italian cuisine
Oso - Mexican cuisine (owned by the same owners of Lucille's Pizza)
ROKC - Ramen and Cocktails
The Chick-Inn - Chicken, Greens and Grains
Bono Trattoria - Italian cuisine

Red Rooster

Sylvia's

Harlem Shake

If you're looking to have some cocktails or drinks around Harlem, our friends recommend checking out :

The Honey Well - a 70's themed cocktail bar
Beer Run - beer haha and right next to The Honey Well
L'Artista - wine (according to our friends apparently the food is no good...)
Harlem Hops - beer but also Harlems 1st 100% African American owned craft bar!
Lucille's - they also have Jazz nights every Thursday at 8pm!

Lastly, if you have a sweet tooth you're looking to fix here are their best recommendations :

Sweet Chef - apparently they have the best pies in town!
Sugar Hill Creamery - ice cream
Harlem Shakes - great shakes & burgers

Street Vendors

Churches in Harlem

Apollo Theater

Exploring Harlem

With so much to do in Harlem, our first recommendation has to be to visit MoonLab 42, a cute boutique owned by our local friends (who gave us most of the recommendations on this list!). Check it out for accessories, clothing, and home decor. Other must do's when spending the day in Harlem include :

Jazz Music - with many people visiting Harlem just for the Jazz scene, we highly recommend fitting this into your schedule if you're able to (try Minton's Playhouse, Shrine World Music Venue or The Red Rooster!)
Gospel Tour - with certain etiquette and dress codes to follow, we recommend this experience via a tour which can be done on Sundays or Wednesday mornings (check out this Sunday morning tour or this Wednesday morning tour)
Apollo Theater - now a "not-for-profit" community outreach center, this iconic theater opened its doors in 1914 and were where many jazz, R&B, gospel and blues artists like Sammy Davis Jr., Gladys Night, Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald started their careers
Murals - we weren't able to check out as many as we'd like ourselves, however we found this awesome article by The Curious Uptowner that covers beautiful murals in Harlem and exactly where to find them!
Morris-Jumel Mansion - you'll have to book a ticket to see Manhattan's oldest surviving residence located near Coogan's Bluff, if you're there we also recommend checking out Sylvan Terrace across the street. Known as one of the most desirable townhomes this row of wooden houses has been preserved since the 19th century and go for upwards of $1.5 million each!
MET Cloisters - this branch of the MET specializes in European medieval art & architecture, and is FREE with your MET admission ticket (if you're a local New York resident it is also pay what you wish)
City College - ok so this might not be the most exciting thing to do, but it's said that they have a secret gargoyle cemetery on campus that might be worth checking out
Columbia University - again, might not be the most exciting thing to do but also might be cool to visit the oldest institution of higher learning in NY and the 5th oldest in the US

Murals in Harlem

There are also plenty of parks in the Harlem area if you're looking to just relax and get some air, however our friends and other locals recommended avoiding them at night. Their best recommendations included :

Jackie Robinson Park - at 10 blocks long this park has it all (basketball & tennis courts, playground, splash pad, recreation center, pool, etc.)
Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park - this 28 acre park overlooks the Hudson River, and we're even told it has a tiny red lighthouse near the George Washington Bridge, however there are no pets allowed
Morningside Park - a narrow park that goes for 13 blocks, it even has a small lake with turtles :)
Fort Tyron Park - this 67 acre park is great for dogs and is known for having Manhattan's largest dog run!