Stop by some of the singer’s favorite N.Y.C. restaurants for a bite – and possible sighting
A good meal never goes out of style.
Despite her massive fame, Taylor Swift still makes dining out with friends (and beau Travis Kelce) a priority.
“Over the years, I’ve learned I don’t have the time or bandwidth to get pressed about things that don’t matter,” she said in Time‘s Person of the Year cover story. “Yes, if I go out to dinner, there’s going to be a whole chaotic situation outside the restaurant. But I still want to go to dinner with my friends.”
Many of those nights out take place in New York, where Swift has an apartment, at some of the best restaurants in the city — like an award-winning pizzeria in Brooklyn and a West Village Italian staple. Read on for all her go-to hangouts.
“Life is short,” she added to Time. “Have adventures.”
Lucali
Swift is becoming a regular at this Brooklyn pizzeria. After dining there in December, the singer revisited a month later with pals Blake Lively, Zoë Kravitz, Jack Antonoff, and Mike Birbiglia.
It’s easy to guess what the group ate because Lucali only has two things on the menu — pizza and calzones — but there are a variety of toppings to choose from like shallots, hot peppers and artichoke hearts.
The 30-seat restaurant is BYOB, cash only, and doesn’t take reservations. They start taking names for the waitlist at 4 p.m. but a line starts forming well before then.
Banzarbar
Swift rang in her 34th birthday with a big bash. Her star-studded crew, including Zoë Kravitz, Blake Lively and Gigi Hadid, celebrated the birthday girl at Banzarbar, an intimate cocktail bar in Nolita. The 20-seat spot is located above N.Y.C. hot spot Freeman’s and serves modern twists on old-fashioned cocktails from as early as the 19th century. In addition to the unique sips, the star blew out candles on a Milk Bar cake.
Parcelle
The night before her birthday, Swift and Selena Gomez stepped out at the Lower East Side spot where wine is the star. Parcelle started as an e-commerce site with an impressive collection of vinos for sale, and expanded in 2022 to a wine bar with a dishes like uni toast and crab fried rice.
Lucali
Swift stopped by the local Brooklyn restaurant again with pals Selena Gomez, Cara Delevingne, Anya Taylor-Joy and Zoë Kravitz. The “Mastermind” singer was spotted wearing the same Miu Miu mini skirt she wore on a dinner date with Travis Kelce in Argentina in November. With locations in both New York and Miami, Lucali is known for its upscale, brick-oven pizza offerings.
Paros
Following a trip to Wisconsin to support Travis Kelce during the Kansas City Chiefs’ game against the Green Bay Packers, the superstar opted for some Mediterranean food in the city. She was spotted in an all-tweed Stella McCartney coordinated set on Tuesday night as she headed to dinner at Paros where she dined with friend and music producer Jack Antonoff. Helmed by Top Chef‘s George Pagonis, the Greek restaurant in downtown Manhattan is known for its seafood-centric menu and wide selection of Greek wines.
Freemans
After her weekend of shows in Argentina (where she was joined by beau Travis Kelce), Swift snuck in a good meal with musician Gracie Abrams back in New York City. The Lower East Side restaurant is uniquely situated down a graffiti-covered alley off the Bowery. With seasonal American dishes like whole grilled brook trout and roasted delicata squash with pumpkin seed salsa verde, Freemans has been a hard-to-get table since its opening in 2004.
Bond St
The “Lavender Haze” singer stopped by the New York City sushi spot on Nov. 4 with her girlfriends including Selena Gomez, Sophie Turner, Gigi Hadid, Cara Delevingne and new friend Brittany Mahomes. The restaurant — which occupies an entire brownstone in the NoHo neighborhood — is loved for signature dishes like their crispy rice and big eye tuna tarts.
Minetta Tavern
The French-American hot spot is known for having one of the best burgers in New York City, but while there on with musician Phoebe Bridgers on Nov. 3, Swift enjoyed dishes including Dover sole, scallops and baked oysters. According to a post on Instagram from Minetta Tavern’s owner, Keith McNally, Swift “really enjoyed it” — and his team speculates that “she will also be back.”
Via Carota
This New York City institution is frequented by Swift. Most recently, the singer stepped out with Sophie Turner. The pair’s appearance comes on the trails of Turner’s divorce from Joe Jonas, whom Swift also dated. Swift also made her first public appearance after her breakup with longtime boyfriend Joe Alwyn at the West Village stronghold.
Barrière Fouquet Hotel
Swift, Sophie Turner and the Haim sisters, Este, Danielle and Alana Haim, had a GNO at the Paris-inspired hotel located in the Tribeca neighborhood of New York City. The swanky hotel boasts four different dining spaces offering distinct concepts, like a classic French brasserie or an all-day café.
Zero Bond
Swift has frequented the members only social club with famous friends like Blake Lively and Ed Sheeran. Membership ranges from athletes, business people, and creatives, including Tom Brady, Kim Kardashian, Olga Ferrara (pictured) and Alec Baldwin. Scott Sartiano, the man behind the exclusive space, opened a restaurant to the public in June 2023.
Il Buco Alimentari
The New York City Italian restaurant has two locations in the city, one in the Hamptons and another on the island of Ibiza. Swift was spotted at the establishment’s more casual eatery in the NoHo neighborhood with friends Laura Dern and Zoe Kravitz. Imported Italian pantry goods line the walls for purchase, while guests dining in can enjoy the spot’s pizzas, salads and pastas.
The Waverly Inn
Following her breakup with Tom Hiddleston in 2016, Swift was spotted at the hot spot with Cara Delevingne, Lorde and Jack Antonoff.
La Lanterna di Vittorio
The singer stopped by this Greenwich Village cafe with pal Todrick Hall for a mouthwatering Italian meal. “Taylor ordered two of our personal-size gourmet thin-crust pizzas—the Margherita and Rosetta De Lyo—with Gorgonzola and salami, two double French martinis, and for dessert, our individual signature tiramisu with vanilla gelato,” a representative for the restaurant told PEOPLE. Swift choose a belly-barring two-piece dress for their outing at the restaurant’s downstairs jazz bar and supper club, Bar Next Door.
Lafayette
A chic café with an expansive bistro-inspired menu, Lafayette, proved to be the ideal spot for a cozy lunch date between her and Tavi Gevinson.
Bubby’s
Another great friend date destination? Bubby’s, a diner-style restaurant in her Tribeca neighborhood (that also happens to serve exquisite pie) – that’s where Swift and Lena Dunham once met for a catch-up session.
Levain
The puffy, crispy-on-the-outside cookies of Levain Bakery are an N.Y.C. legend – they even had the power to turn Swift’s “day around,” she wrote in an Instagram post.
Burger & Barrel
Swift posed for a photo with chef Josh Capon at Burger & Barrel, an upscale pub in Soho that serves top-notch burgers (the Mangalitsa pork burger is a game changer) and craft cocktails.
ABC Cocina
The singer hit up chef Jean-George Vongerichten’s glam restaurant upon returning to New York after performing at the Victoria’s Secret fashion show in 2013.
Locanda Verde
One of her most frequented spots in Tribeca is Locanda Verde, a lively Italian spot from chef Andrew Carmellini.
