Planning a Picnic? Where to Shop and Where to Go
Are you planning a picnic in the last few days of summer? Here is everything you need to know including where to shop for food and where to go to set up. Don’t settle for a boring peanut butter and jelly sandwich, make your next picnic truly special!
Where to Shop:
Eataly – 4 World Trade Center, Fl 3 & 200 Fifth Ave and Le District – 225 Liberty St
Your local supermarket may be first on your list when prepping for a picnic but if you are looking for something special, Eataly is a huge Italian marketplace that recently opened in the Oculus aka the Westfield World Trade Center mall and Le District nearby is a huge French food hall and market at Brookfield Place. Both will offer tons of interesting options for even the pickiest of eaters. A huge plus is that both are also only a short walk to Battery Park.
Little Italy
When prepping for a picnic, we always make our way to Little Italy. Two of our favorite shops in the neighborhood are Alleva Dairy (188 Grand St) and Di Palo’s Fine Foods (200 Grand St). They both will have a huge selection of authentic and delicious Italian delicacies like cheeses, cured sausages, prosciutto, pasta salads and more.
Russ & Daughters – 179 E Houston St
From caviar to smoked fish, Russ & Daughters is our go to place for quality foods. Down the block, there is also Yonah Schimmel Knish Bakery (137 E Houston St) which makes the best knishes in New York City and they are perfect for any picnic.
Doughnut Plant – 379 Grand St & Other Locations
Finally you may need something sweet for your picnic and we love Doughnut Plant’s selection of sweet treats! We highly recommend their coconut cream and their crème brulee doughnuts if you haven’t tried them already. Nearby there is also Kossar’s Bagels & Bialys (367 Grand St) and the Essex Street Market (120 Essex St) to shop for everything else.
Where to Go:
Central Park
Central Park is huge and it is the premier park for picnics in New York City. There are so many great spots to settle down for the day. Even if you had a picnic in a different spot in Central Park every day all summer, you would still be finding hidden gems and new breathtaking spots to relax but our two favorite spots are at the Great Lawn or by Belvedere Castle.
Prospect Park
Prospect Park in Brooklyn offers nearly as many great picnic opportunities as Central Park. Narrowing it down since Prospect Park is huge as well, when it comes to picnics we usually start looking at the Peninsula because it offers great scenic views.
Governors Island
You can also take a quick ferry to Governors Island for a fun picnic. It has been quite popular the last few years and it offers a lot of things to do. A trip here really does feel like a mini vacation away from the city. There are quite a few good food options on the island including some excellent food trucks so shopping beforehand isn’t always necessary.
Battery Park
Finally Battery Park is another great option for organizing a picnic. It offers beautiful views of the Hudson River and the New Jersey skyline and with Eataly, Le District and more, there are so many excellent options to shop for food nearby.