FiDi Neighborhood Guide: Best Restaurants/Bars & Things to Do 🏦

Oh hello,

We’ve started posting more on TikTok (sad, I know 😅) and have received some phenomenal insights for new topic ideas and NYC recommendations.

On the flip side, we’ve seen some completely toxic rhetoric about exploring neighborhoods & “popular” spots.

As a reminder, do what you want to do in the city! If that includes all the activities people say are touristy or overhyped, fine. There’s no right way to experience New York. ✌️

I’ll step off my soapbox and dive into the newsletter at hand..

In this week’s newsletter:

🎫 Events We Love This Week: November 26- December 3 - Free post-Thanksgiving day hikes & Queens Craft Brigade

🍗 Thanksgiving Day in NYC Guide - Parade, best spots for dinner, and even some pie shops you’ve gotta try

🤎 You’ll Have to Check It Out - A food bank striving to help New Yorkers have access to hot meals

🏦 Financial District Neighborhood Guide - Much more than just the 9/11 Museum and the Charging Bull

Time to do it. 👇

Note: As always, this email was written by an actual human who lives in NYC, not artificial intelligence. 🥸

Events We Love This Week: November 26 - December 3, 2025

In the city this week? Here are some fun events we’re keeping an eye on.

Free Post-Thanksgiving Hikes - November 28-30 @ Varying Times

Whether you’re in the 5k on Thanksgiving morning camp or the “how late can I possibly sleep on Thanksgiving day “ camp, getting out the day after Thanksgiving is frankly a great idea.

The Urban Park Rangers are leading multiple hikes on November 28. Here are some options:

• Van Cortlandt Nature Center in the Bronx @ 1pm on Nov 28

• Northern Manhattan Parks Super Hike at Fort Tryon Park in Manhattan @ 1pm on Nov 28

• Salt Marsh Nature Center Hike in Brooklyn @ 12pm on Nov 28

• Central Park Highlights Hike @ 1pm on Nov 30

See the full schedule & additional details here.

Queens Craft Brigade - Nov 29 & Dec 14

The Queens Craft Brigade “brings together the best makers from the borough to create highly curated events featuring artwork, food, jewelry, fashion, crafts, and more.”

These free events in Astoria are sure to have loads of great booths for Small Business Saturday.

Get more info here.

Thanksgiving in NYC Guide 🙏

Thanksgiving is right near the top of our list of favorite holidays in NYC.

Delicious food & drinks? Plenty.

Football? Yup.

Giants balloons floating in Midtown..? Yes.

This article serves up everything you need to know for Thanksgiving in NYC:

🎈 All the parade info, including start times, route & best spots to watch, and the balloon inflation on Wednesday

🍗 Must-try restaurants dishing out delicious, classic Thanksgiving dinners

🥧 Where to order whole pies (or slices) for Thanksgiving dessert

You’ll Have to Check It Out - Food Bank for NYC

Thanksgiving sparks powerful memories of family, friends, and, most often, feasts.

Unfortunately, 1.4 million New Yorkers face food insecurity. And many of those are children (1 in 4), the elderly, and disabled people. A Thanksgiving without a warm meal is a heartbreaking reality for many.

Having volunteered at the Food Bank for NYC and met many of the employees, leadership, and people benefiting from their services, this is a group I strongly support.

While your inbox is likely currently full of “70% OFF BLACK FRIDAY DEALS”, our hope is that you can pause the shopping and donate to an organization helping empower New Yorkers to achieve food security for good.

If you’re a local, consider volunteering. 🫶

Learn more about Food Bank for NYC here.

Financial District Neighborhood Guide

The Financial District, also called FiDi, is a neighborhood in Manhattan home to a plethora of activities, bars, restaurants, and iconic views.

While many people think of the Charging Bull, the NYSE, and the 9/11 Museum, this bustling neighborhood has a deep history and some must-try restaurants and bars.

In this neighborhood guide, we’ll cover:

• Where is the Financial District in NYC?

• Is the Financial District Safe?

• What Subway Lines Go to the Financial District?

• Things to Do in the Financial District

• Best Bars in FiDi

• Coffee Shops in FiDi

• Restaurants in FiDi

Have a restful week,

Ashley & Devin from Better Together Here 🫶