Welcome to Chelsea
Great dining and nightlife at the center of the art world.
Chelsea is a stylish urban neighborhood on the West Side of Midtown Manhattan. With its hundreds of galleries, Chelsea is the epicenter of the Manhattan art scene. Teeming with things to do both day and night, the neighborhood has great restaurants, buzzing nightlife, and scenic outdoor recreation along the High Line.
Housing options in Chelsea include luxury apartments in high-rise buildings such as the riverside towers of Hudson Yards. The magnificent apartments at Hudson Yards feature floor-to-ceiling windows with sweeping views over NYC, plus access to amenities such as sun terraces, pools, and fitness centers. Other contemporary high-rise developments are similarly well-appointed. Chelsea’s eclectic housing options also include historic 19th-century brownstones, warehouse conversions, and post-war walk-ups.
What to Love
- Hudson Yards luxury apartments
- Hundreds of art galleries
- Great restaurants and nightlife
- The High Line
People & Lifestyle
Chelsea has a rich artistic heritage. The second and third incarnations of Andy Warhol’s Factory were located just beyond the neighborhood’s eastern edge, and Chelsea was a mecca for the artistically inclined throughout the 1960s and ‘70s. This ever-evolving neighborhood has since firmly established itself as one of the world’s most important arts districts. Chelsea has also long been a haven of NYC’s LGBTQ scene. Refined and bohemian in equal measure, this diverse and exciting neighborhood is one of Manhattan’s most happening places.
Dining, Entertainment & Shopping
Take a stroll through Chelsea’s streets, and you’ll discover all kinds of fabulous restaurants, from low-key casual spots to revered upscale establishments.
Cookshop is a bustling neighborhood favorite for creative farm-to-table fare. The menu includes delicious pizzas prepared in a wood-burning stone oven, 100-percent grass-fed beef burgers with raw milk cheddar, and mouthwatering spit-roasted chicken rubbed with spices and served with fresh roasted veggies.
Westville utilizes farm-fresh produce and locally sourced meats for its menu of market-driven salads, burgers, and land and sea entrees. Cookshop and Westville both also serve an excellent choice of brunch plates.
Shorty Tang Noodles is a family-run spot that’s been serving Chinese homestyle cooking since the 1960s. Shorty Tang’s specialty is cold sesame noodles, and it’s widely thought the restaurant was the first place to introduce this dish to the United States. Other items on the menu include a wide range of Chinese appetizers and noodle, rice, and stir-fried dishes.
Del Posto’s inventive takes on Italian classics and beautiful, opulent décor has made it one of NYC’s best choices for Italian fine dining. The striking space fills with live piano music as guests dine on sublime entrees with homemade pasta and exquisite desserts.
Chelsea Market is a sprawling food hall that covers an entire city block. With around 60 eateries and boutique retailers, you’re sure to find something to suit all tastes here. Dining options include everything from international street foods, like Mexican tacos and Berlin currywurst, to lobster bisque and refined French bistro fare. Retailers at Chelsea Market include fashion brands such as Anthropologie alongside food and drink retailers specializing in imported wines and gourmet cheeses.
A Chelsea mainstay since 1964,
The Donut Pub draws crowds 24 hours a day with its creative sweet treats. The maple bacon croissant donut is a must-try. Classic honey-dipped donuts and Oreo rings are on sale here alongside some of NYC’s tastiest cookies, pastries, and coffee.
Since the first phase of
Hudson Yards opened in 2019, this exceptional 28-acre contemporary development is occupied by dozens of
upscale dining spaces alongside a similarly extensive selection of
fashion brands.
Things to Do
The High Line is an elevated greenway that runs for a mile and a half along the former New York Central Railroad path. This delightful urban greenspace opened to the public in 2009 and quickly became one of Midtown Manhattan’s signature attractions. Pretty plants and public artworks dot the High Line, and the walkway offers great views of the Manhattan skyline and over the Hudson.
Chelsea is packed with a huge variety of art galleries, both big and small.
The Rubin Museum of Art is a landmark gallery with a large collection of artwork from Tibet and other regions of East Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Other highlights include displays of self-taught and outsider artists at
Ricco/Maresca Gallery, established and emerging contemporary artists at
Marianne Boesky Gallery, influential performance artists such as Yoko Ono and Ana Mendieta at
Galerie Lelong & Co., overlooked and underappreciated artists at
Garth Greenan Gallery, avant-garde Japanese art at
Fergus McCaffrey, and leading contemporary artists working in diverse mediums at
Petzel Gallery.
Schools
Schools in Chelsea are operated by the New York City Department of Education.
- William T. Harris School, Public, PK-5
- Chelsea Prep, Public, PK-5
- Chelsea Career and Technical Education High School, Public, 9-12
- Liberty High School Academy for Newcomers, Public, 9-12
- The Museum School, Public, 9-12
