National Geographic Traveller (UK)
14 HOURS IN Harlem
8AM FUEL UP
Emerge from the 145th Street subway stop and fuel up before you start exploring. Save the superb I Like It Black for later (when you wander south around the Apollo) and grab a latte at Sugar Hill Café, a chilled-out spot with great coffee and an array of pastries and breakfast sandwiches (and, come evening, comedy nights). But don’t fill up too much; you’ll want to leave room for what’s ahead. sugarhillcafe.com
9AM READY, SET, WANDER
Spend the morning taking in Harlem’s tranquil streets, lined with brownstone houses, mature trees and wide pavements. Hamilton Grange, the home of one of America’s founding fathers, is a must, as is Strivers’ Row, a picturesque street where Tupac and Bob Dylan once had homes. The photogenic grounds of Columbia University are nearby in West Harlem, but green spaces Morningside Park, Marcus
Garvey Park and St Nicholas Park are worth visiting, too. And don’t forget to stop by the historic Apollo Theatre.
1PM
SOULFUL LUNCH
Though Red Rooster is the fashionable new kid on the block, Sylvia’s restaurant a few doors down has been dishing up soul food since 1962. Barack Obama and Bill Clinton have both sampled the likes of ‘sassy sauce’drenched ribs, mac and cheese and potato salad. The interior is plastered with fading photos, but in warm weather, the place to be is the outdoor terrace, where you can watch all of Harlem go by as you tuck into your cornbread. sylviasrestaurant.com
3PM
MUSICAL WARM UP
It’s generally accepted that jazz was born in New Orleans, but Harlem is where it grew up. And though it’s only a small, one-room space, the National Jazz Museum does an excellent job of contextualising the music’s significance within the greater Harlem Renaissance. Exhibits include Duke Ellington’s piano and a period gramophone, which still plays records. Visitors can even get tips from the museum’s staff on the city’s best venues to hear live jazz. jmih.org
4PM
CULTURAL DISCOVERY
Wander your way back north to the corner of Malcolm X Boulevard and W135th Street for the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. This free-to-visit cultural institution, library and gallery space has a rich collection of items that document Black life in America and around the world. Most interesting are the exhibitions; recent displays have included a deep-dive into Black comic book authors. nypl.org
6PM
COCKTAIL HOUR… AND DINNER
Time for a taste of Harlem’s new restaurant scene — the Asian-American sharing plates at Bixi arrived in the neighbourhood during the pandemic. Chef Serena Bass has a continenthopping menu ranging from short rib sliders with coriander aioli and cucumber pickle to chicken wings with lemongrass and ponzu. Drain a few cocktails here before tucking into dinner, or hit one of the other buzzing spots nearby first; this strip of Frederick Douglass Boulevard, between W112th and W120th streets, has everything from vegan restaurants to beer gardens. bixiharlem.com
8PM
SOAK UP PROPER HARLEM JAZZ
If you want jazz in NYC, head to Harlem — more specifically, go to Bill’s Place on a Friday or Saturday night. Don’t expect formality or pretensions here; just pure, glorious music from powerhouse saxophonist Bill Saxton and friends in a historic Harlem brownstone. Buy your £25 tickets online for the 9pm show, bring along your preferred poison (it’s BYO) then grab a front-row seat in the cosy space. billsplaceharlem.com
10PM
A HOPPY NIGHTCAP
Round out your day at Manhattan’s first 100% African American-owned craft beer bar, Harlem Hops, specialising in small-batch local lagers, stouts and IPAs. Squeeze in at the bar and order whatever takes your fancy from the dozen-plus draft specials scribbled on boards overhead. Or get stuck into the hefty can and bottle list, ranging from Harlem Brewing Company’s 125th Street IPA to a ‘rye bagel pilsner’ from Evil Twin Brewing. Helpful bartenders will happily give you tasters from the taps if you’re having trouble choosing. harlemhops.com