Beyoncé's Guide To New York City

Photo: nycdykemarch.com

Beyoncé is officially back! After gracing us with an incredible photoshoot published in Vogue British, the singer, activist, queen of R&B, and Jay-Z’s wife is set to release her new album, Act 1 - Renaissance, on July 29. The first single of the project, Break My Soul, will be released this Tuesday, 21, at midnight. To celebrate Beyoncé’s comeback, we decided to create a New York City Guide inspired by all of her favorite places - just like we did with Adele and Taylor Swift last year. 

Queen B and Jay-Z currently live in Los Angeles - they recently got a mansion in Bel-Air - but New York has always been part of their life. Jay-Z was born and raised in New York, which shouldn’t come as a surprise if you ever listened to any of his songs, and he lived with Beyoncé for a few years in the Big Apple. They actually got married in New York City! 

Beyoncé's Guide To New York City has stores, mansions, that hotel with that famous elevator, and a list of incredible Italian restaurants - Did you know Mrs. Carter is a fan of good Italian pasta and pizza with jalapeños? 

Tribeca 

Tribeca is a small neighborhood in downtown Manhattan and the most expensive in New York City. Some of Beyoncé’s favorite places are located in the neighborhood, which is one of the best areas to spot a celebrity in the city - all the Kardashians, Taylor Swift, Robert DeNiro, and other famous stars love to hangout in Tribeca. 

The neighborhood is flooded with renovated lofts and luxury buildings, and it’s considered one of the quietest areas in Manhattan. Tribeca also gets complimented on its elegant architecture, artsy shops, and amazing galleries. 

Penthouse / Wedding Venue 

In 2004, Jay-Z bought the seventh-floor penthouse at 195 Hudson Street for $6.85 million. The purchase received a lot of media attention because of the drama surrounding the deal. It took almost three years for Jay-Z to be finally announced as the new owner of the penthouse. 

The address was later chosen to be his wedding venue with Beyonce, in 2008. Only close friends were invited and cell phones were not allowed at the ceremony. Four years after the wedding, the couple put the penthouse for sale. 

Fun fact: Bethenny Frankel, from The Real Housewives of New York City, is also a tenant of the same building. 

Italian Restaurants 

Beyoncé and Jay Z are obsessed with Italian food. There are few excellent restaurants in New York City that they have been to in the past. Starting with Del Posto, which was a popular restaurant in Meatpacking District, a little above Tribeca. Unfortunately, the restaurant closed after its chef Mario Batali was accused of sexual misconduct.

Mamo

Thankfully, the other restaurants on this list are still open! For example, Mamo in Soho! Queen B was once there with her daughter, Blue Ivy. Mamo is a celebrity sighting - Joe Jonas, Rihanna, Magic Johnson, and more were spotted there at some point. 

Mamo has wine bottles under $100 and most running north of $150. It’s a place mainly known for their pizzas, especially the Milana which is $22. 

Bar Pitti 

Open since 1992, Bar Pitti, located in New York’s West Village, has hosted dinner parties for Beyoncé and Jay Z a few times. In one of those times, the couple had a double date with Beyoncé’s mom Tina Knowles Lawson and her husband Richard Lawson. 

Bar Pitt offers authentic Italian cuisine with turkey sausage, peas, cream, tomatoes & parmigiano. The good news? It’s not as expensive as Mamo! 

Lucali

Jay Z once told Jimmy Kimmel that Lucali pies were the best, and said that Bey preferred her pizza with jalapeños and extra tomato sauce. “She’s from Houston. They don’t have pizza there,” he joked. 

Lucali is a charming restaurant at 575 Henry St, in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. Pizzaiolo Mark Iacono opened the restaurant as a labor of love, to save the local candy store of his Carroll Gardens. 

One Beacon Court 

After releasing her first solo album, Dangerously in Love, Beyoncé bought herself a condo in Manhattan for $5 million. The singer was one of the tenants at One Beacon Court, between Lexington and Third Avenue. She owned a 2,669-square-foot corner apartment on the 44th floor. In 2017, Queen B sold the apartment for $9.95 million. 

560 State Street

Blue Ivy, Remi, and Sir Carter - Beyoncé and Jay Z kids - will one day visit New York City and go to 560 State Street in Brooklyn. The address was immortalized in the song Empire State of Mind for a good reason - this is where Jay Z grew up, more specifically in apartment 10C. In 2013, the rapper visited the building and recorded the experience. 

FAO Schwarz 

In 2021, Beyoncé took Blue Ivy on a day of shopping in Manhattan and they both stopped to buy new toys at FAO Schwarz, located at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York. While they were inside shopping, the store was closed to the public. 

FAO Schwarz is a classic American toy brand and store, known for its high-end toys, life-sized stuffed animals, interactive experiences, brand integrations, and games.

Bergdorf Goodman

Remember when Blue was just a baby? Oh, how they grow fast! Back then, Queen B took her daughter to Christmas Shopping at Bergdorf Goodman. 

Bergdorf Goodman is a luxury department store based on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, opened in 1899. They are known for selling brands such as Prada, Jimmy Choo, Gucci, Lanvin, Dolce & Gabbana. 

Standard Hotel 

In 2014, after the MET Gala in New York City, Jay Z had a discussion with Solange Knowles, his sister-in-law, while inside an elevator with Beyoncé. That happened inside the Standard Hotel in the Meatpacking District.

The Standard Hotel is on our list of best hotels to stay in the city. It’s also where the Le Bain bar is located, and they have incredible Summer parties! 

Coney island 

Beyoncé made two women get suspended 150 feet in the air on the top of a 100-year-old wonder wheel for over 30 minutes while she was recording the video for XO in Coney Island. If you need more reasons than that to visit this lovely neighborhood, think about the boardwalk with the best sunset in town, street art, and multiple roller coaster rides. Also, let’s remember how iconic XO’s video was! 

Hamptons 

The Carters invested in a $26 million holiday retreat in the Hamptons. Purchased in September 2017, the pad is located in the coastal town of East Hampton, New York. It’s a 12,000-square-foot mansion nearby Briar Patch Lane. 

The couple recently tried to buy another land in the area at 18 Jones Creek Lane, but they were defeated by a nonprofit preservation group.

Lenox Hill Hospital

Blue Ivy is a New Yorker just like her dad! Beyoncé’s first daughter was born in January 2012 at the Lenox Hill Hospital at 100 E 77th St, New York. Rumors say that she paid $1,700-a-night, for a full-service treatment. 
Lenox Hill Hospital is a nationally ranked 450-bed non-profit, tertiary, research and academic medical center located at the Upper East Side of Manhattan. It’s one of the best hospitals in New York City and in the United States.

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