New York
DESTINATION GUIDE WITH TOMMY ZUNG
New York Design Guide: A Curated Journey with Tommy Zung
From historic neighbourhoods to ever-evolving creative districts, New York City continues to set the pace as a global centre for design, art, and architecture. Curated through the discerning eye of interior designer Tommy Zung, this New York Design Guide brings together refined hotels, design-led dining, collectible galleries, and cultural destinations that capture the city’s distinctive rhythm. From intimate artisan studios and iconic museums to moments of escape beyond the city, each selection reflects New York’s layered identity and enduring influence. For collectors, creatives, and culturally curious travellers, this guide offers an immersive view of a city where design is not just seen, but lived.
JANUARY 2026
Words: designeers and TOMMY ZUNG
A breakfast and coffee stop:
Buvette, West Village
Buvette offers a charming Parisian-style breakfast experience in the heart of downtown Manhattan, blending casual elegance with timeless café culture. Nearby, La Cabra on Lafayette Street, it is a destination for exceptional Nordic coffee and minimalist design.
a design hotel to stay in:
Greenwich Hotel, Tribeca
The Greenwich Hotel is a benchmark for understated luxury in New York, blending artisanal detail with residential warmth. The Penthouse by Axel Vervoort offers a rare, design-led experience defined by texture, art, and timeless interiors.
FAVourite design museum:
Noguchi Museum
The Noguchi Museum in Long Island City, Queens is an intimate art museum and sculpture garden founded and designed by Japanese-American artist Isamu Noguchi to showcase his life’s work in stone, wood, metal, and ceramics in a setting he crafted. It combines serene indoor galleries with a contemplative outdoor sculpture garden in a repurposed industrial building, making it a must visit for admirers of modern sculpture, design, and minimalist spatial experiences.
A LUNCH TO INDULGE INTO:
The Grill
Located in the iconic Seagram Building, The Grill is a New York dining institution celebrated for its mid century modern interiors and refined atmosphere. It remains one of the city’s most design-forward lunch destinations.
A fine dining restaurant:
Eleven Madison Park
A world-renowned fine dining restaurant in New York, Eleven Madison Park is known for its architectural calm and thoughtful culinary innovation. The experience balances precision, restraint, and atmosphere at the highest level.
A cocktail or wine bar:
Clemente Bar
Clemente Bar is an intimate cocktail bar hidden above Eleven Madison Park, combining contemporary art, moody interiors, and meticulous mixology. A discreet yet sophisticated spot for design lovers seeking an elevated evening experience.
A place to find art, furniture, design objects:
Shop Zung
Shop Zung is a curated design destination in New York showcasing a thoughtful selection of furniture, art, ceramics, lighting, and collectible objects from international designers and makers. With a focus on craftsmanship, material integrity, and enduring design, Shop Zung is a must-visit for design collectors, interior designers, and anyone seeking distinctive pieces that blend contemporary innovation with timeless appeal.
an artisan everyone should know about:
Daisuke Kiyomiya
Daisuke Kiyomiya is a Japanese born sculptor based in Brooklyn whose practice spans clay, stone, and wood, creating compelling works that range from intimate pieces to large-scale installations rooted in material presence and spatial awareness. Trained at The Art Students League of New York and experienced as a cathedral stone carver on landmark buildings such as St Patrick’s Cathedral and the New York Public Library, his sculptures reflect a deep engagement with craft, form, and the dialogue between intuition and tradition.
favourite art gallery:
Gagosian
Gagosian is a global contemporary and modern art gallery founded by Larry Gagosian, with multiple exhibition spaces in New York that present museum-quality shows featuring leading international artists from the 20th and 21st centuries. Celebrated for its ambitious programme, cutting-edge exhibitions, and influential artist roster, Gagosian offers free public access to rotating installations, historical surveys, and major solo presentations that make it essential for art collectors, design professionals, and cultural travellers alike.
Favourite boutique or concept store for design inspiration:
RM Guild
RW Guild is a New York gallery and atelier dedicated to contemporary craft, ceramics, furniture, and functional art. It is a key destination for discovering emerging and established makers.
The best spot for a sunset view:
The Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge offer some of the best sunset views in New York City. As daylight fades, the skyline becomes a cinematic composition of architecture, water, and light.
A PLACE OF ADVENTURE OUT OF TOWN:
George Nakashima Foundation for Peace
Just outside New York City, these cultural landmarks offer immersive encounters with craft, sculpture, and landscape. Best visited in autumn, they reveal a profound dialogue between nature, art, and architecture.
Photography credits:
Noguchi Museum Nicholas Knight. © The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum, New York / Artists Rights Society (ARS)
CLEMENTE BAR JASON VARNEY
gagosian david heald
Daisuke Kiyomiya Ayumi Sakamoto
More from Tommy Zung
Studio Zung: Designing Stillness and Soul in the Heart of Soho
New York–based Studio Zung has built its reputation on designing spaces that live at the intersection of architecture, art, and lifestyle. Their latest project, Maison Wooster, embodies this philosophy with graceful precision. Rooted in the creative pulse of Soho yet grounded in serenity, the home balances restraint and warmth, function and poetry.
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