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TV Upfronts: Where to Eat in NYC

Tavern Before After - H 2014
From left: The Crystal Dining Room at the original Tavern on the Green, now renovated into Tavern's South Wing (right)

There's no need to flag a cab to get a bite. Instead, head to these dealmaking places and grab-and-go gems.

This story first appeared in the May 23 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.

THE AREA: Far West Midtown

THE UPFRONTS: NBC (11 a.m. May 12) and NBCUniversal Cable (4 p.m. May 15 ) at the Javits Center

BREAKFAST: The 10,000-square-foot Gotham West Market (600 11th Ave., above 44th Street) features eight artisanal eateries, including Court Street Grocers Sandwich Shop. Get the B+B breakfast sandwich with eggs, bacon and Cabot cheddar on Balthazar's ciabatta.

QUICK BITE: Food Network chef Amanda Freitag reopened the Empire Diner (210 10th Ave., at 22nd Street), the Chelsea institution housed in an Instagram-worthy dining car. The elevated greasy-spoon fare includes killer salt 'n' pepper fries.

DINNER: Hell's Kitchen go-to 44 & X (622 10th Ave., at 44th Street), a favorite of Michael Bloomberg, offers memorable American cuisine and an impressive wine list. Ask for an outside table. Cary Tilds, chief innovation officer at ad agency GroupM, also recommends Hell's Kitchen (679 9th Ave., above 46th Street): "It has the most amazing poached artichoke quesadilla."

DRINKS: The brainchild of the Knicks' Hall of Famer, Clyde Frazier's Wine and Dine (485 10th Ave., at 37th Street) has an upscale sporty vibe and includes a half-basketball court with oak paneling.

CAFFEINE: Stop by the latest installment of Blue Bottle, famed among bean junkies, inside Gotham West Market.

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THE AREA: Upper West Side

THE UPFRONT: Fox (4 p.m. May 12) at the Beacon Theatre

QUICK BITE: Although the decor is pedestrian, the food at Sushi Yasaka (251 W. 72nd St.) is anything but. The 12-piece omakase is a must.

DINNER: The just-opened, mainly Mediterranean Tessa (349 Amsterdam Ave., above 76th Street), in a stunning brick-walled bilevel space, serves a much-raved-about roast chicken. Its Irving Coffee Pot de Creme already is a local addiction.

DRINKS: Hidden on the second floor of Australian bistro Burke & Wills, the Manhattan Cricket Club (226 W. 79th St.) is a dead ringer for a colonial British gentleman's club.

TOUCH-UP: Beauty editors swear by the organic manicure ($12) at Polished Beauty Bar (250 W. 78th St.).

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THE AREA: Lincoln Center

THE UPFRONT: ABC (4 p.m. May 13) at Avery Fisher Hall

QUICK BITE: The fast-and-fresh cafe at65 (Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center) gives you a prime people-watching view through the hall's glass-walled lobby.

DINNER: Central Park legend Tavern on the Green (Central Park West and 67th Street) reopened in April after a change in ownership and a two-year redo that has de-cheesed the place with classic and colorful interiors.

DRINKS: A Fashion Week haunt, the $20 million Lincoln Ristorante (142 W. 65th St.) offers a view of Lincoln Center's reflecting pool and a sleek bar with a Negroni aperitif specialty menu.

TOUCH-UP: Zen out with the Oriental Essence body treatment (starting at $220) using oil blended with ginger, mandarin and frankincense at The Spa at The Mandarin Oriental (80 Columbus Circle).

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THE AREA: Madison Square Garden

THE UPFRONT: TNT/TBS (10 a.m. May 14) at the Theater at MSG

BREAKFAST: Stop by Friedman's (132 W. 31st St.) for cold-pressed juices and arguably the city's best gluten-free pancakes.

QUICK BITE: Train-station joint Kabooz's Bar & Grille (2 Pennsylvania Plaza) won't score culinary prizes, but even noncommuters say the Mussels Marinier and vegetarian chili make up for the charm fail.

FINE DINING: The NoMad Hotel's (1170 Broadway, above 27th Street) namesake restaurant -- a favorite of Aegis Media U.S. president Angela Courtin -- is from the dudes behind Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park. With visitors like Katie Holmes, the glam quotient is high.

The NoMad Hotel offers fine dining. 

CAFFEINE: Located in the Ace Hotel, Portland chain Stumptown Coffee Roasters (18 W. 29th St.) pours seriously strong joe at its first NYC location.

A barista at Stumptown Coffee, located near the TNT/TBS presentation at the Theater at Madison Square Garden.

THE AREA: West 50s

THE UPFRONTS: CBS (4 p.m. May 14 ) at Carnegie Hall; The CW (11 a.m. May 15) at New York City Center Theater

BREAKFAST: Located in the Time Warner Center, Bouchon Bakery (10 Columbus Circle, third floor) arguably is the jewel in Thomas Keller's boulangerie crown. The Central Park vistas might make you forget about going to SoulCycle as you reach for another croissant.

QUICK BITE: There is something scarily addictive about the grilled cheeses at Melt Shop (135 W. 50th St.).

The grilled cheese at Melt Shop, not far from The CW's presentation at New York City Center Theater. 

DRINKS: At the new Beautique (8 W. 58th St.), from veterans of Le Cirque and Rose Bar, rich entrees and an expert cocktail list complement the Parisian-glam decor. Producer Dana Brunetti and Netflix's Ted Sarandos have dropped in.

The bar at the new Beautique near Carnegie Hall, where CBS will push its pilots. 

CAFFEINE: Try the chai latte mixed with espresso and hot chocolate at Blue Dog Cafe (155 W. 56th St.).

DINNER: After a multimillion-dollar revamp, the 86-year-old Theater District steakhouse Gallagher's (228 W. 52nd St.) now is equipped with an open kitchen, raw bar and rich red leather booths. Another option: Kate Monaghan, vp and director of national broadcast at Horizon Media, calls Estiatorio Milos (125 W. 55th St.) the perfect place to entertain clients. "You have to try the incredibly fresh octopus," she says.

TOUCH-UP: Monaghan recommends Le Parker Meridien hotel's Drybar (119 W. 56th St.), one of the chain's prettiest locations. For guys, Martial Vivot Salon Pour Hommes' (39 W. 54th St.) deluxe shave includes a Clarins face mask, scalp treatment and a double shave using Santa Maria Novella products.