Freds at Barneys - Madison Avenue, NYC

This spot atop of Barneys, on Madison and 61st, was a favorite of ours before we were even married. Now with baby we love it even more. Barneys is the ultimate in NYC shopping, and Freds the ultimate when it comes to brunching.

There is a coziness about this place that instantly makes you feel at ease, which is a good thing because you are surrounded by the Upper East elite and occasional celebrity. You would think that bringing a baby into the mix would be an anxiety inducing event, but the waiters and patrons seem to enjoy that this is a family spot. Even when baby has an outburst everyone is extremely tolerant. If baby refuses to calm down, you also have the option to take her for a walk to calm her down, and do some shopping simultaneously.

The food never disappoints. The pasta selection and extremely large salads are perfect sharing dishes. A big plus is that the chef doesn’t mind splitting the dishes in the kitchen (In NYC you will often encounter chefs who would view this as sacrilege). The chef will also make some bland mashed potatoes for your baby!

Also, my favorite barometer of a good spot is the lack of turnover in the staff. We've seen the same waiters throughout our ten year patronage. This place treats and pays them well, which is a rarity in the service industry. 

-Michael