Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have dinner at Waverly Inn on October 15, 2023.Getty Images
If you look closely at Taylor Swift’s recent paparazzi photos—past the trendy outfits, Travis Kelce, and, well, the magnetic force field that is Swift herself—you’ll notice something: They’re almost always taken outside the same New York City restaurants. It’s both a surprising phenomenon (demigod Swift, frequenting a place that we can all hypothetically visit too?) and an unsurprising one. New York, after all, is a place where “going out to dinner” is the dominant social activity. Of course Swift—a Gothamite so dedicated, that she once crooned “the lights are so bright, but they never blind me”—is a frequent patron at the very culinary haunts that make the city so great.
But what are these Taylor-approved haunts, exactly? Vogue breaks them down, below. (And yes—more than one is within walking distance of Cornelia Street.)
Via Carota
Taylor Swift and Sophie Turner took that viral paparazzi shot outside the critically acclaimed West Village restaurant Via Carota, a Tuscan-inspired restaurant by Jody Williams and Rita Sodi. Since opening in 2014, it’s been one of the hottest tables in town; besides Swift, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jennifer Lawrence, and Andy Cohen are also regulars. (In fact, the first public photos of Swift after her breakup with Joe Alwyn were taken in front of Via Carota.)
You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, which changes seasonally. But their most famous dishes? The cacio e pepe and insalata verde.
Emilio’s Ballato
Last Thursday, Swift, Turner, Blake Lively, and Brittany Mohanes were all photographed walking into Emilio’s Ballato, an old-school, family-owned Italian joint that’s a downtown institution. The owner’s son, Emilio Vitolo Jr., is known as one of the best hosts in New York City, regularly entertaining high-profile guests in the back room of the restaurant—and making sure there’s never an empty glass or plate in the place. Order anything covered in red sauce…especially the chicken parm.
Zero Bond
Swift has been spotted (again and again and again) at Zero Bond, the private NoHo member club. Run by Scott Sartiano—who is also the man behind the buzzy Mercer Hotel restaurant, Sartiano’s—its celebrity clientele includes Tom Brady and Kim Kardashian.
Inside the Bill Sofield-design space? An Omakase room, a full-service restaurant, a member’s lounge, as well as a wine-and-whiskey cellar with Baccarat detailing. Yet the most attractive amenity to Swift, we think? The club’s no-photo policy and strict dedication to privacy.
Fouquet’s
Swift, Turner, and the Haim sisters all got dinner at Fouquet’s, the TriBeCa hotel by the same family behind Paris’s Hôtel Barrière Le Fouquet’s. The Martin Brudnizki-designed property features two restaurants: Par Ici Café, which focuses on vegan and plant-based food, and Brasserie Fouquet’s, a quintessential Parisian bistro by Pierre Gagnaire, as well as a lobby and rooftop bar. No word on which venue the starry group visited, but this writer can solidly say the brasserie’s French onion soup is some of the best in the city.
Mulberry Bar
Swift and Turner had a girl’s night out at Mulberry Bar, the Phil Meynell, Leo Jacob, and Justin Sievers-run space that opened this past February. (And with a bang: its opening party included Camila Mendes, Sebastian Stan, Margot Robbie, Taika Waititi, Brad Pitt, and Leonardo DiCaprio.)
The nightlife haunt is instantly recognizable due to its Emelie Törling murals, which feature moody, Jean Cocteau-esque figures.
Temple Bar
The most distinguishing feature of NoHo’s Temple Bar? Its darkness—which probably explains why Swift and Turner headed there after their highly photographed dinner at Via Carota. (You can barely see your own elbow in there, let alone recognize who’s a few tables over.) Reports say the two indulged in some martinis and Temple Bar’s famous caviar bumps amid the bar’s Art Deco interiors. If you’re planning to head there yourself, we’d also recommend an order of their steak cubes and grilled cheese.
Nobu
When Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce decided to make a surprise appearance at Saturday Night Live, they dined at Nobu beforehand. The perennial-celebrity favorite is known for its black miso cod, hamachi with Jalapeño, and, of course, sushi. It’s served in a sprawling 4,300 square foot space—which includes several private rooms that we’re guessing Swift and Kelce opted for. Afterwards, they left hand in hand.
The Waverly Inn
On another high-profile date night, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce were spotted at the Waverly Inn, a beloved West Village restaurant housed in a quaint brownstone on Bank Street. Inside, the warm-yet-moody room is adorned in murals by Ed Sorrel, and outside, there’s a garden with walls covered in ivy. Especially as the weather grows colder, order their signature chicken pot pie.
This article was originally published on Vogue.com
