12 New Venues in New York for Fall 2023 Meetings and Events

A members-only club hit the Tribeca social scene on June 15, and it rivals the uber-exclusive NYC enclaves Soho House and Zero Bond. It’s called Maxwell, and on top of 7,000 square feet of cozy space that resembles a luxury living room, in-house kitchens equipped with copper pots match the vibe and allow for meals to be cooked on site—or cater to cooking demos—during food-focused events. There are also liquor lockers to store wine and spirits and a full-time bartender. Smaller private rooms on offer range from 1,000 square feet to 3,000 square feet and include the Grand Room, for 200 standing or 90 seated, as well as the Garden and Vanity rooms, which can each accommodate 120 standing guests. To host an event here is to join the ranks of notable brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, The New York Times and the US Open, which have all tapped Maxwell to host their elevated affairs in the four months it's been open. Event pricing starts anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000.

Lavan New York added a Midtown outpost to its roster of state-of-the-art event venues. Dubbed Lavan 641, the 10,000-square-foot blank-slate space opened in April 2023, equipped to host affairs of all kinds thanks to its 2,500 square feet of prefunction space, 5,000-square-foot main room notable for its 20-foot-high ceilings, and 2,000-square-foot kitchen. Lavan 641 can accommodate as many as 350 guests at rounds with a stage, or 300 for celebrations that want to incorporate a dance floor into the blueprint. For standing receptions here, guest lists can balloon to as many as 800, while a theater-style setup can accommodate up to 500 guests. Event planners also have access to a 150-foot projection mapping system and on-site technical support, as well as security, venue management, and a pre- and post-event cleaning crew for an additional charge.

Hotel Barrière Fouquet's New York brought a slice of the Parisian life to New York. From the prominent French hospitality company Groupe Barrière—which is behind the landmark, century-old French restaurant Fouquet’s—the 97-room, eight-story hotel has been occupying a serene corner of Greenwich Street since it opened in September 2022. Event space at this quintessentially French hotel—where mirrors are antique and public spaces resemble luxe living rooms—totals over 6,600 square feet, and includes a 1,418-square-foot brasserie for 60 and the intimate, 504-square-foot Fouquet's Private Dining Room for 25. Hotel Barrière Fouquet's New York also offers its 518-square-foot Titsou Bar (pictured) for events, which evokes Paris in the 1920s and ‘30s, and a 1,900-square-foot cafe called Par Ici is also up for grabs. Here, 60 guests can gather in a space notable for its glassed-in courtyard, traditional French bistro seating arrangement, and elevated vegetarian menu.

City Harvest, famed in the Big Apple as its largest food rescue organization, opened The Venue on Sept. 20, welcoming corporate and social events with guest lists of as many as 200 to take over its 10,000 square feet of space. True to City Harvest’s mission, The Venue incorporates many different elements of New York City—from using reclaimed wood from nearby barns to create the flooring to incorporating outdoor furniture made from recycled plastic and putting Danny Meyer’s Union Square Events at the helm of its bespoke F&B program. The sleek space boasts a 4,000-square-foot terrace and a 6,000-square-foot main event space, which will run planners anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000 depending on the time of year.

Midtown Manhattan said “Ciao!” to Pasta Corner when the fine-casual pasta spot opened in August. Co-owned by French pop star Matt Pokora, Pasta Corner is already beloved in Paris and Los Angeles, with its open kitchen and countertop seating that event profs can utilize as a buffet station or cooking demo viewing site. As if a front-row seat to chefs rolling out spaghetti noodles, stuffing tortellini shells, and grating Parmesan garnishes isn’t enough, the 1,900-square-foot space is also decked out in neon signage, a hanging swing, an NYC mural, and a prop pay phone perfect for snapping Insta-worthy photos. To celebrate pasta—or any other occasion—Pasta Corner can accommodate as many as 100 for a cocktail party or 70 for a seated meal, with rates ranging from $60-$150 per person.

Another international venture to make its way stateside is Rampoldi, opened by MC Hospitality Group in Lincoln Square on Sept. 26. The beloved Monte Carlo hot spot brings the fresh flavors of the French Riviera to Manhattan in a 5,000-square-foot space that will surely appeal to event planners with its two private dining rooms. PDR 1 can host eight seated guests for an intimate dining affair, and PDR 2 can accommodate as many as 40 diners. The entire restaurant—where buyouts could have up to 155 dining on fine fare—incorporates European influences on and off the menu, with custom furniture imported from Milan, hand-cut Rosso Imperiale Italian marble used on the floors and wall panels, and Murano glass chandeliers hanging above. Inquire within for pricing.

Sydell Group, which is known for creating Manhattan hotels NoMad and Freehand, added Penny Williamsburg to its portfolio. Penny hit the Brooklyn scene in August 2022, but debuted its public spaces in May, and the boutique hotel is a celebration of local art. Aside from an in-room and public space art program created with New York-based nonprofits LAND Gallery and Pure Vision Arts, pops of live greenery throughout the 118-key hotel—including the vines that cascade down Penny’s façade—was designed by Verdant, a landscaping design studio out of Brooklyn. There’s 5,708 total square feet of event space here, and an 11th-floor rooftop bar and Mexican restaurant called elNico (pictured), which can host up to 220 guests in its 4,078 square feet of potential event space. The rooftop offers panoramic views of the Williamsburg and Manhattan skyline, plus is equipped with a built-in DJ kiosk and stage dedicated to live performances.

The term “alligator pear” may be another name for an avocado, but as of July, it’s a 7,500-square-foot Creole restaurant in Midtown that’s as stylish as its food is tasty. Eight private dining rooms are spread across three levels at Alligator Pear, which boast fun names in a nod to New Orleans—like the Oak Room, Garden District, and French Quarter Walkway—and range from 200 square feet to 1,600 square feet. The main dining room can accommodate as many as 90 guests, who will no doubt enjoy a sumptuous menu featuring a twist on NOLA favorites, such as blue crab beignets, charbroiled oysters, and chicken and andouille gumbo. Depending on the occasion, other private areas can host intimate gatherings of 12 while an underground speakeasy-style bar has room for as many as 130. Full buyouts are also on offer for 500, with a DJ add-on up for grabs. Each corner of Alligator Pear boasts a unique design—from a cherry tree that greets patrons upon arrival to tropical wallpapers, greenery dripping down from the mezzanine level, and inviting pink leather couches. There’s no hourly pricing for events; simply inquire within for food and beverage minimums.

P.J. Clarke’s—the home of NYC’s so-called “Cadillac of burgers”—is proving that you can teach an old dog new tricks with the opening of its latest Sidecar private dining spot in September, 139 years after the venue first opened. Situated atop the original restaurant’s historic location on 55th Street, the event space gives the feel of an intimate speakeasy thanks to wood-lined ceilings and exposed-brick walls, though its 2,500 square feet can accommodate as many as 175 standing or 120 seated guests. Partial room reservations are also possible for as few as 30 eventgoers in a 150-square-foot corner of the space, or a half-room reservation for 60. Food and drink options include P.J. Clarke’s iconic bacon cheeseburger and signature Sidecar cocktail, served atop white-clothed tables in what once served as the Clarke family apartments before it was an antiques store, then a book joint, and finally, a private event space.

Above The Heights found a home on the 12th floor of mixed-use property Radio Hotel and Tower in Washington Heights last September. The entire venue spans over 12,500 square feet, with an interior space that offers a 2,000-square-foot prefunction area for up to 150 standing guests and a 7,200-square-foot main event room for affairs as large as 500. Floor-to-ceiling windows make for light-filled daytime affairs or nighttime gatherings in the forefront of twinkling city lights. Event planners rejoice because there are also two outdoor terraces spanning between 1,555 square feet and 2,150 square feet: one that’s north-facing and another south-facing for 125 and 200 guests, respectively.

Situated on Freeman Alley on NYC’s Lower East Side is UNTITLED, where 200 rooms and 2,300 square feet of designated meeting space embody everything there is to love about this corner of Manhattan. The hotel opened in July 2023 along with its crown jewel for event planners, UNLISTED (pictured), an indoor-outdoor rooftop space perched 11 floors up and offering sweeping views of the Big Apple’s skyline that can be enjoyed from an 800-square-foot terrace. UNLISTED also offers 1,500 square feet of indoor gathering space where as many as 150 guests can enjoy floor-to-ceiling windows, velvet couches, and wall art that draws on the city’s popular social sites of the ‘70s and ‘80s. Full buyouts range from $5,000 to $20,000.

Ol’Days, the small-chain cafe that first planted roots in Argentina—and has since added a location in Miami and NoMad, NYC—opened its second Big Apple outpost in Tribeca in April. The 2,000-square-foot eatery offers a farm-to-table menu that could only be described as an ode to brunch, with an array of veggie-heavy sandwiches, coconut yogurt parfaits, pastries, an assortment of specialty coffees and cocktails, and much more. Ol’Days can accommodate as many as 80 in its main space, which is notable for its lemon tree mural designed by Argentine artist Flor Chedufau and can be fully reserved anytime after 4 p.m. There’s also a second-floor mezzanine that can hold up to 25, and is available to host events daily, at any time. The cafe can accommodate gluten-free and vegan dietary restrictions, a mimosa bar or lemonade station, and live music. Inquire within for pricing.