Milos | Experience the Unexpected

Sep 3, 2026 | On the Menu

HL | ON THE MENU • MANHATTAN

Milos | Experience the Unexpected

An unexpected lunch at Estiatorio Milos Midtown became another memorable part of our Manhattan experience.

Photos and article by
Richard Sandoval

ometimes the best dining experiences begin by allowing someone else to order. During a day exploring Manhattan with Lucy Wu, our conversations eventually brought us to Estiatorio Milos Midtown. Lucy knew the restaurant. I trusted Lucy. That seemed like a reasonable arrangement.

Milos is known for its Mediterranean approach to seafood, and from the moment we arrived, lunch felt less like simply stopping somewhere to eat and more like another experience Lucy wanted to share.

Then came the Carabinero shrimp.

At some point, I found myself being encouraged to bite the head off a shrimp and follow it with sherry wine. I wasn’t entirely convinced. But I had already decided this was a day for going with the flow. So I did.

It was delicious.

Maybe that sounds a little goofy. But it is also one of the things I enjoy about traveling and spending time with people who know a city better than I do.

They introduce you to things you probably would not have ordered yourself. Food becomes part of the conversation. Lunch becomes part of the story.

Our table at Milos was filled with both. We talked about Manhattan, business, real estate, family, relationships and what might be next in our respective professional journeys.

There was no agenda. Just good food and good conversation.

I have eaten at plenty of restaurants while traveling over the years. The memorable ones are not necessarily defined by the most expensive dish or elaborate presentation.

Sometimes you remember a place because of who was sitting across the table. Sometimes you remember what you talked about. Sometimes you remember biting the head off a shrimp and thinking: Okay, Lucy was right.

HL | PHOTO JOURNAL

Experience Milos through our lens. Explore photographs from our visit to Estiatorio Milos Midtown and discover more from the HL | Photo Journal archive.

Photography by Richard Sandoval | HL Media Network

Milos | Experience the Unexpected — Manhattan

EDITOR NOTES

On the Menu is one of several perspectives within HL | New York – People. Places. Conversations. During this particular day with Lucy Wu, food, real estate, business and relationships became different parts of the same New York experience.

CONTINUE EXPLORING: Lucy Wu | Adapting to What’s Next • A $65 Million View of Manhattan • 500 Feet From Times Square, New York Becoming Part of the Conversation

← On the Menu | An Afternoon at Café Ginori

On the Menu | An Afternoon at Café Ginori

May 27, 2026 | On the Menu

by Richard Sandoval, for HL | Culture & Influence

Café Ginori: One of Manhattan’s Most Charming Hidden Gems

There are certain places you return to when visiting New York City. Not because they are trendy or impossible to get into, but because they leave you with a feeling you want to experience again.

For our family, one of those places is Café Ginori, located inside the iconic Bergdorf Goodman along Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.

A few years ago, we spent an afternoon there that unexpectedly became one of the highlights of our New York trip. So during our recent return to the city, Café Ginori was immediately placed at the top of our list.

What makes the experience memorable is that it is not what most people expect.

There are no sweeping skyline views or dramatic rooftop scenes. Instead, you make your way down a side staircase and suddenly feel as though you have entered a completely different world quieter, elegant, intimate, and removed from the nonstop pace of Manhattan just outside its doors.

According to the staff, the restaurant reinvents itself every few years with updated décor, redesigned table settings, refreshed menus, and new themes. That commitment to evolution gives the space a unique personality while still maintaining the charm that keeps guests coming back.

And honestly, that charm is part of what makes New York so special.

Sometimes the city’s best experiences are not found at the top of a skyscraper or inside a major tourist attraction. Sometimes they are discovered in smaller moments that allow you to slow down and appreciate the rhythm of the city.

Our meal was beautifully presented, and the cocktails added to the atmosphere of the afternoon. But beyond the food, what truly stood out was the environment surrounding us.

I’ve always enjoyed people watching, and Café Ginori delivered a perfect New York scene.

At one table, a mother and daughter enjoyed tea while taking a break from shopping. Nearby, a couple relaxed with cocktails as one of their recent purchases from Bergdorf Goodman was delivered directly to their table. Across the room, a group of women paused their afternoon shopping excursion to share conversation and champagne before heading back upstairs into the city.

How cool is that?

The experience felt cinematic in a very New York way sophisticated without being pretentious, stylish without trying too hard.

More importantly, it reminded me that travel is often about much more than landmarks and itineraries. It is about discovering those moments that allow you to connect, observe, and fully experience a city beyond the obvious tourist destinations.

That afternoon at Café Ginori became more than just another meal during our trip. It became another memory added to our family’s continuing story of travel, conversation, and shared experiences.

And that may be the greatest compliment you can give any restaurant.

It leaves you wanting to come back again.