13 Best New York Coffee Table Books
After eight years in New York and countless coffee table books, these are the 13 volumes that actually capture what makes this city unforgettable.
I started collecting New York coffee table books after my first trip to the city seven years ago. What began as a single impulse buy at a bookshop near Bryant Park turned into a proper obsession—I now own over a dozen volumes and keep finding excuses to add more. Every time I visit, these books have taught me where to look: the architectural details I'd otherwise rush past, the neighborhoods worth wandering, the restaurants that have been serving the same dishes for generations.
What I've learned from collecting these books is that there's no single "New York." There's the historical New York of Ellis Island and tenement museums. The architectural New York of Art Deco spires and glass towers. The foodie New York of pastrami sandwiches and $500 omakase. The street-level New York of bodegas and subway musicians. The best coffee table books don't try to capture everything—they pick their angle and go deep.
Looking for the right New York coffee table book? After years of collecting and gifting these, I've narrowed it down to 13 essential volumes. Whether you want historical photography, insider access, hidden gems, or just beautiful images of the city, one of these belongs on your table.
1. New York: Portrait of a City
Publisher: TASCHEN | Pages: 572 | Dimensions: 13.4" x 10.2" | Price: $50-70
This is the book I recommend when someone asks for "the definitive New York photography book." At 572 pages and nearly 8 pounds, it's a commitment—but Time Magazine called it "the greatest New York photo book ever," and after wearing out my first copy, I understand why.
The chronological approach is what makes this special. You start with daguerreotypes from the 1850s and end with contemporary work, watching the city transform page by page. The construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. Immigrants flooding through Ellis Island. The slums of the Lower East Side next to rising Art Deco towers. Jazz Age Harlem. Depression-era breadlines. The wild 1970s when the city nearly went bankrupt. Post-9/11 resilience.
What elevates this beyond a photo collection is the curation. Editor Reuel Golden pulled from archives of Berenice Abbott, Weegee, Margaret Bourke-White, Nan Goldin, and dozens of others—photographers who didn't just document New York but defined how we see it. The 100+ quotations woven throughout (F. Scott Fitzgerald to Jay-Z, "Breakfast at Tiffany's" to "Do the Right Thing") add literary depth without overwhelming the images.
The production quality matches the content: heavyweight art paper, linen hardcover, the kind of binding that survives years of regular use. I've had mine for six years and it still opens flat without cracking.
Best for: History lovers, photography enthusiasts, anyone who wants the complete visual story of New York in one volume.
Skip this if: You want something portable or focused on contemporary NYC. This is a stay-at-home monument.
2. Walk With Me: New York
Publisher: Abrams Image | Pages: 176 | Dimensions: 9.6" x 7.5" | Price: $30
Susan Kaufman was editor-in-chief of People StyleWatch before she started walking. Daily walks through the city with her iPhone, posting to Instagram, building a following of hundreds of thousands who wanted to see the New York she was seeing. This book collects over 200 of those photographs, and what's remarkable is that every single one was shot on a phone.
This is the antidote to dramatic skyline photography. Kaufman shows you flower boxes on West Village brownstones, the way light hits a tree-lined street in Brooklyn Heights, hand-painted signs on mom-and-pop storefronts, hidden courtyards you'd walk past without noticing. It's New York at walking pace, at eye level, in the quiet moments between the chaos.
I bought this for a friend who'd just moved to the city and felt overwhelmed by the noise and crowds. She told me later it changed how she experienced her commute—she started noticing the details Kaufman photographs, and the city felt less hostile. That's what good photography does: it teaches you to see.
The book includes a section on Kaufman's photography techniques, which is genuinely useful if you want to capture your own beautiful urban moments. At under $30, this is the most affordable book on my list and the one I've gifted most often.
Best for: Anyone who feels overwhelmed by New York's intensity, Instagram enthusiasts, people who appreciate quiet beauty over dramatic spectacle.
Skip this if: You want historical depth or comprehensive coverage. This is intimate and personal, not encyclopedic.
3. New York Chic
Publisher: Assouline | Pages: 300 | Dimensions: 13" x 10" | Price: $95-120
This is voyeurism in the best sense—access to spaces you'd never otherwise see. Photographer Oliver Pilcher spent months embedded with New York's creative class: fashion designers, artists, nightlife impresarios, chefs. The result isn't staged photoshoots but genuine moments in private studios and apartments.
You're invited into Zaldy Goco's Financial District studio where Lady Gaga's costumes come to life. The Upper West Side apartment of the late Françoise Gilot (Picasso's former muse) surrounded by her own paintings. Artist José Parlá's Brooklyn studio with massive canvases inspired by city walls and graffiti. The specific table at La Goulue where deals get made over martinis.
What I appreciate is that these aren't celebrities in the traditional sense—they're working creatives who've chosen New York despite its difficulties. The interviews reveal why: the collision of cultures, the density of talent, the energy that comes from millions of people pursuing dreams in close quarters.
At $95-120, this is an investment. Assouline's production is exceptional (linen cover, slipcase, art-quality paper), but you're primarily paying for access. If seeing how creative New Yorkers actually live and work fascinates you, nothing else offers this.
Best for: Design enthusiasts, anyone curious about creative life in NYC, collectors of Assouline's luxury editions.
Skip this if: You want comprehensive city coverage or historical context. This is narrow but deep.
4. prettycitynewyork
Publisher: The History Press | Pages: 208 | Dimensions: 9.6" x 7.7" | Price: $45.99
Siobhan Ferguson built over a million Instagram followers with @prettycitylondon before turning her eye to New York. Her talent is finding "pockets of pretty" in cities known for grit—a mint-green door with a brass knocker, a café with a pink awning under blooming trees, the pastel row houses of the Upper East Side that look transplanted from Europe.
This is unabashedly aesthetic. Ferguson isn't documenting social issues or architectural history—she's showing you where to find beauty. The book is organized by neighborhood (Greenwich Village, Tribeca, Upper East Side, Williamsburg) with specific addresses and photography tips for each location. It's essentially a curated walking guide for capturing Instagram-worthy moments.
I'll admit I was skeptical of the "pretty" approach—New York's appeal has always been its rawness to me. But Ferguson won me over because she's not pretending the city is something it isn't. She's just showing you that beauty exists alongside the chaos if you know where to look. The photography techniques section is surprisingly practical.
Best for: Instagram enthusiasts, visitors planning photogenic walking routes, anyone who appreciates aesthetic beauty without irony.
Skip this if: You find "pretty" reductive or prefer documentary-style photography. This is curated, not comprehensive.
5. Iconic New York
Publisher: teNeues | Pages: 224 | Dimensions: 11.8" x 9.8" | Price: $45-60
Some New York books try to show you hidden gems. This one embraces the icons unapologetically—and honestly, the Empire State Building lit up at night never gets old. The Statue of Liberty against a sunset still takes your breath away. A sea of yellow taxis in Midtown remains distinctly, undeniably New York.
What makes this work is the photography quality. These aren't tourist snapshots but carefully composed images that give classic subjects fresh perspective. The Brooklyn Bridge from angles you've never considered. The Chrysler Building's Art Deco details in extreme close-up. Times Square neon as abstract art. Steam rising from manhole covers on winter mornings.
I keep this one in my guest room for visitors. It's the New York they expect and want to see, presented with artistry that elevates the familiar. The brief text explaining each subject's history adds context without overwhelming the visuals.
Best for: First-time visitors, people who love classic NYC imagery without irony, guest room or Airbnb display.
Skip this if: You're looking for hidden gems or feel you've "seen enough" of these landmarks. This celebrates the greatest hits.
6. EAT NYC
Publisher: Hardie Grant | Pages: 256 | Dimensions: 10" x 12" | Price: $35-45
You can't understand New York without understanding its food. Every immigrant wave left its mark: Jewish delis with pastrami and matzoh ball soup, Italian red-sauce joints, Chinatown dim sum palaces, Puerto Rican and Dominican spots, the modern fusion restaurants mixing everything together. This book tells that story through legendary restaurants and iconic recipes.
The photography is genuinely mouthwatering—a perfectly constructed bagel with lox showing each layer, the char on a New York slice, steam rising from soup dumplings. But beyond food porn, the book documents the restaurants themselves: checkered tablecloths at classic Italian spots, counter seating at ramen shops, the family photos on walls at places that have been running for three generations.
Each restaurant profile includes history, signature dishes, and actual recipes. You'll learn why New York bagels are supposedly superior (the water), how to properly order at a deli (decisively), and what makes a New York slice different from everywhere else (thin, foldable, attitude).
I've cooked from this book multiple times—the recipes actually work, unlike some coffee table book recipes that are more aspirational than practical.
Best for: Food lovers, home cooks, anyone who understands that eating your way through a city is the best way to know it.
Skip this if: You're looking for photography of landmarks or neighborhoods. This is food-focused throughout.
7. Streets of New York
Publisher: MENDO | Pages: 288 | Dimensions: 12.2" x 9.4" | Price: $50-70
This is New York without the filter—literally. MENDO, the Dutch publisher known for exceptional photography books, collected raw street photography capturing authentic city life. Not famous buildings or curated pretty spots, but real people in spontaneous moments: rushing to catch trains, setting up fruit stands at dawn, kids playing in open fire hydrants, couples kissing goodbye at subway entrances.
The photography is honest and sometimes uncomfortable. Construction workers on lunch breaks. Homeless individuals in doorways. Graffiti artists at work. Late-night food cart customers. The diversity that defines the city: different ages, ethnicities, fashion styles, economic situations, all sharing the same sidewalks.
Most of the images work best in black and white, which MENDO reproduces exceptionally well. The book's design is minimal—photographs breathe without excessive commentary. This is the New York that exists when no one's posing for Instagram.
Best for: Photography enthusiasts, people who prefer documentary truth over curated beauty, anyone tired of sanitized city imagery.
Skip this if: You want aspirational lifestyle content or tourist-friendly imagery. This is gritty by design.
8. New York School of Interior Design: Home
Publisher: Rizzoli | Pages: 304 | Dimensions: 10" x 11" | Price: $65
New York real estate is notoriously challenging: tiny apartments, awkward layouts, strict co-op boards, landmark regulations that limit what you can change. This book from the prestigious New York School of Interior Design shows how talented designers solve these problems while creating genuinely beautiful spaces.
You'll see a 400-square-foot studio transformed through clever storage and multi-functional furniture. A railroad apartment (rooms in a line with no hallway) reimagined with strategic dividers. A pre-war Upper East Side apartment updated while preserving original moldings. A Tribeca loft balancing industrial authenticity with comfort.
Each project includes floor plans, before/after photos, and explanations of design decisions. The space-maximizing tricks are genuinely useful: custom built-ins, Murphy beds, mirrors that make rooms feel larger, window treatments that provide privacy without blocking light.
I've referenced this book multiple times when dealing with my own apartment's limitations. The NYSD's academic approach means you're getting real design education, not just pretty pictures.
Best for: Interior design enthusiasts, anyone living in (or moving to) a small urban apartment, design professionals seeking reference material.
Skip this if: You're interested in NYC as a city rather than as a collection of challenging living spaces.
9. New York by Wendell Jamieson
Publisher: Assouline | Pages: 256 | Dimensions: 11" x 11" | Price: $250
Most New York books treat the outer boroughs as afterthoughts. Jamieson, a New York Times editor, gives equal attention to all five: how Brooklyn transformed from working-class to hipster haven, why Queens is America's most ethnically diverse place, how the Bronx is experiencing a renaissance, what makes Staten Island the "forgotten borough."
His journalistic background shows. This isn't just pretty photography—it's honest reporting about the city's challenges (gentrification, inequality, infrastructure) alongside its glories. You'll learn about ongoing debates: Should new skyscrapers change the skyline? How do you preserve neighborhood character while allowing growth?
The book works as both a visual experience and a practical resource. Historical context explains why neighborhoods developed as they did. Cultural highlights point you toward museums, theaters, and music venues worth visiting.
Best for: People who want to understand NYC beyond Manhattan, visitors planning comprehensive trips, residents curious about boroughs they haven't explored.
Skip this if: You want specialized depth in one area rather than comprehensive breadth.
10. Highbrow, Lowbrow, Brilliant, Despicable: 50 Years of The New Yorker
Publisher: Rizzoli | Pages: 352 | Dimensions: 10.2" x 12" | Price: $50-65
The New Yorker isn't just a magazine—it's an institution representing a specific kind of New York sophistication: witty but not mean, intellectual but not pretentious, literary but accessible. This book gathers its greatest hits across decades.
You'll see iconic covers like Saul Steinberg's "View of the World from 9th Avenue" (Manhattan huge, rest of America tiny), the all-black cover after 9/11, seasonal covers that have become traditions. The evolution of the magazine's famous single-panel cartoons. Profiles of legendary contributors: E.B. White's essays, J.D. Salinger's fiction debuts, Joan Didion's criticism.
What fascinated me was seeing how the magazine captured each era—the Mad Men 1960s, Cold War anxieties, 1980s excess, the tech boom. The New Yorker has always been distinctly New York in its values: cosmopolitan, skeptical of phoniness, valuing craft and intelligence.
Best for: Readers, literary enthusiasts, anyone interested in New York's intellectual and cultural history.
Skip this if: Visual photography is more important to you than text and illustration.
11. An Extraordinary Guide to New York
Publisher: Chronicle Books | Pages: 240 | Dimensions: 9" x 11" | Price: $35-45
Every city has layers hiding in plain sight. This book acts as your knowledgeable local friend revealing them: the speakeasy behind a phone booth in a hot dog restaurant, rooftop gardens maintained by residents, the oldest bar serving drinks since the 1800s, tiny museums dedicated to obscure topics.
You'll discover architectural secrets like the whispering gallery in Grand Central, hidden tracks below the Waldorf Astoria that FDR used, art installations throughout the subway system. Cultural institutions beyond the obvious—the Frick Collection in a Gilded Age mansion, the Cloisters medieval art museum, the Noguchi Museum in Queens.
Practical details (addresses, hours, how to access) make this actually useful for planning visits. The selection criteria impressed me—these aren't random quirky things but genuinely special places chosen for quality, authenticity, and significance.
Best for: Visitors who've "done" the major attractions, residents wanting to discover hidden gems, anyone who loves finding places most people miss.
Skip this if: You haven't yet seen the major landmarks. Start there, then graduate to this.
12. Modern New York: An Illustrated Story of Architecture
Publisher: Prestel | Pages: 288 | Dimensions: 10" x 12.5" | Price: $30
New York's skyline tells the story of American ambition and changing tastes. This book traces that evolution from the first skyscrapers through contemporary glass towers, explaining the technology, movements, and architects behind each era.
You'll understand why the Art Deco Chrysler and Empire State Buildings look the way they do (Jazz Age optimism), why mid-century modernism brought glass boxes (corporate rationalism), why postmodern buildings got playful (reaction against sterility), and why contemporary towers emphasize sustainability (green roofs, LEED certification).
The illustrations are especially valuable—detailed drawings showing construction methods, comparative diagrams of scale and proportion, cutaway views revealing internal structures. At $30, this is exceptional value for anyone fascinated by how cities are built.
Best for: Architecture students and enthusiasts, design professionals, anyone who looks up at buildings and wonders "how did they do that?"
Skip this if: Architecture isn't a specific interest. This is specialized content done very well.
13. Hidden Landmarks of New York
Publisher: Black Dog & Leventhal | Pages: 256 | Dimensions: 7" x 9" | Price: $22-30
Tommy Silk spent five years photographing a different NYC landmark every day for his Instagram account @LandmarksofNY (160,000+ followers). This book curates 120 of the city's most overlooked officially landmarked buildings—the ones you walk past without knowing their incredible stories.
New York has over 37,000 designated landmarks. Most people know about a dozen. Silk reveals the rest: the African Burial Ground steps from City Hall, the Truman Capote house in Brooklyn Heights, the Greek Revival townhouse rumored to inspire Stuart Little, the Langston Hughes House in Harlem, the Stonewall Inn, the Ghostbusters firehouse.
What I love is the five-borough coverage—half the book features Manhattan, but Brooklyn's Victorian mansions, Queens' ethnic enclaves, the Bronx's Art Deco Grand Concourse, and Staten Island's forgotten gems all get attention. Silk is a licensed NYC Sightseeing Guide with a history degree, so the stories are accurate and engaging.
At 7" x 9", this is small enough to actually carry while exploring. I've thrown it in my backpack multiple times to hunt down buildings I'd never noticed. At $22-30, it's the most affordable book on this list.
Best for: History buffs, architecture enthusiasts, walkers who want to discover hidden stories, visitors looking beyond Empire State Building selfies.
Skip this if: You want dramatic photography over historical storytelling. This is about stories as much as images.
Which Book Should You Buy First?
For comprehensive history, start with TASCHEN's Portrait of a City—572 pages spanning 150 years of photography. For beautiful everyday moments, Walk With Me shows the city's quieter side at an affordable $30. For hidden discoveries, Hidden Landmarks of New York reveals 120 overlooked buildings with fascinating stories and is portable enough to carry while exploring. For food lovers, EAT NYC connects you to the city through its legendary restaurants. For insider access, New York Chic opens doors to creative spaces you'd never otherwise see.
FAQ
What's the best all-around New York coffee table book?
TASCHEN's New York: Portrait of a City is the most comprehensive single volume—572 pages of photography spanning from the 1850s to today. Time Magazine called it "the greatest New York photo book ever." At $50-70, it's exceptional value for the scope.
Are there good options under $35?
Yes. Walk With Me: New York ($30), Hidden Landmarks of New York ($22-30), and Modern New York ($30) all offer quality content at accessible prices.
Which book is best for planning a NYC trip?
An Extraordinary Guide to New York combines beautiful photography with practical information about hidden gems. Hidden Landmarks of New York is portable enough to carry as a walking guide. prettycitynewyork includes specific addresses for photogenic locations.
