Concierge.com's insider take:

If Bergdorf Goodman is the glamorous older sibling and Barneys the avant-garde individualist, Henri Bendel is the fun, fashion-forward little sister of New York department stores. Sure, the store itself has been around since 1895, but the company's MO is all about targeting the youthful, cashed-up shopper who wants to stand out from the crowd. Everything about the Henri Bendel experience is designed to be beautiful, from the street frontage (the building comprises three late-19th-century town houses) to the original Lalique glass windows and glass-domed ceiling. The ground floor is devoted to beauty and handbags, while elegant staircases wind through upper levels adorned with delicate lingerie, cutting-edge fashion, and cute whimsies, like the third-floor Chocolate Bar and a bespoke perfumery. Fittingly for a store that was the first in the U.S. to carry Chanel, Henri Bendel champions exciting young designers—the roster includes Australian wunderkind Josh Goot's sexy, sporty separates and Michelle Smith's flirty party-frock line, Milly. Well-edited selections by more established names like Diane von Furstenberg, Michael Kors, and Matthew Williamson round out the mix.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 10 am to 8 pm, Sundays noon to 7 pm.