Chelsea Market is a good spot to hit when the urge to explore celebrity food culture in New York City arises. The complex is a powerful media center for Manhattan. It is home base for cable networks like NY1, Oxygen, and, perhaps most importantly, The Food Network. Celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse used to film Emeril Live there, and it is still home to "Kitchen Stadium" on Iron Chef America. Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto houses his Morimoto restaurant here, as does Mario Batali and his Del Posto. Cultural walking tours of the Market and of the surrounding Meatpacking District run on a frequent schedule, and there are usually plenty of foodie appearances and live music offerings on the calendar. It's also home to several more eateries, from high end (Buddakan) to healthy quick-service chains (Hale and Hearty Soups), and small gastronomic boutiques. Don't miss the chocolates at Jacques Torres or the frozen desserts at L'Arte de Gelato.

Stay at the W New York - Union Square and you'll be within a short distance to all the action going on at Chelsea Market, whether by public transportation, taxi, or even on foot. The latter just might be the perfect option if the weather is nice, and you have a lot of snacks to walk off. We are curious to know, what's your favorite permanent public market? Please let us know in the comments section.