12 Best Restaurants in Financial District, New York City

Occupying a prime corner in the base of historic 70 Pine, Crown Shy draws even uptowners down to the Wall Street area for its creative menu that plays with international cuisines. Don't be surprised to find brilliantly fused flavors from Italy, Japan, Mexico, or the Middle East here, all deliciously vegetable-forward and elevating the best of the season's produce. Decor is understated modern-deco, with high ceilings and big windows, a large dining area, and a long, friendly bar. Expect to find plenty of businesspeople on weekdays, giving way to a lively mix of foodies on evenings and weekends. Dishes are priced to invite multiple small-dish tastings, along with a few standout main courses, and creatively balanced desserts.

Its noise-dampening acoustics and maze of underground nooks combine to make Harry's—the fine-dining half of the restaurant (Harry's Side Bar at 62 Stone Street is more casual, with similar small-bites menu)—one of the city's most intimate and exceptional steak houses. Settle into a leather booth and start with a jumbo shrimp cocktail, shellfish platter (serves up to four), or other classic appetizer. Then turn to choices of prime dry-aged beef or fresh fish dishes, and choices of Harry's special sides like its hash-brown potatoes or polenta fries. Weekend brunch is popular, too.

It's hip to be square at this downtown pizzeria that occupies a long, narrow space with modern decor. At this local-favorite, family-run establishment, square (aka old-fashioned or grandma) pies are worth the trek and are a convenient Stone Street stop en route to the Statue of Liberty. They also do a mean traditional round pizza, and first-timers should opt for the signature Old Fashioned: thin, crispy crust loaded with tangy tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese. Salads, pasta, and familiar Italian American dishes are on the menu, too.

Open since 1837, elegant Delmonico's is NYC's third-oldest restaurant, and steeped in history. It was Manhattan's first fine-dining establishment, with an inventive 19th-century chef de cuisine whose most famous dishes, including eggs Benedict, lobster Newberg, and baked Alaska, are still served. The stately dining room is clad in Victorian decor that instantly transports diners to another era. The classic atmosphere complements menu highlights like the signature Delmonico's steak, a boneless rib eye topped with frizzled onions, and a selection of seafood and classic sides. In addition to the main dining room, the iconic, triangular building offers a separate bar and grill with a more contemporary lunch/dinner menu (entrance on Beaver Street); as well as private dining on multiple floors. Reservations are recommended.

At this compact Wall Street café, expect excellent espresso drinks, fine teas, cold-brew coffee on tap, and impressive latte art. Along with fresh and sometimes creative baked goods, you'll have your choice of nondairy milks and natural sweeteners. There are a few spots to sit, but plan to take your drinks and snacks to go.

Enter and check in at street level, then rise 60 stories to experience exceptional menus and incomparable views at this 2018 addition to the upscale Financial District restaurant scene. The nouveau-American dinner experience is available as a three- or four-course tasting menu (excluding beverages, tax, and gratuity). À la carte menus are available for lunch and at the bar. Allow time dining here to savor nuanced, carefully prepared dishes featuring seasonal ingredients and delicate touches of French flair. The open kitchen is decidedly modern, while the sophisticated dining-room atmosphere works for chic executives, special occasions, and discerning downtown visitors. Reservations are essential, but a spontaneous visit may still be accommodated at the bar, which serves fine libations (including nonalcoholic cocktails), with north-facing views of Manhattan as the backdrop.

Adding to downtown’s destination-dining scene is this contemporary-American restaurant helmed by celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson, located on the lobby level of the Perelman Performing Arts Center at the World Trade Center. Its creative dinner menu reinvents, and in some cases, perfects, classic dishes with the freshest ingredients and touches from Italy, Mexico, Japan, and the Caribbean. Lunch features familiar and especially well-made dishes at good prices. Specialty cocktails read as unusual, but often are delightfully tasty, such as the toasted-sesame Manhattan. The space itself is reason enough to visit Metropolis, a serene escape with a small and comfortable bar, outdoor terrace, and spacious dining room adorned with original art, earth-tone furnishings, and undulating backlit wood ribbons across the ceiling. The restaurant also serves snacks and libations to Lobby Stage guests attending its always-free performances.

At this impressive location in a unique setting of Botticino marble that's part of a century-old building lobby, the sushi stalwart serves the innovative Japanese cuisine that namesake master chef Nobu Matsuhisa made famous (though he's rarely in attendance these days). Count on fresh, colorful, daring dishes, or just put your meal in the chef's hands with Nobu's tasting menu ($225), or omakase, then let the kitchen do the rest.

One of Manhattan's last classic standalone diners, Pearl Diner has been serving all the favorites from its compact corner spot since the early 1960s. In the affluent Financial District, it's a welcome relief to find such an affordable (and hearty) menu.

Putting sustainability at the fore, Seamore’s brings local, daily-changing fish and shellfish selections to Battery Park City. Expect a full menu of seafood favorites, from fish tacos, poke, and clam chowder to seared sesame tuna, scallop risotto, and “reel deal” grilled fish with a choice of sides and sauce. The bar stays busy with after-work patrons enjoying weekday happy hours on drinks and oysters. The dining room is spacious and channels an upscale fish-shack vibe, while warm weather and weekend brunch visits are prime times to enjoy the big outdoor terrace.

Located inside the recently reimagined Tin Building on Pier 17 in The Seaport, T. Brasserie is a decidedly polished, classically French dining experience—everything you might expect from elite French chef-restaurateur Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Like the other eateries and market stalls within, it has perfected its specialties, in this case, all the Gallic standards you can conjure, plus a few modern additions. Among the essentials are baked brie, moules (mussels) or steak frites, escargot, and a standout French-onion soup; the newer takes include avocado stuffed with crab salad, gruyere cheeseburger on a puff-pastry bun, and various wood-fired grill dishes. The brunch menu is nearly identical, with more egg options. The space itself is enticing, with lots of green tile, velvet seating, and brass fixtures, and in warmer weather, sitting on the roomy covered terrace is a special delight.

Squeezed between skyscrapers and the towering New York Stock Exchange, Stone Street is a two-block restaurant oasis that feels more like a village than the center of the financial universe. After the market closes, Wall Streeters head to Ulysses, a big, popular pub with 12 beers on tap and more than 50 varieties in bottles, plus seasonal brews; live music; and menu options that include minicheeseburgers, a seafood tower, nachos, and Guinness fish-and-chips. Outdoor seating in warmer weather makes this a neighborhood go-to all summer.