101 Best Restaurants in New York City, New York

Pizza nerds already know to come to DUMBO for Juliana's and Grimaldi's, but now they'll rejoice knowing that renowned L&B Spumoni Gardens has entered the Old Fulton Street pizza arena—since its original location in the southern Brooklyn neighborhood of Bensonhurst has often been considered out of the way. While L&B became famous for their acclaimed Sicilian-style pizza pies, they also serve heroes, pastas, and other classic Italian-American entrées.

A true staple in New York City, if you're looking for an authentic Queens experience, there are few as true as eating an Italian ice from the Lemon Ice King of Corona on a hot summer day. A neighborhood institution for more than 70 years, this place has dozens of flavors to dig into, from piña colada to spumoni to peanut butter. Just note, there are no seats.

Brick walls, red-and-white-checked tablecloths, and the aroma of delicious thin-crust pies emerging from the coal oven set the mood for dining on some of the best pizza in Manhattan, and Lombardi's has been serving it up since 1905 (though not in the same location). The mozzarella is always fresh, resulting in a nearly greaseless slice, and the toppings, such as meatballs, pancetta, or imported anchovies, are also top quality.

There are more than enough ice-cream shops in this kid-oriented section of Brooklyn, but none quite like Malai. The Indian founder has imbued her frozen concoctions with South Asian ingredients that hark back to her childhood, which means you'll be able to enjoy flavors you might not find anywhere else in the city. In addition to coconut tahini with date caramel, or a simple masala chai, the shop also offers a rotating list of seasonal flavors, often to commemorate special holidays like Diwali.

New York's first full-service meatball restaurant has a pedigreed chef, a professional waitstaff, a wine list, and a hip crowd. And the meatballs, oh, the meatballs: choose beef, pork, chicken, veggie, or "special" ball options that range from chili cheese to Greek lamb to Buffalo chicken; then decide if you want them served in sliders or a hero, as a salad, or as a platter.

The tiny East Village location of this combination bakery and ice-cream parlor is just steps away from the original, which began serving pastry whiz Christina Tosi's innovative treats back in 2008. Swing by for a slice of the famed "candy bar pie" (caramel, peanut-butter nougat, and pretzels atop a chocolate-cookie crust), a compost cookie (made with pretzels, potato chips, and chocolate chips), or some of the creatively flavored soft-serve ice cream (cereal milk, lemon verbena).

From uptown church ladies to former president Bill Clinton, Miss Mamie's Spoonbread Too attracts a diverse clientele with a common goal—to enjoy a hearty helping of comforting soul food. The uncluttered interior is mostly beige, with family portraits hanging on the walls, and former model and best-selling cookbook author Norma Jean Darden uses passed-down recipes to create mouthwatering dishes like fried or smothered chicken, fried or baked catfish, barbecue ribs, collard greens, and baked macaroni and cheese. Save room for dessert like sweet potato pie and homemade peach cobbler.

With about 50 flavors to choose from, everyone is going to scream for ice cream at this popular spot, frequented by locals and visitors alike. There are the classic flavors and the not-so-classic scoops like Vietnamese coffee, salt-and-pepper pine nut, Arnold Palmer cobbler, and peanut Butterfinger.

If the Upper West Side and the French Riviera collided, it might look a little bit like Nice Matin. This longtime neighborhood favorite is particularly popular in warm-weather months, when regulars plant themselves at sidewalk tables and gawk at passersby while munching on Gallic fare like pan-roasted monkfish, garlicky mussels, and, of course, steak frites. The novel-size wine list has more than 2,000 bottles, so bring your reading glasses. 

The array of delectable baked goods at this counter-serve spot imported from Denmark is what lures most customers, but locals know this is also a great place for sandwiches, soups, and fresh bread. If you like cinnamon, you must try the cinnamon pastries.

Thai restaurants come and go, but this one has stayed, in large part due to its authentic tastes and no-frills prices, including a two-course prix-fixe lunch (appetizer and shrimp, chicken, or beef main) for under $12. The decor is no-frills contemporary, allowing the food to shine.  Adventure beyond pad Thai to explore curries and lemongrass-scented meat, fish, and noodle dishes. Save room for green tea ice cream or paper-thin crepes slathered with green tea custard.

This diner-inspired eatery has been described as "a love letter to the Midwest." Named after the mother of restaurateur Greg Baxtrom—illustrious chef of several prominent eateries—this family-friendly restaurant has pivoted its menu from elevated renditions of nostalgic Midwestern dishes like fish sticks and French bread pizza, to a focus on all-day breakfast items, some classic diner sandwiches, and most prominently, Chicago tavern-style pizza pies—flat, circular pies with crispy crusts—not to be confused with Chicago deep-dish.

One of an increasing number of artisanal pizza shops, Philomena's serves both squares and slices, Neapolitan and New York style. The squares are chewy and bouncy while the crust on those slices is crisp and nearly caramelized thanks to the 72-hour fermentation process behind the dough. You can't go wrong with a classic slice, but Philomena's does funky well; go for a broccoli rabe and chickpea puree slice, a fiori di zucca, or a "spicy Mikey," made with hot honey, soppressata, and mozzarella.

At Ponty Bistro, Franco-Senegalese cuisine reigns supreme. The sophisticated flavors and cooking traditions of Senegal are combined with French and Mediterranean dishes. They are served alongside house cocktails in a warm, dark-wood bistro in this oft-neglected reach of Central Harlem. Try dishes like poisson yassa (a whole branzino with white rice), three cheese gougeres (French cheese puffs), or niokolokoba (grilled sirloin steak with African spice).

What started 10 years ago as a catering business is now also a beloved, women-owned café, with attractive baked goods, as well as sandwiches, soups, frittatas, and focaccia for lunch. There's also a smattering of pantry items, as well as prepared foods to take home, plus outdoor seating on one of Cobble Hill's prettiest little streets.

Follow the line of people that often winds down the block to find this tiny counter-serve spot that serves some of the best pizza in downtown NY. Grandma slices (the square ones) are the thing to order here, and the pizza with 'roni cups (those little rounds of pepperoni) is what made this place IG-famous, but our favorite is the square margherita slice, which really showcases that delicious homemade tomato sauce.

You may have noticed Red Hook Lobster Pound food trucks hawking lobster rolls around the city, but it all began here at this building that originally served as a lobster pound, selling fresh live lobsters driven down from Maine each week by its founders. Today, it has evolved into their flagship brick-and-mortar seafood restaurant, offering a wide selection of seafood platters, plus happy-hour oysters from 4 to 6 pm.

Neapolitan-style thin-crust pizza with a slightly doughy-chewy crust is the focus at this boisterous Italian spot, where the servers are used to feeding crowds and yet don't make customers feel rushed. And if you’re not in the mood for pizza, the pastas and the meatballs are also highly recommended.

It's no secret you can eat cuisine from all corners of the world in Queens, but if there's one type of food New York does best, it's Italian, and Queens is no exception. Sac's Place, a family-run eatery in Astoria, is a classic red sauce joint. Known as one of Tony Bennett’s favorite restaurants, a regular offering on the menu in tribute to the late singer is rigatoni al filetto di pomodoro, a simple pasta dish featuring fresh tomatoes. Aside from the Tony special, try their pizza, which from April through November is served in the outdoor pizza garden on 35th Avenue. If you happen to be around in November, head to the annual Pig Roast dinner, a traditional nod to their roots in Abruzzo.

Although there are other locations of Danny Meyer's burger joint around town and around the world, Madison Square Park is where it all began (as a hot dog cart!); there's no indoor seating—just outdoor lines (go early or late to avoid a wait). The Angus beef burgers are ground daily, making them some of the freshest and tastiest in the city. For a couple more bucks you can order a double, a stack, or a vegetarian 'Shroom Burger—a melty, Muenster-and-cheddar-stuffed fried portobello. The menu also offers chicken, hot dogs, French fries, frozen custard, and—of course—shakes.

At a time when some pizzerias in the city are charging more than $25 for Neapolitan-style margherita pizza, Simò is a welcome bite of pizza dough. Most pies hover around the $14 mark, and here affordable does not mean bad quality. Simò's offerings, especially the margherita and the cacio e pepe pie, are excellent. In addition, there's wine and prosecco by the glass, also priced below $10. So stop in after a walk on the High Line and mangia, mangia! There's a second location near Union Square on University Place and East 11th Street. 

Wylie Dufresne’s friendly pizza parlor serves classic and creative 12-inch pies on artisanal dough. You can dig into everything from a Classic NY with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan to a Danny Boy topped with dan dan chicken, vodka sauce, sesame, and cilantro. If you’re lucky, nab one of the cushioned booths.  

Painted portraits of neighborhood locals adorn the arched walls of this husband-and-wife-owned, small-batch scoop shop. The selection of about 10 ice-cream flavors rotates seasonally; try summer favorites like "Sweet Socialism," a foolproof dairy-free sorbet with an incredibly creamy texture made with single-estate Madagascar dark chocolate, or "Chairperson of the Board," a blueberry cheesecake fan favorite. The "What's up, Doc?" is a play on carrot cake ice cream, and "The Unicorn" is as colorful as it sounds. In the winter, opt for a hot chocolate topped with a scoop of ice cream and a ring of torched marshmallow. There are two other locations; one farther uptown, and one on Lexington Avenue on the east side.

The cupcake craze isn't dead yet, and this old-school, cozy bakeshop—the brainchild of two former Magnolia Bakery employees—turns out delectable options. Try the chocolate-almond Gooey Gooey or the cream cheese frosting–topped pumpkin; flavors are intense but not too-too sweet. Some believe that the real showstopper is the swoon-inducing banana pudding, with crumbled Nilla wafers suspended in vanilla pudding.

A Harlem mainstay, Sylvia's has been serving soul-food favorites like smothered chicken, barbecue ribs, collard greens, and mashed potatoes to a dedicated crowd of locals, tourists, and college students since 1962. Owner Sylvia Woods may have passed on in 2012, but her restaurant and signature sauces, jarred and sold online and in the restaurant, are more popular than ever. Some say it's overly touristy—as the busloads attest—but it's still worth a visit. For the best bang for your buck, come during the week for the lunch special, where you can get one main and one side for only $14.