506 Best Restaurants in New York City, New York

After the huge success of their other restaurants—Dhamaka on the Lower East Side and Adda in Long Island City—79-seat Semma is still the shiniest jewel in this restaurant group's crown. And nabbing a table at a prime hour is reflective of that. Southern Indian fare is the focus here. Semma's menu plucks obscure dishes and recipes that have not yet traveled outside of India and then presents them in a gorgeous, oh-so-edible way. The cocktail program is equally unforgettable, mixing various Indian spices and herbs into spirits to create concoctions that pair perfectly with the award-winning food here. 

This spin-off of Shuka in SoHo first fired up its burners in summer 2021 and was an instant hit, far exceeding in enthusiasm than the original. The focus of this stylish 80-seat eatery is modern Middle Eastern cuisine, with flavor-packed fare that spans the entire region. Chef Ayesha J. Nurdjaja takes traditional recipes and goes a step further with them, adding, for example, red onions and a sauce of chilies and garlic to the ultracreamy hummus or stewed lamb hiding inside the kibbeh. There's a delicious surprise on every plate.

The name of this standout Thai restaurant is pronounced "sood," and translates to "recipe"—highlighting the fact that the menu is based on family recipes from around Thailand. This also means that, while familiar dishes like pad Thai are on offer, there are lots of items that might be unfamiliar and are definitely worth trying, like the koong karee (a creamy shrimp and egg curry), the flaky fried puff pastry stuffed with flavor-popping minced pork, and the caramelized duck noodles.

A long-beloved, cash-only Thai option, SriPraPhai (pronounced "see-PRA-pie") has a huge main menu as well as an equally expansive one for vegetarians. Although it's hard to go wrong, good bets include the crispy watercress salad, laab (ground pork salad with dry chili, mint, and lime juice), fried tamarind duck, kao-soy (curried egg noodles), or sautéed chicken with cashews and pineapple. If you go with a few people, order the delicately flavored whole steamed fish, but prepare your palate: your mouth might feel like a five-alarm fire by the time you're finished.

Named for a neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, there really isn't anything particularly Brazilian about this diminutive, all-day corner café. In the morning and afternoon, perch yourself at the bar for superlative coffee, excellent eggy dishes, sandwiches, and variations on the theme of toast. In the evening, the lights go down, the natural wine bottles get uncorked, and the kitchen churns out Mediterranean-leaning snacks to nibble on. 

Friendly service and convivial, colorful crowds have transformed this bi-level, renovated warehouse into a quirky neighborhood institution with rotating art and music shows and frequent DJ sets. The kitchen's organic menu changes daily, plus there's a weekend brunch with live Americana music. 

This unassuming spot at the corner of 3rd Avenue and 78th Street is a high-end sushi restaurant offering one of the city's best sushi experiences in a Sukiya-style interior of bamboo and cedar woods. With a seasonal omakase menu curated nightly by chef Nozomu Abe (known as "Noz"), including masterfully prepared Edomae sushi with fresh fish flown in from Japan, the two intimate nightly seatings at two counters (an eight-seat, 200-year-old, hinoki wood counter and a six-seat, rare tamo ash counter) are detail-perfect, memorable affairs with exceptional hospitality. Chef Noz presents at the hinoki counter weekdays. But the price, $495, is exorbitant. For a more reasonable yet still luxurious dining experience, diners can have a 16-course omakase meal next door at Cafe Noz for $155. 

Just a short walk from the 7 train is an easy-to-miss, unsuspecting izakaya, Takumen. Serving up giant bowls of slurpy noodles in salty, umami-packed broths, Takumen does ramen near perfectly, but they offer plenty more delectable dishes, too. Go for a variety of obanzai (izakaya samplers), like the sesame tofu edamame salad and the kombu cauliflower-and-broccoli pop. While their ramen dishes are naturally more desirable in the wintertime, they also have a year-round ice-cream window, where they serve soft-serve in flavors like matcha and vanilla, along with anmitsu, a traditional Japanese dessert made with red bean paste and agar jelly.

David Geffen Hall was probably the last place most New Yorkers would think to go for a chopped cheese sandwich, that is until New York City chef Kwame Onwuachi took this iconic NYC staple out of the local deli and into a shimmering space in Lincoln Center, elevating it accordingly with a steamed bun, dry-aged beef, smoked mozzarella, and shaved black truffles. Within weeks of opening, the celeb chef's first New York City restaurant was lauded and applauded by locals and media alike for bringing delicious African and Caribbean flavors and interesting twists on classic New York dishes to Lincoln Center, and specifically back to San Juan Hill, an area that once housed a vibrant community of Black and brown residents who were removed for the center's development. A couple of years in, this is one of New York City's highest-rated restaurants and one of the city's hottest reservations. The vibes are relaxed and upscale, with comfortable booths, marble tables, floor-to-ceiling gold link chains, and cloudlike light fixtures that change color—all set to a loud and lively soundtrack of classic and contemporary hip-hop. The menu is inspired by the chef's experience working in some of New York City's top kitchens; his mom's Creole cooking; and the Nigerian, Trinidadian, and Jamaican foods he grew up eating in the Bronx. Standouts include egusi (a one-pot soup) dumplings, Jamaican curried goat patties, and a flavorful pastrami sandwich, served on the bone, coated with a Nigerian-inspired suya (spice blend) with a side of warm bread. Just be sure to leave room for the Harlem Chocolate Factory white chocolate cheesecake. 

You won't need to jump on the next flight to Athens or the next ferry to Santorini to indulge in some of the best Greek food in the world. Instead, you'll find it right here in Astoria in this brightly lit eatery. Fried calamari, spanakopita, and grilled octopus make appearances on the menu, as do more out-of-the-ordinary dishes like taramosalata (caviar dip) and souvlaki kfsifias (swordfish kebabs). Lamb chops drip with juice, and grilled sardines are so fresh, you'd swear they were just pulled from the sea. Be prepared to wait for a table at peak times, as this restaurant doesn't take reservations. There's also an additional location in Bayside, Queens.

Little Italy may not be home to any real Italian-seeming restaurant, but this intimate Galician tapas spot readily evokes the spirit of northern Spain and its gastronomic traditions. The kitchen excels at regional seafood dishes like grilled octopus with pimentón (red pepper), and the sea scallops with jamon, served in the shell, but meatier options like the lamb chops are also delicious.

With its high ceiling, green pillars sculpted into the walls, and deep, circular leather booths on the periphery of the dining room, opulent Torrisi is a quintessential New York dining experience. Technically, Torrisi is Italian cuisine, but the menu is an homage to old immigration patterns to Little Italy, Chinatown, and the Lower East Side, as dishes' ingredients often make references to various demographics: the chopped chicken liver with Manischewitz, octopus Nha Trang, stir-fried lobster with ginger ... you get the idea. There are plenty of pastas on the menu, too—the spaghetti with lamb Amatriciana is outstanding. 

Husband-wife chef duo Alex Raij and Eder Montero are the talented toques behind this wonderful restaurant that relies on Spain's Basque Country for inspiration. Prop yourself at the inviting bar in the front room or grab a table in the back and get ready to be wowed by dishes like crispy beef cheeks and jowl, tender swordfish belly paired with smoked eggplant, and gooey croquettes (the ingredients of which change weekly). The restaurant has a great wine list of Spanish wines, particularly from La Rioja. 

If you need evidence that Rockaway is becoming hip, look no further than this sceney spot serving a mix of Uzbek and Central Asian specialties. There are juicy pelmeni (meat) and manti (spicy lamb or butternut squash) dumplings, lagman noodles, and savory filled pastries known as bichaki, plus the expected very good borscht. There are also Korean menu options like Korean carrot salad and scallion pancakes, as a nod to the large Korean diaspora in Uzbekistan. Pressed tin ceilings, exposed-brick walls, and menus written on blackboards give the place a decidedly Brooklyn vibe.

Noted restaurateur Danny Meyer's unpretentious but classy American restaurant has been serving impressively well-executed food to much acclaim since it first opened on Union Square in 1985, and the tradition continues in this elegantly clubby spot a few blocks north of the original location. It's almost impossible to go wrong anywhere on the menu; this place is truly the real deal, with standout steak, fish, and pasta dishes, as well as excellent desserts.

The prefix "un-" in this acclaimed Thai restaurant's name is a double entendre: un, homophone of the nickname of its chef, Aun Kampimarn; and un as in it proudly serves unconventional Thai food, when compared to common Thai take-out fare like pad Thai or Panang curry. Here, supple okra finds balance with crispy fried garlic, whole fishes are smothered in curries, and northern Thai dishes of steak or ground pork have a perfect balance of spice flavor and heat. For those wanting to turn the spiciness up to a new level, they also offer "WHAT THE HELL!!" fried rice, with 12 unapologetic chili icons on the menu to denote its intensity.

Fresh, flavorful dishes from around Southeast Asia are calling at this enticing and unexpected Midtown food hall. Tucked mid-block between 6th and 7th Avenues, with entrances on both 50th and 51st Streets, Urban Hawker is an ode to Singaporean food markets. Browse affordable meals, snacks, and desserts from 17 vendors representing Malay, Peranakan, Indian, Japanese, Chinese, and other cuisines, and sip drinks at gin-centric The Sling Bar.

Outfitted with candlelit tables and a twinkling rear garden, this romantic destination is well worth the sloping walk up from the waterfront. Seasonal menus include inventive new American fare and crowd-pleasing brunch dishes, with a couple of pasta dishes and classics like roast chicken, chicken liver mousse, and pork chops always in rotation. Wait times can be considerable, but the cozy bar pours potent cocktails, local beers, and wine by the glass in the interim.

Enter the airy dining room and feel instantly calmed by Zou Zou's natural light, soft woods, hanging plants, and brass fixtures. Then turn to the tantalizing menu of small dishes, crudos, shareable dips, and filling mains, each enhanced by exotic spices and herbs from all around the Mediterranean Sea. Vegetables are celebrated here, whether as ingredients or starring attractions. The open kitchen's grills keeps the aromas flowing, while the long marble bar inspires zingy cocktail explorations. Pop into upstairs lounge Chez Zou's for drinks after 5 pm.

Set on the corner of Bleecker and Carmine Streets across from Father Demo Square, this American restaurant is as simple as its name. Try to nab a seat at the bar/chef's counter to get a front-row seat of the large hearth where chefs put fire to a vegetable-forward menu, plus one of the best roast chickens in the city. The wood-fired whole fish, doused with green curry, is also excellent, as is pretty much anything that comes from the hearth. The short but nicely curated wine list complements the food menu well. 

This perennially packed Hell's Kitchen brasserie has been a magnet for burger lovers since day one. Though the menu offers a mix of flavors—including matzo ball soup, shrimp tempura, and salad bowls—the main attractions are the juicy patties, like the original 10-ounce patty melt with a tangle of onions, Gruyère cheese, and rosemary aioli. There's an option for everyone, including vegan options and a "Cali Reuben" turkey burger. For dessert, have an über-thick black-and-white malted milk shake.