208 Best Restaurants in New York City, New York

New York has seen a proliferation of food halls in the past few years, but few are as sleek and modern as this LIC space. Fitting for its borough, JACX&CO offers a wide range of innovative flavors from independent chefs, including refreshing, vegetable-forward Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fare from taïm, fresh juices from Essex Squeeze, and omakase upstairs at Sushi Nikko. For a less vegetable-forward meal, try a smash burger at Paper Plate, a slice from Ace's Pizza, or grab a cocktail at the bar.

New Yorkers love Joe because it's a minichain that was born and bred right here in the city. And while there are locations scattered around Manhattan, this diminutive spot has the distinction of being the onetime place of employment of the guy who inspired the Saturday Night Live character and nightlife authority Stefan, as the actor who played him, Bill Hader, would regularly pop in here before heading up to 30 Rock. It's also a good pitstop for those walking the High Line. This place has everything.

You might recognize this Village institution from its frequent cameos in TV and film (in Spider-Man, Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker was a Joe's delivery boy). But it's the classic, gooey, New York slice, dripping melted cheese onto paper plates, that really makes the place famous. And in a city brimming with by-the-slice spots, the crispy-bottomed offerings here are the best.

Even among the overwhelming options in Flushing, this spot still feels new and unique. It’s namesake dish is cheong fun, a squidgy, chewy, slippery rice-flour roll beloved in Hong Kong, and you can also order egg crepes known as jianbing or Chinese pancakes with your choice of meat topping. Joe's Signature rice roll, a heaping portion that could easily feed two, comes with beef, dried shrimp, pork, eggs, and veggies.

Seven shops within four blocks of Arthur Avenue make fresh mozzarella daily, but Joe's is one you don't want to skip. (The trick is, they add the perfect amount of salt.) For lunch, dive into one of the gigantic hero sandwiches, a generous portion of chicken parmigiana, or one of the other daily specials from the hot bar. The ceiling is draped with assorted house-made and imported cheeses, as well as multiple types of prosciutto and other meats.

You can think of kati rolls as South Asian tacos: griddled parathas (flatbreads) stuffed with savory-spiced grilled meat, shrimp, paneer, chickpea mash, or spiced mashed potato. They're the only things sold at this tiny, popular spot cheerfully festooned with Bollywood posters. This is an excellent and inexpensive lunch option, but lines often form on weekdays, and there are only a few seats, so a good plan is to take your kati roll to a nearby park bench. There are also locations at 39th Street and 6th Avenue, at Third Avenue and E. 43rd Street, and on 2nd Avenue at St. Marks Place.

If you're craving something dessert-ish but not too sweet, the light and "bouncy" Japanese-style cheesecakes and cream puffs in flavors like matcha, ube, and cookies and cream from this little shop are delicious. The American-style cheesecake is really good, too.

The Kobrick family has been procuring and roasting coffee for four generations. So, if you want an expertly made cup of java, this family-run spot in the heart of the neighborhood is the perfect place for a pick-me-up. The café has become well-known for its booze-spiked coffee libations from its back bar, including caffeinated takes on the Negroni, the martini, and the margarita. 

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.

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.

Tucked in Williamsburg's old-school Italian American residential area is this homey Italian café adorned with old vintage toys and other nostalgic knickknacks. They're known for serving proper Italian coffee to sip along with their several breakfast offerings, daily soups, pastries, or their house-made piadines (unleavened Italian flatbread) filled with meats and cheeses—or even just Nutella.

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.

Melbourne’s coffee culture is on display at this breakfast, brunch, and lunch spot that’s known for its flat whites, avocado toast, and a rotating French toast special—with a recent version having a crème brûlée filling. This busy café’s vast all-day menu also includes many brekkie options (consider the breakfast burrito), salads, sandwiches, and a daily soup. There’s a little cheekiness here, too, as the brand’s mascot—a green expressive cup named Collin—is prominent. 

This little shop on a side street has some pretty fascinating grocery products—pickles, dried persimmons, walnut-based satsivi sauce, and frozen khinkali (Georgian handheld dumplings)—but the real draw is the prepared food counter. Go for the khachapuri, the beloved Georgian cheese-filled bread that varies by region, or the Georgian-style chicken shawarma. There's no seating here, so be prepared to take your hot snack to the beach, or more likely, to eat it while walking, since you won't be able to resist digging in.

A tiny, rustic-styled, indie coffee spot, Lucid serves excellent, boldly flavored coffee, an array of teas and chai, and hot chocolate, as well as tasty pastries. Their house-made almond milk goes nicely with their flat white. Savor the delicious aromas inside the homey space with its small wooden tables, and ask about special or seasonal coffee flavors. It's popular with both travelers and locals.

Colorful plates and kitschy trivets adorn the walls of the tiny café off 31st Ave, with some additional seating on the covered patio that makes it a great stopover for a delicious latte and almond croissant. They also have chocolate soufflé and gluten-free almond ricotta cake on the menu for a quick sweet treat, but if you're craving something savory, go for a simit (savory circular bread) sandwich.

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.

If you've ever imagined that you lived in the French countryside, your dream home would probably look like this rustic counter-serve spot, and if you were lucky, your French maman would turn out baked goods as delicious as what you'll find here. Croissants, cookies, and moist loaf cakes share the display case and there's a short menu of salads, sandwiches, and quiches.

At the base of the Shops at Hudson Yards is this sprawling love letter to Spanish gastronomy, helmed by chef José Andrés and team. You can eat at self-serve tables; dine in full-service restaurants, Mar, Spanish Diner, or Leña; or pull up a stool at La Barra to sample delectable tapas (with vegetarian and seafood selections) and terrific wine and cocktails. The venue features fresh market (mercado) stands of produce, cheese, jamón (ham), pasteles (pastries), and more, as well as dedicated seafood and paella outposts.

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).