226 Best Restaurants in New York City, New York

The upscale-hacienda appearance of this justifiably popular restaurant showcases some of the best Mexican food in the city, courtesy of Mexican chef Richard Sandoval. Begin with a fresh mango margarita, then tuck into lobster corn empanadas, or the unusual octopus chicharron appetizer. Next, indulge in adobo birria (stew) made with adobo braised, tender roasted pork short rib. The daily happy hour, only at the bar and lounge, gets busy with specials on house margaritas, wines, and Mexican beers, along with tacos, nachos and other small plates. The dessert menu features its own roster of drinks, including Mexican coffee and a 1942 tequila. The bottomless brunch on weekends can get loud, but with unlimited cocktails and dishes you can see why.

"Born, bred, and buttered in Harlem" is how founder Melba Wilson describes herself. After working at New York City mainstays like Rosa Mexicano and the legendary Sylvia's, she decided to venture out on her own, opening Melba's in 2005. Here, she doesn't serve appetizers, but rather "comfortizers," like spring rolls stuffed with rice, black-eyed peas, collard greens, and cheddar cheese. The portions tend to be large enough to almost spill over the edge of the plate, so feel free to go straight for entrées like the Jamaican oxtail, country-fried catfish, or the food-coma-inducing fried chicken and eggnog waffles with strawberry butter and maple syrup.

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.

Part of Alsatian superchef Jean-Georges Vongerichten's culinary empire, the celebrity-laden front room of this SoHo spot in the Mercer Hotel is as much about scene as cuisine, which isn't a bad thing since both are top of the line. Dishes here look toward Italy, using simple ingredients and pairings.

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.

Named after the Montréal neighborhood known for its bagels, Mile End serves takes on Jewish deli staples, the Montrealer way: with smoked meat. Hearty sandwiches include the Eli Reuben (smoked meat, corned beef) and the Lipitorminator (liver and onions with smoked meat). Diners come not just for sandwiches, but for their matzo ball soup, or the quintessential Quebecois dish, poutine.

A hip, cozy place for pizza and small plates, this exposed brick eatery is filling the gap for wood-fired pizza in Astoria. Milkflower's origins hail from New Jersey, where owners Pete and Danny worked in their uncle's pizzeria for 10 years. They noticed there wasn't a pizza joint on their block in Astoria, and so they made the coolest one in town. Enjoy wood-fired, Neapolitan, 12-inch pies with charred crusts with playful names like “Marky Marc” and “Wu-Tang Clam." Pizza isn't the only thing wood-fired here; their wood-fired veggies, crab cake, and tiger prawns are ideal accompaniments.

By converting a moribund 80-year-old Italian restaurant into a cozy hot spot, restaurateur Keith McNally created yet another hit. Try early and often to score reservations, so that you can sample creations like truffle-spiked roasted chicken breast, bone marrow on toast, expertly aged steaks, and the celebrated Black Label burger, a gorgeous assembly of meat with caramelized onions and an added layer of cheese. The barroom, with its original details intact, is great for people-watching. Landing a table in the back room, with its original mural depicting West Village life and wall-to-wall photos of famous and infamous customers from eras gone by, makes sweet-talking the reservationist a worthy endeavor.

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.

Ignore the official name—Momoya Soho—of this stellar bi-level sushi spot that is technically in NoLIta, and focus on having an affordable sushi feast. Getting high-quality sushi in Gotham means forking out a chunk of change, but 100-seat Momoya turns that idea on its head by slicing high-quality sushi for a lower price. The various sushi and sashimi combos are a good deal and the sleek space, with floor-to-ceiling windows, is inviting.

This Filipino spot opened to great fanfare at the end of 2023. That's because it's brought you by the team from impossible-to-get-into Indian eateries Semma and Dhamaka. The top toque, Manila-born Eric Valdez, offers a lavish multicourse tasting menu in the 20-seat dining room in the a back and more affordable à la carte options in the 18-seat front bar room. Some of the dishes can be challenging for nonadventurous eaters—cow testicle or pig brains, anyone?—but there is also excellent fried chicken, bison rib-eye steak, and unctuous pork belly. 

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. 

Dim sum is traditionally served in the morning but if you have a craving at another time, head to this old-school spot in the heart of Chinatown, where dumplings, turnip cakes, rice rolls, and a variety of other small plates are available from early until late in the evening. Nom Wah started out as a tea parlor and bakery in 1920, just a few doors down, and only later started specializing in dim sum, and there's still an impressive selection of specialty tea on the menu.

This ramen and cocktail bar serves up a contemporary twist on Meiji-era period restaurants in Japanese port towns. Spearheaded by Shigefumi “Shige” Kabashima, the drink menu offers 23 inventive cocktails—from the Smoky Pineapple to the Clarified Pina Colada or the Mexican Firing Squad, which features spicy tequila—served in antique drinking vessels. Sakes, wines, and a mocktail round out the list. The food menu is more succinct. Among five types of Chinese-derived ramen, the Kyoto consists of a rich soy, chicken and fish broth combined with pork belly, spicy bamboo shoots, garlic oil, an egg and scallions. Other dishes, such as pork buns, curries, and an oyster of the day are available, along with a beer-steamed mussel adorned with cotton candy. Weekend brunch is also offered.

In a tightly packed, high-energy space, Israeli celeb chef Meir Adoni covers a lot of ground, serving whatever is delicious from Morocco to Yemen—as well as points in between. Standouts include the smoked eggplant carpaccio, the fantastic breads (including the giant Jerusalem sesame bagel and the challah), and just about everything else.

New York hot spots change often, but this spot has managed to maintain its quality and flair since 1980: it still feels like the spot in TriBeCa to rendezvous for lunch or dinner, grab a drink, and get a late-night bite. The neo–art deco room and chill outdoor tables stay full daily with local office workers and nightly with residential revelers who adore the classic French-brasserie vibes. Cocktails are expertly made, and the pleasant service and well-chosen wine list are always in style. Menu highlights include crisp Nicoise salad, buttery croque monsieur, and authentic beef Bourguignon.

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.

The latest addition to chef Cisse Elhadji's ever-growing restaurant roster is PB Brasserie, a traditional French brasserie with a sprinkle of Senegalese spice. This sprawling space is conveniently located on 125th Street, and has traditional French dishes, like tuna tartare, frisée au lardon, salmon bearnaise, and one of the most buttery, cheesy, and decadent mac and cheeses in the neighborhood. But for one of the best meals offered here, go for the moules Africana, a heaping pile of mussels in a warm curry-like broth, best with just a dollop of Senegalese hot spice for an extra kick. While most happy hours are surrounded by drink deals, PB Brasserie has one of the best food-focused happy hours in town, with bites ranging $12--$18 everyday 4--7 pm (don't worry, drink specials are available, too).

This acclaimed corner restaurant takes its name seriously, specializing in sweet dessert pies—apple, pumpkin, and banana cream, to name a few—and the fried chicken thighs to eat before them. Amid vintage decor, diners enjoy Southern-style meals that include catfish, burgers, pulled pork, and, of course, fried chicken (the other parts, too). Sides and breakfast items also abide by the Southern-inspired fare, including biscuits and grits.

You'll want to check out the menu at this chic SoHo spot that's more than a "pinch" above the average Chinese joint thanks to its perfect dumplings and supertasty versions of mapo tofu, three-cup chicken, seafood fried rice, and many other classics. The wine and cocktail list are thoughtfully chosen to pair with the flavorful food.

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).