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Ready to take a bite out of New York? Hope you've come hungry. In a city where creativity is expressed in innumerable ways, the food scene takes center stage, with literally thousands of chances to taste what Gotham is all about. Whether lining up at street stands, gobbling down legendary deli and diner grub, or chasing a coveted reservation at the latest celebrity-chef venue, New Yorkers are a demanding yet appreciative audience.
Every neighborhood offers temptations high, low, and in between, meaning there's truly something for every taste, whim, and budget. No matter how you approach dining out here, it's hard to go wrong. Planning a day of shopping among the glittering flagship boutiques along 5th and Madison Avenues? Stop into one of the Upper East Side's storied restaurants for a repast among the "ladies who lunch." Clubbing in the Meatpacking District? Tuck into a meal at eateries as trendy as their patrons. Craving authentic ethnic? From food trucks to hidden joints, there are almost more choices than there are appetites. Recent years have also seen entire food categories, from ramen to meatballs to mac 'n' cheese, riffed upon and fetishized, and at many restaurants you find an almost religious reverence for seasonal, locally sourced cuisine.
And don't forget—New York is still home to more celebrity chefs than any other city. Your chances of running into your favorite cookbook author, Food Network celeb, or paparazzi-friendly chef are high, adding even more star wattage to a restaurant scene with an already through-the-roof glamour quotient. Newfound economic realities, however, have revived appreciation for value, meaning you can tap into wallet-friendly choices at every level of the food chain. Rest assured, this city does its part to satisfy your appetite. Ready, set, eat.
This cocktail-forward Anglo-Indian restaurant and bar, a warm, low-lit space with wooden tables, pays homage to the flavors and beverages found in the bistros, cafés, and supper clubs of "Old Bombay" in the early 20th century. In addition to biryanis, samosas, and kebabs, well-liked menu choices extend to butter chicken tikka masala, Goan pork vindaloo, and saag paneer (spicy greens cooked with Indian cheese), while the extensive beverage menu features reinvented cocktails such as Indian Spiced Old-Fashioned and the Bombay Gin Fizz---but think about ordering the house paanch, a five-ingredient drink whose name is a Hindi word commonly associated with punch. The Munkey prix-fixe dinner includes a cocktail, main course, and dessert.
Both a bustling food hall and a marketplace where you can shop for produce, baked goods, prepared foods, and kitchen staples, Eataly is a temple to all things gourmet Italian. You can graze at individual stands, sit down for a meal at one of several restaurants that each specialize in different aspects of Italian cuisine, or head upstairs to Serra by Birreria, a covered rooftop space that's open year-round and serves Italian specialties and microbrews that change with the seasons.
The Edge Harlem is housed in what was once a meeting place for key figures of the Harlem Renaissance like Zora Neal Hurston and Langston Hughes. Known for its cozy, rustic decor and creative food, this quaint but upbeat eatery is brought to you by a family unit, including two sisters, Juliet and Justine. With their British and Jamaican heritage driving the menu items, the shrimp and Parmesan grits are a standout, along with the codfish fritters and jerk chicken. On the weekends, don't miss out on the national dish of Jamaica, ackee and saltfish, best served with festival, a fried, crunchy bread.
This snug Lebanese café caters to locals with its popular vegan platters, mixed kebabs for two (with kofta, chicken, and lamb), shawarmas, and more. Seating is limited, but if you can snag a seat at lunch or dinnertime, you’re in for a treat. Try the mint lemonade and falafel sandwich, a house blend of chickpeas and fava beans, topped with turnip and pickles. For a carnivorous option, go for the El Toum sandwich, made with ground beef and pine nuts.
Broadway lovers hungry for more music and dance will get a kick out of Ellen's, a 1950s-style, multilevel diner with a singing waitstaff and all-day breakfast. The menu focuses on all-American classics like meat loaf and chicken potpie, and the servers serenading you on roller skates dazzle with Broadway-caliber talent. It's the kind of over-the-top family fun that makes sense in Times Square, so expect a vivacious dining experience.
The specialties at this beloved Brooklyn pizzeria and Italian-ish eatery, named for its proprietor and situated on a charming block, range from Detroit-style grandma pies (think square instead of round, thick instead of thin) to wood-fired pizzas with ingredients like clams, anchovies, and Calabrian chilies. One item that might convince you to forego pizza, though, is the signature burger, an American cheese and caramelized onion–topped beef patty on a pretzel bun.
This flagship by chef Alex Stupak (wd~50 and Allinea) applies Mexican influences toward an inventive contemporary American menu amid an open kitchen, two-level seating, and a display case adorned with ceramics in unique shapes and sizes. For the table dishes encompass queso fundido (baked cheese) with steak tartare and crab nachos with sea urchin. Taco variations are unexpected but delightful—maitake mushrooms, pastrami, dry aged beef picadillo (ground beef and potatoes simmered in a spicy tomato sauce) and lobster. Their fajitas are also unique, with jumbo tiger prawns or surf and turf, but the dessert selection has gotten much attention. In particular, the "avocado" does resemble the fruit but it's actually a creamy, lime-flavored parfait.
Just a short walk from the ferry terminal, Enoteca Maria began an ordinary Italian eatery, with several nonne (Italian grandmas) in the place of a chef, each one cooking regional dishes on different nights. They've since branched out to celebrate global cuisines with "Nonnas of the World," and have been recognized for that incentive. On any given night you might sample Ukrainian, Sri Lankan, Greek, or Argentinian comfort food, cooked with organic ingredients sourced locally when possible. Check their website's calendar to find out what country the next nonna hails from, before she prepares dishes for you in this small, but welcoming space.
On an out-of-the-way stretch of the Lower East Side, Ernesto's refined atmosphere and creative, daily-changing menu of satisfying Spanish and Basque delights transports diners to coastal Spain. This isn't the small plates, tapas-style Spanish restaurant that New Yorkers are familiar with, though sharing dishes like a tortilla española (egg and potato omelet) or creamy croquetas (ham-filled deep-fried fritters) and heartier fare like seared duck breast slathered in a port and foie gras sauce or baked salt cod in a garlicky green sauce is not frowned upon.
The name is Italian for "bait," and this restaurant lures you in with a long menu of delectable crudo preparations and then hooks you with bold entrées that might include whole salt-baked branzino, sea bass for two, or bucatini pasta with spicy baby octopus. The restaurant saw a few changes when longtime chef Dave Pasternack bought it in 2019, but its menu remains sharp, as does the adventurous Italian wine selection.
Stop by this tiny counter-serve for impressive Asian-inspired vegan snacks like a take on the sloppy joe sandwich, made with mushrooms served on a sesame pancake, and perfectly chewy sticky rice dumplings that get a zing from chili oil. Although there's no actual seating, they do serve canned wine, beer, and sake.
The mantra here is "rice is culture." Chef JJ Johnson, a James Beard Award--winning chef, founded this rice bowl shop in 2019 with a focus on heirloom grains and the countries and places from which they're harvested. Top bowls include crispy chicken with barbecue sauce over Carolina gold rice, sticky rice with shrimp in a green curry sauce, and an Indian-inspired veggie bowl with basmati rice. The crab pockets (Johnson's version of a crab rangoon with garlic herbed cream cheese) are a delicious snack or side. Wash it all down with a pineapple ginger lemonade.
Authentic and flavorful contemporary Mexican food, perfectly mixed cocktails, and amiable staff define this cozy restaurant, overseen by award-winning chef and cookbook author Roberto Santibañez. While happy hours at the bar are popular, stay for dinner to enjoy enchiladas with mole, lump crab croquettes with avocado serrano sauce, or poblano peppers with roasted-tomato chipotle sauce. The small space is always buzzing, plus there's backyard seating.
A longtime favorite culinary pioneer in Carroll Gardens, Frank Castronovo and Frank Falcinelli's Italian American restaurant has atmosphere to spare between the backyard and former blacksmith stable. Choose from the well-conceived menu's shareable salads (many with vegetables roasted or marinated with the Frankies' own Sicilian olive oil); house-made ravioli; meatballs with pine nuts and raisins; and crusty sandwiches that ask to be shared. The next-door F&F Pizzeria and Franks Wine Bar are both celebrated destinations in their own right.
New Yorkers in all neighborhoods were delighted to welcome this second branch of the famed Friend of a Farmer, if only because a second outpost means a second chance at scoring a table for their legendary weekend brunch. The Gramercy location opened in the 1980s and is known for its cottage-core vibes, hearty servings, and as a pioneer in the farm-to-table movement offering seasonal and locally sourced ingredients. This Upper West Side location offers the same wholesome appeal and experience. While the brunch gets most of the attention (a fallout of the original location appearing on best-of NYC brunch lists for the last decade), the supper menu is as comforting as the farmhouse decor suggests. Look for all your favorites, from Chicken Pot Pie to Shepherd's Pie (there's a vegan option, too), burgers, fish, grain bowls, and duck.
Decor-wise it’s what you might expect from a diner: a few simple tables plus some counter seating looking over the grill, and the menu seems familiar, but most items have a global twist that reflects the neighborhood, like a club sandwich made with chicken katsu (Japanese-style fried chicken), a Cobb salad with a Thai twist, and lemongrass-accented avocado toast.
The star of this casual-dining scene is the perfectly crisp fish (made with sustainable cod) and "natural" sea-salt chips, but you can swap in shrimp, lobster, or chicken for the combo if you prefer. Located right behind the Good Morning America studios, it's a prime location for a fried bite (takeaway or dine in) in Times Square. If you're feeling adventurous, the chips are also served in three “dirty” options: truffle, Parmesan, and chives; chipotle, jalapeño, and crisp chorizo; or bacon, cheddar cheese, green onions, and sour cream.
Mike Puma was a burger blogger with a dream: to open his own burger joint. That dream came true in early 2024 when this corner burger shop fired up its burners, grilling thin smash burgers with a nicely charred exterior. There are also fries, onion rings, hot dogs, fried pickles, and a surprisingly good chopped cheese taco, a riff on the sandwich that originated in East Harlem bodegas. The spot is ideally located for a quick bite during a Lower East Side bar crawl.
A traditional New York diner, this place has been slinging the classics since it opened in 1979. The diner recently has undergone a renovation and made changes to their kitchen and menu, while still continuing to be a local favorite spot. Breakfast is a popular time to dine here and lunch and dinner hours also draw in patrons. Sure bets are many styles of omelets along with waffles, and pancakes with a choice of delicious add-ons like fresh berries or chocolate chips. Other favorites among the regulars include beef burgers, salads, and triple-decker sandwiches such as the turkey club.
It's a stand-up (no seats) or take-out dive, but yes, limos often stop here, too, for the legendary hot dogs—they are fresh grilled on a flattop and delicious, and quite the economical meal, even when they're washed down with the eponymous papaya drink. The ongoing recession special is two grilled hot dogs and a fresh fruit drink for just $7.50, and cheap breakfast offerings include the quintessential egg and cheese on a roll.
Although the soups and the noodle options are consistently excellent at this no-frills restaurant, what you should really order here are dishes that involve the hanging lacquered ducks and other window "decorations." These are listed on a simple board and superbly served with pungent garlic-and-ginger sauce on the side. Seasonal specialties like duck with flowering chives and salt-baked soft-shell crabs are memorable.
Dining at this sceney, upscale eatery in the sharp, clean-lined Philip Johnson interior of the Seagram Building will transport you to the age of mid-century Mad Men; a reboot of the famous Four Seasons restaurant. But the food is even more thrilling—chefs Rich Torrisi and Mario Carbone (Dirty French, Parm, Carbone) took over in 2017 and created an instant classic, one that both updates the American menu and relies on the space's rich history. Pheasant is sprinkled with black truffles; lamb chops have a hint of curry oil; prime rib is carved table-side. Polish off your meal with a flambéed cherries jubilee. Eating here is like taking a bite into sophisticated Big Apple history; those with a craving to splurge should keep this spot on their list.
