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I'm in New York for a week and need some help choosing restaurants for lunch and dinner.
The concierge at our hotel is terrible and recommended The Buddha Bar, which I did not like at all. I like all cuisines and like to eat at busy restaurants that are quite hip. I had lunch yesterday at Barney's and I really liked the atmosphere there. Are there any restaurants mid town that are worth going to? Our concierge said all the good restaurants are in the meat packing district.
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New York Restaurant Recommendations
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Yes there are always restaurants worth going to midtown. There are litterally over 10,000 restaurants in Manhattan, so you should not have a problem finding something you like.
I'd suggest picking up a Zagat guide available everywhere so you have a handy reference and addresses/review/phone number.
A few favs of mine are
Pomodoro - Columbus Ave around 70th St. (Italian)
Todai - 32nd between 5th and Madison (Japanese seafood buffet)
Coppolas - 3rd at 26th (Italian)
Rio Grande - 3rd 37th (Huge TexMex)
Docks - 3rd at 40th (really good seafood)
Grand Central Oyster Bar (can't beat the seafood here, but on the expensive side)
Anna Purna - Little India (Lex from 29th - 25th)
Have a great time while you are here.
It's true that the downtown area is much more hip and trendy than midtown. but it doesn't mean you can;t find good food in midtown - but perhaps more traditional than "hip".
For one, you might try the Bar Americain on west 52 st.
I love the Buddha Bar CDs - if you like ambient trip hop and similar, get the early ones. If I went there, it would be for the music and setting, not the food and it's not something I'd recommend to an out of towner unless he/she knew of the CDs.
Go to chowhound.com for food recommendations.
Also http://newyork.seriouseats.com/
You want hip and good food - get out of mid-town. Try the East village - Momofuku Ssam Bar or Noodle Bar; Ippudo; Prune; The Redhead; Lil Frankie's; or the West Village - dell'anima; Fatty Crab; Morandi, Centro Vinoteca; Minetta Tavern; Spotted Pig or Meatpacking - Pastis; Buddokhan; The John Dory;
If you must stay in midtown, not hip but busy and lively - Landmarc; Pampano; Zarela; The Bar Room at The Modern; Morrell's Wine Bar and Town
check out www.nymag.com for reviews and addresses
There are some GREAT prix fixe lunches in midtown at wonderful restaurants. Maybe not "hip" but very food worthy. Nougatine, the bar area of Jean Georges in the Trump International hotel has a $26 lunch. Asiate in the Mandarin Oriental hotel (35th floor of the Time Warner building at Columbus Circle) has a $24 lunch Mon-Fri and a very nice weekend brunch (pricier). Le Bernardin known as the finest seafood/French in the city does a $65 lunch.
Bar Boulud in the hotel 6 Columbus is somewhat trendy for midtown. Fig & Olive on east 52 st. is trendyish. You might want to check the list on hipguide.com and there's a search engine on menupages.com that lets you select by neighborhood and then a features menu offers "trendy" as one option.
If you liked the restaurant at Barney's you might also like BG in Bergdorf Goodman. The Modern and the Modern Bar are MOMA are also very good.
Where are you staying?
STK - (646) 624-2444
26 Little W 12th Street
New York, NY
For years now, Danny Meyer's restaurants (e.g., Gramercy Tavern and Union Square Cafe) have been among the top Zagat-rated restaurants in New York City. My fave? GT. Lunch costs less than dinner. You can walk from Penn Station . . .
Have you heard about the Mets' new home, Citi Field? Danny Meyer has introduced upscale dining to the new ball park. How cool is that?
re Citi Field and "upscale" dining - yes Danny Meyer is there - but it is the Shake Shack - great for a hamburger -- but if you really want to experience some top notch dining in that area - Asian, Chinese, Korean - take the 7 train one stop beyond Citi Field and you have many superb restaurants to choose from in Flushing - all first rate since they cater to an upscale Asian clientele who know their cuisine. We go there before a night game or - after a day game. Try that around Yankee Stadium - lots of luck.
Mint, E. 50th Street between Lexington and 3rd Ave. Great Indian food, hip atmosphere.