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$$$ | Carroll Gardens |
If you worship at the altar of Neapolitan pizza---thin-crust pies baked quickly in blistering brick ovens---Lucali is a worthy pilgrimage. Ordering is simple: there's one large pie and a choice of toppings from beef pepperoni to vegetables like grilled artichokes; and calzones in two sizes, which come with a side of marinara sauce. Pizzaiolo Mark Iacono opened his cozy restaurant in a former candy shop to insure his beloved neighborhood haunt wouldn’t turn over to a chain. Lucali quickly established itself as a top-ranked pizzeria. Arrive early and plan to explore Carroll Gardens. They'll call your phone when a spot is ready, which could be hours later.
575 Henry St., Brooklyn, New York, 11231, USA
Known For
- Thin, crispy crusts
- Hours-long waits
- Cash-only
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. No lunch
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$$$ | |
Amid Williamsburg's culinary landscape of casual, comfort food–centric bistros with rock-and-roll sound tracks, this Michelin-starred restaurant and bar feels thoroughly grown-up. Chef-owner Polo Dobkins serves New American cuisine in an airy space with blond-wood accents. The striking mosaic floor was preserved from the original 1890 building, at one point a kosher cafeteria. The sophisticated dishes might include crispy baby artichokes peeking out of a mound of arugula and topped with shaved Parmesan or wild-caught sea bass with stewed tomato, yellow squash, zucchini, and olive vinaigrette. If you can't choose, the $75 tasting menu is a great way to sample the greatest hits.
149 Broadway, Brooklyn, New York, 11211, USA
Known For
- Sophisticated design
- Michelin-starred New American cuisine
- Excellent tasting menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. No lunch Mon. and Wed.
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$$$ | Midtown East |
Tucked between Park and Madison on 50th Street, this deco-inspired brasserie is a pretty pastel setting for a business breakfast or postshopping lunch and a flirty and chic destination for dinner. The vibes are lavish and retro; think: Miami, Mrs. Maisel, and an ever-so-elegant cruise ship, with curved banquettes, multilevel dining areas, a curved marble bar with tall geometric back, brass accents, globe lights, soft pinks and blues, and altogether lots of visual drama. Once seated, the drama continues with an expertly manned Martini Cart and tableside visits for carving and flambéing (and subsequent oohing and aahing). By night, the elegant crowd is swaying to the music at the lively bar, teetering on the edge of dancing, and you'd want to join them if you weren't saving yourself for the decadent Bananas Foster.
37 E. 50th St., New York, New York, 10022, USA
Known For
- Raw bar
- Prime rib au jus
- Glam setting
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekends
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$$$ | Meatpacking District |
Long a mainstay in the Meatpacking District, Pastis shut down and reopened in this spacious new location in 2019 to much fanfare. The place looks like it's been here for decades and has all the signature Keith McNally elements: smoky mirrors, a long curving bar, floor-to-ceiling windows, and white subway tiles. French favorites are front and center, including toothsome steak frites with béarnaise, mussels steamed in Pernod, and a tasty apple tartlet with phyllo crust. The people-watching is stellar, and there's still a good chance you'll see a celebrity or two. Tables outside in nice weather are prime real estate. Locals and visitors are still drawn to this neighborhood mainstay so it gets busy at mealtimes.
52 Gansevoort St., New York, New York, 10014, USA
Known For
- Steak frites
- Great people-watching
- Outdoor tables in summer
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$$$ | Red Hook |
For a taste of Maine in Brooklyn, head to the Red Hook Lobster Pound, where legendary lobster rolls are served with just a touch of mayo. There are variations on the classic, including "Connecticut style" (served warm, with butter) or "Tuscan style " (vinaigrette instead of mayo), as well as lobster dinners, lobster bisque, lobster mac and cheese, and a few noncrustacean options.
284 Van Brunt St., Brooklyn, New York, 11231, USA
Known For
- Lobster everything
- Lobster claw Bloody Mary
- Casual, fun atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$$ | Harlem |
Marcus Samuelsson, who earned his celebrity chefdom at Aquavit in Midtown for his take on Ethiopian-accented Scandinavian cuisine (fusing the food of his birthplace with that of where he grew up), moved to Harlem in 2010, creating a culinary hot spot in this casual, jazzy-looking space with wall murals, wooden tables, and bistro chairs. The comfort-food menu reflects the ethnic diversity of modern-day New York City, from spicy jerk salmon to the shrimp and grits with tomato-okra stew. It’s very crowded during weekend brunch hours, so expect a wait for Sunday brunch, with its gospel music, boozy cocktails, and modern takes on dishes like chicken and waffles.
310 Lenox Ave. (Malcolm X Blvd.), New York, New York, 10027, USA
Known For
- Lines for Sunday brunch with gospel music
- Chicken (with maple hot sauce) and waffles
- Lively scene
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$$$ | West Village |
After the huge success of their other restaurants—Dhamaka on the Lower East Side and Adda in Long Island City—the owners gave an overhaul to their restaurant here, Rahi, changing the name and concept in late 2021. Semma serves Southern Indian fare to great glee from the hungry diners that pack this place on a nightly basis—and like its sibling Indian eateries, the focus here is on dishes that have not traveled much outside of India, plus nicely crafted cocktails using Indian spices and herbs.
60 Greenwich Ave., New York, New York, 10014, USA
Known For
- Lively atmosphere
- Creative Southern Indian fare
- Hard to get into
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch, Reservations essential
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$$$ | Gramercy |
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.
101 E. 19th St., New York, New York, 10003, USA
Known For
- Hard to get a reservation
- Impressive wine list
- Excellent, attentive service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$$$ | DUMBO |
Outfitted with candlelit tables and a twinkling rear garden, this romantic destination is well worth the sloping walk up from the waterfront. Seasonal menus include inventive new American fare and crowd-pleasing brunch dishes, with a couple of pasta dishes and classics like roast chicken, chicken liver mousse, and pork chops always in rotation. Wait times can be considerable, but the cozy bar pours potent cocktails, local beers, and wine by the glass in the interim.
72 Hudson Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11201, USA
Known For
- Romantic space with a twinkling backyard
- Seasonal, sustainably sourced new American dishes
- Weekend brunch
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch weekdays
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$$$ | |
Modeled on Tokyo's intimate brasseries, this hidden Japanese restaurant serves no sushi: they specialize in exquisitely composed small plates, best enjoyed as part of the eight-course omakase (chef's tasting menu), though you can also order à la carte. Instead of a dining room, guests are seated in private booths separated by bamboo curtains, so other diners are audible but not visible. The gracious waiters can recommend sake to pair with your meal. This might be the closest to Tokyo you can get in Brooklyn.
77 N. 6th St., Brooklyn, New York, 11211, USA
Known For
- Japanese omakase
- Private booths
- Romantic date spot
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Reservations essential
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$$$ | West Village |
Set on the corner of Bleecker and Carmine Streets across from Father Demo Square, this American restaurant is as simple as its name. Try to nab a seat at the bar/chef's counter to get a front-row seat of the large hearth where chefs put fire to a vegetable-forward menu, plus one of the best roast chickens in the city. The wood-fired whole fish, doused with green curry, is also excellent, as is pretty much anything that comes from the hearth. The short but nicely curated wine list complements the food menu well.
232 Bleecker St., New York, New York, 10014, USA
Known For
- Chefs table
- Open view hearth
- Excellent roast anything
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No Lunch
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$$$ | |
The Williamsburg outpost of the historic Roman restaurant serves handmade pastas in an upscale setting. Though the decor is modern, the recipes uphold tradition: try the spaghetti cacio e pepe (al dente pasta with pecorino Romano and crushed black pepper) or the carbonara. The extensive wine selection (all Italian) ranges in palate and price from an approachable $35 Dolcetto d'Alba to the absurdly extravagant $900 Masseto. Antica Pesa draws the A-list—Madonna, Julianne Moore, and Giorgio Armani have all dined here.
115 Berry St., Brooklyn, New York, 11211, USA
Known For
- Roman cuisine
- Sleek modern design
- A-list clientele
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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$$$ | DUMBO |
The industrial-chic interiors at this bi-level, French-accented New American destination include pendant lamps and a buzzy open kitchen. Seasonal New American dishes such as Long Island duck and market fish are paired with an array of wines by the glass, and the bar pours house cocktails made with local spirits and an array of international piscos, mezcals, and barrel-aged Spanish gins.
15 Main St., Brooklyn, New York, 11201, USA
Known For
- Industrial-chic interior
- Elegant New American dining
- Tech and start-up power lunches
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$$$ | Greenwich Village |
It shouldn't take more than one bite of tender barbecue squab to understand why it's so hard to get a reservation at this casually elegant restaurant, whose menu strays widely from Italian standards and hits numerous high points in dishes such as rabbit with Brussels sprouts and house-made pancetta. This is the perfect spot for a raucous celebratory dinner with flowing wine and festive banter. But be forewarned: if anyone in your party is hard of hearing or bothered by loud rock music, choose someplace more sedate.
110 Waverly Pl., New York, New York, 10011-9102, USA
Known For
- Palate-pleasing house-made pastas
- Loud, questionable music
- Great Italian wine list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Sun., Mon., Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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$$$ | Upper West Side |
Acclaimed French chef Daniel Boulud, known for upscale New York City eatery Daniel, shows diners his more casual side with this lively, contemporary bistro and wine bar. The menu emphasizes charcuterie, including terrines and pâtés designed by Parisian charcutier Gilles Verot, as well as traditional French bistro dishes like steak frites and coq au vin. The 500-bottle wine list is heavy on wines from Burgundy and the Rhône Valley. The three-course prix-fixe menu ($68) from the entire menu is a good value.
1900 Broadway, New York, New York, 10023-7004, USA
Known For
- Proximity to Lincoln Center
- Lengthy wine list
- Three-course prix-fixe menu
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$$$ | Carroll Gardens |
The five-course tasting menu is the $75 ticket to a reservation at this small, acclaimed restaurant. Chefs and co-owners Walker Stern and Joe Ogrodnek met while working for Alain Ducasse and are known for highly seasonal cooking that merges French techniques with the products of Brooklyn, the Hudson Valley, and points beyond. There's a small à la carte menu as well. Walk-ins are welcome.
255 Smith St., Brooklyn, New York, 11231, USA
Known For
- Five-course tasting menu
- Consistently excellent dishes
- The bar's deft hand with cocktails
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch
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$$$ | Midtown West |
The two pricing scenarios at this Italian spot make bustling Becco a prime Restaurant Row choice for time-constrained theatergoers: one includes an affordable all-you-can-eat selection of salad, antipasti, and three pastas served hot out of pans that waiters circulate around the dining room; the other adds a generous entrée to the mix. The pasta selection changes daily but often includes gnocchi, ravioli, and fettuccine in cream sauce. The entrées may be braised veal shank, grilled double-cut pork chop, and rack of lamb, among other selections. Decor is somewhat basic here, and the exposed brick amplifies the volume during busy hours, but the convivial vibes prevail.
355 W. 46th St., New York, New York, 10036-3810, USA
Known For
- Cheerful atmosphere
- Gets noisy at busiest times
- Mains including veal shank and rack of lamb
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$$$ | Greenwich Village |
This tasteful den of a restaurant—formerly a speakeasy—on a quiet side street maintains an impeccable reputation for excellence and consistency under the leadership of chef Dan Barber. Part of the slow-food, sustainable agriculture movement, Blue Hill mostly uses ingredients grown or raised within 200 miles, including the Four Season Farm at Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, Barber's second culinary project in nearby Westchester County. The chefs produce precisely cooked and elegantly constructed dishes such as wild striped bass with potato-and-clam chowder and house-cured guanciale (pork jowl), and a smoked-tomato soup with American caviar.
75 Washington Pl., New York, New York, 10011-9174, USA
Known For
- Pioneering farm-to-table program
- Lush, well-executed dishes
- Sophisticated setting
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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$$$ | SoHo |
Opened in 1992, Blue Ribbon still has a reputation not just as a top-notch restaurant serving French-influenced standards like escargot, French onion soup, and steak but also as a serious late-night foodie hangout. Literary types, chefs, and designers—generally a good-looking gang—tends to fill this dark box of a room until late (2 am these days though it used to be open 'til 4).
97 Sullivan St., New York, New York, 10012-3663, USA
Known For
- Legendary fried chicken
- Clubby old-school NY atmosphere
- Stays open late
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Reservations essential
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$$$ | Harlem |
Chef Carlos Swepson puts a contemporary spin on classic American soul food, with down-home dishes like biscuits and sausage gravy, jumbo shrimp and grits, turkey meat loaf, seven-cheese macaroni, and fried-chicken sliders. Owned and operated by Swepson and his wife, Markisha, the casual yet smart eatery serves brunch all day, every day in a comfy space directly above the entrance to the B and C trains at 116th street. There's also a DJ spinning R&B, techno, and soul on the weekends during brunch and dinner.
2149 Frederick Douglass Blvd., New York, New York, 10027, USA
Known For
- Busy brunch scene
- Friendly and attentive waitstaff
- Homemade buttermilk biscuits served fresh all day
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Outdoor seating in summer; DJ plays on weekends
