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$ | Greenpoint |
Coffee aficionados head to Greenpoint for Búdin’s $10 latte—it's pricey because it's made with Danish licorice syrup, topped with licorice powder, and served on a silver tray. Come during the day for coffee by the Oslo-based roaster Tim Wendelboe, whose beans are favored by top European chefs, or after hours for wine and Nordic craft beer. The back of the shop is stocked with a rotating selection of Scandinavian-design goods .
114B Greenpoint Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11222, USA
Known For
- A $10 licorice-inflected latte
- Scandinavian design
- Nordic craft beer
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$$ | Bushwick |
The best way to sample the diverse flavors of Ethiopian cuisine is by dining at this stellar restaurant that transports you to Addis Ababa through its decor, music, and above all, it's selection of traditional dishes. All dishes are plant-based and full of flavor, which aligns with most authentic fare, including chickpea-based shiro, lentil wot, and a mushroom version of tibs (a stir-fry with meat and vegetables). It's all served with injera, a sourdough flatbread used to scoop up the various stews, with your hands. The drink menu includes traditional t'ej (honey wine), cocktails, and wine and beer from Ethiopia. The namesake bunna—Ethiopian coffee brewed with cardamom and cloves—is worth a try, too.
1084 Flushing Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11237, USA
Known For
- Shareable plates
- Traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony and teas
- Live music events featuring Ethiopian artists
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues.
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$$$ | Upper West Side |
With a colorful, modern interior and an oasis of a patio out back, this Upper West Side gem is the pan-Mediterranean restaurant vision of owner Tuvia Feldman and executive chef Eli Buli. Bustan, which means "garden" or "orchard" in Hebrew and Arabic, churns out dishes that draw inspiration from three continents. Make sure to start with the mezes "for the table" and lather your house-made taboon bread (a flatbread) with warm hummus and spicy feta spreads. Main courses range from lamb kebabs to branzino a la plancha (grilled on a metal plate) served with za'atar-seasoned labneh (Greek yogurt) to Moroccan-style vegetable couscous. Save room for the "nemesis" dessert, a baked chocolate mousse with salted caramel pearls and vanilla ice cream.
487 Amsterdam Ave., New York, New York, 10024, USA
Known For
- Meze platter for the table
- Smoked trout and house-made taboon bread
- Good value
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$$$ | Upper West Side |
The old soul of the Lincoln Center neighborhood seems to inhabit the tiled and mirrored walls of this lively, cramped French bistro, where West End Avenue regulars are greeted with kisses, and musicians and audience members pack the room after a concert. The bar's always hopping, and the menu includes classics like steak tartare, moules frites (mussels and fries), and lobster roll. There's also a popular weekend brunch.
200 W. 71st St., New York, New York, 10023-4323, USA
Known For
- Quintessential UWS bistro
- After-concert scene
- Excellent service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$$ | East Village |
This East Village dining institution, which has been serving standout Moroccan cuisine in a date-friendly, candlelit atmosphere since 1983, still draws crowds for dinner, lunch, and brunch. Start with an order of creamy hummus to share, then dig into one of the classic couscous dishes, tajine stews, or tasty kebabs.
101 St. Marks Pl., New York, New York, 10003, USA
Known For
- Yummy mezes
- Popular brunch can mean long waits
- Neighborhood institution
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$ | Park Slope |
A charming European atmosphere and a focus on top-quality products like La Colombe coffee, Jacques Torres hot chocolate, and Dona chai (hand-brewed in Brooklyn) make the two tiny locations in Park Slope feel like a special-occasion getaway. Snacks are few but the relatively new red banquettes make it comfy to linger longer. The petite spot at 318a 11th Street is best visited solo.
158a Berkeley Pl., Brooklyn, New York, 11217, USA
Known For
- Cold brew
- Running out of pastries
- Its interior wall mural
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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$$ | Upper East Side |
In the Neue Galerie, this stately coffeehouse—open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner—offers a Viennese café experience, with art deco furnishings; a selection of daily newspapers; and cases with cakes and strudels. The menu of heartier sandwiches and goulash or sausage dishes is under the direction of German-born executive chef Christopher Engel, who worked at Wallsé and Aureole, earning Michelin stars. Prix-fixe dinners are occasionally followed by a cabaret performance. Museumgoers and locals love to linger over coffee—it's sometimes a challenge to find a seat (a less aesthetically pleasing outpost of the café is in the basement).
1048 5th Ave., New York, New York, 10028, USA
Known For
- A slice of Vienna on the UES
- Delicious Sacher torte
- Goulash soup and Bavarian sausage
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and Wed. No dinner Mon.
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$$ | Gramercy |
Most of the delectable items on the menu at this Iberian, small-plates, corner restaurant are made for sharing, but of particular note are all things seared à la plancha (on a metal plate), including blistered peppers and garlic-kissed mushrooms. The atmosphere is always bustling but the best seats are those at the Casa Mono counter overlooking the chef's open kitchen. The perennially cramped and crowded space sends patrons to Bar Jamón, the wine-and-ham-bar annex next door, where you can pick at plates of jamón serrano while awaiting the main feature.
52 Irving Pl., New York, New York, 10003-3447, USA
Known For
- High-quality, authentic Spanish tapas
- Hard to get a table so reserve in advance
- Small Bar Jamón annex around the corner
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$$ | Chelsea |
The food of the Republic of Georgia is one of the best and under-represented cuisines of the world. Most of the excellent Georgian restaurants in New York are lodged deep into Brooklyn, but Chama Mama is a superb Manhattan option if you want to avoid a long subway ride. Start with khachapuri, the ubiquitous baked cheese bread (the boat-shape version from the region of Adjara has become the international face of Georgian cuisine) and then move to shkmeruli, a tender Cornish game hen cooked in a garlicky cream sauce. The khinkhali, broth-filled dumplings, are also excellent. There's now a second location on the Upper West Side (Amsterdam Avenue and West 78th Street).
149 W. 14th St., New York, New York, 10011, USA
Known For
- Excellent Georgian wine list
- View of a huge tone, a traditional Georgian bread oven
- Khachapuri
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$$$ | Greenwich Village |
Perpetually packed, Italian-leaning Charlie Bird is the brainchild of sommelier Robert Bohr, who was in charge of wine at vino-mad Cru, and chef Ryan Hardy, who made a name for himself at Little Nell in Aspen and has been the private chef for Jay-Z and Beyoncé (not surprisingly, the restaurant has a hip-hop theme). The menu is divided into small and large plates, vegetables, a "raw" section, and pasta. The uni-loaded duck-egg spaghetti marries surf 'n' turf in a deeply satisfying way, while the Roman pasta dish cacio e pepe is one of the best versions this side of the Atlantic.
5 King St., New York, New York, 10012, USA
Known For
- The preferred spot of "cool kids" everywhere
- Hip-hop on the Hi-Fi
- Varied menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch Tues.--Thurs., Reservations essential
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$$$ | SoHo |
Perpetually packed, Italian-leaning Charlie Bird is the brainchild of sommelier Robert Bohr, who was in charge of wine at vino-mad Cru, and chef Ryan Hardy, who made a name for himself at Little Nell in Aspen and has been the private chef for Jay-Z and Beyoncé (not surprisingly, the restaurant has a hip-hop theme). The menu is divided into small and large plates, vegetables, a "raw" section, and pasta. The Roman cacio e pepe pasta is one of the best versions this side of the Atlantic. The wine list is an exceptional tour of old world vintages.
5 King St., New York, New York, 10012, USA
Known For
- Sublime cacio e pepe
- Hip-hop on the Hi-Fi
- Top-shelf wine list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.--Thurs.
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$$ | Lower East Side |
At this casual retro-diner restaurant, weekend brunch brings a line down the street for what many believe to be the best blueberry pancakes in the city, if not the whole country. Lunch and dinner options include a variety of burgers, sandwiches, and salads—and you can get those pancakes at dinner, too, without as long a wait.
4 Clinton St., New York, New York, 10002, USA
Known For
- February specialty pancake month
- Excellent, and busy, brunch
- Diner-type menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.–Tues.
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$$$ | Brooklyn Heights |
The key to this restaurant's success lies in its use of ultrafresh ingredients, sourced from local purveyors and presented with style in an upscale, yet casual space that honors its neighborhood's historical roots. A selection of small plates and crostini complement popular main dishes like bison steaks, bone-in pork chops, and homemade pastas. Weekend's offer popular brunch fare including shrimp and grits and "eggs in purgatory" (spicy tomato pomodoro).
127 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11201, USA
Known For
- Weekend brunch crowds
- Homemade pastas
- Hearty meat dishes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekdays
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$$$ | Park Slope |
The rustic Italian farmhouse decor, Mediterranean wines, and candlelight at this renowned neighborhood restaurant will transport you to another land even before you try the food. The menu is inspired by Italy, with hints of Spain and Portugal, and organic ingredients and naturally raised, free-range meats are used in dishes like braised rabbit or pine nut–crusted rack of lamb. Pastas and baked desserts are made in-house.
68 5th Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11217, USA
Known For
- Romantic ambience
- Coveted wine cellar seating
- Antipasti selection
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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$$$ | Flatiron District |
When Enrique Olvera, the chef at Pujol, which many agree is Mexico's best restaurant, announced he was coming north of the border, New York foodies went loco. Olvera's haute touch to his native cuisine is magic, and, coupled with the sleek design (soft lighting, minimalist decor), Cosme makes for a fine dining experience of sophisticated food, focused on small plates.
35 E. 21st St., New York, New York, 10010, USA
Known For
- Creative Mexican fare
- Duck carnitas
- Corn tempura soft-shell crab
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekdays
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$$$$ | Flatiron District |
Cote has blown up the staid New York steak-house formula by infusing the experience with Korean twists: that shrimp cocktail might look classic, for instance, but just wait 'til the hot gochujang hits your palate. The steak omakase "tasting menu" is unique, allowing you to compare several cuts of meat, but you can go old-school and just focus on your favorite; everything is cooked tableside—by you or your server—at a smokeless grill.
16 W. 22nd St., New York, New York, 10010, USA
Known For
- Chic but casual atmosphere
- Incredible dry-aged beef
- "Butcher's Feast" is a great value bit of everything, including Korean side dishes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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$$$$ | Flatiron District |
At the flagship of Top Chef head judge Tom Colicchio's nationwide, mini empire of excellent restaurants, the top-notch seasonal fare is exceptionally prepared with little fuss and served in a cozy-yet-minimalist space with exposed brick details, wood floors, and bare light bulbs. Expect a menu that hits a variety of high notes, from exuberantly fresh hamachi or braised octopus to start, stylish salads, hearty but not overpowering pastas, and perfectly cooked mains.
43 E. 19th St., New York, New York, 10003-1304, USA
Known For
- Dazzling tasting menu
- Excellent service
- Sophisticated but welcoming
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Reservations essential
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$$$ | Financial District |
Occupying a prime corner in the base of historic 70 Pine, Crown Shy draws even uptowners down to the Wall Street area for its creative menu that plays with international cuisines. Don't be surprised to find brilliantly fused flavors from Italy, Japan, Mexico, or the Middle East here, all deliciously vegetable-forward and elevating the best of the season's produce. Decor is understated modern-Deco, with high ceilings and big windows, a large dining area, and a long, friendly bar. Expect to find plenty of businesspeople on weekdays, giving way to a lively mix of foodies on evenings and weekends. Dishes are priced to invite multiple small-dish tastings, along with a few standout main courses, and creatively balanced desserts.
70 Pine St., New York, New York, 10005, USA
Known For
- Menu mix of small and main dishes
- Busy all-day dining scene
- Unexpected seasonal ingredients
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$$$ | Greenwich Village |
This British-leaning eatery began life as a pandemic-era pop-up mostly serving fish-and-chips. It didn't take long for the city's fooderati to figure out that oh-so-English snack was nearly revelatory here, maybe the best version outside of England. Today, Dame is a permanent fixture on MacDougal Street and serving more than just ultraflakey fish and crispy chips. The menu changes regularly but expect excellent dishes like pan-seared monkfish paired with lentils and bacon, smoked whitefish croquettes, and flakey fish pie. For a meatier take on British food, check out sibling restaurant Lord's, a few blocks away at 506 LaGuardia Place.
87 MacDougal St., New York, New York, 10012, USA
Known For
- Fish-and-chips
- Seafood-heavy menu
- Eccentric wine list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed weekends. No lunch
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$$$$ | Upper East Side |
Celebrity-chef Daniel Boulud offers one of the most iconic and elegant dining experiences in Manhattan in an equally elegant, and formal (jacket required), dining room with some serious artwork. The four-course prix-fixe menu (there are à la carte selections in the lounge and bar) is predominantly French, with such modern classics as turbot on Himalayan salt and a duo of dry-aged Black Angus beef featuring red wine–braised short ribs and seared rib eye with mushrooms and Gorgonzola cream. Vegetarian menus are also available. Equally impressive are the professional service, extensive wine list, and masterful cocktails. Don't forget the decadent desserts and overflowing cheese trolley.
60 E. 65th St., New York, New York, 10065-7056, USA
Known For
- Special-occasion haute fare
- Superb cheeses and desserts
- Reservations essential
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch, Reservations essential, Jacket required
