-
$$ | Upper East Side |
The self-described “saloon with food” has been serving hearty drinks, hefty burgers, thick sandwiches, and its famous cottage fries to a local crowd since 1972. Its decor is warm and woody, the tablecloths are checkered and the tables are packed close together (so it’s noisy when crowded), and there’s an everybody-knows-your-name vibe. Save room for dessert, because the chocolate chip cake and pecan pie are worth the calories. This place also is known for its late hours—the kitchen is open until after midnight daily.
1291 3rd Ave., New York, New York, 10021, USA
Known For
- Classic burgers
- Late hours
- Cash only
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
-
$ | |
For unbeatable cheap eats, take a slight detour off 8th Avenue to this small and unassuming restaurant. Its sparse dining room doesn’t offer much in the way of atmosphere, but the four-for-a-dollar pork-and-leek dumplings are a real deal (and delicious). Other deliciously affordable fare includes scallion pancakes, steamed buns, and beef noodle soup. You'd be hard-pressed to spend more than $10 for a filling meal here.
4801 8th Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11220, USA
Known For
- Inexpensive eats
- Fast service
- Bustling atmosphere
-
$$ | |
Brooklynites make summertime pilgrimages to L&B's outdoor garden for squares of Sicilian-style pizza—the crunchy crust has a thin layer of mozzarella, tomato sauce, and just a drizzle of olive oil on top. L&B Spumoni's is three restaurants in one: a pizzeria, an informal Italian restaurant, and an ice-cream shop. The restaurant serves classics like fried calamari, Caesar salad, and marinara, Bolognese, carbonara, and Alfredo pastas. Whatever you come for, don't leave L&B without a scoop of spumoni ice cream.
2725 86th St., Brooklyn, New York, 11223, USA
Known For
- Old-style Brooklyn-Italian dining
- Namesake ice cream
- Sicilian square pizza
-
$ | Bushwick |
Artwork by local artists, some of them customers, hang on the wall at this popular hangout space that lures a large contingent of freelancers typing away on their laptops. The sandwiches are excellent, and gluten-free substitutes are available for an additional charge. Service can be slow, but there's plenty of people-watching while you wait.
941 Willoughby Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11221, USA
Known For
- Signature coffee drinks, like maple-sweetened latte and dirty chai latte
- Solid hot-pressed sandwiches and grilled cheese
- Baked goods from local artisans
-
$ | Upper West Side |
One of the best pizza joints on the Upper West Side offers both traditional pie-shape slices and thicker square slices known as Sicilian style. There's often a long wait, whether you're there for takeout or for one of the few tables, so order online to save time.
2750 Broadway, New York, New York, 10025, USA
Known For
- Excellent pizza within walking distance of Central Park
- Cheese-stuffed garlic crescent rolls
- Pepperoni square pizza
-
Recommended Fodor’s Video
-
-
$$ | Williamsburg |
With its green-and-white-striped awning, this place looks like a vintage grocery store, but don't let that fool you. This a buzzy bistro from restaurateur Andrew Tarlow is a destination for in-the-know foodies, featuring locavore cuisine on two different menus. The grab-and-go daytime menu includes pastries, gourmet sandwiches, and salads, while the sit-down night menu features creative plates celebrating the bounties of local fishermen and farmers.
81 Broadway, Brooklyn, New York, 11249, USA
Known For
- Pioneering restaurateur
- Inspired locavore fare
- Vintage grocery store–inspired design
-
$$ | Riverdale |
A quaint, whitewashed facade highlighted by a colorful vegetable mural gives a hint of what lies within at this sustainability-minded and kosher café: produce-forward dishes, including farm-sourced grain bowls, shakshuka (eggs in a spicy tomato sauce), salads, and sandwiches like the tasty tofu banh mi, plus homemade baked goods. Indoor seating is limited, but outdoor seating is on a relatively quiet and picturesque side street.
3260 Johnson Ave., Bronx, New York, 10463, USA
Known For
- Kosher eats
- Slower service when busy
- Sustainable, farm-to-table ingredients
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sat.
-
$ | Coney Island |
Nathan Handwerker, a Polish immigrant with a $300 loan and his wife Ida's secret spice recipe, founded this Coney Island hot dog stand in 1916. Fast forward over a century, and this New York City institution has endured with a cultlike following among celebrities and heads of state, paving the way for international franchises. While Nathan's may be synonymous with hot dogs and fries, they also offer burgers and other sandwiches. At this original location (not to be confused with the one a block away on the boardwalk), you can also get seafood—even fried frog legs. The biggest day of the year at Nathan's is always July 4, when competitive eaters and fans converge on Surf Avenue to crown that year's hot-dog-eating champion.
1310 Surf Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11224, USA
Known For
- World-famous hot dogs
- Quintessentially Brooklyn
- Annual hot-dog-eating contest
-
$ | Boerum Hill |
Vintage serving pieces, a hand-painted family tree, and life-size family photos adorn the interior of this aqua-walled bakery and café beloved for its old-world charm and tasty, bite-size cookies. The whoopie pies—chocolate or the very popular pumpkin—and cupcakes are worth checking out, too. The free Wi-Fi, spacious seating, and pleasant atmosphere invite lingering.
68 Dean St., Brooklyn, New York, 11201, USA
Known For
- Tasty cookies
- Whoopie pies
- Vintage flair
-
$ | Greenpoint |
This tiny bakery has made a name for itself with standouts like vegan salted chocolate-chip cookies, pistachio agave cookies, and currant-rosemary scones. The seasonal specials are equally mouthwatering—just try to resist the bourbon-maple-pecan pie made for Thanksgiving. In warm weather, take your goodies up the block to WNYC Transmitter Park for a picnic that will make everyone jealous.
31 Greenpoint Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11222, USA
Known For
- Mouthwatering cookies and cakes
- Homegrown ethos
- Vegan options
-
-
$ | |
Tokyo-born chef Tomoko Kato came up through New York's famed Le Bernardin and the East Village teahouse Cha-An before opening this pastry shop. Her inspired desserts marry Japanese flavors and French techniques, resulting in original creations like black-sesame crème brûlée, sake ice cream, and green tea mousse cake. Ingredients like matcha, yuzu, and mochi are sourced from Japan, appearing alongside seasonal items like chestnuts and cranberries. Sit at the dessert bar for a three-course tasting of sweets, or take them to go.
568 Union Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11211, USA
Known For
- Japanese-French pastries
- Matcha lattes
- Great design
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
-
$$ | Upper East Side |
One bite of the nearly perfect coal-oven pizza at the iconic, original Patsy's Pizzeria, and it's immediately clear why Frank Sinatra favored its slices. Don't try and get too fancy here; the "plain pie" or the straightforward chicken parmigiana entrée are more than good enough to justify the trek up to 118th Street. Pizzas are also available to go at the counter next door.
2287 1st Ave., New York, New York, 10035, USA
Known For
- Coal-oven pies and red-sauce dishes
- Old-school Italian vibe
- Cash-only spot
-
$ | |
Theo Peck's eponymous gourmet shop descends from New York culinary royalty: Peck cut his teeth as a chef at Michelin-starred restaurant Blue Hill at Stone Barns, and his great-grandfather co-owned Ratner's kosher dairy, once a Lower East Side institution. The narrow store sells deli meats and cheeses, an impressive selection of beer, and goods from Brooklyn purveyors. The takeout counter serves La Colombe coffee, sandwiches, and prepared foods like house-made hummus, rotisserie chickens, and pastries. In warm weather, take yours to the picnic tables on the sunny back patio.
455A Myrtle Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11205, USA
Known For
- Brooklyn-made products
- Sandwiches
- Great prepared food
-
$ | Williamsburg |
Smorgasburg, the acclaimed open-air food market, is the portmanteau of smorgasbord and Williamsburg, its founding location at Marsha P. Johnson State Park. Here, vetted food vendors serve delicious treats to foodies (and provide photogenic content for food influencers), from arepas to yakitori. Even with the Smorgasburg branded concept dispersing crowds of foodies across other locations across New York, Jersey City, LA, Miami, Toronto, and Sao Paolo, the original Williamsburg location still draws close to 30,000 people each Saturday in the summer, so get there before noon if you don't want to spend most of your time there in queues. The original Smorgasburg is open from April through October, but check the website for details of the other locations in Brooklyn Manhattan.
90 Kent Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11211, USA
Known For
- Beloved by locals
- Diverse selection
- Reasonably priced
-
$ | Prospect Heights |
Casual and unassuming, this taquería with Day of the Dead decor serves what are arguably the neighborhood’s best tacos, as well as burritos, nachos, and tostadas with a variety of fillings and four types of beans. Just a few blocks north of the Brooklyn Museum, it’s among the best options for a quick, low-fuss meal (there's no table service on weekdays). There are brunch options on weekends.
663 Washington Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11238, USA
Known For
- Great tacos
- Quick bite
- Four types of beans
-
-
$ | Greenpoint |
Renowned for all-natural ice cream and exotic flavors like sorrel blackberry crumble and matcha green tea, Van Leeuwen has established a small ice-cream empire in New York City. Everything is made in-house from the highest-quality ingredients: special flavors like pumpkin are available seasonally, and vegan ice cream is especially popular. Greenpoint was the first brick-and-mortar shop, although its current location is down the street from the pint-size original. In warm weather, get a cone to go and stroll through nearby McCarren Park.
620 Manhattan Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11222, USA
Known For
- All-natural ice cream
- Vegan and gluten-free options
- Cute shop
-
$ | Upper West Side |
What started as a bright-yellow truck slinging out scoops and cones on NYC streets back in 2008 is now a Gotham ice-cream superpower, including two outposts on the Upper West Side (the other store is a few blocks away at 253 Columbus Ave.). Van Leeuwen produces all of its flavors just across the East River in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Favorites like vanilla, strawberry, honeycomb, and cookies and cream are made with fresh milk and cream, cane sugar, and egg yolks, but it's often the unique and downright weird flavors that keep ice-cream lovers coming back, like Hidden Valley Ranch and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese flavors. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that the vegan versions of chocolate, salted caramel, and mint chip, just to name a few, are made entirely dairy free using house-made cashew milk, organic coconut milk, and organic extra-virgin coconut oil. Of course, don’t forget to add hot fudge.
448 Amsterdam Ave., New York, New York, 10024, USA
Known For
- Flavors both classic and offbeat
- Over a dozen locations, plus more in other states
- Stellar vegan varieties available
-
$ | |
This Turkish-owned bakery is a cozy stop for a quick breakfast, lunch, or afternoon snack. Grab a table in front of the street art--style mural and settle in with sandwiches and wraps, or vegan and gluten-free pastries like the coffee cake (served with berries in summer, pumpkin in fall). Chocoholics should try the intense Nutella pouf, a flaky confection filled with Nutella and served warm.
347 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11211, USA
Known For
- Bakery with vegan and gluten-free options
- Street art mural
- Small but cozy space
-
$ | DUMBO |
Jacques Torres's partner Herve Poussot bakes Gallic pastries (think fresh-baked fraisier with fresh strawberries and mousseline crème) and delectable quiches and croissants, and serves sandwiches on award-winning baguettes, in this spot across the street from Torres's chocolate shop. The petit storefront's interior is nothing special, but the staff are friendly and the seating is abundant.
85 Water St., Brooklyn, New York, 11201, USA
Known For
- Coffee
- Great croissants
- Sandwiches
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
-
$ | DUMBO |
Arguably the best French bakery outside of the Montmartre is on DUMBO's Water Street. Chef Herve Poussot helms this neighborhood favorite, baking on-site daily chocolate raspberry croissants, mille-feuille, macarons, and pear tarts, as well as baguettes, quiche, and sandwiches. Pick up a snack and a coffee to take to the park.
85 Water St., Brooklyn, New York, 11201, USA
Known For
- Classic French pastries
- Daily lunch specials
- Authentic, fresh baguettes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
