Favorite Restaurant in New York for Casual/Nice Lunch
 

I'm looking for some ideas in any price range for a nice place to have lunch in NYC. I'm looking for a place with good atmosphere and food. Any price range

New York has thousands of good restaurants.

Any particular neighborhood?
What type of food (likes or hates)?
When you say nice do you mean elegant or pretty or trendy?

And for any budget is that $25 each for lunch? $50 each? $200 each?

You really need to give us more info.

Midtown or a quick taxi ride somewhere not too far, American or Italian food, trendy or pretty, $100 or below each person. Sorry! It's just that I really am open to any ideas.

3 places I've been to regularly and love (3 different price ranges, in increasing order):

The Eatery on 53rd Street and 9th Avenue fits your bill, has great food, and is well under your price range.

Tuscan Square is a nice place for lunch as well, right off Rockefeller Center on 51st Street and 5th Avenue. Serves Italian food, it's a fav of my friends who work at Rock Center. I didn't think it particularly trendy to be honest with you.

For a higher end treat, there's also a restaurant right off MoMA, which you don't need to pay the MoMA entry fee for. It's called The Modern, on 53rd Street between 5th and 6th Aves, and is really good. Choose carefully here, and you can be under $100/person for lunch. And that's if you go to the dining room. If you go to the Bar, then the prices come back to a more earthly realm, and you can easily get by at $50/person or less.

When you're willing to spend $100/person for lunch, you can go just about anywhere.

Yes, yes to the Modern. Very beautiful presentations and the desserts are to die for! Nice view of the sculpture gardens, too.

This is easy: Balthazar in Soho.

I would suggest taking a look at www.menupages.com and getting a copy of Zagat so wherever in the city you are, there is something good closeby.

Great suggestions! I'm looking forward to trying them all! Thanks!

Assuming it's for an upcoming visit during the holidays, the Sea Grill at Rockefeller Center overlooking the ice rink is quintessential NYC.
http://theseagrill.com/

Another idea is the delegates dining room at the UN. Info here
http://www.newyorkology.com/archives...d_nations.html

The tasting menu at Bouley is fabulous.
http://www.bouley.net/hires/lunch35.html

I second Balthazar.

What a great thread!

Hi Laurie! I am drooling over the tasting menus.

vacagrl, when are you going?

In mid-town, Vice Versa (51/8th Ave.), along restaurant row. Very relaxing dining room in cream/brown. The casconcelli bergamasca is amazing. Good sea bass. Tiaramisu is just 0K.

L'Impero in Tudor City on the east side of the island near the UN. Sorry to knock some of the other suggestions, but for your budget you can pretty much take your pick and a few of the ideas here are not all that inspiring. Another idea: Jean Georges. I also like The Modern. Each of these is very pretty and has superb food.

Mmm...I second Vice Versa, completely forgot about it, and in a midtown location to boot.

If you're going downtown, then yes, Balthazar's, although there are times I prefer its sister, Pastis.

I admittedly don't pay attention to Zagats reviews personally. And I'd go to menupages with a grain of salt. Gives you a good idea of what they're serving, but don't expect everything listed to be on your menu.

Balthazar is great. I also like The Odeon. Gotham Bar and Grill is a nice restaurant with a luncheon pre-fix. You can view all the menus online at www.menupages.com

Union Square Cafe, Eleven Madison Park or Aureole.............

Mary's Fish Camp is wonderful--casual, but really good for a casual lunch.

for a REALLY casual (walk up) lunch, try the SHAKE SHACK in Madison Square Park. Delicious!