NYC Lunch Suggestion for Upper East Side?
 

We are planning to see the Dorothy Draper exhibit at the Museum of the City of NY at 103rd & 5th, and I’m looking suggestion for lunch after our museum visit. After the museum we will be headed back down to 60th St. so we can either eat near the museum or further south. I am looking for someplace that we can have a light lunch (salad, good sandwich, or panini etc) and a glass of wine for under $20 each. Eating outside would be a huge plus and for this lunch I really don’t want a traditional NYC too-much-food-deli-style place. Thanks in advance for any suggestions you may have.

Serafina on the corner of 86 and Madison fits the bill perfectly. It is on the second floor and has an open air patio.

It's new, it's all over the news, it's fantastic: <b>Cafe d'Alsace</b> on the corner of 88th &amp; 2nd Avenue.

(Lunch <i>and</i> a glass of wine for under $20? That might be a bit unrealistic.)

Thanks for the suggestions, both are appreciated and Serafina sounds perfect with the patio!! I don't think having a salad &amp; and glass of wine for $20/under per person is unrealistic (and obviously that does not include tip). We've had many lunches like that in NYC before, but I asked here because I am unfamiliar with the area near the museum.

Thanks again!

I second the Serafina reco; perfect for a light, casual inexpensive lunch. Cafe d'Alsace is excellent, but it's not a good fit for what you are looking for. Enjoy the exhibit, should be a good one.

I would also recommend Via Quadranno, an upscale panini place on 74th/Madison. It doesn't have an outside patio, but the sandwiches are excellent and very authentic. It has a very European feel. Don't be surprised if you hear more Italian than English.

When people quote the price of a meal one usually assumes they mean total - including 8% tax and 15-20% tip. Having a pleasant salad or sandwich lunch with a glass of wine - including those - is just about doable in NYC for $20. If the salad has shrimp or lobster - you'll probably go over that.

Yes, I assumed $20 was the total, which is not realistic unless the sandwich is Big Mac and the &quot;wine&quot; is Mad Dog (particularly on the Upper East Side).

(But even without tip &amp; tax, is $20 doable? A decent glass of wine, $8-10, and a salad or half sandwich, $8-10?? Doesn't sound particularly pleasant.)

Forgot to add, Via Quadronno, on E. 73rd Street, is excellent, but $20 isn't realistic.

Burger Heaven serves wine and has two UES locations -- 62nd &amp; Lex, 87th &amp; Third. Just don't order cheese!

:)

Well, Gekko &amp; NYTraveler you know what they say about people who 'assume' things . . .

Gekko, sorry that a salad and wine &quot;doesn't sound particularly pleasant&quot; to you. And thanks, but I think I'll skip Burger heaven.


lisettemac, margo &amp; Kangamom, thanks for your suggestions.

A lunch of salad &amp; wine sound perfectly pleasant -- it's the attempt to get it for $20 that gives me pause. On the UES, any salad &amp; wine lunch for $20 is going to, shall we say, lack quality.

Burger Heaven may be your best bet. Decent salads, fine sandwiches.

Gekko a $20 lunch does not have to be disgusting. I think your usefulness on my post has run its course - thanks.

Sorry you don;t like some of the answers you're getting. But they are the truth.

If you prefer to say you want to spend $20 - and then really pay $26 - well - it's fine with me - but doesn;t make a lot of sense.

There are quite a few options in the 90s or 80s and then many more around 60th st.

There's a Sarabeth's at Madison &amp; 92 st. Also a French bistro called Pascalou. (this place is small).

Maybe the best idea is One Fish Two Fish which has a brunch/lunch special of $9.95 with a drink on Madison &amp; 97 st.

Table D'Hote on 92 st &amp; Madison is another good idea.
http://www.onefishtwofish.com/menu.html

There's a Serafina on 79th &amp; Madison unless there's a new one on 86th st.

<i>&quot;If you prefer to say you want to spend $20 - and then really pay $26 - well - it's fine with me - but doesn;t make a lot of sense.&quot;</i>

Nytraveler I have no problem with the answers I’m getting, even though some are irrelevant. I never said my target price included tax and tip, you took it upon yourself to assume it did. Maybe the next time you don't fully understand the question you should ask for clarification.

mclaurie, thanks! Great suggestions as always, your NYC advice has always been right-on. Funny that you mentioned Table D'Hote, I saw it on menupages this afternoon and I was going to ask about it but thought I would get flamed by a few here because it wasn't expensive enough for them!

Thank you for the website for One Fish Two Fish I will take a look at it, and I'll double check the Serafina addresses.

I have had one meal at the Serafina in the east 60s off Madison and it may have been the worst dining experience I have had all year. Unless the uptown locations are remarkably different, I would give them a pass. I really cannot see how you can have a nice lunch with wine for under $20 in this area..the wine alone will cost a minimum of $8 for the cheapest offering, unless you eat at a coffee shop or diner-type place.

Is Islands still there, at Madison and probably 93rd? They had great salads.

Island is another excellent idea. Cute bistro type place.

I'm not familiar with these places, but I'm trying to figure out what kind of &quot;great&quot; entree type salad you can get in NYC at a nice place for $9. Add the difficult to find glass of decent wine for $7, and you're already at that $20 limit with tax and tip.

I looked at the menu for Island and their four entree lunch salads are $12 to $16, with the $12 getting you a plain Caesar Salad.