I've just secured a reservation at the Stanhope for three nights in March on Priceline for the extraordinary price of $115 per night! Incredible!

We're going for my birthday and I'm hoping to get some help in the restaurant department. Can anyone recommend a couple of nice local places for dinner. Hopefully places that we could walk back to the Stanhope which is opposite the Met on the Upper eastside.

Thanks very much.

Well, the money you saved on the hotel will be spent eating in that neighborhood . . . There are good restaurants, of course, but the Upper East Side is pricy. For incredible pastries and desserts try the Cafe Sabarsky in the new German Museum the Neue Galerie at 5th and 86th St. For good Italian, Centolire at Madison and 85th. If you're willing to walk east a bit, you'll find Erminia,(83rd bet 2nd &3rd) an incredibly romantic Italian place (pricy but worth it) and more reasonably priced places like Our Place (82nd and 3rd ave.) for pretty good Chinese and Pearson's Texas BBQ at 81st and Lexington - for good (good in NYC, that is) barbeque.

mp,
Many thanks for the recommendations I also like the cafe at the Neue Museum but I'm not familiar with your other suggestions...

Thanks again!

If you yearn for afternoon tea, aside from your hotel or the Mark Hotel on 77th, try the King's Carriage House on 82 between 2nd & 3rd.

The Coffee Shop at the corner of Madison & 81 serves a good breakfast, burger etc.

Le Refuge is a nice country French on 82 between Lex & 3rd.

Pascalou on Madison between 92-93 has a very reasonable "pre theater pre fixe" but the place is tiny.

In general, the further east you walk-Lex, 3rd, 2nd, the more likely you are to find more casual, less expensive places.

Second Avenue has many many great restaurants in the 70's & 80's -- often several per block. Walk east from your hotel and then just check out the myriad dining opportunities. And unlike 5th Avenue, you might actually meet a real New Yorker!

Enjoy

Thanks to everyone,
Gekko luckily I'll be meeting lots of New Yorkers (although as you say probably not on 5th) as all of my in-laws live in Manhattan and I cannot escaped!

Centolire is a good suggestion. It's delicious Italian food, a little pricey. For lower end Italian, I'll add Serafina at 79th and Madison, 2nd floor. Yummy pasta and pizzas.

Why limit yourself to restaurants within walking distance of the Stanhope?

Also, it might be best if you were a little more specific as to what you were looking for in a restaurant.

Whenever I entertain guests in New York I shoot for a few jawdropping dining experiences--the kind that you might not find in many places.

For instance, I'll take those who are desert lovers to Daniel at 10:30 or so at night.

The room is drop-dead gorgeous.

After museuming you couldn't do better that afternoon tea at Lady Mendl's on Irving Place. The five-course tea there is absolutely charming and a meal in itself.

Again, why limit your options when for the price of a short cab ride you could take in Vong, Rene Pujol, ViceVersa, or any one of 100 wonderful places?

Remember, the price your getting for a room at the Stanhope is a gift from the Gods. Put some of the savings into a cab ride and let your imagination soar.

...The Central Park Boathouse...Metrazur...Vong...Chez Josephine...Restaurant Above and Pinnacle Bar...

Hawker,
thanks so much for your suggestions.

Actually we visit NY quite alot as my father in law lives on the Upper Westside and my brother-in-law in the East Village. I was just considering local suggestions because it would be fun to explore an area that I normally visit only for museums.

Thanks for your suggestions you've made me realize I need to make my more glamourous reservations soon!