epoggi

I will be visiting NYC for 2 days in June. My hotel is located in Manhattan. Can anyone reccomend a good resturant for Sunday Brunch? Thanks

Dee

Hi, I too am going to New York in June with some friends and am originally from Brooklyn, New York. We were planning on going to a place called Tavern on the Green for a Sunday Brunch. Although I have not been there in a long time I remember it to have a really nice atmosphere and thought the girls would all like it. Not too sure how the food is now though. I believe it is a little more pricey than most restaurants but it has been around for years and is really well known. It is near Central Park. You might consider that. If you look at the listing of restaurants that Fodors has or go to the Zagat.com site sometimes they list if the restaurant offers a brunch. Hope that helps you.

elaine

It's hard to recommend without knowing your budget or your hotel location.
In my opinion Tavern on the Green has a pretty setting just inside the park, and fairy-land decor, but the food, at least for dinner, is mediocre and over priced for what it is. It is very popular with visitors, though.
I'd recommend Byant Park Cafe, just behind the big public library, 25 W. 40th, 212 840 6500, set inside a pretty park; Cafe Botanica inside the Essex House hotel, 160 Central Park South, phone 212 484 5120, brunch is a lavish buffet; on the upper East Side, Atlantic Grill, 1341 Third Ave, phone 212 988 9200, trendy neighborhood crowd; Isabella's on the upper West Side near the Museum of Nat. History, 359 Columbus Ave, 212 724 2100; Joe Allen, 326 W 46th St, in the theater district, not far from Times Sq, 212 581 6464; Park View, at the Boathouse inside Central Park, East Park Dr and 72nd St, phone 212 517 2233, a beautiful setting and the food's pretty good and less exp. than Tavern OTG; and much less-expensive than all of the above is the Popover Cafe, 551 Amsterdam Ave near W. 86th St, 212 695 8555. The latter is very very popular and last time I was there didn't take reservations, for a larger party maybe they will.

steve

The last post was good, but the best brunch I've had was at the Plaza. Be hungry though.

John

Avoid Tavern on the Green at all costs! The only experience you will find there is a busload of tourists shoved into every space possible, paying top dollar for the worst food in New York. It is not a real new york brunch experience, but basically every tourist in New York thinking that they are having brunch with new yorkers just because the restaurant is famous. Plus, it has lost much of its luster in recent years.

I highly recommend the brunch at the Plaza (ask for the Palm Court brunch; you don't want to do brunch in the Edwardian room). It may be pricy, but it is no more than you will pay at Tavern and it is a MUCH better experience. It is very refined (at one point they required coat and tie, and may still do that) and much more of an old new york experience. You may also want to try the Mark Hotel on the Upper East side.

if you are looking for more casual, I agree with Isabella's or Sarabeth's, which are both on the Upper West Side.

Caitlin

If you're looking for high-end (around $50 per person), I'll second the recommendation for the Plaza and Cafe Botanica. The Plaza is a straight buffet that is very lavish, with great food. At Cafe Botanica, you get a oice of entree and buffet appetizers and desserts. The entrees aren't real memorable, but the buffet part is very good; plus, you get champage and the setting is very pretty, like being in an indoor garden. For setting, Cafe Botanica wins, but the food at the plaza is a bit better and more varied. Both are immeasurably better than Tavern, I'd venture, and more intimate. You must reserve in advance. Prk View in Central Park is also a very pretty setting. The food's supposed to be quite good, though I haven't been.

If you don't want something as lavish or expensive, go with Sarabeth's or Isabella's, but make reservsations or you'll wait a long time.

john

Plaza Hotel NYC has best Sunday Brunch we have ever found, and we have done a brunch of them in a brunch of places over the years <g>.

Christina

For a real down-home Sunday brunch I would recommend Bubby's or The Pink Tea Cup.

lisa

Depends on what you want. For something different (and casual, and inexpensive, but delicious), try Veselka (lower east side, I think it's on the corner of 7th Ave. & 9th St.?) -- it's an Eastern European restaurant with delicious challah French toast, cheese blintzes with raspberry sauce, all kinds of pastries, sausages, breads -- delicious!

Bram

I agree with the earlier post about Isabella's on the U.West side but my preference is the Cupping Room in the Village. Great food and atmosphere and very reasonably priced.

Bram

Sorry about the above but The Cupping Room is in Soho not the Village

howard

Here's another vote for Sarabeth's Kitchen. Two locations:
1. 1295 Madison Avenue, between 92nd & 93rd
2. 425 Amsterdam Avenue,between 80yj & 81st
(There's also one in the Whitney Museum, Madison Avenue at 75th, but I believe the menu is not as varied.
They don't take reservations, but it's worth the wait.

vosaki

Does anyone know if Windows on the World, at the World Trade Center, has a sunday brunch. They did any years ago. I'm not even sure its called WOW after its renovation.