616 Best Restaurants in New York City, New York

Everything and nothing has changed at Katz's since it first opened in 1888, when the neighborhood was dominated by Jewish immigrants: lines still form for the giant, hand-carved corned beef and pastrami sandwiches, soul-warming soups, juicy hot dogs, and crisp half-sour pickles. You get a ticket when you walk in and then get it punched at the various stations where you pick up your food; don't lose it, or you'll have to pay the lost-ticket fee.

The New York outpost of the 154-year-old pizzeria in Naples that the travel memoir "Eat, Pray, Love" single-handedly turned into a must-visit stop on the tourist trail, this West Village pizzeria opened in late 2022 and has managed to quickly become one of the best Neapolitan-style pizzerias in the city. The menu here is much more expansive than the original, treading into all-encompassing trattoria fare, such as pastas and salads, but stick to the classic Margherita pie and you'll walk out of here a very happy eater.

One of Brooklyn's most celebrated slice joints made the leap over the East River in late 2023 and a line formed immediately. The owner of L'Industrie is originally from Tuscany and it shows in the crispy, ultra-thin-crust pies. There are usually 10 varieties of pizza available daily, but first-timers should opt for the burrata slice: thin, crispy crust topped with sweet tomato sauce and gooey flavorful globs of burrata cheese. Limited seating is available, plus a small selection of natural wine and beer. 

Despite the name—"La Cabra" means "The Goat" in Spanish—this diminutive coffee place is a caffeinated Danish powerhouse that really packs a flavor punch. The coffee supplier for many of the Michelin-starred restaurants in Denmark, La Cabra is anchored in the East Village for extraordinary cumin buns and dazzlingly delicious high-quality coffee in form of espressos and pour-overs. 

Brought to you by the pasta company Pastaficio di Martino from the renowned pasta-making town of Gragnano near Naples, Italy, La Devozione is: (1) a retail shop where you can purchase packages of the company's 126 different pasta shapes and (2) an exquisite restaurant, complete with an oval-shape table setting around the open kitchen, so diners can watch their four-course lunch or seven-course dinner get made. Diners who don't want to commit to a long tasting menu can sit at other tables and choose from the à la carte options like the classic Roman dish bucatini all'Amatriciana.

Staten Island has one of the largest Sri Lankan communities outside the South Asian nation, which means it's the perfect place to taste its cuisine. Along an unassuming strip of restaurants and groceries is this acclaimed, stand-out restaurant, tastefully adorned with Sri Lankan curios. During the week, different curries accompany à la carte dishes known as lamprais, kottus, and hoppers, however, on weekends there's an all-you-can-eat buffet of greatest hits for $21.

Enter the serene, teak-paneled dining room at this trendsetting French seafood restaurant, and let chef Eric Ripert work his magic with anything that swims—at times preferring not to cook it at all. Deceptively simple dishes are typical of his style, which has earned this restaurant many James Beard and other awards, including a rank among the world's top 20 restaurants and an incredible three Michelin stars. Expect to savor every bite of Le Bernardin's thrilling cuisine, along with exceptional cocktail and wine selections, and some of the finest desserts anywhere. The menu is expensive and prix-fixe only, but you can count on a truly unforgettable gastronomic experience. Along with a vegetarian prix-fixe option, there's also a marvelous chef's tasting menu of at least eight courses, and the option of an over-the-top wine pairing. Opt for the spectacular three-course lounge menu if time (or budget) is tight.

Set in the heart of Midtown, and located on the second floor of One Vanderbilt, a glassy new 93-story skyscraper that dwarfs the nearby Chrysler Building (views of which you can appreciate from the restaurant's massive windows), Le Pavillon is named for a French restaurant in 1940s Manhattan that first defined French cuisine in the United States and is itself redefining fine dining in Midtown Manhattan. Immediately hailed a culinary oasis, world-renowned chef Daniel Boulud’s newest restaurant is also a soothing oasis, with its understated, neutral interiors, 57-foot ceilings, grand views, and lush greenery and forest-like setting complete with 20-foot-tall olive trees. The menu is prix-fixe and focuses on locally-sourced vegetables and seafood. The Oysters Vanderbilt is named for the railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who built Grand Central Terminal. À la carte menu items are available in the bar and lounge.

Completely unpretentious and utterly delicious, Levain Bakery's cookies are rich and hefty (they clock in at 6 ounces each) and one of those NYC musts that even New Yorkers admit is worth standing on line for. Choose from the chocolate-chip walnut, dark-chocolate chocolate chip, dark-chocolate peanut-butter chip, or oatmeal raisin: batches are baked fresh daily and taste best when they're warm and melty right out of the oven. Levain also bakes artisanal breads, including banana chocolate chip and pumpkin-ginger spice, sour-cream coffee cake, chocolate-chip and cinnamon brioche, sourdough rolls stuffed with Valrhona chocolate, blueberry muffins, a variety of scones, and the unique bomboloncini (jelly doughnuts).

When Harlem resident Susannah Koteen opened Lido in 2011, she became one of the pioneers of Restaurant Row, which blossomed along Frederick Douglass Boulevard. A laid-back, yet classy restaurant with boundless appeal, this authentic Italian eatery is a neighborhood go-to for a casual dinner and the perfect date spot. The restaurant prides itself on its locally sourced ingredients and has become one of the most popular brunch spots in Harlem. Try the tuscan crostini with burrata and poached pears drizzled with honey and topped with sage as a starter and wash it down with an Emerald City cocktail, made with pineapple-infused mezcal, jalapeño cilantro syrup, and fresh lime. For brunch, don’t skip the braised short rib hash or spaghetti with veal meatballs. And to top it off, add bottomless mimosas for $20.

Even in the most diverse neighborhood of New York City, you are still in New York, after all, so great pizza can still be found. This no-frills pizza joint is run by Louie himself. Hailed as a local hero after surviving a horrific stabbing from protecting an elderly woman from being mugged, Louie has become somewhat of a staple figure in the neighborhood. Heroism aside, the grandma slice here is one of the best in the borough, but you also don't want to miss their homemade agnolotti pasta.

If you worship at the altar of Neapolitan pizza---thin-crust pies baked quickly in blistering brick ovens---Lucali is a worthy pilgrimage. Ordering is simple: there's one large pie and a choice of toppings from beef pepperoni to vegetables like grilled artichokes; and calzones in two sizes, which come with a side of marinara sauce. Pizzaiolo Mark Iacono opened his cozy restaurant in a former candy shop to insure his beloved neighborhood haunt wouldn’t turn over to a chain. Lucali quickly established itself as a top-ranked pizzeria. Arrive early and plan to explore Carroll Gardens. They'll call your phone when a spot is ready, which could be hours later.

The unofficial Mayor of University Place, Marco Vacchi, runs this beloved neighborhood coffee shop, the original outpost of his expanding Madman empire. You’ll often see the mustachio’d owner playing barista, pulling espressos, and frothing cappuccinos—all powered by high-quality Caffé Vita beans—behind the postage-stamp-size counter. In warmer weather, there’s outdoor seating, too.

Yakitori—tasty morsels on skewers—has long been a staple of Japanese cuisine. As the name would suggest, this restaurant takes the age-old concept and runs with it in a faintly Gallic direction, its open kitchen churning out grilled bites on skewers, artfully arranged on plates, or, in the case of the pommes dauphines (crispy spheres of potato), wrapped in paper cones with a delectable dipping sauce. Don't miss the cocktails on tap and delicate desserts, both of which also have a creative East-West slant.

Mam is not your typical Stateside Vietnamese eatery. This diminutive spot, where guests sit on tiny plastic stools just like at restaurants in Vietnam, serves the large-format Hanoi dish bun dau mam tom: cold vermicelli noodles, fried tofu, herb leaves, pork belly, and sometimes blood sausage that all play a supporting role for the star of the show, the mam tom, or funky fermented shrimp sauce. A tray arrives at your table and you go to work, grabbing bunches of the supporting cast and dipping it in the mam tom. 

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.

This innovative food hall opened in spring 2023 to great fanfare. Run by the James Beard Foundation and set on historic Pier 57, the market boasts a lineup of 15 food stalls from James Beard Award–winning chefs. Some standouts include Bessou, a modern take on Japanese home cooking; Mijo, a taqueria by chef Fany Gerson—the taco Arabe (spiced pork with a spicy chipotle sauce) is one of the best tacos in the city; Sahadi's, Middle Eastern fare from a legendary Brooklyn grocer; and Zaab Zaab, an outpost of the celebrated Thai spot in Queens. 

With excellent food and a convenient location near Broadway theaters, this brasserie is perpetually packed. Marseille's French standards are seriously impressive, including the bouillabaisse, the signature dish of the region for which the restaurant is named—a mélange of mussels, shrimp, and whitefish in a fragrant broth. Leave room for the fresh-baked desserts and farmhouse cheeses. Ambience is charming with a mix of locals and visitors, inviting all to feel welcome—just be wise and reserve a table or arrive early for a spot in the bar. Pre- and posttheater dining are great here, and weekends bring great brunch specials.

David Chang's first restaurant, a riff on the Japanese ramen bar, opened back in 2004, and it's still a strong crowd favorite for the daily changing menu of ramen, steamed buns, and various other innovative options. The spare, bright space has plenty of counter seating and a few low tables that you might end up sharing communal-style.

David Chang opened Ssäm bar two years after his original Noodle Bar, and the stylish spot easily shows the multicultural bent of its creator. A selection of country hams is a surprising but delicious way to start a meal, perhaps followed by an Indian-inspired curry and potato appetizer, perfectly glazed barbecue ribs, and a whole-fish preparation. For a serious splurge, opt for the $135 rotisserie duck.

Tucked between Park and Madison on 50th Street, this deco-inspired brasserie is a pretty pastel setting for a business breakfast or postshopping lunch and a flirty and chic destination for dinner. The vibes are lavish and retro; think: Miami, Mrs. Maisel, and an ever-so-elegant cruise ship, with curved banquettes, multilevel dining areas, a curved marble bar with tall geometric back, brass accents, globe lights, soft pinks and blues, and altogether lots of visual drama. Once seated, the theatrics continue with an expertly manned Martini Cart, for customizing your cocktail or mocktail, and table-side visits for carving prime rib and flambéing Bananas Foster (and subsequent oohing and aahing). 

A quaint, whitewashed facade highlighted by a colorful vegetable mural hints what lies within this sustainability-minded and kosher café: a daytime menu of produce-forward dishes, including shakshuka (eggs in a spicy tomato sauce), salads, and a tasty tofu banh mi, plus an evening menu of salmon soba noodles and fish tacos. Indoor seating is limited, but outdoor seating is on a relatively quiet and picturesque side street.