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Ready to take a bite out of New York? Hope you've come hungry. In a city where creativity is expressed in innumerable ways, the food scene takes center stage, with literally thousands of chances to taste what Gotham is all about. Whether lining up at street stands, gobbling down legendary deli and diner grub, or chasing a coveted reservation at the latest celebrity-chef venue, New Yorkers are a demanding yet appreciative audience.
Every neighborhood offers temptations high, low, and in between, meaning there's truly something for every taste, whim, and budget. No matter how you approach dining out here, it's hard to go wrong. Planning a day of shopping among the glittering flagship boutiques along 5th and Madison Avenues? Stop into one of the Upper East Side's storied restaurants for a repast among the "ladies who lunch." Clubbing in the Meatpacking District? Tuck into a meal at eateries as trendy as their patrons. Craving authentic ethnic? From food trucks to hidden joints, there are almost more choices than there are appetites. Recent years have also seen entire food categories, from ramen to meatballs to mac 'n' cheese, riffed upon and fetishized, and at many restaurants you find an almost religious reverence for seasonal, locally sourced cuisine.
And don't forget—New York is still home to more celebrity chefs than any other city. Your chances of running into your favorite cookbook author, Food Network celeb, or paparazzi-friendly chef are high, adding even more star wattage to a restaurant scene with an already through-the-roof glamour quotient. Newfound economic realities, however, have revived appreciation for value, meaning you can tap into wallet-friendly choices at every level of the food chain. Rest assured, this city does its part to satisfy your appetite. Ready, set, eat.
Chef Ignacio Mattos put himself in the pantheon of living New York chefs with his restaurant Estela and now he's adding to the legend with this classic Gallic-inspired bistro on the border where the Lower East Side and Chinatown meet. Mattos is a master at layering flavors and his menu here is no exception with smoky coal-grilled steak au poivre and a boudin blanc sausage wading in a shallow pool of juniper-spiked sauerkraut.
At NYC’s first 100% sustainable seafood restaurant, each item is ethically sourced—including wild-caught fish from unendangered stocks and all fish from aquaculture responsibly farmed—and seafood lovers can expect both a sustainable and memorable meal. A daily raw bar features a selection of East and West Coast oysters, with up to 20 varieties each night. The daily oyster happy hour offers a selection of oysters for $1.50--$2 from 4 to 6 pm. On weekends, choose between the award-winning 16-ingredient Bloody Mary, mimosa, or pilsner draft for the unlimited brunch.
Chef Michael Toscano was a huge hit of a chef when he was the top toque at Perla. He moved to Charleston but now he's back at this eponymous restaurant in the same space where Perla once was. The interior hasn't changed too much; the marble-topped red oak bar is still there and so are the comfy banquettes, but Toscano added paintings by former Perla employee Isaac Mann that are a feast for the eyes. The chef produces flavor-popping Italian dishes such as pappardelle with duck ragu and shaved foie gras and lumache pasta with roasted tomatoes and pistachios that happens to have a buried treasure of stracciatella at the bottom, giving it a supremely delicious, creamy texture.
Top-quality sandwiches, delicious pastries, market-fresh salads, and a few hot lunch and dinner options are served to eat in or take away at this petite bakery-café that's part of Danny Meyer's empire. There are a few seats but when the weather's nice, take your food to eat on a bench in Union Square.
In two elegant dining rooms, star chef Daniel Boulud's modern French bistro serves classic, exquisitely prepared dishes like Atlantic salmon, hanger steak, and the pricey "db" hamburger— stuffed with braised short ribs, foie gras, and black truffles and credited with kick-starting the gourmet burger craze. Although the bistro might not be the trendy destination it once was, it's still a worthy experience, especially for its three-course prix-fixe menu. The service is friendly without being overbearing, and the restaurant welcomes pre- or post-theater guests for dinner, cocktails, and dessert.
The menu at Dhamaka, one of the most exciting restaurants in Manhattan, focuses on regional specialties not usually seen on standard Indian restaurant menus so be prepared to ask questions and be wowed. There are many unusual—and delicious—meat dishes but vegetarians and fish eaters will also have several choices.
Di ăn Di manages to differentiate itself from the hordes of Southeast Asian–fusion restaurants in the city with a light- and plant-filled dining room and great recipes made using quality ingredients. Diners rave about the beef pho ha noi, with its poached egg yolk and scattering of scallions, and do nurong—skewers of meat, fish, or tofu, served with fresh noodles or broken rice.
Big appetites will be happy with the huge platters of St. Louis–style ribs, Memphis-style ribs, and pulled pork and brisket here, as well as the fried chicken, corn bread, slaw, and barbecue baked beans. Smaller appetites can opt for burgers, sliders, sandwiches, and salads, plus some gluten-free selections. Nearly everything is smoked or homemade at this sprawling, two-story location tucked under the West Side Highway viaduct. There’s a smaller outpost in Brooklyn.
The cronut, a delectable cross between a doughnut and a croissant, was invented by Dominique Ansel in 2013, and the flaky pastries continue to create a hubbub, with just one inventive flavor available each month. There are plenty of other delightful creations here as well, such as decadent hot chocolate, which you can eat in the café or take with you.
If you have a hankering for red sauce Italian–American fare, steer clear of Little Italy, and book yourself into Don Angie, a restaurant that took a staid cuisine, updated it, and made it wholly edible again: quite a task. Sit in the retro front room—featuring checkerboard floors and arched doorways—and chow down on sopressini pasta paired with mussels, garganelli noodles with meatballs and guanciale (cured pork jowl), or the excellent (and hugely portioned) lasagna for two, a spiral-shape reimagining of the classic dish.
Meat lovers in particular will enjoy Korean barbecue, and Dons Bogam is a venerable, quality option with a variety of meats and seafood, cooked for you on a grill embedded in your table. Dishes are served with assorted condiments, sauces, embellishments. Don't ignore the appetizers; the dumplings and Korean pancakes are excellent, as are the noodle dishes and bulgogis if you aren't into barbecue.
Housed in a triangular building smack in the center of Meatpacking District action, this bi-level Mexican restaurant with ample outdoor seating does consistently solid fare. The menu boasts classic south-of-the-border staples like chicken enchiladas, variations on the theme of tacos, and nachos but the kitchen is at its best when churning out less-likely fare, such as yucca-stuffed croquetas, butternut squash and pumpkin soup, and plantain-and-black-bean empanadas. And, of course, you can wash it all down with one (or two) of several types of margaritas.
There’s a reason why these doughnuts in multilicious flavors have become a signature at so many cafés throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn, and at this Manhattan outpost of the Bed-Stuy original, you can get them fresh out of the oven. The ever-popular (though odd-sounding) hibiscus doughnut looks gorgeous and has just the right amount of tart fruitiness to balance the sweetness of the dough; other favorites include passion fruit, salted chocolate, and cinnamon and sugar.
Both a bustling food hall and a marketplace where you can shop for produce, baked goods, prepared foods, and kitchen staples, Eataly is a temple to all things gourmet Italian. You can graze at individual stands, sit down for a meal at one of several restaurants that each specialize in different aspects of Italian cuisine, or head upstairs to Serra by Birreria, a covered rooftop space that's open year-round and serves Italian specialties and microbrews that change with the seasons.
While its best known for its chicken, a visit to this no-frills Dominican restaurant in Washington Heights should also include mofongo, a traditional Dominican dish of mashed plantains and crispy pork skin. Order a combo platter to try a variety of flavors; parrillada de carne comes with chicken, skirt steak, pork chops, and Dominican sausage. If you're in the area in the morning, you should try the mangú tres golpes, a traditional Dominican breakfast of mashed green plantains with fried eggs, salami, and fried cheese. There's a second location on Amsterdam Avenue and 97th Street.
This snug Lebanese café caters to locals with its popular vegan platters, mixed kabobs for two (with kofta, chicken, and lamb), shawarmas, and more. Seating is limited, but if you can snag a seat at lunch or dinner time, you’re in for a treat. Try the mint lemonade and falafel sandwich, a house blend of chickpeas and fava beans, topped with turnip and pickles.
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