23 Best Restaurants in New York City, New York

Set on the third floor of the Deutsche Bank center at Columbus Circle, and one floor down from the temple of haute cuisine, Per Se, this irreverent, playful, maximalist, authentic, inauthentic, gimmicky, and just plain fun Italian restaurant is not bad at all; in fact, it's very good. Any illusions that this is a traditional and polite Italian dining experience are left at the door where you are met with a half-ton wild boar statue wearing a neon necklace and a dining room that is a feast of color and texture with red and white travertine, trompe l'oeil mosaics, and lush greenery suspended from wood coffered ceilings above orange banquettes. The bar is clad with marble and mirror, there's a working fountain by the bathroom, and floor-to-ceiling windows frame views of Central Park (not that you'll notice.) Yes, there's food, too, and it lives up to the stage set by the design with delicious riffs on classic Italian food. Highlights include a filet mignon meatball small plate, filet mignon topped with cacio e pepe raviolo, a broiled 2-pound lobster with a mound of Calabrian pasta between the claws (to share), and tiramisu ice-cream cake. Cocktails are creative and the crowd is here to play.

Since 1908, this local landmark has been known for brusque waiters serving stellar platters of smoked salmon, sturgeon, whitefish, and pickled herring to a happy crowd packed to the gills at small Formica tables. Split a fish platter with bagels, cream cheese, and other fixings, or get your velvety nova scrambled with eggs and buttery caramelized onions. If still hungry, go for a plate of cheese blintzes or the to-die-for chopped liver. Be warned that the weekend brunch wait can exceed an hour, so you may want to get food to go or come during the week.

With a colorful, modern interior and an oasis of a patio out back, this Upper West Side gem is the pan-Mediterranean restaurant vision of owner Tuvia Feldman and executive chef Eli Buli. Bustan, which means "garden" or "orchard" in Hebrew and Arabic, churns out dishes that draw inspiration from three continents. Make sure to start with the mezes "for the table" and lather your house-made taboon (a flatbread) with warm hummus and spicy feta spreads. Main courses range from lamb kebabs to branzino a la plancha (grilled on a metal plate) served with za'atar labneh (seasoned Greek yogurt) to Moroccan-style vegetable couscous. Save room for the "nemesis" dessert, a baked chocolate mousse with salted caramel pearls and vanilla ice cream.

The old soul of the Lincoln Center neighborhood seems to inhabit the tiled and mirrored walls of this lively, cramped French bistro, where West End Avenue regulars are greeted with kisses, and musicians and audience members pack the room after a concert. The bar's always hopping, and the menu includes classics like steak tartare, moules frites (mussels and fries), and lobster roll. There's also a popular weekend brunch. 

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 in 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).

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.

David Geffen Hall was probably the last place most New Yorkers would think to go for a chopped cheese sandwich, that is until New York City chef Kwame Onwuachi took this iconic NYC staple out of the local deli and into a shimmering space in Lincoln Center, elevating it accordingly with a steamed bun, dry-aged beef, smoked mozzarella, and shaved black truffles. Within weeks of opening, the celeb chef's first New York City restaurant was lauded and applauded by locals and media alike for bringing delicious African and Caribbean flavors and interesting twists on classic New York dishes to Lincoln Center, and specifically back to San Juan Hill, an area that once housed a vibrant community of Black and brown residents who were removed for the center's development. A couple of years in, this is one of New York City's highest-rated restaurants and one of the city's hottest reservations. The vibes are relaxed and upscale, with comfortable booths, marble tables, floor-to-ceiling gold link chains, and cloudlike light fixtures that change color—all set to a loud and lively soundtrack of classic and contemporary hip-hop. The menu is inspired by the chef's experience working in some of New York City's top kitchens; his mom's Creole cooking; and the Nigerian, Trinidadian, and Jamaican foods he grew up eating in the Bronx. Standouts include egusi (a one-pot soup) dumplings, Jamaican curried goat patties, and a flavorful pastrami sandwich, served on the bone, coated with a Nigerian-inspired suya (spice blend) with a side of warm bread. Just be sure to leave room for the Harlem Chocolate Factory white chocolate cheesecake. 

What started as a bright-yellow truck slinging out scoops and cones on NYC streets back in 2008 is now a Gotham ice-cream superpower, including two outposts on the Upper West Side (the other store is a few blocks away at  253 Columbus Ave.). Van Leeuwen produces all of its flavors just across the East River in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Favorites like vanilla, strawberry, honeycomb, and cookies and cream are made with fresh milk and cream, cane sugar, and egg yolks, but it's often the unique and downright weird flavors that keep ice-cream lovers coming back, like Hidden Valley Ranch and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese flavors. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that the vegan versions of chocolate, salted caramel, and mint chip, just to name a few, are made entirely dairy free using house-made cashew milk, organic coconut milk, and organic extra-virgin coconut oil. Of course, don’t forget to add hot fudge.

Set on a nondescript block of Broadway, the original branch of the small, now-national chain is a favorite for families celebrating special occasions, preprom groups of teens, and locals looking for reliable Italian food. They come for mountainous portions designed to share, family-style, of tried-and-true Italian favs like fried calamari, linguine with white clam sauce, chicken parmigiana, and veal saltimbocca, all loaded with garlic or red sauce—or both. Family photos line the walls, an antipasti table groans under the weight of savory meats, cheese, and salads, and there's a convivial feeling amid the organized chaos. If you want a quiet or romantic dinner, this is not the place.

Even though Duke Ellington made it famous to take the A train, it’s more convenient to take the 1 train to this friendly, casual neighborhood hangout that combines good food and live music with contemporary decor. Brunch features the Southern staple chicken and waffles, there are some inventive fish and seafood dishes, and the bar is open until 1 am.

New Yorkers in all neighborhoods were delighted to welcome this second branch of the famed Friend of a Farmer, if only because a second outpost means a second chance at scoring a table for their legendary weekend brunch. The Gramercy location opened in the 1980s and is known for its cottage-core vibes, hearty servings, and as a pioneer in the farm-to-table movement offering seasonal and locally sourced ingredients. This Upper West Side location offers the same wholesome appeal and experience. While the brunch gets most of the attention (a fallout of the original location appearing on best-of NYC brunch lists for the last decade), the supper menu is as comforting as the farmhouse decor suggests. Look for all your favorites, from Chicken Pot Pie to Shepherd's Pie (there's a vegan option, too), burgers, fish, grain bowls, and duck. 

It's a stand-up (no seats) or take-out dive, but yes, limos often stop here, too, for the legendary hot dogs—they are fresh grilled on a flattop and delicious, and quite the economical meal, even when they're washed down with the eponymous papaya drink. The ongoing recession special is two grilled hot dogs and a fresh fruit drink for just $7.50, and cheap breakfast offerings include the quintessential egg and cheese on a roll.

Linger over a danish or a slice of Sacher torte and bottomless cups of coffee at this old world–style bakery-café in Morningside Heights, where you'll rub elbows with students and professors from nearby Columbia University and locals who often line up before opening time to get pastries fresh from the oven. It's also near the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine.

If the Upper West Side and the French Riviera collided, it might look a little bit like Nice Matin. This longtime neighborhood favorite is particularly popular in warm-weather months, when regulars plant themselves at sidewalk tables and gawk at passersby while munching on Gallic fare like pan-roasted monkfish, garlicky mussels, and, of course, steak frites. The novel-size wine list has more than 2,000 bottles, so bring your reading glasses. 

Thai restaurants come and go, but this one has stayed, in large part due to its authentic tastes and no-frills prices, including a two-course prix-fixe lunch (appetizer and shrimp, chicken, or beef main) for under $12. The decor is no-frills contemporary, allowing the food to shine.  Adventure beyond pad Thai to explore curries and lemongrass-scented meat, fish, and noodle dishes. Save room for green tea ice cream or paper-thin crepes slathered with green tea custard.

With clubby interiors by Jeffrey Beers and an adjoining lounge area, Porter House is helmed by veteran chef Michael Lomonaco. Filling the meat-and-potatoes slot in Deutsche Bank Center's upscale "Restaurant Collection" in The Shops at Columbus Circle, this masculine throwback highlights American wines and pedigreed, supersize meat; the expertly seasoned fare comes with the usual battery of à la carte sides—creamed spinach, roasted mushrooms, truffle mashed potatoes, and buttermilk onion rings. Begin with the chilled seafood plateau or rich roasted marrow bones.

Originating in Manhattan in 1984, this warm Mexican restaurant now has outlets in eight states. The two-story Lincoln Center location features a small, yet lively bar where the house specialty, the frozen pomegranate margarita, and freshly made guacamole are musts; dishes to try include the enchiladas Suizas in a creamy tomatillo sauce. If you're staying for more than drinks and appetizers, head for a table upstairs past the giant blue tile waterfall lined with figures of divers.

Part storefront and market, part restaurant and bar, all cured-meat mecca, this intimate Italian UWS institution offers excellent food and service along with its dozens of varieties of prosciutto, coppa, mortadella, and more. You can have it carved from a professional slicer for consumption on the spot or purchase it as indulgent takeout. There's also a more ambitious Italian menu, including house-baked focaccia bread (ask for seconds), salads, strozzapreti pasta in a flavorful tomato sauce, and a signature homemade lasagna with béchamel sauce.

Lining up for brunch at this bric-a-brac-filled restaurant is as much an Upper West Side tradition as taking a sunny Sunday afternoon stroll in nearby Riverside Park. In the morning, locals love the lemon ricotta pancakes and the "fat and fluffy" French toast served with fruit and organic maple syrup; later in the day, folks come for comfort-food dishes like chicken potpie or steak frites with truffle herb fries. There are several other locations around town, but this is the original—the "mother ship."

If you’re looking for chicken tikka masala, you’ve come to the wrong place: it’s the dosas (flat crepes made from rice and dal batter) and thalis (platters with various dishes) at this South Indian dining institution serving only vegetarian dishes that keep customers coming. Even though this is a chain in more than 20 countries worldwide, there's still a local feel and an obviously tight hold on quality. Often wider than the tables at which they’re served, the thin, slightly crispy dosas are perfect for dipping in a variety of house-made chutneys and sambar (a lentil stew). Thalis arrive on a traditional circular platter, with 10 different spreads for dunking your chapati (a flat bread similar to roti). The restaurant’s ambience and service leave a bit to be desired; on the plus side, in warm weather you can grab a table along the sidewalk of Amsterdam Avenue.

Since the 1990s, this popular neighborhood outpost has been serving homemade Greek and Italian specialties in a simple, casual setting. The menu is large, and it’s always a tough choice between the moussaka and spanakopita (spinach pie), lamb kebabs, and chicken Marsala. There's live music several evenings a week by local musicians.

Don't expect smoked fish sliced to order or the full smorgasbord of items that are sold beyond the appetizing counter in the legendary gourmet food shop next door. What you get here is a fast-track Zabar's taste experience to take out or to eat at small tables, for breakfast or lunch. Choose from prewrapped bagels and lox and cream cheese, a selection of sandwiches and grilled-to-order paninis, pastries, soups, and, of course, cups of hot coffee, all made with items from the nearby shop.

It's a stand-up, take-out, 24-hour dive: but yes, limos do sometimes stop here for these legendary hot dogs—they are delicious, and quite the economical meal. The recession special is two grilled hot dogs and a drink, and there are cheap breakfast offerings, too, like the quintessential egg and cheese on a roll. Skip the other location in Midtown; it just doesn't compare.