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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.
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.
If you need evidence that Rockaway is becoming hip, look no further than this sceney spot serving a mix of Uzbek and Central Asian specialties. There are juicy pelmeni (meat) and manti (spicy lamb or butternut squash) dumplings, lagman noodles, and savory filled pastries known as bichaki, plus the expected very good borscht. There are also Korean menu options like Korean carrot salad and scallion pancakes, as a nod to the large Korean diaspora in Uzbekistan. Pressed tin ceilings, exposed-brick walls, and menus written on blackboards give the place a decidedly Brooklyn vibe.
Popular with the hip dinner and brunch crowds, this bustling, family-run restaurant and bar puts a modern spin on classic American dishes with Ecuadorian, Puerto Rican, and Bangladeshi influences. Try the grilled cauliflower with marinated olives and shishito peppers or the bold chicken vindaloo arepas (crispy cornmeal cakes) topped with cotija (an aged cow's milk Mexican cheese) and fresh cucumber raita (Indian yogurt sauce). Each multicultural dish is packed with flavor and spice, and the fancy cocktails (like their Goat cocktail made with tequila, turmeric, and orange) are also standouts.
Hanging plants and elegant decor set the stage for this trendy Dominican--Asian fusion restaurant, where dumplings are filled with mofongo, soft oxtail meat dwells within samosas, and short rib braised in Korean flavors is accompanied with sweet plantain puree and tostones crumbs. All their tapas-size dishes are made to share, so make sure you have company.
The mantra here is "rice is culture." Chef JJ Johnson, a James Beard Award--winning chef, founded this rice bowl shop in 2019 with a focus on heirloom grains and the countries and places from which they're harvested. Top bowls include crispy chicken with barbecue sauce over Carolina gold rice, sticky rice with shrimp in a green curry sauce, and an Indian-inspired veggie bowl with basmati rice. The crab pockets (Johnson's version of a crab rangoon with garlic herbed cream cheese) are a delicious snack or side. Wash it all down with a pineapple ginger lemonade.
Try Uyghur cuisine, from the autonomous region of Xinjiang in northwestern China, at this relaxed café. Decorated with tchotchkes and paintings of the Uyghur people—residents along the Great Silk Road that once linked the East with the West—Kashkar serves dishes reflective of the crossroads of Chinese and Arab influences, including manty (spiced lamb dumplings), and Uyghur lagman (noodles with meat and vegetables). The few Uzbek dishes from the historic Central Asian thoroughfare are on the menu as well, including assorted halal shish kebabs. Alcohol isn't on the menu, but you're welcome to bring your own wine or beer.
Part of Alsatian superchef Jean-Georges Vongerichten's culinary empire, the celebrity-laden front room of this SoHo spot in the Mercer Hotel is as much about scene as cuisine, which isn't a bad thing since both are top of the line. Dishes here look toward Italy, using simple ingredients and pairings.
