973 Best Restaurants in New York, USA

If Seoul and New Orleans somehow collided, it would taste a lot like what chef Jae Jung is cooking up at this 20-seat spot. Born in Korea, raised in New Orleans, Jung fuses Cajun and Korean cuisine to create fun and delicious dishes, such as kimchi-spiked gumbo, gochujang-buttermilk fried chicken, and tender barbecue pork ribs slathered in a Korean glaze. For $100 per person, ambitious and hungry diners can order the tasting set: everything on the menu.

Part of a winery 11 mi south of Seneca Falls, this eatery uses fresh produce grown in its own gardens. The food is contemporary, and the menu changes every two months. Try crab cakes with chipotle aioli or salmon over white-truffle risotto, or choose from burgers, wraps, and salads. The covered patio overlooking the flower garden and vineyard is nice in warm weather. The restaurant is open daily till 5 pm.

The Kobrick family has been procuring and roasting coffee for four generations. So, if you want an expertly made cup of java, this family-run spot in the heart of the neighborhood is the perfect place for a pick-me-up. The café has become well-known for its booze-spiked coffee libations from its back bar, including caffeinated takes on the Negroni, the martini, and the margarita. 

Pizza nerds already know to come to DUMBO for Juliana's and Grimaldi's, but now they'll rejoice knowing that renowned L&B Spumoni Gardens has entered the Old Fulton Street pizza arena—since its original location in the southern Brooklyn neighborhood of Bensonhurst has often been considered out of the way. While L&B became famous for their acclaimed Sicilian-style pizza pies, they also serve heroes, pastas, and other classic Italian-American entrées.

This elegant dining room across from Bryant Park has evolved from a coffee refueling spot to a full-fledged restaurant serving masterful modern American and traditional Mediterranean dishes—as well as a few Asian favorites—from seafood to a legendary truffle burger. Whether you visit for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, don't miss the award-winning, halva-infused coffee.

At this compact Wall Street café, expect excellent espresso drinks, fine teas, cold-brew coffee on tap, and impressive latte art. Along with fresh and sometimes creative baked goods, you'll have your choice of nondairy milks and natural sweeteners. There are a few spots to sit, but plan to take your drinks and snacks to go.

A harpist plays on Monday evenings at this elegant French restaurant a few miles east of Great Neck. Try the duck à l'orange or rack of lamb with a mustard-and-bread-crumb crust, paired with one of the more than 150 selections from the wine list. A prix-fixe dinner for $39 is offered on Sunday. Reservations are essential on Saturday.

Anchoring a downtown corner under a bright neon sign, La Esquina looks like just a fast-food taqueria, with cheap tacos, but it's actually three superb south-of-the-border spots in one, including a trendy basement restaurant with a party atmosphere. The basement functions like a Mexican speakeasy, accessible through an unmarked door just inside the ground-floor taqueria.

Named after the Spanish word for “home,” this humble, progressive-thinking Mexican eatery not only welcomes foodies looking for authentic, home-style Oaxacan fare, but displaced refugees. It's owned and operated by an undocumented family after all, who proudly share their culinary talents with the South Bronx community. The menu has familiar handheld items, but indulge on platters like molcajete (mole with chorizo, cheese, rice, and beans, and tortillas), or a poblano chile relleno (stuffed pepper) with cheese, coated in egg batter.

Once the kitchen for the 156-year-old Spanish Benevolent Society, La Nacional gives off the vibe of being a hidden private club somewhere in Madrid. This affordable and solid Spanish eatery, which has been lightened up and modernized a bit with elegant high tables and tall chairs, excels at small plates such as crispy patatas bravas, creamy ham croquettes, and garlic shrimp.

For four decades this has been the place to go for its classic Italian "red-sauce" and pizza Italian menu, huge, family-style portions, and reasonable prices. Spaghetti celestino (with tomato-cream sauce) and prosciutto with tomato and basil are favorites. Be prepared for a wait on summer weekends. Take-out and deliveries are available.

Food-media-darling chef Andrew Carmellini (who has several other restaurants around town, including Locanda Verde and the Dutch) goes Gallic at this upscale bistro with lots of cushy booths. There's no culinary trickery, just straightforward and very satisfying French fare along the lines of roasted halibut with saffron-spiked potatoes, a silky beef tartare, and excellent steak frites. For something more casual, grab a seat at the all-day café and bakery, where breakfast is the sleeper hit.

You can watch life on the lake go by from this shipshape casual dockside restaurant that's part of a motel complex. Prime rib is a favorite here, and seafood au gratin—lobster, shrimp, and scallops smothered in a white wine–cream sauce and cheddar cheese—is rich. The food is good, but the view is the real reason diners head here.

This casual spot—one of the best choices in the area for lake views—occupies an 1880s cottage on the west side of Keuka Lake. The food is American: prime rib, fried shrimp, bacon-wrapped beef tenderloin, barbecue chicken, a variety of steaks and chops, and a Friday fish fry. Outside, a fire pit and 150 seats overlook the bluff of Keuka Lake.

This sumptuous supper club on the ground floor of the Chatwal Hotel has superb Art Deco detailing, red leather banquettes, and a roaring fireplace. Led by chef Jack Logue, the menu features contemporary American cuisine with luxe touches in everything from shellfish and classic salads to a shortlist of chophouse steaks and excellent sides and sauces. There's also a robust three-course pretheater menu ($89 or $95). The lunch menu is balanced with a range of perfected dishes; but the sleeper meal here is breakfast, with generous sweet and/or savory fare that will fill you up for the rest of the day.

From the outside it doesn't look like much—a few tables on an outdoor porch across from the ferry terminal with a nice bay view—but inside, it's all beachy chic, with turquoise and sand-colored glass tile accents and Fire Island–themed artwork. The food is contemporary and eclectic. Duck lettuce wraps with cranberry aioli have a barbecue zing with an Asian flair, and the sushi gets high marks. The chef really gets creative with the daily specials, like Thai curry mussels and conch fritters—and that's just the appetizers. A hand-crafted cocktail is a perfect accompaniment, like Skinny Acai Lemonade with fresh-queezed lemon or blueberry mojito with perfectly muddled mint. Breakfast includes signature french toast with caramelized walnuts and fruit and a frittata with eggwhites, goat cheese, and tomato.

This relaxed bistro offers a slice of France in uptown Kingston. Try modern versions of traditional dishes, like duck pâté served on a bed of red onions (a starter) or grilled New Zealand rack of lamb in a merlot–balsamic vinegar reduction. The prix-fixe menus offer good value. True Francophones will be delighted by the café au lait served in bowls

A warm, welcoming, busy little bistro, Le Chef serves mainly French food. Standouts include baby rack of lamb and noisettes of veal; specials on their pink restaurant board change weekly. Attracting an upscale "early bird" crowd, prix-fixe menus are available Thursday through Sunday before 6:45 pm, and brunch is offered on Sunday. This nice place, albeit a bit dated, offers a nice alternative to the twentysomething Hamptons "scene."

You might walk by this downtown eatery and not give it a second glance, but Le Petit Bistro has a loyal following. Chef Joseph Dalu is known for his interesting seafood dishes, and uses local ingredients when available. Daily specials usually include excellent fish tacos and fresh oysters. The house pâté appetizer and steak au poivre are favorites on the regular menu. The dining room is warm and intimate, with worn pine floors and dark paneled walls.

This urban bistro occupies a dark, brick-walled space humming with conversation and music from the bar. You feel just as at home ordering drinks and one of the many tapas-size dishes as full meals. Small plates might include fried oysters with tomato, corn, and jalapeño salsa or Gorgonzola fondue for two, scooped up with portobello mushroom "fries" and asparagus spears. Pasta-heavy entrées include the homemade ravioli of the day, seafood linguine, and pork tenderloin with Grand Marnier–cranberry sauce. Some complain of slow service—order a martini and settle in. Brunch is served on Sunday.

At a busy downtown corner, this family-friendly fixture is known for using fresh ingredients and taking a light approach to traditional Greek fare. Favorites are the enormous Greek salad, which can be shared, and platters of souvlaki, bifteki (Greek-style hamburger), and gyros, served with pita, tomato, and yogurt sauce. Those with bigger appetites can enjoy the Aegean Platter, which includes moussaka, pastitsio, spinach pie, and a traditional gyro.

A nod to Midtown's famed, former Legacy Recording Studios, this chic eatery with a focus on the cuisine of northern Italy is well worth a far-west-side walk to the edge of Hudson Yards. The culinary dream team here also operates downtown's Charlie Bird and Pasquale Jones restaurants, focusing here on the north's coastal regions that are showcased with a crudo tasting menu, as well as more inventive dishes inspired by remote locales across Italy. The small bites and larger plates are sensational, elevated by the tantalizing cocktail program and enormous wine selection. The restaurant has a casual elegance thanks to its homey wood, leather, and brass details, with a compact dining room and inviting U-shape bar.

In a quiet stretch of Prospect Heights is this cozy, convivial neighborhood restaurant serving Asian- and Mediterranean-inspired American dishes, best enjoyed family-style. Dishes are so packed with flavor that you might need to order plain bread to balance them out: the tomato-based seafood stew is a tangy, salty, and sweet concoction; Japanese sweet potatoes rest on a divinely vinegary pine nut verde and lots of chopped dill; and yu choy (a softer cousin of Chinese broccoli) is served on a creamy, savory spread of black sesame tahini. The meat and fish offerings, most often presented as “large plates,” change frequently depending on what is in season and available locally; but what is fairly certain is that they’ll be butchered and prepared right downstairs. The white-washed walls lined with wooden trims, potted plants, and congenial waitstaff rocking Leland-branded fanny packs all make for a classic Brooklyn dining experience—though at decidedly Manhattan prices.

Tucked in Williamsburg's old-school Italian American residential area is this homey Italian café adorned with old vintage toys and other nostalgic knickknacks. They're known for serving proper Italian coffee to sip along with their several breakfast offerings, daily soups, pastries, or their house-made piadines (unleavened Italian flatbread) filled with meats and cheeses—or even just Nutella.

A true staple in New York City, if you're looking for an authentic Queens experience, there are few as true as eating an Italian ice from the Lemon Ice King of Corona on a hot summer day. A neighborhood institution for more than 70 years, this place has dozens of flavors to dig into, from piña colada to spumoni to peanut butter. Just note, there are no seats.