973 Best Restaurants in New York, USA

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We've compiled the best of the best in New York - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.

Oakland's Restaurant and Marina

$$$

It's the unmatched marina views and an open-air bar that attract crowds in summer. Although the menu varies, the emphasis is on shrimp, lobster, and local fish. The crabcake with sweet-and-sour corn-mango chutney is a favorite. This is also a popular spot to have a cocktail while watching the sunset. There is a full schedule of live music Friday to Sunday.

373 Dune Rd., Hampton Bays, NY, 11946, USA
631-728–6900
Restaurant Details
Credit cards accepted
Reservations not accepted

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Oceana

$$$$ | Midtown West

Entering this restaurant is like walking into the dressy stateroom of a modern luxury ocean liner, a perfect setting for some of the most vivid and delicious seafood in town. Floor-to-ceiling windows look out north and west, and the arrestingly designed raw bar backed with Mediterranean-hue ceramics serves stunningly fresh choices including gorgeous oysters. Expect to find a contemporary menu with enticing appetizers, whole fish, live Maine lobsters, and vegetarian options.

OddFellows Ice Cream

$
In summer, lines stream out the door for unique and delicious ice cream flavors like extra virgin olive oil and Thai iced tea. Everything is homemade in small batches, even the cones, which are pressed in a waffle iron and hand rolled. Flavors change constantly and range from standbys like chocolate chunk to only-for-foodies combos like chorizo caramel swirl. There are a few tables in the red and white carnival-theme shop, but it's more fun to head across the street to the North 6th Street Pier, where you can watch people and boats go by from one of the benches.
175 Kent Ave., Brooklyn, NY, 11249, USA
347-599–0556
Known For
  • Oddball ice cream flavors
  • All-natural ingredients
  • Carnival-themed shop

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Recommended Fodor's Video

The Odeon

$$$ | TriBeCa

New York hot spots change often, but this spot has managed to maintain its quality and flair since 1980: it still feels like the spot in TriBeCa to rendezvous for lunch or dinner, grab a drink, and get a late-night bite. The neo–art deco room and chill outdoor tables stay full daily with local office workers and nightly with residential revelers who adore the classic French-brasserie vibes. Cocktails are expertly made, and the pleasant service and well-chosen wine list are always in style. Menu highlights include crisp Nicoise salad, buttery croque monsieur, and authentic beef Bourguignon.

Odo

$$$$ | Flatiron District

Some of the nation’s most highly regarded food has emerged from the kitchen at Odo, which serves elaborate multicourse Japanese meals known as kaiseki for lunch ($145) and dinner ($265) with two seatings only per meal. With just 14 counter seats around the small open kitchen, the experience is essentially a delicious kind of theater.

17 W. 20th St., New York, NY, 10011, USA
Known For
  • Local and seasonal foods rather than imported Japanese specialty items
  • Reservations essential
  • Impeccable service
Restaurant Details
Closed Mon and Tues.
Reservations essential

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Old Library Restaurant

$$

In a National Historic Landmark building, what was the town library, built in 1910 with funds from Andrew Carnegie, was converted to a restaurant in 1983. It retains most of its original architecture—parquet flooring, stained-glass windows, inlaid ceilings. Dining is in hushed, bookshelf-lined, front "library" rooms or a mezzanine overlooking a central atrium. The menu is diverse, with Italian, French, and American dishes. Six-cheese ravioli is served with pesto cream and sautéed spinach; sautéed antelope medallions come with peppercorn sauce; a surf-and-turn combo joins New York strip steak and jumbo scampi. Sunday brunch is served.

120 S. Union St., Olean, NY, 14760, USA
716-373–9804
Restaurant Details
Credit cards accepted
No lunch

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Ole & Steen

$ | Union Square

The array of delectable baked goods at this counter-serve spot imported from Denmark is what lures most customers, but locals know this is also a great place for sandwiches, soups, and fresh bread. If you like cinnamon, you must try the cinnamon pastries.

Olive's

$$

In the Chautauqua Suites hotel, this restaurant puts a twist on traditional in northern Italian dishes such as seared salmon in a pinot grigio–butter sauce and slow-roasted pork served in the style of osso buco with an herb-reduction-and-mascarpone polenta. Lunches consist of pasta, paninis, and pizzas—the Calvatore is topped with cremini and portobello mushrooms, truffle oil, and fontina. Chef Andrew Culver has worked at Washington, D.C.'s Mandarin Oriental, and at the White House. Some pastries—such as a lemon butter-cream tart—are imports from the owners' Bonjour Cafe & Patisserie, on Mayville's main street.

215 W. Lake Rd., Mayville, NY, 14757, USA
716-753–2331
Restaurant Details
Credit cards accepted

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Olmsted

$$$ | Prospect Heights

Named after one of the two masterminds behind the design of Central Park and Prospect Park—Frederick Law Olmsted that is, of Olmsted & Vaux—this restaurant caused a stir when it first opened in 2016, for keeping live farm animals in its backyard. Today, the animals are gone, but you can still sip a cocktail there before enjoying seasonal farm-to-table fare. The airy space with an exposed-brick wall and a cascade of plants is a welcome respite in any season, but gets especially lively during brunch on weekends.

659 Vanderbilt Ave., Brooklyn, NY, 11238, USA
718-552–2610
Known For
  • à la carte and prix-fixe tasting menus
  • Heated backyard garden
  • Seasonal menus
Restaurant Details
Closed Mon.

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Oneg Heimishe Bakery

$
Deep in the Hasidic section of South Williamsburg, with nary a fashionista in sight, this bakery produces superlative chocolate babka. The anachronistic storefronts around here haven't been recreated to look "old timey," they simply haven't been updated in decades, and Oneg is no exception. The tiny, no-frills shop has baskets of cookies, rugelach and pastries in the window, and trays of babka sitting on wire racks. There are two types of babka: chocolatey and very chocolatey. Choose the latter—it's got rich, gooey chocolate between thin layers of dough (yum).
188 Lee Ave., Brooklyn, NY, 11211, USA
718-797-0971
Known For
  • Chocolate desserts
  • Friendly service
Restaurant Details
Closed Sat.

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Opai Thai

$ | Upper West Side

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.

722 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY, 10025, USA
212-866–8989
Known For
  • Green-tea custard crepes for dessert
  • Good noodle dishes
  • Delicious curries

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Orchid

$$

Behind the plainly marked door, you will find a restaurant dressed in red and gold. You have more than 26 house specialties to choose from, including such favorites as the spicy and sweet orange beef and the Grand Marnier shrimp. Paintings of birds and a dramatic mirrored ceiling adorn the space.

730 Franklin Ave., Garden City, NY, 11530, USA
516-742–1116
Restaurant Details
Credit cards accepted

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Oriole 9

$
With pale wood floors, original art on the walls, and chalkboards crowded with menu options, Oriole 9 is a local favorite known for its breakfast all day—be that the traditional eggs and bacon or something more special, like poached artichoke, curried coconut tofu hash, or bread and butter pudding served with bacon and maple syrup. There are several different soups and salads if you're not feeling breakfast for lunch, as well as heartier fare like sandwiches made with slow-braised pork or brisket with spicy mayo. The bittersweet chocolate mousse is a perfect dessert to share.

Osaka

$$

This immaculate Japanese restaurant is popular with the college crowd as well as with the locals. It offers high-quality sushi, teriyaki, tempura, and noodle dishes. There's also an extensive assortment of sake. The meal always ends with a perfectly chilled orange.

74 Broadway, Tivoli, NY, 12583, USA
845-757–5055
Restaurant Details
Credit cards accepted
Closed Tues.
Reservations not accepted

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Osaka

$$

You can count on a cheerful greeting when you venture into this immaculate sushi bar and restaurant. The fish is super-fresh, the presentation artistic, and the sake assortment excellent. In addition to sushi, the menu covers teriyaki, tempura, and udon-noodle dishes. The place isn't large and it tends to fill up on weekends, but it is worth the wait. Nearby Tivoli is home to an Osaka branch.

22 Garden St., Rhinebeck, NY, 12572, USA
845-876–7338
Restaurant Details
Credit cards accepted
Closed Tues.
Reservations not accepted

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Oti

$$ | Lower East Side

This diminutive, sparsely bedecked restaurant is the domain of owner and chef Elyas Popa, born in Romania and raised in California, who fuses the two culinary traditions to create a unique and satisfying menu. Expect dishes like mǎmǎligǎ, a Romanian polenta staple that is deeper and richer here thanks to melted Parmesan cheese and bone broth. Also, great is the \"broken burrata,\" combining gooey southern Italian cheese with tangy Romanian telemea cheese plus a sprinkles of yuzu and bits of lovage and tomato to create a creamy, salty, acidic, and sweet sensation on the palate. 

40 Clinton St., New York, NY, 10002, USA
646-707–0515
Known For
  • Central and Eastern European wine list
  • Counter seating overlooking the kitchen
  • Romanian cuisine with a California accent
Restaurant Details
Closed Sun. No lunch

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Our Daily Bread Deli

$

Baskets of fresh baguettes and focaccia greet you as you step inside. Glass counters hold lush chocolate temptations and bags of apricot rugelach. You can pick up goodies for a picnic or grab a table and dig into a sandwich with the house-smoked pastrami. Get here early, as the place is only open until 5 pm. The gluten-free chocolate chip cookies are as good they get.

116 Hudson Ave., Chatham, NY, 12037, USA
518-392–2233
Restaurant Details
No credit cards
Closed Mon. and Tues. No dinner

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Ox Cart Tavern

$$
The extensive “burger board” (beef, turkey, fish, or veggie patties with delectable toppings), brunch, and beer options draw a crowd of regulars to this homey gastropub that often has a sporting event on its TV. The menu, though, runs the gamut from fish-and-chips and roast chicken to pasta dishes and salads—but don’t miss the sides, like the soft-baked pretzel with Dijon mustard and cheese sauce, and beer-battered fried pickles. Sunday means the Evil Ox Sauce chicken wings are on the menu. There are two daily happy hours (5 to 6 pm and 10 to 11 pm).
1301 Newkirk Ave., Brooklyn, NY, 11230, USA
718-284–0005
Known For
  • Eclectic gastropub menu
  • Array of burger choices
  • Sunday wings special
Restaurant Details
No lunch weekdays

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P. J. Clarke's

$$ | Midtown East

The east-side institution has been dispensing great burgers and beer since 1884. Despite renovations and several owners over the years, the original location (there are offshoots in Lincoln Square and Battery Park City) maintains the beveled-glass and scuffed-wood look of an old-time saloon, and the veteran bartenders and loyal patrons are as much a part of the decor as the light fixtures. More civilized at lunchtime, the bar area heaves with an after-work mob on weekday evenings. Pull up a stool for superlative bar food, like ahi tuna tacos and the signature burger smothered in creamy béarnaise. Heartier mains include chicken pot pie, baked macaroni and cheese, and short rib beef stew.

915 3rd Ave., New York, NY, 10022, USA
212-317–1616
Known For
  • Cadillac burger (a bacon cheeseburger)
  • Worthy bar food at a vintage saloon
  • After-work mobs on weekdays

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Page at 63 Main

$$$

This cool, casual, yet simply elegant spot on Main Street is made even cooler by having its own aquaponic garden. Hamptons veteran executive chef James Carpenter highlights fresh ingredients in his signature dishes like the sheep's ricotta gnudi with lamb meatballs and elevates a simple burger with a brioche bun and hand-cut fries; seafood proliferates on the creative, seasonal menu. The Back Page Patio Café offers casual dining and late-night bites.

The Palm

$$$$

Operating here since 1980, The Palm is classic Manhattan meets East Hampton. Its old-fashioned style fits perfectly with the building, parts of which were constructed in 1699. Usually crowded, the restaurant is well known for its aged prime beef, veal, fish, lobster, and high prices. Side dishes are served family style. Service is generally attentive and professional, however it can get quite busy in the summer, so for the best experience, try going in the off-season. For the Palm experience without the Palm prices, look for promotions and deals like half-price Prime Bites at primetime (5–7 pm Sunday–Friday). Desserts include a bag of warm doughnuts.

94 Main St., East Hampton, NY, 11937, USA
631-324–0411
Restaurant Details
Credit cards accepted
No lunch
Reservations essential

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Paneantico

$
This seemingly always busy corner bakery and café has been serving Bay Ridgers since 2000, with menu offerings that include hearty salads, sandwiches, fresh breads, and prepared foods to go. Its long glass cases are filled with tempting traditional Italian and American desserts; the cannoli are delicious. The hero with hot soppressata, Bel Paese cheese, and green olive tapenade is a lunch favorite, as is the one with broccoli rabe, mozzarella, and fried eggplant. Grab an espresso or cappuccino from the coffee bar in the back and linger outside at a table.

Partybus Bakeshop

$ | Lower East Side

When it comes to baked goods, the party is definitely happening at this delightful, tiny café where breakfast sandwiches are served all day (well, 'til 4 pm every day when they close), and the lunch options include sandwiches and individual pizzas. The display case tempts with all sorts of delicious goodies, including brownies, cookies, and croissants—though if carbs are your thing, you can't go wrong snacking on a hunk of freshly baked baguette.

Pastabilities

$

A funky, urban feel infuses this downtown Syracuse spot—a former union hall—that attracts a business crowd by day and couples at night. Lunch is cafeteria style, while dinner is full service. There's always fresh pasta with sauces like the ever-popular spicy hot tomato oil. Dinners might include homemade Boursin-cheese ravioli in a tomato-mushroom-cream sauce with pine nuts. The restaurant bakes its own bread daily. In warm weather you can sit outside at a sidewalk table or in the back courtyard.

311 S. Franklin St., Syracuse, NY, 13202, USA
315-474--1153
Restaurant Details
Credit cards accepted

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Patisserie Didier Dumas

$

For anyone who wants to imagine themselves on the streets of Paris, look no further than this bakery serving classic French pastries, crepes, and desserts. In the warmer months there are sidewalk bistro tables, a perfect spot for enjoying a croissant and gourmet cup of coffee, but beware the long weekend lines. For a quick and delicious lunch, you can't go wrong with a simply but tasty baguette sandwich.

Patti Ann's

$$ | Prospect Heights

This diner-inspired eatery has been described as \"a love letter to the Midwest.\" Named after the mother of restaurateur Greg Baxtrom—illustrious chef of several prominent eateries—this family-friendly restaurant has pivoted its menu from elevated renditions of nostalgic Midwestern dishes like fish sticks and French bread pizza, to a focus on all-day breakfast items, some classic diner sandwiches, and most prominently, Chicago tavern-style pizza pies—flat, circular pies with crispy crusts—not to be confused with Chicago deep-dish.

Paul's Daughter

$ | Coney Island
This open-air clam shack right on the boardwalk has been shucking bivalves for more than 50 years. Perch on a stool or just lean against the counter to enjoy a plate of fresh, briny-tasting clams on the half-shell, accompanied by one of the beers on tap, preferably a cold Brooklyn Lager. More substantial items like Italian sausage, calamari, and an excellent version of funnel cake are also on the menu. This is a great spot to settle in and watch the world walk by.
1001 Boardwalk, Brooklyn, NY, 11224, USA
718-449–4252
Known For
  • Fresh clams
  • Prime boardwalk location
  • Beach fare and beer

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PB Brasserie

$$$$ | Harlem

The latest addition to chef Cisse Elhadji's ever-growing restaurant roster is PB Brasserie, a traditional French brasserie with a sprinkle of Senegalese spice. This sprawling space is conveniently located on 125th Street, and has traditional French dishes, like tuna tartare, frisée au lardon, salmon bearnaise, and one of the most buttery, cheesy, and decadent mac and cheeses in the neighborhood. But for one of the best meals offered here, go for the moules Africana, a heaping pile of mussels in a warm curry-like broth, best with just a dollop of Senegalese hot spice for an extra kick. While most happy hours are surrounded by drink deals, PB Brasserie has one of the best food-focused happy hours in town, with bites ranging $12--$18 everyday 4--7 pm (don't worry, drink specials are available, too).

60 W. 125th St., New York, NY, 10027, USA
Known For
  • Moules Africana
  • French food with Senegalese spice
  • Filling happy hour bites for $18 or less

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Pearl Diner

$ | Financial District

One of Manhattan's last classic standalone diners, Pearl Diner has been serving all the favorites from its compact corner spot since the early 1960s. In the affluent Financial District, it's a welcome relief to find such an affordable (and hearty) menu.

Pearl Oyster Bar

$$$ | West Village

There have been many imitators and few real competitors to this West Village seafood institution. Since 1997, Rebecca Charles has been serving arguably the best lobster roll in New York City in a no-frills space (which expanded next door to accommodate the throngs) on charming, restaurant-lined Cornelia Street. But that's not the only reason you should cast your net here. Pan-roasted sea scallops and plus-size crab cakes compete with the legendary lobster roll for your taste buds' attention. Service is very efficient—you might even say rushed.