4 Best Restaurants in New York, USA

Few might expect a restaurant this original, well priced, and tasty to be tucked between Bryant Park and Herald Square. But the truth is, Calle Dao is a find in this busy neighborhood. Its colorful decor and creative menus are inspired by Havana's once-thriving Chinatown, so expect a flavorful fusion of Cuban and Chinese dishes such as ropa vieja (shredded beef) noodles, crispy duck baos (steamed buns), and fantastic salads, authentic sides, and delicious stir-fries. Daily happy hours can't be beat (weekdays noon--7 pm; weekends 11 am--7 pm) for both libations and bar bites.

Long before Mr. and Mrs. Obama ate dinner here in 2014, this second-floor spot with minimalist decor had been on the map for those who appreciate chef Ignacio Mattos's deceptively simple cuisine, and it still receives consistent acclaim as being one of the best restaurants in Manhattan. The chef's creativity tends to sneak up on the diner in dishes where rye matzo bread might be used under mashed salt cod or sunchoke chips might be folded into sumptuous beef tartare.

The combination of Japanese and Italian cuisines may not be common, but it's definitely a match made in culinary heaven at this buzzy spot on the ground floor of the Nolitan hotel. Expect flavor and texture profiles that mix spicy, briny, and creamy in ways that will dazzle your taste buds, as in a soy butter pasta that's something like a spaghetti alla carbonara and a delicately fried eggplant katsu accompanied by caponata.

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.