New York Restaurant Week
Restaurants Near me
Trendy Restaurants
If you’re looking for an impressive place to get a table when you didn’t plan a month in advance, here are some great options.
There are only a few different ways to get into a trendy NYC restaurant.
You can stay up all night waiting for a reservation, you can open your own place and hope it gets cool, or you can show up to one of them, put your name in, then slowly adjust to your new life in walk-in purgatory. And if none of those strategies sound appealing, here’s a fourth: go to a place on this list.
These restaurants are all trendy in the sense that they have great food and a fun atmosphere, and the majority of them are somewhat new. They’re perfect for dates you forgot to plan or dinners with any friends you want to impress, and they all seem like they’re very hard to get into. But they aren’t. And that’s exactly why they’re on this guide.
the spots
Charlie Bird’s wine program features world-famous producers and glasses that cost as much as Spirit flights to Orlando. And yet, they pull off blasting loud hip hop in a casual Soho space with yellow booths and prints of boomboxes on the walls. Tables aren’t nearly as difficult to get here as they are at places serving similarly excellent salads and pastas, like L’Artusi or Via Carota, and you can usually get an outdoor table during lunch without a reservation.
Golden Diner
When you think of a diner, what likely comes to mind is some place that’s been serving the same pancakes and tuna melts since servers rolled up to tables on roller-skates while chewing bubblegum. Golden Diner is not like those places. Nearly everything on the menu at this all-day spot in Two Bridges includes Korean, Japanese, Thai, or Chinese influences, so the breakfast sandwich is served on a scallion milk bun and the club sandwich is packed with chicken katsu cutlets and purple cabbage slaw. Unlike other diners, this place takes reservations, and unlike other diners, you’ll need one on a weekend.
Holy Ground
The next time you want a meat-heavy dinner in a cool-space, but didn’t plan far enough in advance to get a table at 4 Charles or Minetta Tavern, go to Holy Ground. It’s an underground spot in Tribeca where you could imagine Duke Ellington sitting in a red leather booth having an old-fashioned and porterhouse. This place isn’t a traditional steakhouse though – the Old Fashioneds are made with mezcal and tequila, and the menu focuses on slow-smoked meats like pork shoulder and wagyu brisket.
Atla
Atla is an all-day Mexican restaurant in Noho where you can eat lobster tostadas and the best chicken soup of your life. During the day, it has a cafeteria-at-a-cool-tech-company kind of feel, and the food, which is from the people behind Cosme, is better than anything else you can get at 3pm wearing gym clothes. It’s an equally great option for a nice dinner with a date, and at least then if you’re sitting next to startup founders discussing things like brand strategy and scalability, you can drown them out with some phenomenal margaritas.
Wayan
Wayan shares some DNA with Meatpacking club-restaurants. The dark space could be in a beachfront resort in Bali, servers wear custom t-shirts you’d find at a Diesel outlet, and the menu includes a “chiquita daiquiri” and $14 chicken satay. But this Indonesian spot from Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s son isn’t a place to impress investment banking associates in 1999. It’s a Nolita restaurant where you should go for a casual date, and share spicy, perfectly charred octopus and grilled clams topped with coconut flakes. Just know that the entrees aren’t as good as the small plates, so this place is best for drinks and appetizers in the casual bar area.
Maison Yaki
If your favorite dog breed is the English Mastiff, or you support sodas as big as kiddy pools, then you might not enjoy Maison Yaki. But if you can get past the fact that everything here, from duck a l’orange to vesper martinis, is miniature, then you should absolutely come to this French-influenced yakitori spot in Prospect Heights. Because even though the duck a l’orange is only four bites, it has as much flavor as an entire bird, and like everything on the menu, it’s less than $10.
Di An Di
Based on how excellent the Vietnamese food is and the fact that the plant-filled, pastel space could easily be used to sell high-end skincare or bikinis, Di An Di is easier to get into than it should be. We don’t know why and we won’t complain. What we will do, though, is continue to eat things like fried daikon rice cake omelettes and bowls of beef pho here (and we’d encourage you to do the same). Next time you need a semi last-minute place to impress your mom or the person you’re legally and/or emotionally married to, book a reservation the day before and expect to have a really good night here.
Banty Rooster
The Banty Rooster is in the West Village next to the constantly-packed Rosemary’s. Use it for after-work drinks and snacks at the bar, but know that it’s also upscale enough for nice dates or dinner with parents. The American menu isn’t particularly adventurous, and yet you’re going to get sauces and preparations that’ll change your perception of grilled octopus and roast chicken. In other words, it seems like this place should be packed every night. Take advantage of the fact that it’s not.
Best Instagrammable Restaurants in New York City for the Most Likable Dishes and Drinks
When it comes to the city that never sleeps New York City there are endless #foodporn pics to take everywhere you turn.
From street meat carts to Michelin 3-star restaurants, there’s obviously no shortage of dishes to Insta, but knowing where to go and what to snap is half the battle.
There are dim sum gems, ramen havens, instantly recognizable burgers (and burger joints), pizza parlors so famous they’re now taking over airports, macaroni mainstays and yes, even rainbow bagels and slushies served in floating unicorns.
In a world full of like-obsessed eaters, it’s shoot first, eat next and this list of the best restaurants in New York City will show you exactly where to dine for a highly Instagrammable meal.
Portale’s Lumache with Bolognese Bianco
You can literally die happy after one bite of Portale‘s Lumache with Bolognese Bianco, black truffle and Parmigiano. Not that you would want to—because you’ll be so hooked you may need to make this a weekly reservation. All of the house-made pastas are pretty extraordinary (like the Cavatelli Arrabbiata with cilantro pesto and Agnolotti with ricotta, pancetta, chanterelle, spring onions), but really it’s all about the lumache. And the ambiance. And the outstanding wine list. And the pure NYC magic that happens inside these walls.
The Fulton’s Black Bass en Croûte
The Fulton is Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s waterfront jewel at Pier 17 in NYC’s Seaport District. With the Brooklyn Bridge as their backdrop and a sprawling open-air patio for a dining room, there’s no better Seaport spot for an epic lunch, dinner or brunch with views for days. Menu highlights include: King Crab Lettuce Cups with Avocado and Yuzu, Longevity Noodles with Glazed Maine Lobster and Long Island Fluke in Habanero Vinaigrette, but it’s the Bass en Croute baked in pastry crust with tomato consommé and béarnaise that’s really the reason to go—and take all the pics.
Manresa at Intersect by Lexus’ Farm-to-Table Cuisine
The sixth restaurant-in-residence to take over Intersect By Lexus is none other than three-Michelin-starred Manresa, helmed by world-renowned Chef David Kinch. Experience a taste of contemporary Californian cuisine—and the ever-chic Lexus lifestyle—without having to set foot behind the wheel. Kinch’s farm-to-table dishes like Salmon Rillettes, Trenette with Pesto Genovese and Grilled Waygu Ribeye with Prosciutto-Stuffed Morels were made famous at the Los Gatos, CA eatery, but now you can try them in NYC—through September.
HOWM’s Martin el Sucio
HOWM Cocina & Cocktails is brand spanking new, so you can a) bring your friends and take the credit for knowing about the hotspot and b) get in on the social love before they blow up. Chef Byron Peñafiel hails from Bilboquet and Rotisserie Georgette and mixologist Daniel Bedoya makes a mean cocktail dubbed “The Martin el Sucio” (blanco tequila, mezcal, vermouth, garlic smoke rinse and a pickled beech mushroom) that was made to be photographed.
Cecconi’s Neighborhood Italian Eats
Nestled on the edge of the East River, with striking views of the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges, sits the posh DUMBO House that’s not exactly easy to enter unless you happen to be member. Luckily one doesn’t not need to belong to Soho House in order to dine downstairs at the ever-charming Cecconi’s. You can find wood-fired pizzas like this Parma ham, rocket, tomato and stracciatella signature, along with fresh pastas, mouthwatering cicchettis and all the Italian cocktails.
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Hottest New Restaurants in Manhattan
Semma (a South Indian restaurant from the hitmakers behind Dhamaka and Adda), Ci Siamo (chef Hillary Sterling and Union Square Hospitality Group’s fiery Italian restaurant), Comodo (a Latin American debut from Brooklyn’s Colonia Verde team) and Sweetbriar (chef Bryce Shuman’s wood-fired fine dining spot inside the Park South Hotel).
Contento
Wine industry veteran Yannick Benjamin partnered with George Gallego, Oscar Lorenzzi, Mara Rudzinski, and Lorenz Skeeter to open Contento, a welcoming wine bar with a Peruvian-rooted food menu and an eye toward inclusive hospitality and space accessibility. Contento boasts an ambitious range of wines — at varying price points — paired with a menu led by Lorenzzi that includes dishes like octopus with black chimichurri and duck liver mousse with purple corn focaccia. Benjamin and Gallego, who both use wheelchairs, helped design every inch of the dining room with consideration for wheelchair users, including wide aisles, higher tabletops, and lowered bar seating.
Wau
Wau — from veteran Laut restaurateur Salil Mehta — debuted on the Upper West Side with a bounty of Southeast Asian comfort food, including claypot golden braised tofu, pineapple fried rice, and murtabak, a Malaysian-Indian savory pancake stuffed with minced chicken and laced with jalapeños. The accompanying bar is stocked with Old Fashioned cocktails touched with banana leaf smoke and wau-lahs, “a Singaporean version of a piña colada,” as Mehta puts it.
Ci Siamo
Chef Hillary Sterling is playing with fire at Ci Siamo, the latest debut from Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group. The Italian restaurant, located inside Hudson Yards-adjacent development Manhattan West, is serving up housemade pastas, wood-fired trout, dry-aged ribeye steak, and a must-try blistered, caramelized onion torta. Cool down at the end of the meal with a selection of gelati and sorbettis, included in a dessert program overseen by lauded pastry chef Claudia Fleming.
Shukette
At Shukette, a playful spin-off of Mediterranean favorite Shuka in Soho, acclaimed chef Ayesha Nurdjaja has long-awaited access to an open kitchen, a charcoal grill, and a long list of breakout dishes to try. Early hits included the restaurant’s spicy summer cherry salad, and don’t miss the lineup of housemade dips and breads including a smoked salt cod spread and grilled lafa. Aim for a seat at the counter, where the kitchen team might slip in a few off-menu dishes.
Sweetbriar
In another live-fire addition to this list, former Betony chef Bryce Shuman has returned to his fine dining roots after spending much of past 18 months running an acclaimed barbecue pop-up. At Sweetbriar, Shuman is crisping, charring, and otherwise flaming up meats, fruits, and vegetables with a wood-fired oven, charcoal grill, and smoker at his disposal inside this new, upscale restaurant at the Park South Hotel. For fans of the former barbecue pop-up, Shuman has kept his maple-glazed ribs and cornbread on Sweetbriar’s menu.
Comodo
Restaurateurs Tamy Rofe and Felipe Donnelly, who also run Latin American spot Colonia Verde in Fort Greene, have extended their reach into Manhattan with Comodo inside Gramercy’s Freehand Hotel. The restaurant is actually a revival of sorts for the pair, who opened a former restaurant also named Comodo in downtown Manhattan in 2012. In this new iteration, the menu includes some old favorites like sliders on pao de queijo mixed with brand new additions including wild mushroom al ajillo tacos, made with tortillas sourced from Sobre Masa.
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‘Squid Game’ Turned a Korean Childhood Snack Into an Overnight Hit at NYC Restaurants
The Netflix smash hit has Korean-American restaurateurs clamoring to bring back the nostalgic candy and the games associated with it
Less than a month after Squid Game topped Netflix’s global charts with 111 million viewers, the dalgona candy featured on the show continues to have its moment in New York City restaurants.
The retro Korean children’s street snack, which is made from sugar and baking soda, is popping up everywhere in various reincarnations: as a latte topping, ice cream flavor, doughnut glaze, and naturally, as on the nine-episode drama, a little brittle disc stamped with various shapes.
In the third episode of Squid Game, players have 10 minutes to chisel out a design — a circle, triangle, star, or umbrella — from a fragile piece of dalgona candy or face assassination. From the 1970s through the 1990s, dalgona vendors were part of South Korea’s landscape, planted in front of elementary schools and equipped with a portable stove. School children would make a game of removing a stamped design in the middle of the cookie-shaped candy.
The snack was commonly called ppopgi (“extract” in Korean) and dalgona (“it’s sweet”). The viral dalgona coffee got its name when the hosts of a January 2020 episode of a South Korean TV program, Stars’ Top Recipe at Fun-Staurant, witnessed the transformation of a dark, grainy coffee liquid turn into a swirly, shimmery sludge at a Macau cafe, and cried out, “Isn’t it just like dalgona?! Yeah, ppopgi!” Seconds later, the “달고나 커피” (“Dalgona coffee”) chyron popped up, and kicked off the global obsession — and cemented its name.
Back in the East Village, on Halloween night, restaurant employees dressed as pink soldiers stood guard over tables of guests breaking their dalgona candies. It was the second day of Nowon’s Squid Game-themed dinner featuring dishes from the show like tteokbokki and steak. The dessert course was a collaboration with Noona’s Ice Cream: a ppopgi lollipop sticking out of vanilla ice cream tinted with squid ink and studded with dalgona chunks. Its dark gray color “mimics the dystopia” of the show, explains Noona’s owner Hannah Bae.
She’s planning a November 11 release of this flavor online.
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Everywhere You Need to Eat in NYC Right Now
If it’s your first time dining out in a while, put these restaurants at the top of your list.
Now that it’s been months since NYC’s COVID-related dining mandates have been lifted, chances are, if you haven’t yet already, you might be hankering to go eat in an actual dining room again. And after what felt like an eternity of quarantining due to the pandemic, know that you’re not alone—because restaurants all over the city are bustling more than ever.
With autumn here and the holidays fast approaching, we’re absolutely in support of going out to live it up at restaurants. In addition to celebrated favorites like Eleven Madison Park, Gramercy Tavern, and Momofuku Ssam Bar returning to life, against all odds, an exciting new crop of eateries continue to help maintain NYC’s standing as one of the best dining destinations out there. But take note, many restaurateurs continue to face challenges like a shortage of employee applicants and rising food costs, so expect smaller and more curated menus at some places, along with incremental price increases at others.
When dining out, we ask that you always be kind, tip generously, and be respectful of regulations that can differ by each establishment. No matter your price point or preferred ambiance, there’s a gem for everyone here on this list.
Here are the best restaurants to eat in NYC right now
As You Are
The gist: After opening its doors in Boerum Hill this past summer, the Ace Hotel Brooklyn debuted its all-day ground-floor restaurant just last month.
Located at the nexus of several neighborhoods, at As You Are, chef Ryan Jordan (John Dory, The Breslin) uses the locale as inspiration to offer a new American menu saluting the culinary flair of its home borough. Pastry chef Daniel Alvarez (Dominique Ansel New York, Daily Provisions) oversees the desserts program at this stylish eatery and also offers his baked goods in the mornings at 7:30 am daily with a bakery counter that includes must-trys like a black & white donut and pastel de nata.
A breakfast service with Old Fashioned pancakes and brown rice porridge is set to launch on November 1.
The food: New American cuisine with a Brooklyn twist within a stylish hotel restaurant. Starters include chicken liver and onion on sweet bay leaf and almond madeleines; crispy brussels sprouts with sauce gribiche; baked claims with a house hot sauce; and Maplebrook burrata with verjus poached pear. Mains include the signature octopus mezcal ragu with house made radiatore; pan roasted skate with blood orange; confit lamb ribs with chili crip; and a short rib burger made on a house made english muffin. Desserts include toasted oat ice cream with toffee hot sauce and a chocolate layer cake with raspberry hibiscus sorbet. Choose from signature cocktails like the Love, Brooklyn (basil vodka, sherry, almond) and No Sleep Tonight (tequila, spiced pear liqueur).
The cost: Starters are $8-19, mains are $16-36, sides are $9-12, and desserts are $9-12. Signature cocktails are $16-18, wines by the glass are $12-17, and beer is $8-12.
Sereneco
The gist: This all-day restaurant in Greenpoint is just shy of being over a month old and serves new American fare by executive chef Dennis Hong (Lincoln, Le Bernardin). While Sereneco is located in the historic Pencil Factory building that dates back a century, the space inside is modern, airy, and bright and boasts gorgeous 20-foot ceilings with skylights and a 25-foot white-oak bar that also has outlets to charge any gadgets. When it comes to the menu, it too features contemporary elements through hearty seasonal dishes that highlight vegetables and familiar classics in offerings like whipped ricotta, ratatouille, and braised short rib. In the mornings and throughout the day, go for pastries, sandwiches, and more that can be ordered via a special take-out window. A special happy hour runs Tuesday to Friday from 5:30 pm-7 pm, and their much anticipated brunch service launches this weekend.
The food: Hearty new American fare with contemporary elements highlighting vegetables and familiar classics. Smaller plates include whipped ricotta with honey and house-made focaccia; veal meatballs with romesco sauce; and grilled prawns with salsa verde. A dedicated vegetable section includes garnet yams with pistachio and mint; and ratatouille with squash, eggplant, and basil. Large plates include the braised short ribs with glazed baby carrot and pearl onions; roasted chicken crispy fingerling potatoes; and seared arctic char with English peas and chorizo. Signature cocktails from owner/beverage director Billy Van Dolsen include the Pencil Pusher, an homage to its locale made with mezcal, vermouth, and espelette pepper.
The cost: Smaller plates are $8-20, vegetable dishes are $9-14, and larger plates are $19-34. Signature cocktails
Compère Lapin at Intersect By Lexus
The gist: The rotating restaurant-in-residence program at Intersect By Lexus recently just welcomed their seventh participating talent: the James Beard Award-winning chef Nina Compton of the famed Compère Lapin in New Orleans. Here in the Meatpacking District, chef Compton’s menu delivers Big Easy flavors rooted in her Caribbean heritage with a menu featuring ingredients from the Gulf Coast. Inside the sleek second floor space with a drinking destination named The Lounge downstairs, opt for the Taste of Two Creole’s tasting menu or order dishes a la carte that include offerings like deviled eggs, crispy pig ears, and hot fire chicken before ending your meal with the must-try beignets for dessert.
The food: New Orleans-inspired dishes created by a distinguished NOLA chef. Snacks include buttermilk chive biscuits with honey bacon butter; deviled eggs; hush puppies with cilantro crema; and crispy pig ears with smoked aioli. Small plates include Louisiana barbecue shrimp with chervil; guava tamarind glazed pork belly with pickled mango; and the stuffed crab with uni butter. Large plates include spice roasted duck with foie butter and sour cherry jus; black bass escovitch with carrot beurre blanc; curried goat with sweet potato gnocchi; and hot fire chicken for two with red beans and rice. Choose from desserts like beignets with pecan buttercream and rhum caramel; and soursop semifreddo with coconut. Signature cocktails include the Chairman’s Nightcap (banana, Creole bitters) and the Macondo (tequila, aperol, mango).
The cost: Snacks are $8-13, small plates are $18-29, and large plates are $35-88. Desserts are $13-14, signature cocktails are $17-19, $15-25, and beer is $7-10.
Café Salmagundi
The gist: Opened last summer, the Victorian vibes of Irving Place in Gramercy Park have an exciting dining destination from the team behind Korean gastropub Osamil. Highlighting new American cuisine with accents of Korean flavors, Café Salmagundi is a self-proclaimed love letter to its historic neighborhood—and especially for anyone who endured the pandemic while in town—and features seasonal ingredients from the nearby Union Square Farmers Market. Here, enjoy quality food along with a cocktail program designed by Gelo Honrade (Osamil, Jeepney) inside the dining room or at one of the covetable sidewalk tables that’s ideal for people-watching to anyone again braving the dating game.
The food: New American with accents of Korean flavors. Expect starters like crispy calamari with house made tartar sauce; the signature double-fried wings; an oyster pancake with chives; and gambas with piquillo pepper, bamboo shoots, and bird’s eye chili. Oh, and don’t sleep on the hand-cut Korean sweet potato fries with jalapeno mayo dip. Large plates and mains include a steak platter with kalbi gravy and truffle aioli; slow roasted pork belly with apricot and mustard sauce; calamari and clams with lemongrass; and an uni bowl with quinoa, kimchi, and perilla. Signature cocktails include The Irving (scotch, vermouth, and local honey), in addition to favorites like a penicillin, mezcal negroni, and Pimm’s Cup.
The cost: Small dishes, appetizers, and salads are $8-24, and shared dishes and bowls are $25-32. Cocktails are $17, draft beers are $9, and wines by the glass are $14-16.
Discover Trending Restaurants in New York City
New York City is one of the most vibrant cities on earth.
The Big Apple is a cultural hot spot for theater, movies, music, dance, comedy… and food and drinks at trendy restaurants.
Combine the dozens of different cuisines from the cultures that make up NYC’s population with its always-vibrant atmosphere, and you have a recipe for one of the most exciting restaurant scenes in the world.
But where are the smartest, savviest Big Apple diners eating out?
Welcome to our Tastemakers List.
We’ve pulled data from thousands of restaurants to find the top spots among OpenTable’s most expert, seasoned diners.
You’ll find everything from cozy neighborhood taverns in Manhattan and Harlem to upscale steakhouses and Brooklyn sushi restaurants , all vetted by the types of tastemakers who know the best spots around the city.
Impress your friends and family and score a table; we wish we could join you.
MR CHOW – 57th
“Mr. Chow, Mr. Chow … that name again is Mr. Chow.” Any excuse to reference “The Simpsons.” Mr. Chow is just as acclaimed as that long-running cartoon, and has been a favorite of New Yorkers for decades. Elegant and lush inside, Mr. Chow is a hot spot for parties and gatherings. It’s an ideal spot for any get-together for selections off its menu of Chinese favorites. Additionally, Mr. Chow is one of the prime places in New York City for Peking duck. For those who have never had the dish before, this is the place to try it.
Leuca
Greenpoint in Brooklyn offers some of the best trendy restaurants in New York City, and Leuca is right at the top of that list. Darkly beautiful inside, Leuca serves up a menu of small plate Southern Italian favorites alongside a fabulous wine list. A heads up—Leuca sits inside the William Vale Hotel. Try some of the “Bibite di Leuca” cocktails. The favorites from the spirits menu include the Rosa Speziato with egg white and cherry bitters and the Viola with local gin. On the food menu, Leuca’s specialties include various Southern Italian dips with Sicilian bread. Those dips include sheep’s milk ricotta and butternut squash.
Temple Court on 10
Another hotel hot spot, Temple Court is inside the famed Beekman Hotel in Manhattan, very close to City Hall and the World Trade Center. Another outpost in the Tom Colicchio restaurant empire, Temple Court is an excellent option for travelers seeing Lower Manhattan. Stop in for a coffee or a drink at the bar, or select from one of the trademark seafood or meat dishes for a fine dinner. Menu highlights include burrata with heirloom squash and basil pesto alongside the fabled Rohan duck a l’orange with citrus and fennel.
Casa Enrique
This stylish Mexican spot is worth stopping in for the ambiance alone. The hip, warm-feeling, minimalist interior boasts an all-white pattern and a stainless steel bar top. It’s one of the more unique interiors in all of New York. Casa Enrique’s menu is full of Mexican favorites and creative cocktails. The strawberry mojito and house margarita are local favorites. Casa Enrique is one of the go-to spots in the blossoming neighborhood of Long Island City.
Boucherie – Union Square
“Joie de Vivre” (“joy of life”) is one of the slogans for the Gramercy Park favorite, Boucherie. That’s a fine description for the moods of the diners enjoying Boucherie’s superb French cuisine and creative cocktail menu. Stop in for a drink at the beautiful menu or sit down for a full meal on one of Boucherie’s bustling weekday nights.
Locanda Verde
Locanda Verde is an ideal selection for anyone looking for a hip place to dine out in the very happening TriBeCa neighborhood in New York City. Stop in while strolling for a pour or two from a wine off Locanda Verde’s extensive wine list. It’s one of the best in the entire city. Another option? Grab dinner in the shadow of Locanda’s beautiful fireplace.
Royal 35 Steakhouse
Our perspective is coming soon. In the meantime, please enjoy the restaurant’s description: Royal 35 Steakhouse is a stone’s throw away from iconic New York City landmark, The Empire State Building, combining the vibrant energy of New York City with an authentic steakhouse setting.
At the core of Royal 35’s menu is our classic collection of high standard Certified Angus Beef brand USDA Prime. And marbling is key to its incredible flavor and tenderness which is dry aged for 30-35 days in our in-house aging box.
best restaurants in NYC right now
Including Korean skewer sets, a dazzling new Indian restaurant and erstwhile favorites.
Choosing a favorite restaurant in New York City isn’t easy.
We tend to love any place willing to feed us, but some simply stand out for their excellent ingredients, well-crafted cocktails, booze pairings, concept, ambiance, and occasionally an X factor that gives a place its spirit.
So these are those: our favorite spots to eat and drink, and our favorite places to tell everyone else to eat and drink, at this very moment. Some are old, some are new, some are finally getting their due, and each one is worth your time, money and attention.
The best of the city under one roof
Time Out Market New York
We really like eating around the city, and we’re guessing you do, too. So lucky for all of us, we’ve packed all our favorite restaurants under one roof at the Time Out Market New York.
The DUMBO location in Empire Stores has fried chicken from Jacob’s Pickles, pizza from Fornino, inventive ice cream flavors from Sugar Hill Creamery and more amazing eateries—all cherry-picked by us. Chow down over two floors with views of the East River, Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyline.
Kochi
What is it? Per se alum chef Sungchul Shim’s seven-course tasting of skewers inspired by Korean royal court cuisine. Kochi first opened in 2019 and was recently awarded a Michelin star. A ten-course menu, as well as supplements like caviar and sea urchin, are also available.
Why We Love it? Ordering everything on the menu is usually relegated to daydreams, but at Kochi, it’s possible. Here, every course is a joy, without an afterthought in the bunch. And Kochi’s $85 prix-fixe price tag is more attainable than that of many of its contemporaries. An optional sool pairing is available for an additional $75.
Crown Shy
What is it? A collaboration between James Kent, longtime chef de cuisine at Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park and executive chef at NoMad, and Jeff Katz, managing partner of Del Posto. Crown Shy turns out excellent food and beautiful cocktails in an elegant environment that’s equal parts special occasion destination and nicer-than-normal evening whim.
Why we love it? Crown Shy feels important without being intimidating. It’s a this-must-be-the-place kind of spot that manages to remain warm and inviting. We’re especially fond of the gruyère fritters, roasted short rib, and regally garnished Crown cocktails.
Rezdôra
What is it? Having previously cooked at Osteria Francescana, the Modena, Italy restaurant that was ranked 2018’s best in the world, chef Stefano Secchi went on to open one of NYC’s best restaurants the following year. At Rezdôra, he offers up a stealthily breathtaking array of pastas, using the highest quality cheeses and seasonal ingredients from farmers’ markets.
Why we love it? Dinner at Rezdôra feels like a new culinary experience even for people who grew up on pasta night. Individual plates are available, but its $95 regional pasta tasting is an exciting tour of the restaurant’s best.
Best New & Hip Restaurants in New York Area
Hip & Trendy Restaurants in New York
Check out the latest New & Hip additions to the New York dining scene, presented in alphabetical order.
The Banty Rooster
Southwestern-inspired American restaurant in the West Village.
Da Toscano
Italian cuisine from chef-owner Michael Toscano in the West Village.
The Deco Food + Drink
Food hall offering eclectic fare in the Garment District.
Ernesto’s
Basque fare is featured at this Lower East Side restaurant.
Frevo
A French-inspired tasting menu is offered at this Greenwich Village restaurant.
Hutong
Aqua Restaurant Group is behind this 19,000-square-foot high-end northern Chinese restaurant in Midtown.
Best Restaurants in New York City
New York Restaurant Week
NYC brings tourists in droves for its world-class museums, monuments, shopping, and theater.
But it is also a city in which eating is often not something you do between activities, it is the activity. New York has one of the most competitive and diverse restaurant scenes anywhere in the world—one study from earlier in the decade found that 80 percent of restaurants in New York close in the first five years (though that also means new and exciting eateries are opening constantly).
Whether you want a three Michelin star tasting menu, a big plate of comfort food or just the best freakin’ slice of pizza you’ve ever had in your life, you can find it in New York City.
During the continued pandemic, dining in the city is either outdoors or at much diminished capacity inside, but all these spots are ready to welcome diners in one or both ways.
Buvette
You’re back in that one Paris café you particularly loved, right down to the tiny tables and soft lighting. Your most important move is to order the anchovies on warm toast slicked with cold butter. After that go for hearty mains like gigot d’agneau (leg of lamb) or one of the croque monsieurs, and maybe skip the buzzed-about chocolate mousse—we found it not worth the hype—in favor of sweet tarte tatin. Also, in case it wasn’t clear from the jump: you’re drinking wine. Chef-owner Jody Williams takes a lot of pride in her list. Go for rosé with friends over brunch or open a well-priced bottle of something from the Loire Valley to sip with charcuterie in the evening.
Mercado Little Spain
Mercado Little Spain is New York’s most ambitious ode to Spain, and most recent entrant to the NYC food hall wars. It comes courtesy of founders Jose Andres and brothers Albert and Ferran Adria. While there are only a couple spots open to dine in—La Barra and Spanish Diner (tortilla de patata or croquetas de jamon anyone)—the well curated pantry is available to take away including an ocean’s-worth of tinned seafood, olive oil, and oh so much meat. Andres worked to bring specialists from Spain, meaning the churros are crisp, the paella is properly cooked, and the jamon is sliced by an expert hand.
Teranga
Teranga is run by the acclaimed Senegal-born chef and cookbook author Pierre Thiam. Offering a culinary lens into Africa through African-grown ingredients and flavors that date back to before colonization, the restaurant is as much a place to dine as it is an integral part of The Africa Center. The name Teranga translates to “good hospitality” in Senegalese, and although this is a fast-casual spot—bowls and all—the team here is indeed warm and welcoming.
Upland
A sceney spot with big wraparound booths, tasty Californian cuisine, and a chef who knows his way around meat and pasta. Chef Justin Smillie made a name for himself with the short ribs at downtown favorite Il Buco, so look for anything beefy. Among the other must-orders: crispy duck wings with yuzu kosho. Smillie is also a real pasta and vegetable talent, so order accordingly. If you’re planning to drink, note that this is a wine-focused restaurant, with a beautifully curated list featuring a number of bottles around the 50-buck mark. Look for obscure Chenin Blancs alongside some powerful Bordeauxs.
Olmsted
Here are passionate eaters delighted that the chef once cooked at Alinea and a bevy of Instagram-loving locals and tourists, all at the ready with their cameras. Chef Greg Baxtrom understands vegetables, but his skills are diverse, and extend to fish and game.
And if you skip the chocolate mousse dessert—or the autumnal option of make-your-own s’mores in the garden—you’re a damn fool.