233 Best Restaurants in New York City, New York

2nd Ave Deli

$$ | Upper East Side Fodor's choice

The second generation operating this legendary, traditional kosher Jewish deli moved its enormous corned beef and pastrami sandwiches and buckets of pickles uptown from the original longtime location on 2nd Avenue in the East Village, keeping the name and the menu. That also includes hearty soups, wursts, blintzes, and potato pancakes. Upstairs is an upscale cocktail lounge that opens at 5 pm daily and has a limited bar menu. A deli-only location is in Midtown East.

Adda

$$ | Long Island City Fodor's choice

With Indian dance music on the speakers and tabloid pages papering the walls, Adda broadcasts a hip, fun vibe, though the trendy decor almost belies what comes to the table: authentic Indian favorites packed with freshly-ground spices that draw inspiration from Grandma's cookbook and Mumbai street-style fare. The Chacha’s lamb chops, marinated with garam masala spices and grilled to perfection in the clay oven are a must-try, as well as the flavorful halka phulka (snacks) like dahi batata puri, a delicately fried puff pastry meant to be eaten in one bite and filled with yogurt, chutneys, and baby potatoes. The garlic naan and black dal are also noteworthy as sides (and also to cool the palate).

Aita

$$ Fodor's choice
Don't let the unassuming air at this intimate restaurant on a leafy, largely residential block fool you: there is some serious cooking going on here. Case in point: any of the house-made pastas (perhaps cavatelli topped with shaved Parmesan and black truffles); bright, seasonal salads (maybe peach, arugula, and goat cheese); or any of the fish or meat main dishes, like lamb chops milanese or roasted chicken.

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al di là Trattoria

$$ | Park Slope Fodor's choice

Roughly translated as "beyond," al di là has been consistently packed since it opened in 1998, and it's easy to understand why: it serves well-prepared Northern Italian dishes in a cozy atmosphere. The warm farro salad with seasonal ingredients and goat cheese is perfectly al dente; the hand-pinched ravioli are delicious; and meatier entrées like braised rabbit, Tuscan tripe stew, and pork loin scallopini with prosciutto are highlights.

Aurora

$$ Fodor's choice
Handmade pastas, exceptional antipasti, and wonderful brunch have earned homey Aurora a loyal following. Most ingredients are locally sourced, though the mozzarella and burrata hail from Italy. Ricotta, black truffles, and prosciutto di Parma elevate the eggs Benedict at brunch, when the French toast comes stuffed with apple compote and topped with Amarena cherries. The trattoria's main dining room is inviting enough, but angle for a seat in the enclosed garden (heated in winter), where lush ivy covers the brick walls.

Ayada Thai

$$ | Elmhurst Fodor's choice

There are plenty of great Thai restaurants in Elmhurst, but this oft-packed spot tops them all (in fact, it's opened a branch in Manhattan's Chelsea Market). Operating out of two side-by-side storefronts (you go wherever there's a table), Ayada serves fiery, flavorful Thai favorites, as well as some dishes you've probably never heard of before. A favorite appetizer is raw shrimp served with a slice of garlic, bitter melon, and chili paste that will knock your socks off. The e-sarn sausage (made with fermented meat) is served with sliced ginger and peanuts, and, for a table of four, the succulent whole fried fish is a bargain.

77--08 Woodside Ave., Queens, New York, 11373, USA
718-424–0844
Known For
  • spicy options for whole fish
  • raw shrimp salad
  • foodie and local favorite means longish wait times for a table

Barney Greengrass

$$ | Upper West Side Fodor's choice

Since 1908, this local landmark has been known for brusque waiters serving stellar platters of smoked salmon, sturgeon, whitefish, and pickled herring to a happy crowd packed to the gills at small Formica tables. Split a fish platter with bagels, cream cheese, and other fixings, or get your velvety nova scrambled with eggs and buttery caramelized onions. If still hungry, go for a plate of cheese blintzes or the to-die-for chopped liver. Be warned that the weekend brunch wait can exceed an hour, so you may want to get food to go or come during the week.

Bunna Cafe

$$ | Bushwick Fodor's choice

The best way to sample the diverse flavors of Ethiopian cuisine is by dining at this stellar restaurant that transports you to Addis Ababa through its decor, music, and above all, it's selection of traditional dishes. All dishes are plant-based and full of flavor, which aligns with most authentic fare, including chickpea-based shiro, lentil wot, and a mushroom version of tibs (a stir-fry with meat and vegetables). It's all served with injera, a sourdough flatbread used to scoop up the various stews, with your hands. The drink menu includes traditional t'ej (honey wine), cocktails, and wine and beer from Ethiopia. The namesake bunna—Ethiopian coffee brewed with cardamom and cloves—is worth a try, too. 

Cafe Mogador

$$ | East Village Fodor's choice

This East Village dining institution, which has been serving standout Moroccan cuisine in a date-friendly, candlelit atmosphere since 1983, still draws crowds for dinner, lunch, and brunch. Start with an order of creamy hummus to share, then dig into one of the classic couscous dishes, tajine stews, or tasty kebabs.

Café Sabarsky

$$ | Upper East Side Fodor's choice

In the Neue Galerie, this stately coffeehouse—open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner—offers a Viennese café experience, with art deco furnishings; a selection of daily newspapers; and cases with cakes and strudels. The menu of heartier sandwiches and goulash or sausage dishes is under the direction of German-born executive chef Christopher Engel, who worked at Wallsé and Aureole, earning Michelin stars. Prix-fixe dinners are occasionally followed by a cabaret performance. Museumgoers and locals love to linger over coffee—it's sometimes a challenge to find a seat (a less aesthetically pleasing outpost of the café is in the basement). 

Casa Mono

$$ | Gramercy Fodor's choice

Most of the delectable items on the menu at this Iberian, small-plates, corner restaurant are made for sharing, but of particular note are all things seared à la plancha (on a metal plate), including blistered peppers and garlic-kissed mushrooms. The atmosphere is always bustling but the best seats are those at the Casa Mono counter overlooking the chef's open kitchen. The perennially cramped and crowded space sends patrons to Bar Jamón, the wine-and-ham-bar annex next door, where you can pick at plates of jamón serrano while awaiting the main feature.

Chama Mama

$$ | Chelsea Fodor's choice

The food of the Republic of Georgia is one of the best and under-represented cuisines of the world. Most of the excellent Georgian restaurants in New York are lodged deep into Brooklyn, but Chama Mama is a superb Manhattan option if you want to avoid a long subway ride. Start with khachapuri, the ubiquitous baked cheese bread (the boat-shape version from the region of Adjara has become the international face of Georgian cuisine) and then move to shkmeruli, a tender Cornish game hen cooked in a garlicky cream sauce. The khinkhali, broth-filled dumplings, are also excellent. There's now a second location on the Upper West Side (Amsterdam Avenue and West 78th Street).

Clinton St. Baking Co.

$$ | Lower East Side Fodor's choice

At this casual retro-diner restaurant, weekend brunch brings a line down the street for what many believe to be the best blueberry pancakes in the city, if not the whole country. Lunch and dinner options include a variety of burgers, sandwiches, and salads—and you can get those pancakes at dinner, too, without as long a wait.

Di Fara Pizza

$$ Fodor's choice
Brooklyn legend Domenico De Marco has been handcrafting pizzas with top-quality ingredients in this Midwood storefront since 1965, and even the locals wait upward of an hour (and sometimes two) for pizza that's a contender for best in the greater New York area. You can order a slice ($5), but you're better off with a whole pie, because the pizza maker waits until there are enough slice orders to complete a pie. The "classic" is topped with sausage, peppers, mushrooms, and onions ($33), but the "regular" ($29) lets you appreciate the pure goodness. The small, worn space has a handful of tables (no table service), so don't expect anything fancy. For a shorter wait, arrive well before they open at noon.

Diner

$$ | Williamsburg Fodor's choice

The word "diner" might evoke a greasy spoon, but this trendsetting restaurant under the Williamsburg Bridge is nothing of the sort. Andrew Tarlow—the godfather of Brooklyn's farm-to-table culinary renaissance—opened it in 1999 and launched an entire movement. The restaurant occupies a 1927 dining car, and foodies cram into the booths to partake in eclectic dishes from the regularly changing menu, based on seasonal ingredients from farms in the Greater New York area. They're also known for their grass-fed burger, available year-round.

Emily

$$ | West Village Fodor's choice

The specialties at this beloved Brooklyn pizzeria and Italian-ish eatery, named for its proprietor and situated on a charming block, range from Detroit-style grandma pies (think square instead of round, thick instead of thin) to wood-fired pizzas with ingredients like clams, anchovies, and Calabrian chiles. One item that might convince you to forego pizza, though, is the signature burger, an American cheese and caramelized onion–topped beef patty on a pretzel bun.

Fiaschetteria Pistoia

$$ | West Village Fodor's choice

Not all the grappa in this charming, diminutive Italian restaurant will help you pronounce its name, but you won't care once you tuck into the fabulous pasta dishes made in the open kitchen. The menu's focus is on Tuscany with a few nods south to Rome. The pappardelle al ragù is rich and satisfying. Same for the tagliolini laced with sea urchin. But for first timers and twenty-first timers, it's impossible to pass up the cacio e pepe, a simple, gooey, cheesy Roman pasta dish that tastes like it just magically materialized from the Eternal City.

Fornino

$$ Fodor's choice
The chefs here consider pizza-making both art and science, and their wood-fired creations prove just how deftly they balance the equation. The funghi misti—a white pie with mozzarella, wild mushrooms, and truffle oil—is downright irresistible. It’s no wonder locations in Brooklyn Bridge Park and Greenpoint have joined the original, which is casual in style but gourmet in quality. Check for seasonal specials, like the fig, Gorgonzola, and arugula pizza offered in summer.

Glasserie

$$ | Greenpoint Fodor's choice
Its past as a glass factory inspired Glasserie's warm, romantic atmosphere, and details like rare light fixtures and prints of original electric bulbs abound. Owner Sara Conklin spent her childhood in the Middle East, and her experiences there influence the farm-to-table cuisine. Pair the Persian Gold cocktail (a gin and tonic with saffron) with the phyllo pastries, then order a few more small plates to share.

Hanoi House

$$ | East Village Fodor's choice

Most Vietnamese food in the United States is inspired by the traditions of southern Vietnam because it was largely Vietnamese from the south who left the country after the war ended in 1975. Hanoi House brings a refreshing—and delicious—taste of the north; the pho here, as done in Hanoi, is meatier, darker, intensely flavorful, and so good.

Heidi's House by the Side of the Road

$$ | Upper East Side Fodor's choice

Roughly the size of a studio apartment, this homey bar and restaurant is the epitome of a neighborhood spot; just keep in mind that reservations aren't accepted. The short menu of comfort foods—hamburgers, a pasta, macaroni and cheese—changes frequently, but the lobster macaroni and cheese never fails to impress. With only one table for four people, Heidi's House is better suited to smaller parties. Reservations aren't accepted for this often-crowded spot, but it does have a charming little bar next door where you can have a drink while you wait for a table and a same-day call-ahead list starting after 5 pm.

308 E. 78th St., New York, New York, 10075, USA
212-249–0069
Known For
  • skillet mac and cheese
  • wait for a table at Ed's Elbow Room bar next door
  • nice selection of beer, wine, and cider
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: No lunch

Hometown Bar-B-Que

$$ | Red Hook Fodor's choice
The smell of barbecue will have your mouth watering even before you get in the door of this cavernous hall, which many say serves the best BBQ around. Head for the counter to order meats by the pound, chicken, sandwiches, tacos, and sides. It's all outrageously good, but the brisket is a must.

Ivan Ramen

$$ | Lower East Side Fodor's choice

Ivan Orkin's improbable but true story is one of the many layers that make New York City's restaurant scene so exciting, authentic, and delicious: the self-described "Jewish kid from Long Island" moved to Tokyo and became a ramen-making master, achieving near legendary status in the Japanese capital. In 2014, he opened this Lower East Side temple to ramen, where highlights include the triple pork, triple garlic mazemen, a type of near-brothless ramen.

JG Melon

$$ | Upper East Side Fodor's choice

The self-described “saloon with food” has been serving hearty drinks, hefty burgers, thick sandwiches, and its famous cottage fries to a local crowd since 1972. Its decor is warm and woody, the tablecloths are checkered and the tables are packed close together (so it’s noisy when crowded), and there’s an everybody-knows-your-name vibe. Save room for dessert, because the chocolate chip cake and pecan pie are worth the calories. This place also is known for its late hours—the kitchen is open until after midnight daily.

Kafana

$$ | East Village Fodor's choice

In Serbia, a kafana is a neighborhood tavern with a menu of hearty Serbian staples like ćevapi, finger-sized minced beef sausages, or karadjordjeva, a tubular pork schnitzel stuffed with ham and rich, creamy kajmak cheese. This rustic cash-only Serbian eatery, located in the wilds of the East Village on Avenue C, has excellent artery-hardening fare and an impressive list of natural wines from Serbia. Top off your meal with a shot of rakia, the potent fruit brandy that is ubiquitous in the Balkans. 

Karczma

$$ | Greenpoint Fodor's choice
Of all the Polish restaurants in this Polish neighborhood, family-run Karczma is the best, so dig in and order the pierogis—fried, not boiled—and one of the Polish, Czech, or German beers served in giant glasses. The farmhouse-style tavern is easygoing and fun, with oversized picnic tables, camping lanterns hanging from the ceiling, and waitresses wearing traditional folk dresses from the mountain region in southern Poland. This restaurant is a great value for the price, so come hungry and prepare to feast.

Katz's Delicatessen

$$ | Lower East Side Fodor's choice

Everything and nothing has changed at Katz's since it first opened in 1888, when the neighborhood was dominated by Jewish immigrants: lines still form for the giant, hand-carved corned beef and pastrami sandwiches, soul-warming soups, juicy hot dogs, and crisp half-sour pickles. You get a ticket when you walk in and then get it punched at the various stations where you pick up your food; don't lose it, or you'll have to pay the lost-ticket fee.

Krupa Grocery

$$ Fodor's choice
The eponymous small grocery that used to occupy this space has been completely transformed into an intimate restaurant serving inventive fare for brunch (during the week as well as weekends), lunch, and dinner. The daily-changing menu might include anything from breakfast gnocchi to a shrimp po'boy to steak with chimichurri, and snacks like simply prepared seasonal vegetables, homemade charcuterie, or chicken liver pâté. The marble bar in the front room is a convivial spot for drinking or dining, and there are a few tables inside and out.

L&B Spumoni Gardens

$$ Fodor's choice
Brooklynites make summertime pilgrimages to L&B's outdoor garden for squares of Sicilian-style pizza—the crunchy crust has a thin layer of mozzarella, tomato sauce, and just a drizzle of olive oil on top. L&B Spumoni's is three restaurants in one: a pizzeria, an informal Italian restaurant, and an ice-cream shop. The restaurant serves classics like fried calamari, Caesar salad, and marinara, Bolognese, carbonara, and Alfredo pastas. Whatever you come for, don't leave L&B without a scoop of spumoni ice cream.

L'Antica Pizzeria Da Michele

$$ | West Village Fodor's choice

The New York outpost of the 134-year-old pizzeria in Naples that the travel memoir "Eat, Pray, Love" single-handedly turned into a must-visit stop on the tourist trail, this West Village pizzeria opened in late 2022 and has managed to quickly become one of the best Neapolitan-style pizzerias in the city. The menu here is much more expansive than the original, treading into all-encompassing trattoria fare, such as pastas and salads, but stick to the classic Margherita pie and you'll walk out of here a very happy eater.