Photo: King of Hearts · CC BY-SA 3.0Restaurants
Discover the best restaurants in New York City, from Katz's and Peter Luger to Le Bernardin, sorted by cuisine, neighborhood and vibe.
New York City is one of the great eating cities on earth, a place where a single subway ride can carry you from a century old delicatessen to a modernist tasting menu to a paper plate of foldable pizza. The range is the point here.
You can spend a fortune or a few dollars and still eat something worth remembering, because the city rewards curiosity as much as it rewards a big budget.
This guide is built to help you navigate that abundance.
We start with the iconic and notable spots that define the city's reputation, then break the scene down by cuisine, by mood and by neighborhood so you can find the right table for the moment, whether that is a celebratory dinner, a rooftop drink with a skyline view or a quick bagel before a long day of walking.
Every place listed here is a real, operating New York institution or standout, and we have left out specific prices and hours on purpose, since those change often and are best confirmed directly with each restaurant.
Use this as a map of possibilities, then build the itinerary that fits your own appetite and pace.
The top pick in each category, at a glance.
| Category | Our pick | |
|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Katz's Delicatessen | Reserve |
| By Cuisine | Le Bernardin | Reserve |
| Fine Dining and Special Occasions | Le Bernardin | Reserve |
| Iconic New York Eats | Katz's Delicatessen | Reserve |
| Pizza, Bagels and Delis | Joe's Pizza | Reserve |
| Romantic Restaurants for Date Night | One if by Land, Two if by Sea | Reserve |
| Rooftop Bars and Restaurants with Views | The River Cafe | Reserve |
| New and Trendy Spots to Try | Dhamaka | Reserve |
📍 Lower East Side
Jewish Deli$$· Iconic & bustling
The definitive New York deli, hand carving mountains of pastrami and corned beef since the 1880s under its ticket system and neon glow. Order the pastrami on rye and tip your carver.
What to order: Pastrami on rye
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve
📍 Midtown
Seafood$$$$· Special occasion
Eric Ripert's temple of seafood, long considered one of the finest restaurants in the country. The cooking is precise, elegant and built almost entirely around the sea.
What to order: Tasting menu
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve
📍 Williamsburg
Steakhouse$$$$· Old-school & gruff
A gruff, wood paneled Brooklyn steakhouse serving dry aged porterhouse for the table since 1887. Come hungry, bring cash and expect no frills beyond the beef.
What to order: Dry-aged porterhouse for two
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve
📍 Midwood, Brooklyn
Pizza$$· Cult pilgrimage
A pilgrimage pizzeria where the pies were long made by hand by Domenico De Marco himself. Simple, generous and finished with fresh basil and a shower of grated cheese.
What to order: Classic square pie
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve
📍 Gramercy
New American$$$$· Gracious & seasonal
A warm, seasonal American classic from the Union Square Hospitality family, with a lively tavern up front and a more formal dining room in back. Reliably one of the most gracious rooms in the city.
What to order: Seasonal tasting menu
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve
📍 Lower East Side
Appetizing$$· Classic & lively
An appetizing shop turned New York legend, slicing smoked salmon and building bagel boards since 1914. The nearby cafe lets you sit down with the same fish.
What to order: Bagel with smoked salmon
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve
📍 Flatiron
Vegan Fine Dining$$$$· Special occasion
A grand, plant based fine dining destination overlooking Madison Square Park, known for its ambitious tasting menu and theatrical service.
What to order: Plant-based tasting menu
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve
📍 SoHo
French Brasserie$$$· Buzzy & Parisian
A bustling French brasserie that feels like a slice of Paris in SoHo, famous for its bread basket, raw bar and all day people watching.
What to order: Steak frites
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve
📍 Greenwich Village
Italian-American$$$$· Glossy date-night
A glossy, red sauce Italian American throwback with tuxedoed captains and spicy rigatoni vodka. Tables are among the hardest to book in town.
What to order: Spicy rigatoni vodka
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve
📍 Nolita
Pizza$$· Historic & casual
Widely cited as America's first pizzeria, turning out coal oven pies with a blistered crust. A foundational stop on any New York pizza tour.
What to order: Coal-oven margherita
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve
📍 East Village
Ramen$$· Casual & lively
David Chang's game changing noodle bar that helped reshape modern New York dining, best known for its ramen and pork buns.
What to order: Pork buns & ramen
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve
📍 Greenwich Village
Pizza$· Quick & classic
The archetypal New York slice joint, thin, foldable and reliably excellent. The Carmine Street original is a downtown institution.
What to order: Plain foldable slice
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve
📍 Harlem
Soul Food$$· Warm & historic
The Queen of Soul Food, serving fried chicken, ribs and cornbread in Harlem since 1962. The Sunday gospel brunch is a beloved tradition.
What to order: Fried chicken & waffles
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve
📍 Midtown
Seafood$$$· Historic & bustling
A tiled, vaulted seafood hall tucked inside Grand Central Terminal, pouring oysters and pan roasts since 1913. Sit at the counter under the whispering arches.
What to order: Oyster pan roast
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve
📍 Bushwick
Pizza$$$· Cool & inventive
The wood fired pizzeria that helped define Brooklyn's dining scene, serving inventive pies and vegetables in a converted warehouse space.
What to order: Bee Sting pizza
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve
📍 Upper West Side
Appetizing$$· Old-school & cozy
The Sturgeon King, a beloved appetizing counter and dining room turning out smoked fish, eggs and sable to loyal regulars for over a century.
What to order: Sturgeon & scrambled eggs
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve
📍 Midtown
Steakhouse$$$$· Historic & clubby
A historic chophouse famous for its mutton chop and thousands of clay pipes hanging from the ceiling. Old New York atmosphere in every corner.
What to order: Mutton chop
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve
📍 East Village
Ramen$$· Buzzy & modern
The New York flagship of a celebrated Japanese ramen chain, credited with helping spark the city's ramen boom. Rich tonkotsu broth and a buzzing room.
What to order: Akamaru tonkotsu ramen
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve
📍 Upper West Side
Bakery$· Casual grab-and-go
Home of the thick, gooey, half pound chocolate chip walnut cookie that draws steady lines. Small shop, outsized reputation.
What to order: Chocolate chip walnut cookie
📍 View on Google Maps →Reserve
📍 Multiple locations
Chinese$· Fast & casual
A fast casual mini chain that put hand pulled Biang Biang noodles and cumin lamb on the New York map. Bold, spicy and satisfying.
What to order: Spicy cumin lamb noodles
📍 View on Google Maps →ReserveNew York's greatest strength is range, and the city does almost every cuisine at a high level. Use this cross section as a starting point when you know the flavor you are craving but not yet the specific address.
French seafood $$$$
French seafood at the highest level, refined and pristine.
What to order: seafood tasting menu
Italian American $$$
Theatrical Italian American cooking and a serious spicy rigatoni.
What to order: spicy rigatoni vodka
Ramen $$
Rich tonkotsu ramen that helped launch the city's noodle obsession.
What to order: Akamaru tonkotsu ramen
Chinese noodles $
Hand pulled noodles and cumin lamb from western China.
What to order: cumin lamb hand-pulled noodles
Soul food $$
Harlem soul food, from fried chicken to smothered pork chops.
What to order: fried chicken and waffles
Mexican tacos $
Griddled adobada and fresh tortillas at a standing counter in Chelsea Market.
What to order: adobada taco
Korean steakhouse $$$$
A Korean steakhouse mashup with tabletop grilling and dry aged beef.
What to order: Butcher's Feast dry-aged beef
Regional Indian $$$
Bold, regional Indian cooking that leans unapologetically into heat and texture.
What to order: goat neck / Junglee Maas
Mexican $$
Michelin recognized Mexican cooking in Long Island City with excellent mole.
What to order: mole de piaxtla
Vegetarian $
A cult favorite for inventive vegetarian burgers and sides in the East Village.
What to order: the Superiority Burger
When the moment calls for tasting menus, polished service and a room worth dressing up for, these are among the city's benchmark destinations. Book well ahead, since the best tables go quickly.
French seafood $$$$
Seafood focused fine dining that consistently sits at the top of the city's rankings.
What to order: seafood tasting menu
Plant-based tasting $$$$
An ambitious plant based tasting menu in a landmark Art Deco room.
What to order: vegetable tasting menu
New American $$$$
Thomas Keller's Columbus Circle flagship, with panoramic park views and a luxe tasting menu.
What to order: Oysters and Pearls tasting
New American $$$
Gracious seasonal American cooking with both tavern and dining room options.
What to order: seasonal tasting menu
Korean tasting $$$$
A refined Korean tasting counter that pairs each course with a story card.
What to order: Korean tasting menu
New American $$$$
Elevated dining overlooking the sculpture garden at the Museum of Modern Art.
What to order: seasonal tasting menu
French $$$$
Daniel Boulud's elegant Upper East Side flagship for modern French cuisine.
What to order: modern French tasting menu
Nordic $$$$
Sophisticated Nordic cooking and a celebrated dining room in Midtown.
What to order: herring plate / Nordic tasting
Contemporary French $$$$
A polished, contemporary French destination near Central Park.
What to order: egg caviar tasting
Sushi omakase $$$$
An intimate, extravagant sushi counter for special occasion omakase.
What to order: chef's omakase
Some meals are less about a single dish and more about tasting the city's history. These institutions have shaped what New York eats, and many have been at it for generations.
Jewish deli $$
Hand carved pastrami and the definitive New York deli experience.
What to order: pastrami on rye
Steakhouse $$$$
Dry aged porterhouse served the same way since 1887.
What to order: porterhouse for two
Appetizing $$
Smoked fish and appetizing classics from a fourth generation family shop.
What to order: lox on a bagel
Seafood $$$
Oysters and pan roasts beneath the vaulted tiles of Grand Central.
What to order: oyster pan roast
Steakhouse $$$$
A historic chophouse famed for its mutton chop and clay pipes.
What to order: mutton chop
Appetizing $$
The Sturgeon King, an Upper West Side smoked fish landmark.
What to order: sturgeon and eggs
Soul food $$
Harlem's long running home of soul food and Sunday gospel brunch.
What to order: fried chicken
Halal $
The street cart empire that turned chicken and rice into a Midtown ritual.
What to order: chicken and rice platter
Hot dogs $
The original Coney Island hot dog stand and home of the July Fourth contest.
What to order: the original hot dog
Ukrainian $$
A 24 hour East Village Ukrainian diner beloved for pierogi and borscht.
What to order: pierogi and borscht
These are the everyday glories of New York eating: the slice on the corner, the bagel with a schmear, the deli sandwich stacked past reason. You do not need reservations, just an appetite.
Pizza $
The classic New York slice, thin, foldable and consistent.
What to order: plain cheese slice
Pizza $$
A Brooklyn pilgrimage for hand finished, basil topped pies.
What to order: the classic pie
Coal-oven pizza $$
Coal oven pizza from a spot often called America's first pizzeria.
What to order: margherita pie
Wood-fired pizza $$
Creative wood fired pies that helped define modern Brooklyn.
What to order: Bee Sting pizza
Pizza $
Famous for its spicy, crispy edged pepperoni Sicilian squares.
What to order: spicy spring pepperoni square
Bagels $
Big, chewy hand rolled bagels with generous piles of cream cheese.
What to order: bagel with cream cheese
Appetizing $$
Lox and appetizing spreads to build the ultimate bagel board.
What to order: lox bagel board
Jewish deli $$
The gold standard for a towering pastrami on rye.
What to order: pastrami on rye
Bagels $
An Upper West Side favorite known for fresh, pillowy bagels.
What to order: fresh bagel with cream cheese
Sicilian pizza $
A Bensonhurst institution for thick, sauce on top Sicilian squares.
What to order: Sicilian square and spumoni
Kosher deli $$
A classic kosher style deli for matzo ball soup and stacked sandwiches.
What to order: matzo ball soup
For an evening built around candlelight, a good bottle and lingering conversation, these rooms deliver mood as much as menu. Many are cozy, dimly lit and made for two.
American French $$$$
A candlelit carriage house in the West Village, a longtime special occasion favorite.
What to order: beef Wellington
Italian $$$
A stylish, buzzy Italian spot with a great wine list for date night.
What to order: grilled octopus and pastas
French $$
A tiny, romantic Gallic gastroteque tucked into the West Village.
What to order: croque monsieur
Italian $$$
A rustic, candle lit Italian room with a warm, farmhouse feel.
What to order: wood-oven porchetta
New American $$$$
A waterfront dining room in Brooklyn with sweeping Manhattan skyline views.
What to order: Brooklyn Bridge chocolate dessert
Emilian pasta $$$
Handmade Emilian pasta in an intimate Flatiron setting.
What to order: tortellini / pasta tasting
French bistro $$$
A chic, low lit Tribeca bistro from a respected pair of chefs.
What to order: roast duck frenchette
Moroccan $$
A cozy, longstanding Moroccan spot with a candlelit, bohemian vibe.
What to order: chicken tagine
French bistro $$$
A dark, classic SoHo French bistro known for its steak au poivre.
What to order: steak au poivre
Italian $$$
A romantic, sought after Williamsburg trattoria in a converted garage.
What to order: mafaldini with pink peppercorn
Few things beat a New York skyline at golden hour. These rooftops and view driven rooms pair the scenery with drinks and, in many cases, a full meal.
New American $$$$
Elegant dining at the Brooklyn waterfront facing the Manhattan skyline.
What to order: waterfront tasting menu
New American $$$
A sky high Union Square Hospitality restaurant with sweeping downtown views.
What to order: seasonal tasting menu
Rooftop bar $$$
A lively rooftop at The Standard, High Line with Hudson River sunsets.
What to order: cocktails at sunset
Rooftop bar $$
A large open air rooftop bar with direct Empire State Building views.
What to order: cocktails with skyline views
Rooftop bar $$$
A high floor bar in Williamsburg with panoramic Manhattan skyline views.
What to order: cocktails and small plates
Rooftop bar $$$
A stylish downtown rooftop lounge popular for evening drinks.
What to order: evening cocktails
Rooftop bar $$$
A Midtown rooftop with a close up look at the Empire State Building.
What to order: cocktails with Empire views
Rooftop bar $$$
A playful, whimsical rooftop bar and lounge in Midtown.
What to order: signature cocktails
French Mediterranean $$$
A dramatic restaurant and rooftop lounge in the East Village.
What to order: seafood plateau
Rooftop bar $$$
A rooftop bar and restaurant with skyline views on the Lower East Side.
What to order: cocktails with skyline views
Sometimes the deciding factor is simply where you already are. This neighborhood sampler points you toward a strong option in some of the city's most walkable dining districts.
Jewish deli $$
Lower East Side, the classic New York deli anchor of the area.
What to order: pastrami on rye
French brasserie $$$
SoHo, a French brasserie that captures the neighborhood's energy.
What to order: steak frites / seafood plateau
Asian noodles $$
East Village, a modern noodle bar in a dense restaurant district.
What to order: pork buns and ramen
Italian American $$$
Greenwich Village, glossy Italian American in a lively downtown pocket.
What to order: spicy rigatoni vodka
New American $$$
Gramercy and Flatiron, gracious American dining near Madison Square Park.
What to order: seasonal tasting menu
Soul food $$
Harlem, the neighborhood's soul food landmark.
What to order: fried chicken
Steakhouse $$$$
Williamsburg, the borough's most famous steakhouse.
What to order: porterhouse for two
Wood-fired pizza $$
Bushwick, a cornerstone of the neighborhood's food scene.
What to order: Bee Sting pizza
Mexican $$
Long Island City, acclaimed Mexican cooking in Queens.
What to order: mole de piaxtla
Appetizing $$
Upper West Side, a smoked fish institution near Central Park.
What to order: sturgeon and eggs
Seafood $$$
Midtown, a seafood classic inside the transit hub itself.
What to order: oyster pan roast
New York's dining scene never stands still. These are some of the buzzed about and of the moment tables where reservations tend to be tight and the energy runs high. Booking ahead is strongly recommended.
Regional Indian $$$
Fearless regional Indian cooking that draws devoted crowds.
What to order: goat neck / Junglee Maas
Korean steakhouse $$$$
A sleek Korean steakhouse hybrid with a strong following.
What to order: Butcher's Feast dry-aged beef
Afro-Caribbean $$$
An acclaimed, of the moment restaurant celebrating Afro Caribbean and American flavors at Lincoln Center.
What to order: oxtail with rice and peas
Italian $$$
A hard to book Williamsburg pasta destination.
What to order: mafaldini with pink peppercorn
Emilian pasta $$$
A pasta focused Flatiron favorite with steady buzz.
What to order: pasta tasting menu
Steakhouse $$$
A clubby, intimate West Village steakhouse that is famously tough to reserve.
What to order: prime rib
South Indian $$$
A celebrated South Indian restaurant in the West Village.
What to order: gunpowder dosa
Italian American $$$
An ambitious Italian American room in Nolita with a tasting format.
What to order: tasting menu
Inventive Italian $$$
An inventive East Village spot from the Roberta's team.
What to order: handmade pastas
Caribbean $$$
A buzzed about Caribbean project in the East Village.
What to order: Caribbean tasting menu
Katz's Delicatessen is among the most iconic New York City restaurants, known for its pastrami and cultural role. Peter Luger, Le Bernardin and Grand Central Oyster Bar are also frequently cited.
Yes for fine dining and trendy spots like Le Bernardin, Carbone, Cote and 4 Charles Prime Rib, often well in advance. Katz's, Joe's Pizza and Los Tacos No. 1 are walk in friendly.
The Lower East Side and East Village are dense with delis and casual spots, while Greenwich Village and SoHo mix pizza and Italian. In Brooklyn, try Williamsburg and Bushwick.
Try pastrami on rye, a bagel with lox, a foldable pizza slice, a New York style steak and smoked fish from an appetizing shop.
Yes. Eleven Madison Park offers a plant based tasting menu, Superiority Burger specializes in vegetarian fare, and many Indian, Middle Eastern and Italian spots have meat free dishes.
Prices and hours change often, so check each restaurant's official website or call before you go. This also confirms reservation policies and seasonal closures.
