New York is not a city, it’s a world! As it’s often referred to as “the Capital of the World”, it is the most culturally diverse cities in the world and no city on the planet possesses as wide a variety of world cuisine as New York City. Experiencing new restaurants, local recommendations, hotspots, meeting people for lunch or Sunday brunch, are few of my favorite things to do when I am in NYC.
From fancy dinner restaurants, to delicious fastfood takeaways, great brunch restaurants or dessert paradise, as well as hype places to take Insta-worthy pictures, here is a XXL list of my favorites. Take your time and scroll down:
WHERE TO STAY
- Crosby Street Hotel
Address: 79 Crosby St. - NOMO Soho
Address: 9 Crosby St. - The New York Edition Hotel
Address: 5 Madison Ave. - Baccarat Hotel
Address: 28 W 53rd St.. - 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge
Address: 60 Furman St, Brooklyn - The Quin Hotel
Address: 101 W 57th St. - The Pierre, A Taj Hotel
Address: 2 E 61st St. - The Williamsburg Hotel
Address: 96 Wythe Ave. - The Marlton Hotel
Address: 5 W 8th St. - LUMA Hotel Times Square
Address: 120 W 41st St. - Hotel 48LEX New York
Address: 517 Lexington Ave. - ROW NYC
Address: 700 8th Ave.
WHERE TO EAT
LOWER EAST SIDE
- Raw Material
They serve ‘burger bombs’ that have buns FILLED with exploding cheese sauce. Very ‘cheesy’! 🙂
Address: 131 Orchard St. - Wowfulls
Authentic 1950’s-style Hong Kong egg waffles, they brought all popular street snacks to New York City with cultural twist.
Address: 309 E Houston St. - Wildair
A lovely casual food & wine bar.
Address: 142 Orchard St. - Russ & Daughters
The Lower East Side “appetizing” specialists have served since 1914. The finest in cured fishes, cream cheeses, and salads that have become synonymous with Jewish cuisine in America. One of the most popular orders is also one of the dishes New York City is famous for: A bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon.
Address: 127 Orchard St.
CHELSEA
- Bubby’s
NYC’s beloved restaurant and pie shop celebrates more than 26 years of classic, made from scratch American cooking. Bubby’s now has locations in Tribeca and the Meatpacking District across from the Whitney Museum.
Address: 73 Gansevoort St. - Doughnut Plant
All Natural, handmade, organic and fresh donuts since 1994. Very delicious!
Address: 220 W 23rd St.
GRAMERCY/UNION SQUARE
- COSME
In New York City’s Flatiron District serving contemporary Mexican-inspired cuisine.
Address: 5 E 21st St. - Odd Fellows Ice Cream
For the highest quality and freshest home made ice cream. They use locally-sourced, hormone-free and additive-free dairy. So yum!
Address: 75 E 4th St. - Max Brenner
Chocolate bar, a place like no other!
Address: 841 Broadway
SOHO
- NOMO
NoMo – Nostalgic and Modern for a unique, yet authentic, SoHo experience. NoMo Kitchen offers a rustic American menu with Mediterranean influences. Truly unique for weekend brunch!
Address: 9 Crosby St - CIPRIANI
Great for lunch and dinner. If you dare to order a dessert, then try the crêpes à la crème.
Address: 376 W. Broadway - by CHLOE
My favorite (quick-serve) vegan restaurant that serves the sweet potato air-baked fries, with homemade beet ketchup and chipotle “aïoli.” If on the go, there are even healthy packaged to-go items, including cold-pressed juices, salads and amazing vegan sweets.
Address: 240 Lafayette St. - Jack’s Wife Freda
Favorite bistro for Sunday brunch. Grilled haloumi, peri-peri chicken with chopped salad or cheeseburger with fries. Everything tastes so yum!
Address: 50 Carmine St. - Locanda Verde
At TriBeCa neighborhood, a taverna serving Chef Andrew Carmellini’s soul-satisfying urban Italian menu. iLove!
Address: 377 Greenwich St, New York - FELIX
A great french restaurant, located on the corner of West Broadway and Grand Street in downtown Soho.
Address: 340 W Broadway - The Dutch
They cook dishes that make everyone happy. Seasonal market food, deluxe steak with a tower of shellfish, tasty sandwiches, flavorful curry or chili, fried chicken, fresh pies etc.
Address: 131 Sullivan St.
EAST VILLAGE
- Davey’s Ice Cream
Some say it’s New York’s best ice cream and with most “interesting” scoops. Offering creamy homemade ice cream that’s a perfect balance of sweetness and strong flavor.
Address: 137 1st Avenue - MOMOFUKU
Guided by the Japanese kaiseki tradition as well as seasonality, food memories, and the breadth of cuisine available in the melting pot of New York City.
Address: 8 Extra Pl.
MEATPACKING DISTRICT
- Santina
Located under the High Line, serves great seafood and desserts.
Address: Meatpacking District, 820 Washington St. - The Standard Grill
Love this place for breakfast and lunch. The smoked-turkey club sandwich is great.
Address: The Standard, High Line, 848 Washington St. - Catch
A great seafood restaurant, features contemporary renditions of classic seafood preparations, successfully fusing great food, service and an exceptional scene as it appeals to the tastes of today’s modern diner.
Address: 21 9th Ave.
MIDTOWN
- Indian Accent
Best for traditional Indian dishes with a contemporary twist. Chef Manish Mehrotra highlights distinctly Indian flavors on a contemporary menu. Must visit if you are looking for something spicy and fancy!
Address: 123 W 56th St. - THE GRILL
Best restaurant for fancy opulent dinner, with one of the most beautiful dining rooms in New York. The pinnacle of the restaurant, which staffs tuxedo-clad waitstaff and is coated ceiling-to-wall in gold and brass, is the spit-roasted prime rib, delivered by trolley service to white tablecloth covered tables with your choice of sides.
Address: 99 E 52nd St. - THE POOL
Located next to THE GRILL, another fancy restaurant created by Major Food Group. It is an architectural treasure that presents the treasures of the world’s oceans to match. The Pool is one half of the old Four Seasons restaurant in Midtown, the part on the north side of the Seagram Building with a square marble pool in the center. It’s one of the most exquisite seafood restaurants in NYC.
Address: 99 E 52nd St. - NORMA’S
Best for a over-the top brunch. The restaurant nestled inside the Parker Meridian Hotel. Go for a mind-blowing chocolate French toast, with strawberries and pistachios, and drenched in warm chocolate sauce. Address: 119 W 56th St. - Ralph’s
The Polo Bar is the place for the city’s elite to meet. The restaurant features the simple foods like grass-fed beefsteaks or the thinly-pounded chicken.
Address: 1 E 55th St.
GREENWICH VILLAGE
- Minetta Tavern
The menu’s dedication to bistro classics (like oxtail and foie gras terrine) and well-known for their excellent steak.
Address: 113 Macdougal St. - Quality Eats
It’s a very good stakhouse with quality meat. The Tuna Au Poivre and the Lemon-Charred Chicken is to die for.
Address: 57 W 58th St. - TACOMBI
If you love Mexican food as much as I do, you have to visit Tacombi. They have the best authentic Mexican tacos in town.
Address: 255 Bleeker St. - Amélie
European vibes in Greenwich Village block. Traditional and delicious food. Savory steak tartare prepared with quail egg, and steamed mussels are highly recommended. The wheat-flour ravioli with comte and cottage cheeses is worth trying too.
Address: 22 W. 8th St. - Magnolia Bakery
In 1996, Magnolia Bakery opened its first location on a quiet street corner in the heart of New York City’s West Village. Magnolia Bakery has been cherished for its classic American baked goods, vintage decor and warm, inviting atmosphere. Best known from Sex and the City, these cupcakes are among the best cupcakes in the world!
Address: 401 Bleecker St.
WEST VILLAGE / LITTLE ITALY
- KESTÉ
Pizza and wine, mama mia! This kitchen serves puffy, blistered crust pizza that’s perfectly salty with roasted butternut squash purée, smoked mozzarella and basil topping. So tasty!
Address: Bleeker St. 271 - While We Were Young
Currently one of the most instagrammable restaurants in town. Serves healthy, contemporary American cuisine and craft cocktails in a chic and fun setting. The avocado toast and the tuna tartare are my favorites here!
Address:183 W 10th St.
BROOKLYN
- Oxomoco
Brooklyns new Greenpoint’s sunny new taco restaurant, is wonderful for tacos, meats, seafood, vegetables, tostadas, and ceviches. The dishes are inspired by Yucatan, Baja, Oaxaca, and Mexico City cuisines.
Address: 128 Greenpoint Ave, Brooklyn - Cecconi’s Dumbo NYC
One of my favorite flagship restaurant, also serves hand-made pasta in NYC, as well as best seafood and dishes from Italy using the finest ingredients. With waterfront views of the Manhattan Skyline and the Brooklyn Bridge, Cecconi’s is for sure the best spot for a romantic dinner with a view.
Address: 55 Water St, Brooklyn - Miss Favela
A great Brazilian restaurant with lots of positive vibes and good food. The menu is all Brazilian, with appetizers like carne seca come mandloca, chewy and flavorful Brazilian-style beef jerky with fried yucca and onions—though it tastes nothing like a Slim Jim.
Address: 57 S 5th St, Brooklyn
UPPER EAST SIDE
- JG MELANS
It opened back in 1932, and it has an American menu served daily from lunch until the wee-morning hours, with the famously thick, juicy hamburger acting as the house’s signature dish. Recommended dish is definitely the Cheeseburger.
Address: 123 W 56th St.
NOLITA
- Estela
A famous Mediterranean restaurant, is always crowded und you must book at least 30 days in advance. Recommended dishs are mussels escabèche and/or scallops, steak tartare, ricotta dumplings, grapefruit sorbet with Campari.
Address: 47 E Houston St. - Emilio’s Ballato
Old-school Italian restaurant, were Rihanna and David Bowie were spottet, as well as Barack and Malia Obama. The menu includes lot of versions of classic homemade pastas like tagliatelle Bolognese.
Address: 55 E Houston St. - Greecologies
Could eat here everyday. Greecologies is an authentic grass-fed Greek yogurt store in New York City. Offering classic flavors from salads to frozen yogurt. Amazing homemade Greek yogurt bowls with different toppings. There are a couple good lunch options, fresh and healthy salads. Also great matcha lattes, like an excellent rose version featuring petal-filled preserves blended in.
Address: 379 Broome St. - CHA CHA MATCHA
Cha Cha Matcha, I love you so matcha. Matcha obsession is everywhere, but Cha Cha Matcha ist the finest of them all. Thank God there is no Cha Cha Matcha in Vienna, otherwise I would be there probably 2x a day. Discovered this place via Instagram, and no wonder that you’ll see many people photographing their v-lattes, ice-creams or matcha cakes. If you also love matcha, this will be your favorite spot.
Address: 373 Broome St. - EGGSHOP
Dedicated to almost everyone’s favorite breakfast food, eggs. It offers more than just BECs and scrambles for breakfast and brunch. While you can still enjoy “breakfast for dinner” in the evening, other dinner menu highlights include a version of Korean rice bowl and spaghetti squash mushroom carbonara.
Address: 50 Withers St. - PIETRO NOLITA
Also another instagrammable cafe in pink, located in the heart of Nolita. They serve healthy, seasonal Italian cuisine and delicious coffee.
Address: 174 Elizabeth St.
All pictures taken by me (c) Disi Couture
