Not another food guide to New York City!!! I know, there’s a million of them out there so if you’re taking the time to read this one takes bow thank you! I’m just a girl who loves to eat and loves to share about it. There’s nothing I enjoy more when traveling than finding that food I’ve been seeing on the internet and finally getting to taste it.
Anywho.. I’ve put together a list of all of our favorite food spots in NYC. By no means are we experts, but we’ve been several times and we always do our due diligence in finding some good eats (and drinks!). I’m also very lucky that two of my college besties live/have lived in the city so they’ve been amazing tour guides and sources of insider info over the years. AND, it’s not AI. This is all me, baby.
I think the best way to categorize your planning is “eats by neighborhood”, and I’ll classify each type of cuisine there. If you’re a New Yorker reading this and I misname one of your locales, please don’t cuss me out. Also, I’m mostly only going to recommend places I’ve personally eaten at, or if my friends have recommended and I haven’t had the opportunity to try yet.
A cute little * next to a name means I’ve eaten there more than once!
East Village/Nolita/SoHo
Thai Diner*: self-explanatory; amazing food. Get the disco fries & a beer
Ceres: very popular pizza spot
Katz Deli: famous pastrami sandwiches that are worth the wait
L’industire Pizzeria: great, thin crust pizza hotspot. Grab & stand to eat
Nowon: Korean burger joint, we’ve eaten at their location in Boston
Rubirosa*: delicious pizza & pasta & dranks
Clinton Street Bakery*: breakfast/brunch. So good. Probably get a reso!
Bar Bianchi: wine bar, right by Katz
Los Tacos No. 1: several locations; delish stand & eat tacos
Leons Bagels: several locations, pretty good stuff
Balthazar: French, upscale dining. Sit at the bar for a nice martini
Jacks Wife Freda: breakfast, brunch, lunch. Who doesn’t love a bloody mary
Eileen’s: cheesecakes & desserts; other locations too
Dominique Ansel’s: french bakery from celebrity chef
West Village
Salt Hanks: only sells a french dip but it’s so good. There will be a wait
Emily*: beloved pizza & burgers. A must
Mamas Too: pizza hotspot, super great slices here
Dante NYC: Italian, delightful cocktails
Don Angie: Italian, truly one of the best meals I’ve ever had in my life. The bbq calamari, lasagna rolls, and focaccia. I will think about it all my life.
Rosemary’s: brunch, lunch
Chloes: vegan bakery, we had some of the best salted choc chunk cookies ever here
Brooklyn
Smorgasburg*: food truck park with all kinds of fun eats: I have a ramen burger once
Peter Luger: famous steak spot (haven’t been personally), cash only
Misi: Italian, housemade pastas; celebrity chef Missy Robbin (haven’t been personally)
Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory: great views of the bridge
Bars/Rooftops
230 Fifth Rooftop – Midtown; great views of the Empire State Building
Refinery Rooftop – Midtown/Bryant Park
1 hotel: Brooklyn; pricey but amazing views
Mr. Purple: East Village
Honorable Mention Restaurants: spots that I haven’t been to but are recommended from my big city girls (love you Natalie & Sara) – location & cuisine noted
Morgensterns Ice Cream: Washington Square Park
Golden Hof: Korean; Midtown
Sesamo: Italian; Hell’s Kitchen
Marseille: French; Hell’s Kitchen
Delmonico’s: Steak; Financial District
Scarpetta: Italian; Kips Bay
Quality Bistro: French; theatre district
Arthur and Sons: Italian; West Village
Gotham Burger Social: burgers; East Village
Ippudo: ramen; Greenwich Village
Bar Jamon: Spanish; Gramercy
Wildair: New American; East Village
Anton’s: American; West Village
