The lines are long for brunch, but Gabrielle Hamilton's very small, uber charming East Village restaurant delivers incredibly inventive, delicious, and ambitious New American fare straight through dinner. In between meals, when it's a little quieter, you can sit at the cozy bar, slurp back a few wild-style Bloody Mary's, and nibble on bar snacks like pickled shrimp and roasted pistachios.
54 E. 1st St.
New York, NY 10003
+1-212-677-6221
An over-the-top Italian-American dining experience from the guys who made waves in Little Italy with Torrisi Italian Specialties and Parm. Waiters dressed in burgundy tuxes serve oversize menus to patrons looking for dinner theater from the comfort of their red leather banquettes. And entertainment is what they get: cheese carts, cured meats, bowls of pasta, sea urchin, and tiramisu are delivered in abundant portions with flare. Is that Tony Bennett in the corner? Yes. Along with the abundant check, a bottle of Sambuca is left on the table.
181 Thompson St.
New York, NY 10012
+1-212-933-0707
A modern Italian joint worth more than the sum of its contemporary buzz words (locally-sourced, humane, market-driven, pizza). The restaurant (airy, cozy, with a wood-burning oven) makes the terrific Italian food even more approachable. Bring your friends, request a booth, split the pies, but order your own plate of cacio e pepe (you won't want to share).
31 Great Jones St.
New York, NY 10012
+1-212-253-5700
The cafe of the moment is the penultimate example of health-conscious Californian fare. The space is bright and minimalist. The crowd is dewy and slender. The power bowl is the power move (at least when it comes to ordering breakfast).
49 Canal St.
New York, NY 10002
+1-212-925-1300
The star of Mexico City's dining scene opened his first American outpost with a splash. World-renowned chef Enrique Olvera pushes the limits of heritage foods — enchiladas, sopes, and veracruzana delight the palate in new and interesting ways.
35 E. 21st St.
New York, NY 10010
+1-212-913-9659
A slow-food stunner of a dining room in the back of the magical ABC Carpet & Home. Helmed by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, local and organic ingredients are given chic treatment; even the vegetables feel like precious gifts on a plate. The adjacent ABC Cocina is JGV's idea of a fiesta — at once globally artistic, wholly atmospheric, and downright delicious.
35 E. 18th St.
New York, NY 10003
+1-212-475-5829
In an unassuming second-floor restaurant above the beloved dive bar Botanica, chef Ignacio Mattos turns out inventive dishes that capture the spirit (and the crowds) of the moment. Everything's market-driven, from excellent mussels escabeche (a must) to cloud-like ricotta dumplings.
47 E. Houston St.
New York, NY 10012
+1-212-219-7693
This is David Chang's take on an Asian fast food restaurant. The signature dish — a roast pork butt — feeds ten, and it's a party. Save room for dessert (the now-famous Crack Pie, cereal milk soft serve) at Milk Bar in the back. Open late-night.
207 Second Ave.
New York, NY 10003
+1-212-254-3500
Daniel Boulud and his French kitchen brigade routinely trump white-tablecloth dining experiences. Tasting menus are complex and exceptional. After a decade, a new facelift keeps the place fresh and gleaming.
60 E. 65 St.
New York, NY 10065
+1-212-288-0033
Restaurant guru Keith McNally's masterwork brasserie caters to media types and tourists alike with consistent power breakfasts, including homemade breads and pastries from their patisserie. It's a no-fail option for those who want to feel part of the NY scene. Get the best glimpse of Soho people-watching from the benches outside.
80 Spring St.
New York, NY 10012
+1-212-965-1414
Everything you’ve heard is true. No, we can’t get you a reservation. Go early or go late, grab a seat at the bar, feel like you've been transported to the 1930s.
113 MacDougal St.
New York, NY 10012
+1-212-475-3850
Late-night revelers, chefs, and foodies stop in for raw bar towers, beef marrow, duck club, rack of lamb. The service is excellent, even at 3 a.m. This is a local institution and the original outpost of the mini BR Empire (which includes the notable Blue Ribbon Sushi just down the street).
97 Sullivan St.
New York, NY 10012
+1-212-274-0404
Skip breakfast, and head to New York City's oldest deli on the early side of noon to beat the lunch rush and get extra TLC piled on top of your sky-high, hand-carved pastrami sandwich. They'll even ship a salami as a souvenir. The other classic neighborhood deli, Russ & Daughters, recently opened a next generation restaurant, but Katz’s remains a culinary time capsule.
205 E. Houston St.
New York, NY 10002
+1-212-254-2246