the best restaurants in nyc
Here are the best restaurants in NYC! Whether you’re looking for something trendy, fun, or low-key, these restaurants have enjoyable atmospheres as well as genuinely delicious food and impeccable service. Great for lunch or dinner, these top restaurants have powered through Covid with indoor and outdoor dining.
Scroll down for a complete list of all the best dining NYC has to offer including Michelin-star restaurants, date spots, places to take your parents/out-of-town visitors, and more with a variety of different cuisines and price points located throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn.
williamsburg / israeli-japanese fusion / $$
This Jewish-Japanese fusion place serves inventive dishes with influences from both cuisines. Helmed by a Jewish husband and Japanese wife duo, Shalom Japan serves unique and delicious dishes like matzoh ball ramen, lox bowls, and sake kasu challah French toast.
west village + east village / italian / $$
Not sure how to pronounce the name of this place, but that’s how you know it’s authentic!
Their handmade pastas are to die for. Can’t wait to come back here again. We got the pappardelle al Ragu and spaghetti con bottarga, although you really can’t go wrong here.
williamsburg / italian / $$
Getting a reservation at Lilia is extremely difficult, and will need to be made at least one month in advance. It is worth it, however. Their pasta is unique, and they have other menu items as well like blowfish tails. The mafaldini pasta with pink peppercorn and Parmigiano and the corzetti pasta (a unique flat pasta that's like one half of a ravioli) with pine nuts, Parmigiano, and marjoram were both fantastic!
west village / french / $$$
Located down Fifth Ave by Washington Square Park, Claudette is an elevated French restaurant that George and Amal Clooney and Julia Roberts have dined at. A Provencal French restaurant, Claudette’s dishes skew more Mediterranean than classic with items like black truffle hummus and lamb tagine.
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mexican / greenpoint / $$$
This Michelin-star restaurant has the food, drinks, service, and atmosphere to prove it. They are open for indoor and outdoor dining, and have a warm and cute semi-enclosed space out front. Elevated and imaginative Mexican food can be found on the Oxomoco menu such as cod tempura, beet chorizo tacos, and black bass tacos.
italian / west village / $$
I’m still thinking about the octopus ragu I had here. With a classically Italian menu with some inventive twists, Osteria 57 is a cozy and romantic hideaway on W 10th Street in West Village. Perfect for a low-key and secluded dinner, Osteria 57 is a safe and cute bet for a satisfying meal.
Photo courtesy of Balvanera
lower east side / argentinean / $$$
Yes, I am a pescetarian recommending an Argentinean steakhouse. However, the appetizers and sides have plenty of variety and will suit many different dietary needs. And living vicariously through my friends’ experiences with the steak, I can honestly say that it seems really delicious. I highly recommend getting the octopus, potato puree, burrata, and the mushroom appetizers. Also, their cocktails are definitely worth trying. My favorite was their version of a spritz.
west village / french / $$$
Not only is this place incredibly chic on the inside, but it also has an adorable garden and patio in the back that is not to be missed! They also serve natural wine and a seasonal menu. They’re the sister restaurant of La Parenthese, a French bistro based in Marseille, so you know they’re the real deal.
east village / italian / $$
Solid Italian comfort food in Alphabet City. I want more of their cacio e pepe. Classically Italian without the Little Italy gaudiness or the elegance of Maialino, Supper fits in well with its laidback neighbors.
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west village / french / $$$
Whenever you’re craving dishes from your make-believe French grandma (unless you really have one, then I am very jealous), come here. Equal parts homey and cute, Buvette is everything you want from an authentic French dining experience. As a matter of fact, they are a bonafide French bistro that originated in Paris, where their first location opened up. They now have locations around the world like Japan, and London.
west village / brazilian / $$
This Brazilian restaurant in West Village has been frequented before by Adriana Lima, so you know it has to be good. Their sidewalk seating is adorable - complete with neon signs and plants. They also have a back garden. I can’t stop thinking about the coconut milk curry that was in most of the dishes we got.
meatpacking / new american / $$
I came for brunch years ago and loved it. They have many delicious menu options and chill, laidback vibe.
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chelsea / argentinean / $$
You know you’re going to like a restaurant when they have good wine and bread. Porteno is a neighborhood Argentinean restaurant with the nicest wait staff and authentic home style cooking. With a cozy space and unassuming décor, Porteno seeks only to serve up quality homemade food in an inviting environment.
new american / prospect heights / $$
There are multiple elements that make up an amazing dining experience, and when everything checks out, the result is something unforgettable. At Lalou the waitstaff is genuinely helpful and clearly enjoy their jobs, the service is fun and attentive, the food is incredible, the wine is plentiful and reasonably priced, and the back garden is filled with plants, socially-distanced, and secluded. While the menu changes daily, the head-on prawns are a must if they happen to be on there when you go. However, you won’t go wrong here, so try as many dishes and wines as you can!
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italian / west village / $$
Located on Cornelia Street, the cute block in West Village that Taylor Swift made famous, Palma is a plant-filled, rustic oasis that will transport you to an Italian veranda. While the atmosphere is slightly better than the food, the cozy alfresco seating is well-worth the trip.
new american / west village / $$
The fried artichokes are a must here. They’re a side dish that deserve the spotlight and are served with lemon pepper aioli and za’atar. As for the rest of the food, they offer standard New American items like burrata, oysters, and charcuterie, but everything is done well. Try to get a table in their quaint backyard!
new american / chelsea / $$
Cookshop is always a trustworthy option whether you need a place for a date, birthday dinner, brunch, or a weeknight aperitif. With plenty of spaced out outdoor seating and propane heaters, Cookshop is a safe and lively option on a cute corner on 10th Ave in Chelsea.
new american / south williamsburg / $$
Known to some as the “most amazing restaurant in NYC that you’ve never heard of” (a direct quote from the multitude of friends I have taken here), Traif is an inventive, delicious, New American tapas spot in South Williamsburg that deserves far more recognition than it has. However, its discreet charm adds to its appeal. Those who know about it are in for a delectable treat, while those who haven’t have no idea what they’re missing. With menu items like snapper tempura with red cabbage and fried bao buns and bacon ricotta donuts, your tastebuds will be orgasmically satisfied. With a string light, tree-lined, bamboo-filled back garden complete with heat lamps and ample social distancing, Traif has the perfect romantic setting to pair with its incredible food. This is definitely a place not to be missed, and one of my all-time favorites in NYC!
lower east side / greek / $$
Kiki’s has some of the best Greek food in NYC at unbeatable prices. Expect a wait at this unassuming, unmarked restaurant nestled in between Chinatown and LES. (Try coming on a random weeknight to avoid a longer wait.) I’m still shocked that I got the whole branzino with a side of lemon potatoes for only $25! Definitely worth the wait, Kiki’s is a must-try.
italian / soho + williamsburg / $$
I’ve been wanting to try this place for awhile, and it exceeded expectations. The branzino with panzanella salad is absolutely delectable. While the street sounds at the Soho location are a bit loud, you are still in for an enjoyable and delicious experience. The wait staff are attentive and very friendly, and the tables are adequately spaced apart and have shielded barriers between them.
west village / peruvian / $$
I had known about this well-known Peruvian restaurant for awhile, but my desire to check it out intensified after I watched the episode on Padma Lakshmi’s Taste the Nation show on Hulu about chef and owner Erik Ramirez. Their indoor space is very spacious and well-decorated, and you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. Make sure you order the ceviche, which is some of the best ceviche I’ve ever had!