Best Restaurants in New York City

New York City has more restaurants than any city in the Western Hemisphere — somewhere around 27,000 at any given time. Every cuisine on earth is represented, from a $2 slice to a $400 tasting menu. Here’s a shortcut through the best of it.

Pizza

Joe’s Pizza (Greenwich Village, multiple locations) — The quintessential New York slice. Thin, foldable, slightly charred on the bottom. The original Carmine Street location is the one. $3-4 per slice. No frills, no gimmicks, just perfect pizza.

Lucali (Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn) — BYOB (bring your own wine), cash only, no slices — whole pies only. The calzone is legendary. The wait can be 2+ hours with no reservations. Worth it.

Di Fara Pizza (Midwood, Brooklyn) — Dom DeMarco has been making pizza by hand since 1965. Every pizza is made entirely by him — no other hands touch the dough. The round pie with fresh basil is transcendent.

Prince Street Pizza (Nolita) — The Spicy Spring (pepperoni square with fresh jalapeño) has a cult following and a line to match.

Bagels

Russ & Daughters (Lower East Side) — Open since 1914. The gold standard for lox, cream cheese, and bagels. The Super Heebster (whitefish and baked salmon salad with wasabi-infused cream cheese, horseradish dill cream cheese) is the advanced order.

Ess-a-Bagel (Midtown / Lower East Side) — Massive, chewy bagels with an overwhelming selection of cream cheeses and spreads. The hand-rolled bagels are some of the biggest in the city.

Absolute Bagels (Upper West Side) — No-frills, cash-only, and the sesame bagel fresh out of the oven might be the best single bite in Manhattan.

Chinatown

Xi’an Famous Foods (multiple locations) — Hand-pulled noodles and cumin lamb burgers from Xi’an, China. The spicy cumin lamb noodles are a New York food icon. Fast, cheap, unforgettable.

Nom Wah Tea Parlor (Doyers Street) — The oldest dim sum parlor in Chinatown, open since 1920. The original fried dumplings and the egg rolls haven’t changed in decades.

Joe’s Shanghai (multiple locations) — Soup dumplings (xiao long bao) that are among the best in the city.

Fine Dining

Le Bernardin (Midtown) — Consistently rated one of the best restaurants in the world. Seafood-focused French cuisine. Chef Eric Ripert’s tasting menu is a masterclass. 3 Michelin stars.

Peter Luger Steak House (Williamsburg, Brooklyn) — The most famous steakhouse in America. Cash only (or Peter Luger credit card). The porterhouse for two is the only order that matters. Reservations are difficult — book far ahead.

Eleven Madison Park (Flatiron) — Multi-course tasting menu. Plant-based since 2021. Theatrically presented. $335+ per person. 3 Michelin stars.

Budget Legends

Halal Guys (53rd & 6th, cart + locations) — Chicken and gyro over rice with white sauce and hot sauce. The cart at 53rd and 6th Avenue is the original. $8-10 for a massive plate. The line wraps around the block at night.

Vanessa’s Dumpling House (Lower East Side) — 4 pork & chive dumplings for $3. That’s not a typo.

Los Tacos No. 1 (Chelsea Market, Times Square) — Authentic Mexico City-style tacos. Adobada (al pastor) and the suadero are the orders.

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