You can’t go wrong here. We definitely recommend the Margherita, the Soppressata Piccante or the Colatura di Alici. Start with the Warm Spicy Octopus & Potato.
My perfect neighborhood brunch spot.You must try the baked eggs with fresh tomato and basil, German pancakes, or crisp Swiss potato with Gravlox. -Gail Simmons, Top Chef
Wash down crispy Berkshire pork belly or the lobster in tamarind sauce with one of a dozen Asian beers available (or plan to visit Bia for brunch, when it's all you can drink for $15.) Read more.
Think pizza only tastes great from wood or coal burning ovens? Think again. Fresh, quality ingredients imported from Italy set these pies apart - try the real, thick-cut pepperoni or fresh artichokes.
Don't let the name fool you - the noodles aren't the only delicious items on the menu at this Chinatown fave. Savor the salt-baked soft-shell crab, duck w/ flowering chives, and killer suckling pig.
The decor may be kitschy and the service often perfunctory, but the soft-shell crabs, pho with beef and scallions, and barbecued pork chops are magnificent - a Vietnamese standout in Chinatown.
Head upstairs for budget-friendly cuisine that spans the globe: French, Italian, Japanese, and New American. The Chatham Bay cod and quirky cocktails will leave you begging for more.
Amanda Klundt, the editor of Eater NY, loves both of the locations for big parties, intimate dates, or just an affordable and delectable meal out on the town.
This restaurant is for you if you love fresh seasonal produce and savory bourbon cream puffs. It's a favorite of the editor of Feast NY, Alex Vallis.
New York Magazine's Daniel Maurer's favorite hotspot is this popular eatery for its funky energy and unpretentious vibe - a rarity in NYC.
Not only is the food amazing, but it's consistently amazing - a hard task to tackle in NYC! Try the Nicoise-esque salad with grilled salmon (or steak or tuna) and anchovy vinaigrette.
The dosas are crisp, idli are delicate, vadai are doughy, and the chana chaat is tangy - South Indian food at its tastiest! This cuisine is perfect for a hot summer night.
A classic French restaurant at its best, its famous chef adds unusual twists and influences to traditional techniques. If a full-course meal isn't your style, dine a la carte in the lounge.
Arrive early and work up an appetite for the stunning tasting menu by wandering the grounds of the former Rockefeller dairy estate. In the fields, you'll see much of the makings of the night's meal.
The decor may be a bit off-putting at first, but you will only have eyes for the scrumptious food once it arrives. Love heat? Ask for the salads "Thai spicy." Like it mild? Duck noodle soup's for you!
This classic eatery hasn't been around for 100 years for no reason - the smoked fish, latkes, and friendly waitstaff are legendary. But beware - you'll never settle for subpar lox ever again!
The best gazpacho soup of the summer, without even a trace of tomato! Try the chilled soup, which features mango, cucumber, pepper, and cilantro oil for a fabulous reinvention of a classic standby.
The second location of this satisfying Mexican spot has a menu similar to the original one in Fort Greene - plus about twenty outdoor seats! Read more.
It’s an earthier take on weekend brunch here where New York’s reigning Iron Chef turns out thick waffles with fried quail and an ingenious “Eggs Benny.” Featured in Where to Eat 2011! Read more.
Michael White’s newest is one of our favorite spot for Grandma-style rustic Italian. Don’t miss the porchetta or the tagliatelle. Featured in Where to Eat 2011! Read more.
Is 2010 the year of the meatball? We picked our 9 favorites in the new Cheap Eats issue, including Marco Canora's veal-ricotta balls which he serves on a toasted baguette here. Read more.
The P.H.O. Real, one of our 101 Best Sandwiches in NY, takes on the considerable challenge of reinterpreting a bowl of Vietnamese soup as a kaiser-roll sandwich - and wins.
Try the harissa honey-roasted chicken sandwich. It comes with sweet roasted peppers, melted manchego, and preserved-lemon mayo, and is one of our 101 Best Sandwiches in NY. Read more.
The Bash burger here is a must-try, says Adam Platt. (Bacon jam!) Featured in Where to Eat 2011! Read more.
Brave the line for the dirigible-size This Way—a roast-beef classic made with mounds of succulent prime rib drenched in oceans of Cheez Whiz. Featured in Where to Eat 2011! Read more.
The "midnight gravy" in the hot roast beef with mutz and gravy sandwich - one of our 101 Best Sandwiches in NY – is the stuff of legend. Read more.
Never in this town have oozy blobs of melted buffalo mozzarella and bright San Marzano tomatoes frolicked in such ecstatic harmony, says the Underground Gourmet. Our pick for the city's best pizza! Read more.
The perfect special-occasion restaurant? Adam Platt says it’s “an experience that strikes that delicate balance between modern style, classic technique, and pure, old-fashioned gourmet pleasure." Read more.
Jeffrey Steingarten tells us this is his "favorite new Manhattan restaurant" in his New York Diet. He's a particular fan of the sauteed squash with parmesan. Read more.
You can get one of our fav tasting menus here (five or seven courses) and this re-invented French spot is also one of the year’s best restaurants from Where to Eat 2011! Read more.
Try the appropriately sturdy cassoulet here, says Adam Platt. Featured in Where to Eat 2011! Read more.
Adam Platt’s favorite breakfast sandwich in the meatpacking district is the $10 combo of Kentucky bacon, fried eggs, and Cheddar cheese here. Featured in Where to Eat 2011! Read more.
The pulled pork sandwich, one of our 101 Best in NY, is flavored with chiles, topped with cole slaw, and will thoroughly soak the bottom of the roll if you go too slow. Read more.
The eggplant parm, one of our 101 Best Sandwiches in NY, is deep-fried eggplant topped with puréed squash, Fontina cheese, and barbecue chips. Read more.
Don’t miss the impossibly decadent $15 oyster pan roast here, and try the Eccles cake with Stilton for dessert. Featured in Where to Eat 2011! Read more.
Food & Wine editor Dana Cowin raved to us in her New York Diet about the fior di latte with berries here: “Oh my gosh, it was a beautiful way to end the meal.” Read more.
The macarons here are some of the best in town – get them without sitting through a three-figure tasting menu by special ordering six ($15) or a dozen ($25) to go. Read more.
A favorite Koreatown spot with plenty of soju and beer to wash down the spicy food. Don't miss the budae jjigae; one order is enough to serve three or four.
Midtown East's best source for ramen. Order the pork toro and the Hakata Kuro ramen, which comes with pureed charred garlic swirled in.
For a shorter line and even better food, visit their 52nd Street & Sixth Avenue cart during the day--beats the original.
The cupcakes at this gluten free bakery are less sweet than most, but good enough you'll forget they don't have wheat.
Try the fried pizza - the dough is deep-fried, but it isn't greasy, it comes off as extra-crisp.
The Korean fried chicken wings can carry a spicy kick. Be prepared to wait a little--these wings take time.
Cleaner, tastier dim sum than your average Chinatown place, with fresh dishes you order off the menu rather than from a cart.
Dutch vegetarian chain with a vibrant toppings bar for customizing pita sandwiches.
You go here for one thing: pork wontons in hot oil (no. 6). The thin wonton skins hold a delicate filling; mild chili oil and preserved vegetable topping make this one of the best dumplings in NYC.
Bizarro wraps, tasty falafel, and a massive pile of cheese-covered nachos are the hallmarks here.
Thick, chewy skins are the hallmark of this tiny dumpling shop in a slender mall. Pork and "fennel" (dill, actually) and aquatic vegetable dumplings are must orders.
For the Panino Greco, fresh bread is smothered with skordalia, a garlic-y puree. It's velvety, pungent, and the ideal base for a scattering of whole chickpeas, fragrant with thyme and bay leaves.
Each weekend, this Mott Haven bodega transforms into a bustling cantina. The carnitas and huaraches are definitely worth a trip.
In the morning, a casual cafe offering light breakfast dishes. In the middle of the day, an Italian delicatessen. And at night, a bustling bar and dining room serving a menu of rustic Italian fare.
Perla is the year-old Italian restaurant from young gun chef Michael Toscano and restaurateur Gabe Stulman. Toscano has a knack for cooking pasta dishes and monster pieces of meat.
You'll find cocktails inspired by everything from gelato to seaweed salad at this Lower East Side cocktail den, which also has locations in Paris and London.
Best Bomboloni: The one filled with vanilla pastry cream is our favorite, but the chunky caramelized apple and raspberry are excellent as well.
The food at Scarpetta is so good that it's clear that, left to his own devices, Scott Conant knows exactly what he's doing.
The food is refined without being fussy, and the menu is full of crowd-pleasers. Get the crispy grits with ribbons of country ham, and the poached egg dish with duck confit. [Eater 38 Member]
Get a mutton chop with a side of history at this century old steakhouse that offers delicious food, perfect cocktails, & a killer ambiance. Those on a budget can hit up the bar room. [Eater 38 Member]
The bar room is a cool place for after-work cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, and on the weekends, Benoit serves one of the best brunches in Midtown (it includes a dessert buffet). [Eater 38 Member]
In many ways Esca is as good as the four-starred Le Bernardin. If nothing else, it's cheaper, more relaxed and, bonus, also serves Baltali-brand pasta. [Eater 38 Member] Read more.
It's fast without being hurried, delicious without being expensive. Just be ready for crowds. [Eater 38 Member]
