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NYC Essential Eats

NYC Essential Eats

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Created by Ray Rahmati • Updated On: June 29, 2016

Looking for solid recommendations for exceptional eats in NYC? I provide my personal stamp of approval on all the restaurants listed here...

Le Bernardin is one of NYC Essential Eats.

1. Le Bernardin

9.2
155 W 51st St (btwn 6th & 7th Ave), New York, NY
French Restaurant · Theater District · 310 tips and reviews
Nobu is one of NYC Essential Eats.

2. Nobu

105 Hudson St (at Franklin St), New York, NY
Japanese Restaurant · Tribeca · 193 tips and reviews
Buddakan is one of NYC Essential Eats.

3. Buddakan

9.1
75 9th Ave (at W 16th St), New York, NY
Chinese Restaurant · Chelsea · 526 tips and reviews
wd~50 is one of NYC Essential Eats.

4. wd~50

50 Clinton St (btwn Stanton & Rivington St), New York, NY
Molecular Gastronomy Restaurant · Lower East Side · 163 tips and reviews
Per Se is one of NYC Essential Eats.

5. Per Se

8.4
10 Columbus Cir (at W 60th St), New York, NY
French Restaurant · Hell's Kitchen · 198 tips and reviews
Daniel is one of NYC Essential Eats.

6. Daniel

9.1
60 E 65th St (btwn Park & Madison Ave), New York, NY
French Restaurant · Upper East Side · 191 tips and reviews
Jean-Georges is one of NYC Essential Eats.

7. Jean-Georges

8.5
1 Central Park W (btwn W 60th & W 61st St), New York, NY
French Restaurant · Lincoln Square · 286 tips and reviews
Bar Boulud is one of NYC Essential Eats.

8. Bar Boulud

7.3
1900 Broadway (btwn 63rd & 64th St), New York, NY
French Restaurant · Lincoln Square · 186 tips and reviews
Balthazar is one of NYC Essential Eats.

9. Balthazar

9.0
80 Spring St (at Crosby St), New York, NY
French Restaurant · SoHo · 1059 tips and reviews
Pastis is one of NYC Essential Eats.

10. Pastis

9 9th Ave (at Little W 12th St), New York, NY
French Restaurant · Meatpacking District · 324 tips and reviews
The Breslin Bar & Dining Room is one of NYC Essential Eats.

11. The Breslin Bar & Dining Room

16 W 29th St (btwn Broadway & 5th Ave), New York, NY
Gastropub · NoMad · 688 tips and reviews
The Spotted Pig is one of NYC Essential Eats.

12. The Spotted Pig

314 W 11th St (at Greenwich St), New York, NY
Gastropub · West Village · 838 tips and reviews
Craft is one of NYC Essential Eats.

13. Craft

9.0
43 E 19th St (btwn Park Ave S & Broadway), New York, NY
American Restaurant · Flatiron District · 126 tips and reviews
David Burke Kitchen is one of NYC Essential Eats.

14. David Burke Kitchen

23 Grand St (at 6th Ave), New York, NY
American Restaurant · Hudson Square · 182 tips and reviews
Gramercy Tavern is one of NYC Essential Eats.

15. Gramercy Tavern

9.4
42 E 20th St (btwn Broadway & Park Ave), New York, NY
American Restaurant · Flatiron District · 446 tips and reviews
Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca is one of NYC Essential Eats.

16. Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca

8.8
110 Waverly Pl (btwn MacDougal Alley & 6th Ave), New York, NY
Italian Restaurant · Greenwich Village · 273 tips and reviews
Ippudo is one of NYC Essential Eats.

17. Ippudo

9.0
65 4th Ave (btwn E 9th & E 10th St), New York, NY
Ramen Restaurant · Greenwich Village · 1164 tips and reviews
Momofuku Noodle Bar is one of NYC Essential Eats.

18. Momofuku Noodle Bar

8.6
171 1st Ave (btwn E 10th & E 11th St), New York, NY
Ramen Restaurant · East Village · 849 tips and reviews
Blue Smoke is one of NYC Essential Eats.

19. Blue Smoke

116 E 27th St (btwn Park Ave S & Lexington Ave), New York, NY
BBQ Joint · Rose Hill · 416 tips and reviews
Fette Sau is one of NYC Essential Eats.

20. Fette Sau

8.9
354 Metropolitan Ave (btwn Havemeyer & Roebling St), Brooklyn, NY
BBQ Joint · Williamsburg · 561 tips and reviews
Peter Luger Steak House is one of NYC Essential Eats.

21. Peter Luger Steak House

8.8
178 Broadway (at Driggs Ave), Brooklyn, NY
Steakhouse · Williamsburg · 694 tips and reviews
Five Leaves is one of NYC Essential Eats.

22. Five Leaves

8.9
18 Bedford Ave (at Lorimer St), Brooklyn, NY
New American Restaurant · Greenpoint · 535 tips and reviews
Dressler is one of NYC Essential Eats.

23. Dressler

149 Broadway (btwn Driggs and Bedford Ave.), Brooklyn, NY
American Restaurant · Williamsburg · 54 tips and reviews
Frankies 457 Spuntino is one of NYC Essential Eats.

24. Frankies 457 Spuntino

9.2
457 Court St (btwn 4th Pl & Luquer St), Brooklyn, NY
Italian Restaurant · Carroll Gardens · 237 tips and reviews
Da Nico Ristorante is one of NYC Essential Eats.

25. Da Nico Ristorante

7.3
164 Mulberry St (btwn Broome & Grand St), New York, NY
Italian Restaurant · Little Italy · 61 tips and reviews
Grimaldi's Pizzeria is one of NYC Essential Eats.

26. Grimaldi's Pizzeria

7.8
1 Front St (at Cadman Plaza W), Brooklyn, NY
Pizzeria · DUMBO · 592 tips and reviews
Vinegar Hill House is one of NYC Essential Eats.

27. Vinegar Hill House

9.1
72 Hudson Ave (at Water St), Brooklyn, NY
American Restaurant · Vinegar Hill · 264 tips and reviews
Lobo is one of NYC Essential Eats.

28. Lobo

7.2
218 Court St (at Warren St), Brooklyn, NY
Mexican Restaurant · Boerum Hill · 117 tips and reviews
Hillstone is one of NYC Essential Eats.

29. Hillstone

9.1
378 Park Ave S (at E 27th St), New York, NY
American Restaurant · NoMad · 265 tips and reviews
Shilla Korean Barbecue is one of NYC Essential Eats.

30. Shilla Korean Barbecue

37 W 32nd St (btwn 5th & 6th), New York, NY
Korean Restaurant · Koreatown · 81 tips and reviews
Cafeteria is one of NYC Essential Eats.

31. Cafeteria

8.0
119 7th Ave (at W 17th St), New York, NY
New American Restaurant · Chelsea · 636 tips and reviews
Ravagh Persian Grill is one of NYC Essential Eats.

32. Ravagh Persian Grill

8.6
11 E 30th St (btwn 5th & Madison Ave.), New York, NY
Persian Restaurant · NoMad · 95 tips and reviews
Fatty Crab is one of NYC Essential Eats.

33. Fatty Crab

2170 Broadway, New York, NY
Asian Restaurant · Upper West Side · 54 tips and reviews
Lichee Nut is one of NYC Essential Eats.

34. Lichee Nut

6.6
162 Montague St, Brooklyn, NY
Chinese Restaurant · Brooklyn Heights · 28 tips and reviews
Junior's Restaurant is one of NYC Essential Eats.

35. Junior's Restaurant

8.6
386 Flatbush Avenue Ext (at DeKalb Ave), Brooklyn, NY
Diner · Downtown Brooklyn · 362 tips and reviews
Night of the Cookers is one of NYC Essential Eats.

36. Night of the Cookers

767 Fulton St (at S Portland Ave), Brooklyn, NY
Southern Food Restaurant · Fort Greene · 49 tips and reviews
The General Greene is one of NYC Essential Eats.

37. The General Greene

229 Dekalb Ave (at Clermont Ave), Brooklyn, NY
New American Restaurant · Fort Greene · 122 tips and reviews
Kinara's is one of NYC Essential Eats.

38. Kinara's

368 Myrtle Ave (Adelphi Street), Brooklyn, NY
Indian Restaurant · Fort Greene · 18 tips and reviews
Chez Oskar is one of NYC Essential Eats.

39. Chez Oskar

8.6
310 Malcolm X Blvd (at Decatur Street), Brooklyn, NY
French Restaurant · Bedford-Stuyvesant · 99 tips and reviews
Uncle Nick's Greek Cuisine is one of NYC Essential Eats.

40. Uncle Nick's Greek Cuisine

747 9th Ave (btwn W 50th & W 51st St), New York, NY
Greek Restaurant · Hell's Kitchen · 57 tips and reviews
Room Service is one of NYC Essential Eats.

41. Room Service

690 9th Ave (btwn W 47th & W 48th St), New York, NY
Thai Restaurant · Hell's Kitchen · 301 tips and reviews
Morimoto is one of NYC Essential Eats.

42. Morimoto

88 10th Ave (btwn W 15th & W 16th St), New York, NY
Japanese Restaurant · Chelsea · 344 tips and reviews
Khyber Pass is one of NYC Essential Eats.

43. Khyber Pass

34 Saint Marks Pl (btwn 2nd & 3rd Ave), New York, NY
Hookah Bar · East Village · 44 tips and reviews
Barbuto is one of NYC Essential Eats.

44. Barbuto

8.4
113 Horatio St (btwn Jane St & 12th St), New York, NY
Italian Restaurant · West Village · 336 tips and reviews
Sylvia's Restaurant is one of NYC Essential Eats.

45. Sylvia's Restaurant

7.8
328 Malcolm X Blvd (btwn W 126th & W 127th St), New York, NY
Southern Food Restaurant · Central Harlem · 248 tips and reviews
Esca is one of NYC Essential Eats.

46. Esca

402 W 43rd St (at Ninth Ave), New York, NY
Seafood Restaurant · Hell's Kitchen · 106 tips and reviews
David Burke Townhouse is one of NYC Essential Eats.

47. David Burke Townhouse

133 E 61st St (at Lexington Ave), New York, NY
New American Restaurant · Upper East Side · 68 tips and reviews
The Hurricane Club is one of NYC Essential Eats.

48. The Hurricane Club

360 Park Ave S (at E 26th St), New York, NY
Cocktail Bar · NoMad · 152 tips and reviews
Park Avenue Autumn is one of NYC Essential Eats.

49. Park Avenue Autumn

100 E 63rd St (at Park Ave), New York, NY
New American Restaurant · Upper East Side · 11 tips and reviews
Quality Meats is one of NYC Essential Eats.

50. Quality Meats

9.0
57 W 58th St (at 6th Ave), New York, NY
Steakhouse · Midtown East · 317 tips and reviews
Brooklyn Diner is one of NYC Essential Eats.

51. Brooklyn Diner

7.2
212 W 57th St (Broadway), New York, NY
Diner · Theater District · 196 tips and reviews
New Saint Clair Restaurant is one of NYC Essential Eats.

52. New Saint Clair Restaurant

93 Smith St (btw Atlantic Ave & Pacific St), Brooklyn, NY
Diner · Boerum Hill · 12 tips and reviews
Lola BKLYN is one of NYC Essential Eats.

53. Lola BKLYN

387 Myrtle Ave (btwn Clermont & Vanderbilt Ave.), Brooklyn, NY
Gastropub · Clinton Hill · 51 tips and reviews
Perilla is one of NYC Essential Eats.

54. Perilla

9 Jones St (btwn Bleecker & W 4th St), New York, NY
American Restaurant · West Village · 133 tips and reviews
The Smoke Joint is one of NYC Essential Eats.

55. The Smoke Joint

87 S Elliott Pl (btwn Lafayette Ave & Fulton St), Brooklyn, NY
BBQ Joint · Fort Greene · 215 tips and reviews
Theresa's Polish Restaurant is one of NYC Essential Eats.

56. Theresa's Polish Restaurant

103 1st Ave, New York, NY
Polish Restaurant · 3 tips and reviews
Buttermilk Channel is one of NYC Essential Eats.

57. Buttermilk Channel

8.9
524 Court St (at Huntington St), Brooklyn, NY
American Restaurant · Carroll Gardens · 354 tips and reviews
Prime Meats is one of NYC Essential Eats.

58. Prime Meats

465 Court St (at Luquer St), Brooklyn, NY
New American Restaurant · Carroll Gardens · 236 tips and reviews
L&B Spumoni Gardens is one of NYC Essential Eats.

59. L&B Spumoni Gardens

9.1
2725 86th St (at W 10th St), Brooklyn, NY
Pizzeria · Gravesend · 432 tips and reviews
Brennan & Carr is one of NYC Essential Eats.

60. Brennan & Carr

8.4
3432 Nostrand Ave (at Avenue U), Brooklyn, NY
Sandwich Spot · Sheepshead Bay · 113 tips and reviews
Flatbush Farm & Bar(n) is one of NYC Essential Eats.

61. Flatbush Farm & Bar(n)

76 Saint Marks Ave (at Flatbush Ave), Brooklyn, NY
New American Restaurant · North Slope · 169 tips and reviews
Pequeña is one of NYC Essential Eats.

62. Pequeña

86 S Portland Ave (Lafayette), Brooklyn, NY
Mexican Restaurant · Fort Greene · 89 tips and reviews
Habana Outpost is one of NYC Essential Eats.

63. Habana Outpost

8.7
757 Fulton St (at S Portland Ave), Brooklyn, NY
Cuban Restaurant · Fort Greene · 247 tips and reviews
Rucola is one of NYC Essential Eats.

64. Rucola

9.3
190 Dean St (at Bond St), Brooklyn, NY
Italian Restaurant · Boerum Hill · 232 tips and reviews

65. Pho Viet Huong

73 Mulberry St (btwn Bayard & Canal), New York, NY
Vietnamese Restaurant · Chinatown · 43 tips and reviews
Bar 89 is one of NYC Essential Eats.

66. Bar 89

89 Mercer St (btwn Spring & Broome St.), New York, NY
Bar · SoHo · 89 tips and reviews
Hallo Berlin is one of NYC Essential Eats.

67. Hallo Berlin

626 10th Ave (btw 44th & 45th St), New York, NY
German Restaurant · Hell's Kitchen · 107 tips and reviews
Colicchio & Sons is one of NYC Essential Eats.

68. Colicchio & Sons

85 10th Ave (at W 15th St), New York, NY
New American Restaurant · Chelsea · 185 tips and reviews
The Redhead is one of NYC Essential Eats.

69. The Redhead

349 E 13th St (at 1st Ave.), New York, NY
Southern Food Restaurant · East Village · 194 tips and reviews

Ray R.Ray Rahmati: Keep an eye out for their annual Crawfish Boil. Crawfish, andouille sausage, potatoes, corn on the cob, DELICIOUS.

Felix is one of NYC Essential Eats.

70. Felix

8.0
340 W Broadway (at Grand St.), New York, NY
French Restaurant · SoHo · 97 tips and reviews
Mad Dog & Beans Mexican Cantina is one of NYC Essential Eats.

71. Mad Dog & Beans Mexican Cantina

7.7
83 Pearl St (at Stone St), New York, NY
Mexican Restaurant · Financial District · 177 tips and reviews
The Meatball Shop is one of NYC Essential Eats.

72. The Meatball Shop

84 Stanton St (btwn Allen & Orchard St), New York, NY
Italian Restaurant · Lower East Side · 621 tips and reviews
Junoon is one of NYC Essential Eats.

73. Junoon

7.5
27 W 24th St (btw 5th. & 6th Ave), New York, NY
Indian Restaurant · NoMad · 188 tips and reviews