NYC: All the Fabulous Food

We made it our mission to eat through most restaurants below 20th Street (and some above). Reservations are tough, but for two, bar seating is your golden ticket.

Forget Carbone—you’re not getting in. But the beauty of NYC? If a place isn’t good, it won’t survive. So, even a random corner spot can serve a phenomenal meal.

Our favorites? Listed below. For more on our story and our adventures in the Big City, click here.

🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎Tell Your Friends (or Better Yet, Don’t)

• Alice (West Village) – Dinner – Italian pescatarian with great ambiance. Sit in back. 
• Apollo Bagel (East Village) – Bagels – Life-changing bagels with a long line. 
• Buvette (West Village) – Brunch/Lunch – Excellent spot. Charming, quick-moving line.
• Cervo’s (Lower East Side) – Dinner – Tiny tapas spot with a killer vibe. Eat at the bar.
• Clinton Street Bakery (Lower East Side) – Brunch – Get the pancakes. Seriously.
• DOMODOMO (West Houston) – Dinner – Amazing sushi.
• Frankies 457 (Cobble Hill) – Lunch, Dinner – Lovely backyard and food
• Jeju (West Village) – Dinner – Ramen, ceviche, fried chicken = divine. A bit uptight.
• Jeffrey’s Grocery (West Village) – Dinner – Trendy seafood spot – nice bar and atmosphere.
• Justine’s (West Village) – Dinner – Tiny, sweet spot with inventive food May be our fave.
• La Cabra (East Village) – Coffee – The art of coffee.  And the cardamon knot.
• Laser Wolf (Williamsburg) – Dinner – Rooftop Israeli prix fixe. Best when warm out.
• Nowan (East Village) – Dinner – Inventive Korean, fun vibe.
• Penny (East Village) – Dinner – Sister to Claude. Divine. Counter seating only.  Hot ticket.
• Semma (Greenwich Village) – Dinner – Southern Indian, super cute, pricey but worth it.
• Shukette (Chelsea) – Dinner – Shuka’s sister. Sit at bar to watching the kitchen in action.
• Soothr (East Village) – Dinner – Michelin-starred Thai. Walk-in friendly for two. Nice vibe.
• The Back Room (LES) – Speakeasy – Fun, vibey spot
• Trailer Park Lounge (Chelsea) – Drinks – Perfectly themed, friendly. Just don’t order wine.
• Variety Coffee (Chelsea) -Our go-to.  Excellent coffee at un-NYC prices
• Via Carota (West Village) – Dinner – Italian staple. Walk-in only. Yummy share plates.

🍎🍎🍎🍎+ Peak NYC

• Bar Pisellino (West Village) – Drinks – Great for a drink and sidewalk people-watching.
• Bobo (West Village) – Dinner – Townhouse setting, fantastic atmosphere.
• Chelsea Market (Chelsea) – Food Hall – Los Tacos #1, Noodle Bar, etc. A must.
• The Chelsea Hotel (Chelsea) – Drinks – Fun, sophisticated, vibey. Great remodel.
• Ci Siamo (Hudson Yards) – Dinner – Upscale Italian. Cacio e Pepe = unreal. pre-MSG.
• Coffee – Fellini (Multiple Locations) – Coffee – Super cute. Multiple locations, all lovely.
• Commerce Inn (West Village) – Brunch – Sweet farmhouse. Fancy brunch – those pancakes.
• Dante (West Village) – Dinner & Drinks – Beautiful spot. Divine burger. Great all around.
• Da Toscana (West Village) – Dinner – Salty, but otherwise great. The “Honey Bush” cocktail.
• Friend of a Farmer (Gramercy) – Brunch and Dinner – Cozy comfort food. Ideal brunch spot.
• Greca (Hudson Square) – Dinner – Excellent Greek. 
• Hav & Mar (Chelsea) – Dinner – Swedish meets Ethiopian. My God the bread. 
• Jack’s Wife Freda (SoHo) – Brunch – Outdoor tables for people watching. Small portions.
• La Bonne Soupe (Midtown) – Lunch – Classic French spot near MoMA. Make a res.
• Nami Nori (West Village) – Sushi Dinner – Amazing hand rolls.
• The Noortwyck (West Village) – Dinner – Lovely space. Ice cream sandwich = yum
• Olió e Più (Greenwich Village) – Dinner – Warm, inviting Italian. Great outdoor seating.
• Osteria Nonnino (Meatpacking) – Dinner – Excellent Italian, friendly service, sat at bar.
• Pause Café (LES) – Lunch – Casual lunch spot across from Clinton Bakery. 
• Piccolo Cucina (Upper East Side) – Dinner – Excellent food and service. Cozy.
• Rucola (Boerum Hill, Brooklyn) – Lunch – Chicory salad = perfection.
• Salinas (Chelsea) – Dinner – Warm, atmospheric tapas spot. Strange hallway entrance
• Shuka (Greenwich Village) – Dinner – Buzzy Middle Eastern. Perfect lighting, nice long bar. 

🍎🍎🍎🍎 If You’re in the Neighborhood…

• Ainslie Bowery (Bowery) – Dinner – Great for groups. Good pizza and apps, no complaints.
• B’Artusi (West Village) – Dinner – Casual extension of Artusi. Nice neighborhood.
• Chama Mama (Brooklyn Heights) – Lunch – Nice Georgian lunch chain.
• Citizens of Chelsea (Chelsea) – Brunch – Solid Aussie brunch.
• Cookshop (Chelsea) – Brunch – Fine. Probably ordered wrong.
• Gelso & Grand (Little Italy) – Dinner – Great street-view bar seating on busy Mulberry Street. 
• Hole in the Wall (Flatiron) – Brunch – Aussie-inspired. Good waffle.
• Ippudo (Astor Place) – Dinner – Fun, excellent ramen. Big tables good for group.
• L’Accolade (West Village) – Dinner – Cute bar and patio. Happy hour $1.50 oysters. 
• La Esquina (Nolita) – Dinner – Underground speakeasy. Fun and very loud. Scene-y.
• Levain Bakery (Multiple Locations) – Cookies – They’re fine. Don’t go out of your way.
• Marryweather (West Village) – Brunch – Cozy brunch and coffee spot.
• The Mermaid Inn (Chelsea) – Dinner – Neighborhood favorite. Killer happy hour.
• Momofuku Noodle Bar (East Village) – Dinner – Good ramen.
• Momoya (Chelsea) – Sushi Dinner – Local sushi. Crispy rice = win.
• Pepe Giallo (Chelsea) – Dinner – Cozy neighborhood joint with big portions and friendly vibe.
• The Spaniard (West Village) – Drinks – Great whiskey bar.
• Supper (East Village) – Dinner – Good for a group.  Private back room. Good food. Cash only.
• Tall Poppy (NoMad) – Pastries – The everything cruffin. Enough said.
• Tessa (Upper West Side) – Dinner – Italian, delicious, cozy. Back room = meh.
• Thursday Kitchen (East Village) – Dinner – Very good noodles.

🍎🍎🍎 Brick

• Empire Diner (Chelsea) – Brunch – Cool, historic spot but painfully slow service.
• Grey Dog (Multiple Locations) – Brunch – Meh.
• Hearth (East Village) – Dinner – Decent. Some attitude.
• Leon Bagel (Multiple Locations) – Breakfast – One-sided cream cheese. Hard pass.
• Marsanne (Chelsea) – Dinner – Trying hard, not quite there yet.
• Sour Monkey (LES) – Drinks – Pool and ping pong, but way too much attitude.