ScheckEats Ultimate New York City Food Guide
A comprehensive guide to all my favorite places to eat in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
I should probably gatekeep this list because it really is gold.
Categories of restaurants include:
Splurging for a special night out
Takeout
To impress a date (or a foodie friend)
A casual bite
Great and not impossible to get a table
Walk-in spots
Ice Cream
Bakeries
Coffee Shops
Brunch
It’s worth mentioning that a Michelin star is not the most important metric for judging a restaurant. In this list, I feel it’s relevant to note whenever a restaurant is Michelin-starred, but I’ve had several Michelin-starred meals that I wasn’t crazy about, and there are certainly MANY restaurants that are fantastic and do not make the list.
Splurging for a special night out:
The Modern (Midtown)
This is a two-Michelin-starred restaurant located inside MoMA. It’s a big splurge ($150 prefix or $275 tasting menu), but there is also a Bar Room, which is much more casual (and just as good). If you have a really special occasion, you can book the Kitchen Table for up to 4 people, which is a great experience. I did it for my birthday one year, and it’s really incredible to watch them cook. The Modern is also SUPER gluten-free friendly — I went with a Celiac friend, and they made homemade substitutions for everything that tasted just as good (I tried them).
The Four Horsemen (Williamsburg)
This natural wine bar is actually pretty casual, but the food is seriously good (James Beard Award-Winning and Michelin Starred). Their eclectic menu changes constantly, so you never know what you’ll get. I had the best steak au poivre of my life here, but also delicious Thai lemongrass-coconut mussels. They have a lot of range. It’s hard to get a reservation, but they leave the bar open for walk-ins. If you’re willing to eat at 5:30 pm for dinner or 11:00 am for lunch, you will almost always be seated right away. This restaurant is best for groups of 2.
Tatiana (Lincoln Center)
Chef Kwame Onwuachi won the title of #1 best restaurant in NYC from NYT in 2023 for his Afro-Carribean food. This restaurant is excellent and refined, but also playful and relaxed. If you can get a table, go!
Cosme (Flatiron)
This is a very upscale Mexican restaurant, great for a group of 4-6. The chef founder, Enrique Olvera, is known for his Mexico City restaurant, Pujol, which has been ranked among the best restaurants in the world. The tortillas are insane and do not skip dessert!
The Musket Room (NoLIta)
Chef Mary Attea cooks up seasonal omnivore or vegan tasting menus for $145, or you can order a la carte. The Musket Room has held a Michelin star since 2014.
The Grill (Midtown East)
This is a classic, elegant steakhouse from Major Food Group (Carbone, Torrisi, Sadelle’s…). I really enjoyed the prime rib. It’s a fairly straight-forward menu including a raw bar and classic steaks.
HYUN (Koreatown)
You get unlimited A5 Waygu at $159 per person, which is actually a pretty good deal. The only catch: the meat is so rich that you will probably not have the appetite to order too much extra. The included banchan (Korean side dishes) are great too.
Mari (Hells Kitchen)
A Korean hand-roll restaurant with an inventive tasting menu. Also a has a Michelin star.
Semma (West Village)
To quote the Michelin guide, “dishes are spicy, but the heat is used as elegantly as it is liberally.” This one-star South Indian restaurant is part of the Unapologetic Foods group. They do not tone down the flavor and spice for the American palate. Don’t skip their dosa!
Monkey Bar (Midtown East)
A historic spot around since 1936, but recently taken over by the restaurant group behind Au Cheval and 4 Charles. It’s a bit swanky and good for a larger group. It shares a lot of menu options with Au Cheval and 4 Charles, and it’s definitely easier to get a reservation here than 4 Charles. The best thing on the menu at any of these restautants is the Prime Rib French Dip sandwich, which you should order as an appetizer. Their desserts are also really great — especially the chocolate cream pie.
Carbone (Greenwich Village)
I will always be a Carbone apologist. This restaurant is the subject of much scrutiny and debate, but in my opinion, it is one of the few places that truly meets or exceeds the “hype”. I’ve been a good dozen times and have never had a bad bite. The spicy rigatoni is a masterpiece on a plate. The meatballs and dover sole are some other favorites. Don’t miss the lemon cheesecake, either. Pro-tip, you can order a single meatball even though they normally come in three.
Takeout spots
Little Tiffin (Greenpoint)
Excellent Thai food. They make their rice noodles from scratch, and you can tell. Everything is good, but I particularly like the gai tod (fried chicken thighs), pad kee mao (drunken noodles), and the pad kra pow (basil stir fry).
Fini (Williamsburg)
This pizza spot serves up one of my favorite slices in the city. They have a lemon white pizza that is so unique and I crave it all the time. Their crust is so crispy, and they also have great italian ice.
Daily Provisions (West Village, Upper West Side, Union Square, Hudson Yards, Cobble Hill)
Great coffee, donuts, and prepared foods. Pricy for the style of food, but very good quality.
Taquería Al Pastor (Bushwick, Downtown Brooklyn)
The best tacos I’ve had in the city. Los Tacos #1 get a lot of hype, and they are good, but these are leagues ahead. Their homemade yellow corn tortillas are delectable. I often would get the al pastor quesadilla (corn tortilla) or a carne asada burrito. Can’t recommend this place enough.
Bahia (Williamsburg)
Salvadoran food with excellent pupusas and other dishes like hearty chicken soup, pollo al ajillo (garlic chicken), and a seafood stew. I always order a few extra pupusas to have the next day — they reheat really well in a toaster. If you’re never had a pupusa, you’re missing out!
Bhatti (Murray Hill)
Very good North Indian food. I really like their lemon rice and palak paneer.
Barano (Williamsburg)
They make a Tie Dye Pizza that I think is better than Rubirosa, and they have it as a grandma slice or a thin crust. This is secret menu, but you can also order their chicken parm tie dye, so it comes with marinara, vodka sauce, and pesto.
Myrtle Thai (Clinton Hill)
Very good standard American style Thai food. I like their panang curry, basil chicken, pad kee mao, and lychee juice.
Hana Noodle (Downtown Brooklyn)
Chinese soups with hand-pulled noodles and dumplings. It always tastes hot and fresh.
ChinGoo Restaurant (Williamsburg)
Delicious Korean food. I especially like their chicken wings and kalbi. The food always comes hot and quickly when you order delivery.
Au Za’atar (East Village, Midtown East)
A Lebanese restaurant known for their table-side shawarma, but their takeout comes very nicely packaged and travels well too. Really good hummus with lamb, fried haloumi with garlic honey, and kebab patters.
Shanghai 21 (Chinatown)
While they serve great authentic Shanghainese food, they also make the best classic Chinese-American dishes I’ve had in the city, like General Tso’s chicken, kung pao chicken, and Sichuan string beans. The scallion pancakes are also great.
Citroen (Greenpoint)
Upscale french food that travels suprisingly well. Everything is good, but the coq au vin is my favorite.
Karczma (Greenpoint)
Old-school Polish food that travels well. I like their fried chicken roll, beet salad, pierogis, and their chicken noodle soup is great when you are sick.
Categories behind the paywall:
To impress a date (or a foodie friend)
A casual bite
Great and not impossible to get a table
Walk-in spots
Ice Cream
Bakeries
Coffee Shops
Brunch
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