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The number one question I get asked most is, ” Where should I eat in New York City?” For years, I’ve been meaning to share my New York City Food Guide, and now that I live 3000 miles away, I finally sat down and wrote it up. New York City is a melting pot of cultures and unarguably serves some of the world’s best food. Even my Californian-lover husband would agree with me on this.

If you want Indian food, they have excellent Indian food, and if you want Thai food, they have incredible Thai food. Traditionally speaking, New York City is most famous for its pizza and bagels, neither of which I indulged in too much because I’m more of a sit-down-and-dine type kinda gal. That will quickly change on future visits since I can no longer access the best pizza and bagels in town. With that said, here are some of my favorite NYC eateries.

New York City Food Guide with an image of a hand holding a cupcake.

How I Rate Establishments

Every New York City restaurant, cafe, and bakery mentioned below has been personally vetted by me and holds a rating of at least 4.4 out of 5 stars. In my rating method, entrees carry more weight than drinks, appetizers, or desserts. I also factor in how I feel after the meal – do I leave feeling satisfied and energized, or heavy and sluggish? While standout service is considered, I don’t factor in ambiance or price, as my primary focus is on the food.

Here’s a breakdown of the establishments by cuisine. I’ve also included the NYC district and my top recommendations for what to order.

Asian

  • Tao (downtown/uptown): lychee martini, glazed salmon, banana bread pudding

Bagels

  • Best Bagel and Coffee (midtown west): favorite. garlic bagel with chive cream cheese + tomatoes & jalapenos

Bakeries & Desserts

Breads & Buns

Bread Pudding

  • Magnolia Bakery (multiple locations): banana bread pudding, pecan caramel cheesecake

Cakes

  • Hani’s Bakery (east village): honey cake, carrot cake, cinnamon roll, chocolate chip cookie

Cheesecake

Cookies

  • Culture Espresso (midtown): favorite. chocolate chip cookie
  • Hani’s Bakery (east village): favorite. honey cake, carrot cake, cinnamon roll, chocolate chip cookie
  • Levain Bakery (flatiron/noho/midtown west/more locations): chocolate chip walnut cookie, dark chocolate peanut butter chip
  • Librae Bakery (east village): favorite & exceptional. loomi babka bun, pistachio rose croissant, tahini date latte, tahini chocolate chip cookie

Croissants

  • Lafayette Bakery (noho): pistachio supreme croissant
  • Librae Bakery (east village): favorite & exceptional. loomi babka bun, pistachio rose croissant, tahini date latte

Cupcakes

Donuts

  • Angelina Bakery (midtown west): favorite. chantilly cream bombolone (Italian donut)

Brunch

Chai

  • The Chai Spot (lower east side): favorite. traditional cardamom chai, coconut rose chai
  • Qahwah House (west village): yemeni chai pot

Chinese

Coffee Shops

  • Culture Espresso (midtown): chocolate chip cookie.
  • Fabrique Bakery (meatpacking): favorite. cardamom bun, americano
  • La Cabra (soho): favorite. matcha latte oat milk with 1 pump simple syrup
  • Librae Bakery (east village): favorite & exceptional. loomi babka bun, pistachio rose croissant, tahini date latte, tahini chocolate chip cookie

Cuban/Latin

  • Victor’s Cafe (midtown west): red sangria, ensalada de aguacate y berro, cilantro cuban tamale, tres leches

French

  • Le Bernardin – 3 Michelin Star (midtown): favorite & outstanding experience, pricey. black truffle tagliatelle, salmon tartare, hazelnut praline

Greek

  • The Greek (tribeca): bifteki – beef patties, feta cheesecake
  • Estiatorio Milos (midtown west): milos special fried eggplant zucchini tower, Greek salad, grilled vegetables

Healthy Fast Food

Locations all over NYC

Holiday Markets

Located at Bryant Park & Union Square

Hot Chocolate

  • No Chewing Allowed (holiday market only between Thanksgiving and New Year, WTC Oculus): favorite. dark hot chocolate

Indian

  • Bungalow – Michelin Bib Gourmand (east village): favorite & exceptional. yogurt kebabs, five cheese kulcha, anarkali chicken, chicken amrit, daal bungalow, chicken biryani, rose kulfi, mango three ways, masala chai
  • Dilli Dilli (midtown west): favorite. koyla chicken, gilafi paneer, dilli dilli tikki, marwadi baingan, pandara road butter chicken, roomali roti, masala chai, golgappa margarita, coconut dillight – mocktail.
  • Indian Accent (midtown west): favorite & exceptional. potato sphere chaat, bengal rice khichdi, baked sea bass, makhan malai, doda burfi
  • Junoon (flatiron): eggplant chaat, piri piri shrimp, murgh lababdar, daal makhni, junoon spice naan with gruyere
  • Baar Baar (east village): dahi puri, potato tikki, paneer pinwheels
  • Jazba (east village): pipli cocktail, paneer teh pe teh, green chili chicken, ros omelet prawn, romali roti, chur chur.

Italian

  • Torrisi – 1 Michelin Star (nolita): favorite. tortellini pomodoro, cucumbers New Yorkese
  • Carbone (greenwich village): favorite. spicy rigatoni vodka, zucchini flowers, Italian rainbow cookie cake, carrot cake
  • L’Artusi (west village): favorite. olive oil cake, spaghetti
  • Babbo (greenwich village): pappardelle bolognese, mascarpone cheesecake, (I wasn’t impressed by the vegetarian items)
  • Rubirosa (nolita): fresca, vodka, tie-dye, tuscan kale campanelle pasta

Japanese

  • Nobu 57 (midtown west): favorite. miso black cod, Peruvian chicken skewers

Korean

  • Hangawi (midtown east): favorite. lychee mojito, stuffed shitake mushrooms, bean curd with kimchi, combination pancakes, tofu chocolate pudding

Mexican

  • La Esquina (lower east side): grilled corn, grilled fish tacos 

Michelin Star Restaurants

  • Bungalow – Michelin Bib Gourmand (indian/east village): favorite & exceptional. yogurt kebabs, five cheese kulcha, anarkali chicken, chicken amrit, daal bungalow, chicken biryani, rose kulfi, mango three ways, masala chai
  • Le Bernardin – 3 Michelin Star (french/midtown): favorite & outstanding experience, pricey. black truffle tagliatelle, salmon tartare, hazelnut praline
  • Pranakhon Thai Restaurant – Michelin Bib Gourmand (west village): thai red curry, curry pancake
  • Torrisi – 1 Michelin Star (italian/nolita): favorite. tortellini pomodoro, cucumbers New Yorkese

Middle-Eastern/Moroccan

Pizza

Romantic Restaurants

  • Salinas (chelsea): red sangria, croquetas del dia, seco paella
  • La Lanterna di Vittorio (greenwich village): pesto lasagna, pomodoro e basilico, tiramisu, warm pecan pie
  • Casa La Femme (west village): branzino, french fries, babaghanoush, hummus, crabmeat kofta 
  • The River Cafe (dumbo): chocolate Brooklyn Bridge cake

Spanish

  • Salinas (chelsea): red sangria, croquetas del dia, seco paella

Street Food

Thai

  • Thai Villa (flatiron): favorite & exceptional. royal pad thai, hok talay, coconut sticky rice, Thai iced tea
  • Pranakhon Thai Restaurant Michelin Bib Gourmand (west village): thai red curry, curry pancake
  • Mitr Thai (midtown west): chicken kea mao, shrimp green curry, mango avocado salad

Trendy

  • Catch (meatpacking district): cod lettuce wraps, mushroom spaghetti

Vegan

  • Planta (nomad): rainbow roll, avocado lime tartare

OVERRATED NYC RESTAURANTS

  • Afternoon Tea at The Palm Court – The Plaza Hotel: it’s an experience at a landmark hotel, but the food is overrated.
  • Bar Pitti: rude service, obnoxious staff. Food is average except for the famous pappardelle alla fiesolana.
  • Ilili: it’s not the same anymore, their food has been off the last two times I visited.
  • Massara: delicious pizza, however unmemorable pasta, overpriced & small portions.
  • Prince Street Pizza: wasn’t impressed, nothing special about the sauce.
  • Semma – 1 Michelin Star: way too spicy South Indian food, ghee & coconut oil heavy.
  • Veniero’s: most definitely not the best cheesecake in NYC, so disappointed with the classic Italian desserts.

This post was first published on June 19, 2018, and has been modified and updated since.

Hi, I'm Nisha!

A foodie passionate about bringing authentic Indian recipes and global flavors to your kitchen. I create dishes using simple, real ingredients, and seasonal produce. Join me on this soul-searching journey as I share "what's cooking" through my love for good food. I hope to inspire you to cook more at home, explore new flavors, and enjoy the process along the way.

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1 Comment

  1. I’m so glad that you came up with this guide . You have impeccable taste in food and trust your opinions. I will use this every time I dine in nyc

    Reply