POPULAR NEW YORK RESTAURANTS

American Restaurants

Gotham Bar and Grill
12 E 12th Street (Greenwich Village), Manhattan, NY 10003
(212) 620-4020
The Gotham Bar and Grill is a classy New American restaurant that attracts hoards of famous (and non-famous) people. There are only a handful of New York restaurants that can rival the Gotham's entrees.
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Gramercy Tavern
42 E 20th Street (Union Square), Manhattan, NY 10003
(212) 477-0777
A world-famous restaurant with stellar food, atmosphere, and service, the Gramercy Tavern is a once-in-a-lifetime place for many who come here. Yes, it is expensive, but if you can afford it, the Gramercy Tavern will not disappoint.
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Tavern on the Green
Central Park at 67th Street (Central Park), Manhattan, NY 10023
(212) 873-3200
Located in Central Park in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, Tavern on the Green is one of the best-known restaurants in New York City. Ideal for a special occasion, Tavern on the Green is especially romantic in the summer when the outdoor patio is open.
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Union Square Cafe
21 E 16th Street (Union Square), Manhattan, NY 10003
(212) 243-4020
Another outstanding restaurant near Union Square and the Flatiron District, the Union Square Cafe is a romantic, classy restaurant that is ideal for special occasions.
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Chinese Restaurants

Shun Lee West
43 W 65th Street (Lincoln Center), Manhattan, NY 10023
(212) 595-8895
Shun Lee West is considered by some to be the best Chinese restaurant in New York City. Located near Lincoln Center, Shun Lee West serves upscale Chinese cuisine in a dramatic setting.
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Delis and Diners

Carnegie Deli
854 Seventh Avenue (Midtown), Manhattan, NY 10019
(212) 757-2245
So popular and famous that some people actually overlook it, the Carnegie Deli is still considered the best deli in New York by many. From the huge sandwiches (try the pastrami) to the matzoh ball soup (great comfort food) the Carnegie truly satisfies.
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Katz's Delicatessen
205 E Houston Street (Lower East Side), Manhattan, NY 10002
(212) 254-2246
One of several famous New York delis (and also famous for Meg Ryan's, er, outburst in "When Harry Met Sally"), Katz's Delicatessen is more than 100 years old and still one of the best restaurants in the Lower East Side.
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French Restaurants

Daniel
60 E 65th Street (East Side), Manhattan, NY 10021
(212) 288-0033
One of New York's best restaurants, Daniel serves French dishes that are head and shoulders above most of the competition. Daniel may be a very expensive restaurant to some, but the experience is worth every penny.
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Montrachet
239 W Broadway (Tribeca), Manhattan, NY 10013
(212) 219-2777
Montrachet is one of the most popular restaurants in New York City. This French dining spot, located in Tribeca, serves contemporary French cuisine in a low-key, comfortable environment. The food at Montrachet is considered some of the best in Manhattan.
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Hamburgers

Big Nick's Burgers and Pizza
2175 Broadway (Upper West Side), Manhattan, NY 10023
(212) 362-9238
This wildly popular Upper West Side burger and pizza joint is a New York classic; loud, fast-paced, and full of character (and characters). The hamburgers at Big Nick's are among the best in New York.
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Italian Restaurants

Da Nico
164 Mulberry Street (Little Italy), Manhattan, NY 10013
(212) 343-1212
A Little Italy favorite, politicians and entertainers can sometimes be seen dining at Da Nico. This Italian restaurant serves some of the best brick-oven pizza in New York, as well as tremendous veal and pasta dishes.
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Rao's Restaurant
455 E 114th Street (Harlem), Manhattan, NY 10029
(212) 722-6709
Exclusive, expensive, and nearly impossible to get into, Rao's Restaurant is a dining spot that everyone knows about yet few have been to. If you ever get the chance to go to this outstanding Italian restaurant, wear the nicest clothes you have, as the dress code is very strict at Rao's.
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Japanese Restaurants

Nobu
105 Hudson Street (TriBeCa), Manhattan, NY 10013
(212) 219-0500
Part-owned by actor Robert De Niro, Nobu sets the standard by which other Japanese restaurants in New York are measured. Nobu is so popular that a second restaurant, Nobu Next Door, was opened in order to satisfy demand.
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Pizza

Grimaldi's Pizzeria
19 Old Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 858-4300
All Grimaldi's does is make some of the best pizza in the United States. Robust tomato sauce, thin slices of fresh mozzerella cheese...simply incredible pizza. There is no place like it in Boston, or nearly any other city for that matter.
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Lombardi's
32 Spring Street (Little Italy), Manhattan, NY 10002
(212) 941-7994
New York City is all about coal-fired pizza, with its thin, blackened crust and fresh tomato sauce and cheese. And Lombardi's does pizza better than just about anyone in the Big Apple. Good luck trying to get a seat, though!
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Seafood Restaurants

Oceana
55 E 54th Street (Midtown), Manhattan, NY 10022
(212) 759-5941
Oceana is a whole lot better (and more crowded) than most New York seafood restaurants. If you are looking for a restaurant to take a seafood lover, or want to impress those you are doing business with, Oceana may be your place.
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Steakhouses

Peter Luger Steak House
178 Broadway (Williamsburg), Brooklyn, NY 11212
(718) 387-7400
Peter Luger probably serves the best steaks in New York. It is very expensive, but if you are looking to splurge, you can go a lot worse then the Peter Luger Steak House.
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HIDDEN NEW YORK RESTAURANTS

Cafes and Coffee Shops

Lexington Candy Shop
1226 Lexington Avenue (Upper East Side), Manhattan, NY 10028
(212) 288-0057
A throwback to yesteryear, the Lexington Candy Shop is a tiny little spot near the Met that has a soda fountain and some terrific sandwiches. The prices at the Lexington Candy Shop are very reasonable, and the atmosphere is simply classic.
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Red Flame Coffee Shop
67 W 44th Street (Times Square/Theater District), Manhattan, NY 10036
(212) 869-3965
Tucked away in a quiet neighborhood, yet a stone's throw from Times Square, the Red Flame serves up some very reasonable breakfast dishes. It is tiny, and often packed with locals, but worth any short wait you might encounter.
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Chinese / Cuban Restaurants

La Caridad 78 Restaurant
2199 Broadway (Upper West Side), Manhattan, NY 10024
(212) 874-2780
Like red beans and rice with your chow mein? If so, La Caridad 78 will satisfy your need for Cuban and Chinese cuisine. Don't expect friendly service at this homely little restaurant, but the food is tough to beat.
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Delis and Diners

Manhattan Diner
2180 Broadway (Upper West Side), Manhattan, NY 10024
(212) 877-7252
The Manhattan Diner is a popular place with the Upper West Side locals, but no one else seems to know about it. This bustling little Greek diner is a great place for a quick, satisfying breakfast or lunch.
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Old John's Luncheonette
148 W 67th Street (Lincoln Center), Manhattan, NY 10023
(212) 874-2700
"Lincoln Center's best-kept secret" is just that; Old John's Luncheonette is little-known, but serves outstanding meals all day long. It is worth coming to this friendly hole in the wall just for the Brooklyn-style french toast.
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Eastern European Restaurants

Veselka
144 Second Avenue (East Village), Manhattan, NY 10003
(212) 228-9682
Veselka is a friendly East Village restaurant that serves terrific Ukrainian comfort food, including borscht, pirogis, and potato pancakes.
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Hamburgers

Burger Joint (in Le Parker Meridien)
118 W 57th Street (Midtown), Manhattan, NY 10019
(212) 245-5000
Literally a hidden dining spot, this hole in the wall is buried inside the upscale Parker Meridien hotel. Imagine getting a juicy burger, fries, and a milkshake in Midtown for about $10. That's what you get at Burger Joint.
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Italian Restaurants

Cucina Stagionale
289 Bleecker Street (Greenwich Village), Manhattan, NY 10014
(212) 924-2707
Cozy, charming, and almost absurdly cheap, Cucina Stagionale is a friendly little Southern Italian restaurant in the heart of Greenwich Village. Many Italian entrees at Cucina Stagionale are less than 10 dollars, which makes the place a true bargain in this quirky Manhattan neighborhood.
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Focacceria
87 Macdougal Street (Greenwich Village), Manhattan, NY 10012
(212) 253-8049
A favorite of Boston's Hidden Restaurants, Focacceria is a tiny, romantic trattoria that serves some tremendous Italian food to the Greenwich Village locals.
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Marinella Restaurant
49 Carmine Street (West Village), Manhattan, NY 10014
(212) 807-7472
Cozy, intimate, and low-key, Marinella is one Italian restaurant in New York that should not be overlooked. Marinella is a hidden gem that may not be hidden for long.
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Kosher Restaurants

Diamond Dairy of New York Restaurant
4 W 47th Street (Diamond District), Manhattan, NY 10036
(212) 719-2694
Hidden both literally and figuratively, the Diamond Dairy of New York Restaurant resides in the back of a jewelry store on the second floor, overlooking the shop. Excellent potato pancakes, blintzes, and soups can be found in this unusual dining spot.
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Mediterranean Restaurants

Niko's Mediterranean Grill and Bistro
2161 Broadway (Upper West Side), Manhattan, NY 10024
(212) 873-7000
A bustling place loaded with atmosphere and favored by locals in the Upper West Side, Niko's Mediterranean Grill specializes in Greek food, but also has some terrific Italian dishes, including an amazing pesto lasagna.
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Pub Food

Chumley's [CLOSED INDEFINITELY]
86 Bedford Street (West Village), Manhattan, NY 10014
(212) 675-4449
Chumley's may be well-known to West Village residents, but this former speakeasy is literally a hidden gem. Between the fireplace, the old wooden decor, and the comfort food, Chumley's is a winner.
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Thai Restaurants

Topaz
127 W 56th Street (Midtown), Manhattan, NY 10019
(212) 957-8020

If you like authentic Thai food that is capable of causing flames to shoot out of your mouth, Topaz may be for you. This hidden gem on the relatively quiet 56th Street can get crowded before shows, but is otherwise an uncrowded spot that is perfect for lovers of hot, spicy Thai cuisine.
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Vietnamese Restaurants

Doyers Vietnamese Restaurant
11 Doyers Street (Chinatown), Manhattan, NY 10013
(212) 693-0725
Formerly called Vietnam, Doyers Vietnamese Restaurant is located in the basement of an old building on a narrow street in Chinatown. If you can find it, the restaurant is well worth going to for its soups and other entrees.
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