New York’s best places to eat and drink

It’s not a New York visit without a pizza stop – this one is from Sweetbriar.

It’s an impossible task to single out just 12 of New York City’s best restaurants. In one of the most diverse and exciting culinary destinations of the world, there are more than 25,000 places to eat, with more opening every day. Most are good (or they don’t last long); many are spectacular. What we can do is take a highly opinionated stance and steer you in the direction of a dozen spots we love. They’re reliably delicious, memorable and so much fun. Go on, take a bite.

Gallow Green

Gallow Green transforms from a lush garden oasis in summer to a cosy hideaway in winter.

Romantic rooftop for brunch and cocktails
Transforming seasonally from a lush garden oasis to a cosy winter hideaway (igloos and furry blankets have featured in previous years), the rooftop space at the McKittrick Hotel feels like an insider secret. Down below, the immersive theatre production Sleep No More takes over the moody, multilevel fictional hotel set, while up on the rooftop you’ll find a restaurant with fairy lights and west-side views. Champagne brunch is centred around a lavish buffet of suckling pig, French toast, omelette stations and much more. At the new mimosa bar, mix your own bespoke brunch cocktail or choose one from the mixologist’s menu, including the signature Sleep No More. Live music and a tarot-card reader add to the carnival atmosphere. The dinner menu includes yellowfin tuna crudo, moussaka, chicken paillard and seasonal specialties, like tacos in summer.
542 West 27th Street, New York. Phone: [phone]. mckittrickhotel.com

Balthazar

Balthazar has sustained its popularity and hype for 25 years.

Ever-popular French brasserie
First opened 25 years ago, it’s still near-impossible to get a prime-time dinner reservation at Keith McNally’s buzzy French-style brasserie, unless you book a month in advance. Why? The food is consistently terrific, from the signature Balthazar burger to veal Milanese, steak frites and roast chicken. A raw bar sends out magnificent seafood towers and a shrimp cocktail that never goes out of style, while the classic cocktails always satisfy. It’s worth trying for a walk-in seat at the bar, where you could be rubbing shoulders with A-list celebrities, models and photographers from nearby Soho studios. Brunch is an occasion you should definitely dress up for.
80 Spring Street, New York. Phone: [phone]. balthazarny.com.

Thai Diner

Thai Diner combines colourful kitsch with classic and modern Thai dishes.

Creative Thai comfort food in a fun and lively space
It was always going to be a hit. New Yorkers mourning the pandemic-related closure of acclaimed restaurant Uncle Boons turned out in droves from day one to support chefs Ann Redding and Matt Danzer in their new venture. The all-day space in Chinatown plays it fun, loose and carefree with a menu of creative Thai-American dishes that please the soul as well as the tastebuds. Try the Disco Fries, smothered in Massaman curry with peanuts and coconut cream, stay for the rotisserie chicken and banana blossom salad sandwich, feast on Uncle Boon’s traditional crab fried rice. The playful dessert menu – which includes a kitschy Thai coffee ‘monster’ cake and a coconut sundae festooned with palm sugar whipped cream – wouldn’t be out of place at a kids’ birthday party.
186 Mott Street, New York. Phone: [phone]. thaidiner.com.

Birria-Landia

Birria-Landia serves up some of the best street tacos in NYC.

The best street tacos in the city
José Moreno, a former chef at Eataly, has been credited with starting the Mexican birria craze in NYC. His family-run taco truck, located under the elevated subway tracks in Jackson Heights, was one of the first to sell juicy Tijuana-style beef birria tacos and tostadas. Now, they’re everywhere. Tortillas are dipped in beef fat, grilled until crunchy, then stuffed with juicy marinated meat and adobo spices. A side serve of tangy, chunky, beef consomme is for dunking. Open from 5pm to 1am Monday to Friday (and 1pm to 1am on weekends), there’s almost always a long line, but it’s worth the wait. For under $15, you can try one of everything on the menu. The New York Times gave Birria-Landia a two-star critic’s pick and named it alongside Michelin-starred restaurants as one of the best places to eat in the city.
Corner of 78th Street and Roosevelt Avenue, Queens. Phone: [phone]. qrusamenu.com/birrialandia

Red Rooster Harlem

Red Rooster is known for its soul food and live music.

Soul food and great music in the heart of Harlem
If you’re heading up to Harlem, you really should stop in at Red Rooster. No, not that Red Rooster (though there is fried chicken on the menu). Chef Marcus Samuelsson’s vision of a neighbourhood bar and restaurant has succeeded in enticing many Manhattanites north of Central Park, many for the first time. They rave about the consistently delicious soul food, the always-busy bar area and music sets from local performers that can turn a boring Tuesday night into an ecstatic party. Signature dishes to try include fried yardbird, mac and greens, and seafood jambalaya.
310 Lenox Avenue, Harlem. Phone: [phone]. redroosterharlem.com

Sweetbriar

The chic dining-room bar at Sweetbriar.

Inventive wood-fired dishes from an Eleven Madison Park alumnus
Chef Bryce Shuman’s cooking is on fire. Shuman, previously known for inventive dishes at Eleven Madison Park and Michelin-starred fare at now-shuttered Betony, is embracing his love of live-fire cooking at Sweetbriar, his new restaurant in the Park South Hotel. A charcoal grill, wood-fired oven and smoker are used to produce a menu that includes Bryce’s famous black-pepper maple duroc ribs, sweet soppressata pizza and whole branzino. The stone-ground cornbread with honey butter is a surprise standout, and vegetarians will enjoy the many veg-forward dishes. Cocktail hour in the lounge (5pm to 6.30pm, Tuesday to Saturday) is an invitation to enjoy half-priced wines curated by the Sommelier Society of America.
127 East 27th Street, New York. Phone: [phone]. sweetbriarnyc.com

Harriet’s Rooftop

The spectacular views at Harriet’s make us more amenable to the considerable expense.

Incredible views, food and cocktails in Brooklyn
The views from the top of 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge are truly jaw-dropping, which makes us love Harriet’s Rooftop a little more than we probably should, given the considerable cost of food and cocktails here. Downtown Manhattan, DUMBO and the East River are laid out in glittering silver tones, like a scene from a frothy New York rom-com, making this a favourite stop for tourists in Brooklyn. On the menu are healthy small plates including spicy edamame and watermelon-cucumber salad, plus light and delicious seafood sushi rolls and platters. Specialty cocktails feature sustainable choices, in keeping with the hotel’s green ethos, as well as classic margaritas, frosé and more.
60 Furman Street, Brooklyn. Phone: [phone]hotels.com/brooklyn-bridge

Hakata TonTon

Casual, delicious izakaya-style dishes in midtown
In the summer of 2022, longtime West Village chef Koji Hagihara transferred his Japanese soul food and loaded hot pots to a new location on 35th Street. The result is a bustling canteen serving delicious, well-priced dishes that will please anyone craving Asian umami flavours. Sushi rolls, rice and noodles on the menu cover the standards, while unexpected delight comes from breaded avocado with jalapeno cilantro mayo, pork feet gyoza, and shrimp with sweet chilli over egg omelette. The cocktail list is inventive, but you can’t go wrong with ice-cold Asahi draft beer or the wide selection of sake. Traditional Japanese desserts – roasted sesame ice-cream, baked cheesecake – end things on a sweet note.
35 West 35th Street, New York. Phone: [phone]. hakatatonton.net

Smorgasburg

Eat your way around the world at Smorgasburg.

Outdoor food market featuring popular takeaway food
Come hungry. Said to be the largest weekly open-air food market in the US, Smorgasburg started in Williamsburg and has now expanded to include locations in Prospect Park, Jersey City and World Trade Center. Cheesesteaks, bao buns, lobster rolls, dumplings, doughnuts and much more are available, with many of the city’s most successful food trucks getting their start here. On a sunny day, it’s a joy to sit outside and eat your way through dozens of world cuisines. Opening hours vary by location; some vendors accept cash only.
90 Kent Avenue, Brooklyn. Phone: [phone]. smorgasburg.com

Oceans

Impeccable service, beautiful design and plenty of non-seafood options at Oceans.

Terrific seafood and sushi, with tasty options for carnivores
Impeccable service at this beautifully designed seafood restaurant makes every meal feel like a special occasion. Chef Andy Kitko presents daily selections of locally and globally sourced fish, available to be prepared several ways, including sashimi-style. Seafood lovers should try the Maryland crab cakes, tuna tartare and Dover sole in almond-caper brown butter. The non-seafood menu choices are also top-notch, with bone-in New York strip and filet mignon as good as any you’ll find in the finest steakhouses. Save room for the luscious bread service, one of the best in the city. Craft cocktails and an excellent wine list add the finishing touches.
233 Park Avenue South, New York. Phone: [phone]. oceansnewyork.com

Lucali

It’s worth queuing for Lucali, if you have the patience.

Legendary pizza worth lining up for
Let’s just say it from the get-go: There’s no shortage of mouth-watering pizza in NYC, so if you don’t feel like lining up, Lucali isn’t the place for you. Show up well before opening at 5pm – or risk not getting in at all. The traditional Italian pizzas are beautiful in their simplicity: thin-crust, fired in the brick oven and topped with classic ingredients including pepperoni, basil, garlic and sausage. It’s BYOB and cash-only, so be prepared. If the line’s too long, grab a slice from Baby Luc’s around the corner.
575 Henry Street, Brooklyn. Phone: [phone]. lucali.com

Semma

Semma serves dishes that are hard to find outside of southern India.

Authentic southern Indian cuisine
Forget everything you think you know about Indian food. The cuisine served at Semma in the West Village is rarely prepared outside of homes in south Indian villages. Step inside the bamboo-covered interior and you might feel you’ve been transported to Asia. Lobster tail swimming in turmeric-scented coconut milk, Goanese oxtail with just the right amount of spice, and snails in a ginger-tamarind sauce are three of the highlights. Whole Dungeness crab should be ordered the day before; just three to five are available each night. The Semma team are also behind Indian hotspot Dhamaka, newly opened in Essex Market on the Lower East Side.
60 Greenwich Avenue, New York. Phone: [phone]. semma.nyc