The 22 Best Restaurants in NYC Right Now

Finding a top restaurant in New York is always a fun adventure, with top Michelin star experiences, to small local spots at any time of the day. Our list of the Top 22 Restaurants in New York covers more than just one category, and area in the city.. it's a full culinary experience all through out the city. These dining experiences are a combination of new, famous, and old classics that our local readers and team love to visit over and over again.

We've included short bios, reservation links, and more for easier reading. Our team hopes you enjoy them as much as we do!

Le Bernardin

Born in Paris in 1972 by sibling duo Maguy and Gilbert Le Coze, Le Bernardin only served fish: Fresh, simple and prepared with respect. After receiving its first Michelin star in 1976, and two more in 1980, the Le Coze's set to open Le Bernardin in New York in 1986. Le Bernardin has received more James Beard Awards than any other restaurant in New York City. In 1998, Maguy Le Coze won the coveted James Beard Award for "Outstanding Restaurant" in America, and in May 2003, the James Beard Foundation named Eric Ripert "Outstanding Chef." In 2009, Le Bernardin was honored with the James Beard Award for "Outstanding Wine Service." The Michelin Guide, which made its New York debut in 2005, honored Chef Ripert and Le Bernardin with its highest rating of three stars in 2005 and each year thereafter, and the restaurant ranks 26 on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list. Most recently for 2019, Le Bernardin was ranked No. 1 in the World by La Liste, the global food guide and review aggregator.

155 W 51^ST ST, NEW YORK, NY 10019

Reservations (Beginning on the first day of each month, excluding Sundays, reservations can be made for the entire following month.):  (212) 554-1515

Aquavit

The Swedish fine-dining restaurant opened in Midtown Manhattan in 1986, and to this day it remains unlike any other dining establishment in the city. Polished and elegant with a distinctive menu that reflects the evolving cuisines of both Sweden and New York City, Aquavit remains unique, balancing traditional fine dining with modern-day whimsy while maintaining its Scandinavian roots under the watchful eye of owner Håkan Swahn.

Reservations

Ilili

ilili is an extension of three generations of Massoud family stories. These stories are enriched in joy, loss, struggle, resilience and 100 years of outstanding hospitality making our establishment historic while creating new beginnings. Chef Philippe Massoud's concept was simple: to revive and bring this ancient cuisine to a public who hadn't properly experienced it.

Reservations

Bâtard

Bâtard is a Modern European restaurant located at 239 West Broadway in the heart of New York City's TriBeCa neighborhood. Restaurateur Drew Nieporent's long commitment to Tribeca continues in the space that housed the legendary Montrachet. Bâtard is the heir to the groundbreaking food and wine legacy that began here in 1985. Since opening in 2014, Bâtard has innovated a fresh, contemporary edge of "refined simplicity" that is entirely its own.

Reservations

Rezdôra

Rezdôra is a New York Times three-star restaurant and a 2020 Michelin Star recipient from Chef Stefano Secchi and Partner David Switzer in New York City's Flatiron neighborhood. The menu celebrates the cuisine of Emilia Romagna and is centered around house-made pasta, a nod to the restaurant's name which translates to "head of household"-usually a nonna who hand rolls pasta. Traditionally prepared meat, fish, local vegetables, and Northern Italian wines complement the offerings.

Reservations

Gem

Gem is a restaurant by Flynn McGarry located on the lower east side. Their menu changes three times a year pertaining to the season. Currently, we are serving our East Coast Flora Menu at Gem. The new season is intended to showcase the frequent and varied changes in our microclimate throughout these special months.

Reservations

Soothr

Soothr, properly pronounced "Sood" is the Thai word meaning "Recipe". This East Village establishment is the vision of close friends who grew up in different regions of Thailand, hoping to share their experiences and recipes with the rest of the world.

Reservations

Estela

An intimate downtown bistro from chef Ignacio Mattos that can be experienced in many ways, whether it's a thrilling dinner in the dining room, a leisurely weekend brunch with friends, or a late-night drink at the bustling bar. Since opening in 2013, the restaurant has served several signature dishes that are now considered New York City classics, while always offering guests something new to try.

Reservations

P.J. Clarkes on the Hudson

Best known for serving delicious comfort food in hearty portions. Their mouthwatering burgers are nothing short of heavenly.They also have a great raw bar with generous oyster, lobster, fish and shrimp plates. Zagat spotlighted their excellent lobster rolls in an article from 2014. Another one of their stellar menu items is the Maryland jumbo lump crab cake served with a side of tartar sauce and also a side of coleslaw. P.J. Clarke's always offers an outstanding experience for food lovers.

Reservations

Lucali

"Accidental pizzaiolo Mark Iacono opened Lucali in 2006 as a labor of love, to save the local candy store of his Carroll Gardens youth from an uncertain, generic fate (i.e., becoming a Subway or Dunkin' Donuts, he feared). After devoting himself to the monklike regimen of making old-fashioned thin-crust, brick-oven pizzas, Iacono has created a business that has instantly become woven into the neighborhood fabric, a cozy, softly lit, and effortlessly soulful spot where families commune over the simple pleasures of Iacono's rough-hewn, satisfying pies, all of them made front and center at a workstation that looks like a stage. " – NY Mag

Reservations – Show up by 4PM to add your name to the waitlist, BYOB & Cash Only, Service begins at 5PM

Seeyamañana

Inspired by the rugged nature and raw beauty of Baja California, seeyamañana is focused primarily on highball agave cocktails using botanicals from Baja served alongside plant-inspired Mexican dishes.n For our minimal protein selection, we use wild-caught fish and grass-grazed animals.

Reservations – Call: (212) 689-4000

Le CouCou

After taking the Parisian dining scene by storm, internationally acclaimed chef Daniel Rose returns to his home soil with Le Coucou, his New York City collaboration with restaurateur Stephen Starr. The Roman and Williams-designed space is a gracious modern nod to fine European gastronomy, with crisp linens, flickering candles and whitewashed brick serving as subtle framework for Rose's vivid cooking. Updating classical French cuisine with charm and verve, Rose shrinks the intercontinental divide separating the City of Light and the Big Apple, proving that the true essence of fine French dining can thrive in any time zone.

Reservations

Charlie Bird

The menu comes from New York's farmer's markets, Long Island fishing boats, country fields, and the wondrous meanderings of spirited travelers with passionate palates. Charlie Bird's crushing seafood, roasted meats, crazy good wine, and creamy espresso. Italian influenced, American executed, and entirely New York.

Reservations

Gramercy Tavern

One of America's most beloved restaurants, Gramercy Tavern has welcomed guests to enjoy its contemporary American cuisine, warm hospitality, and unparalleled service in New York City for over two decades. Chef Michael Anthony's ever-evolving seasonal menu showcases the restaurant's relationships with local farms and purveyors. Opened in 1994 by restaurateur Danny Meyer in a historic landmark building just north of Union Square, the restaurant has earned nine James Beard Awards, including "Outstanding Restaurant" and "Outstanding Chef in America".

Reservations

Lombardi's (a classic)

Since 1905 Gennaro Lombardi crafted pizza in the United States using his bakers trade he learned from Naples. Lombardi is credited with developing New York Style pizza and making Lombardi's the first pizzeria in the United States. Still located in the Little Italy section of Manhattan offering its beautiful, smoky-crusted coal oven baked pizza, topped with purist tomato sauce, fresh whole milk mozzarella, and basil, keeping locals and visitors alike coming back.

Reservations: Sunday to Thursday 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM and Friday to Saturday 12:00 PM to 12:00 AM

Atera *** 

Atera is a Basque word that translates to: "To go out." An immersive sensory dining experience with Executive Chef Ronny Emborg. Atera – a two star Michelin restaurant in Tribeca, New York City

Reservations

Bowery Meat Company

A steakhouse for the modern day, this inviting temple to meat is up there with the Lugers and the Keens of the world, despite not having a century's worth of history — which speaks volumes for the cuts and service it provides. Do order the lasagna, and know that whatever steak you get, you can't go wrong. Located downtown NYC just off Bowery and 1st Street, the menu is diverse and market-driven, including beef from Diamond Creek Ranch, domestic Colorado lamb, veal, pork, and more.

Reservations

Daniel

Located in the former Mayfair Hotel on Park Avenue – the original site of Le Cirque – DANIEL is steeped in French culinary history. Building on time-honored techniques, Executive Chef Eddy LeRoux , Chef de Cuisine Joshua Capone and Executive Pastry Shaun Velez present a modern, seasonal menu inspired by the finest meats, wild game, seafood, fruits, vegetables and foraged flavors from around the world. Wines from the Rhône and Burgundy, as well as a robust Champagne program, rank among the noteworthy highlights of the restaurant's award-winning cellar.

Reservations

Keens Steakhouse

Keens Steakhouse owns the largest collection of churchwarden pipes in the world. The tradition of checking one's pipe at the inn had its origins in 17th century Merrie Old England where travelers kept their clay at their favorite inn – the thin stemmed pipe being too fragile to be carried in purse or saddlebag. Pipe smoking was known since Elizabethan times to be beneficial for dissipating "evil homourse of the brain." Keens's pipe tradition began in the early 20th century.

Reservations: 212-947-3636

Sona

SONA reimagines the wonders of Indian fare in a space that evokes a bygone era of a boisterous yet elegant India—all within the heart of New York City.

Address: 36 E 20TH ST NEW YORK, NY 10003

Reservations

Yellow Rose

Yellow Rose is the brainchild of Dave and Krystiana Rizo has been open since November 2020. The menu offers food and drink inspired by their Southern Texas roots, mainly San Antonio where the couple was born and raised. Yellow Rose offers everything from Texas Classics to daily specials consisting of produce from New York state made with their own Texan spin.

Reservations

Nerai

Throughout the history of Greece, there is a long and storied tradition of hospitality. From the Iliad to the Odyssey, the concept of hospitality is an enduring one. Filoxenia, the Greek word for hospitality, emphasizes the importance of friendship, food, and libations. At Nerai, you will find a contemporary take on this age-old tradition of filoxenia. Nerai offers a modern and sophisticated twist on Greek dining in the heart of New York, featuring a lively bar, elegant dining rooms, and intimate private event spaces.

Reservations

Like these? Let us know which are your favorite here!