07 January 2026
Share
There are over 350 restaurants in The MICHELIN Guide's New York City selection, so deciding where to eat can be difficult.
With the arrival of the 2026 New York City Winter Restaurant Week (January 20th to February 12th), that makes things easier. We have compiled a list of all participating MICHELIN Guide restaurants, so you don't have to. From special menus to discounted prices, these are the places to eat (and stay) in the Big Apple during this year's restaurant week.
Brooklyn (South)
Alta Calidad (Bib Gourmand)
Neighborhood: Prospect Heights
Cuisine: Mexican
Price: $30 lunch / $45 dinner menu
This stylish Mexican restaurant is bright and modern, with light-flooded windows and comfy banquettes, while the communal table and cozy bar lined with stools are great spaces to socialize and make new friends.
Inspector notes: "Crispy tempura shrimp are set atop a tortilla with crunchy cabbage remoulade for an original dish, while paper-thin carne asada sprinkled with Chihuahua cheese and griddled until caramelized and crisp is another standout."
LORE (Bib Gourmand)
Neighborhood: Park Slope
Cuisine: Contemporary
Price: $30 lunch (Sunday) menu / $45 dinner menu
Welcoming with just the right amount of buzz, Lore embodies the perfect neighborhood spot—if your neighborhood happens to be sophisticated Park Slope. This unique corner storefront at the base of a residential building delivers creative Indian-infused and American fare made even more enjoyable thanks to warm service in an inviting setting.
Inspector notes: "Chef Jay Kumar's food is certainly the star. Enjoy a three-course menu or order à la carte to revel in smart, refined dishes like roasted butternut squash over babaghanoush, a signature fermented dosa with coconut, tomato and dal chutneys, and duck confit with Indian-spiced bean mash and tamarind sauce."
Tanoreen (Bib Gourmand)
Neighborhood: Bay Ridge
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Price: $45 lunch / $60 dinner menu
This warm Middle Eastern restaurant is tucked into an unassuming Bay Ridge corner and run by Chef/owner Rawia Bishara and her daughter.
Inspector notes: " Meals graciously commence with pickled vegetables and za’atar-dusted flatbread and are followed by a tableful of unique plates brimming with flavors and colors. Turkish salad is actually a bright red tomato spread, shot with harissa and dressed with bits of diced cucumber and a drizzle of excellent olive oil. Appetizers are numerous (grape leaves are a lively sure thing), but don't miss the mansaf, a homey dish consisting of braised lamb doused in creamy yogurt and served over a mound of fluffy rice."
Stay nearby:
Ace Hotel Brooklyn (One MICHELIN Key)
Leave it to Ace Hotels to find a way to put a novel spin on the idea of a Brooklyn boutique hotel. Ace Hotel Brooklyn finds itself not in Williamsburg but in rapidly evolving Boerum Hill, right at the edge of Downtown Brooklyn, in an arresting new building by Stonehill Taylor. What’s familiar is what’s inside: modernist-inspired industrial-romantic interiors by Roman & Williams, who are on our short list for the world’s most influential boutique-hotel designers.
Brooklyn (North)
Francie (One MICHELIN Star)
Neighborhood: Williamsburg
Cuisine: Contemporary
Price: $60 dinner menu
Francie is headed by John Winterman and native New Yorker, Chef Chris Cipollone. The open kitchen is a true-to-life stage for this team, who can be seen prepping, cooking, and putting the finishing touches on a series of Mediterranean-style plates.
Inspector notes: "Pasta is a must, as in the conchiglie with a luscious clam sauce. Shelled clams, bits of bacon, and sesame breadcrumbs complete the delightful preparation."
Neighborhood: Greenpoint
Cuisine: Thai
Price: $30 or $45 lunch / $45 dinner menu
Husband-and-wife Chefs Ohm Suansilphong and Kiki Supap are behind KRU, which is Thai for "guru." Indeed, you will get a lesson in traditional Thai dishes, albeit ones that have been spruced up in a decidedly contemporary way.
Inspector notes: "First up? An invigorating salad of multi-colored cauliflower "pla" dressed in chiles, lime and fish sauce. Khai phra arthit, or a rice omelette that is equal parts fluffy and dense, is further proof that the simplest ingredients often are best."
Neighborhood: Williamsburg
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Price: $45 lunch / $60 dinner menu
Tucked next to the steely skeleton of the Williamsburg Bridge, Meadowsweet cuts a stylish industrial figure with its glass-fronted façade, whitewashed brick walls and original mosaic-tiled floors. Inside, the restaurant jumps with a steady stream of locals and regulars, all here for well-priced and well-executed food.
Inspector notes: "Despite ample competition in this section of town, Owners Polo Dobkin and Stephanie Lempert elevate the kitchen’s dishes ranging from crispy baby artichokes with shaved parmesan and orechiette with blue crab tossed in a lemon beurre fondue to spiced duck breast with sweet corn polenta, grilled escarole and Mandarin orange."
Neighborhood: Williamsburg
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Price: $45 dinner menu
Mesiba certainly lives up to its name. This Levantine restaurant tucked at the base of the hip Moxy Williamsburg hotel, means “party” in Hebrew, and indeed its lively ambience alone is a draw. However, Chef Eli Buliskeria's food is equally captivating.
Inspector notes: "From baba ganoush to ktzitzot (red snapper skewers) with Palestinian za'atar to khinkali, he honors this melting pot-style cuisine in a sleek setting reminiscent of Tel Aviv's Bauhaus-inspired architecture. A creamy "risotto" made with freekeh delivers great flavors thanks to head-on prawns and a tangy-tart yogurt."
Nami Nori (Bib Gourmand)
Neighborhood: Williamsburg
Cuisine: Japanese
Price: $30 lunch (Wednesday to Friday) menu / $55 dinner (Monday to Friday) menu
Note: the Manhattan location is recognized by The MICHELIN Guide.
Beyond its entrance, find a few blonde-wood benches donning gray-blue pillows, and two U-shaped counters where temaki, or hand rolls, are front and center, along with other items like a vegetable miso soup with fried tofu and shishito. Hungry diners will revel in the chef's set, which may uncover such delectable combos as salmon, onion cream, and tomato in toasted nori.
Inspector notes: "Topped with scallions, chopped toro on wasabi rice is hard to resist; not unlike the broiled crab with spicy mayo that arrives in a nori shell studded with rice crackers for a delightfully inventive treat."
Tonchin (Bib Gourmand)
Neighborhood: Williamsburg
Cuisine: Japanese
Price: $45 dinner menu
Note: the Manhattan location is recognized by The MICHELIN Guide.
Leave it to this Tokyo-based ramen chain to offer one of the city’s best bowls. A refined tonkotsu is the house favorite but the smoked dashi ramen holds its own.
Inspector notes: "All noodles are made in-house and boast proper spring and bounce. Starters also flaunt refinement, including the crisp-seared gyoza packed with pork, ginger, and set in a cast-iron pan sizzling with ramen broth."
Stay nearby:
The concept is the classic North Brooklyn apartment, but done properly: rooms include kitchenettes, hardwood floors, and a carefully curated selection of artworks and art books. And the art is hardly limited to just the accommodations — there’s an in-house art gallery as well. There’s a touch of the Hudson Valley here in the form of a surplus of greenery, from a garden terrace to the in-room plants. Short of subletting an artist’s loft, it’s as close as you can get to the classic Williamsburg residential experience.
Manhattan (East Village)
Ishq (Bib Gourmand)
Neighborhood: East Village
Cuisine: Indian
Price: $60 dinner menu
Promises of “modern Indian” often bring more flash than flavor, but that is not the case at this welcoming restaurant along Avenue A. A striking salmon-pink quartz bar stretches the length of the front area and into a moodier dining room where groups gather around generously spaced tables.
Inspector notes: "The menu is teeming with ideas, and dishes arrive with all the right levels of spice, heat, depth, and nuance. “Jalebi Chaat” is a savory, textural playground with chickpeas, beetroot, and a sweet and sour yogurt. There must be butter chicken, which comes doused in a complex tomato makhani sauce. There must also be lamb shank biryani, portioned for a party and spiced to the hilt. Everything is designed to be shared so plan accordingly."
Momofuku Noodle Bar (Bib Gourmand)
Neighborhood: East Village
Cuisine: Asian
Price: $45 lunch (Sunday) menu / $60 dinner menu
This elder member of David Chang’s culinary empire is hipper and hotter than ever. A honey-toned temple of updated comfort food, decked with wood counters and a sparkling open kitchen, the service here may be brisk. But rest assured, as the menu is gutsy and molded with Asian street food in mind.
Inspector notes: "Those steamed buns have amassed a gargantuan following thanks to decadent fillings like moist pork loin kissed with Hollandaise and chives. Additionally, that bowl of springy noodles doused in a spicy ginger-scallion sauce is just one instance of the crew’s signature work. Other items, including desserts like candy apple truffle, are beautifully crafted and rightfully elevated to global fame."
Noreetuh (Bib Gourmand)
Neighborhood: East Village
Cuisine: Fusion
Price: $60 lunch (Sunday) menu / $60 dinner menu
For a taste of something different, make a beeline to this unique Hawaiian-flavored spot. Headed by a trio of Per Se veterans, Noreetuh features an intimate setting of two slender dining rooms adorned with hexagonal mirrors and shelving units used to store bottles from the impressive wine list.
Inspector notes: "The kitchen turns out contemporary and sophisticated interpretations of Hawaiian cuisine. Imported ingredients such as shrimp from Kauai and the famous King's Hawaiian sweet bread are sure to invoke nostalgia among the expats."
Neighborhood: East Village
Cuisine: Contemporary
Price: $60 dinner menu
Chefs Matthew Lee and Jeff Kim are behind the East Village's well-loved Nudibranch. The food is contemporary with strong Asian influences along with a few Italian and Scandinavian elements making an appearance. Portions lean dainty, but nobody seems to care, as they're all nibbling off each other's plates, family style.
Inspector notes: "Begin with fried frogs legs finished with bright galangal and lemongrass before tucking in to cauliflower three ways. The signature mushroom dish has been on the menu since day one."
Neighborhood: East Village
Cuisine: Greek
Price: $30 lunch / $45 dinner menu
Restaurateur Christos Valtzoglou has found a winning formula with this longstanding hideaway, which continues to sparkle as brightly as the Aegean Sea on a summer day. This contemporary taverna also features a ceiling canopy of suspended terra-cotta pots, rustic whitewashed walls and lapis-blue insets.
Inspector notes: "Keftedakia are light and texturally exquisite meatballs, pan fried in olive oil and proffered as an appetizer. Gigantes are baked in honey-scented tomato-dill sauce; while aginares moussaka is a creamy vegetarian take on the classic, made here with artichokes."
Tuome (One MICHELIN Star)
Neighborhood: East Village
Cuisine: Fusion
Price: $60 dinner menu
Classically trained Chef Thomas Chen is the one to thank for the fabulous Tuome. It's an Asian-inspired menu, which is no surprise as the chef is a master of weaving together ingredients to delicious and surprising effect.
Inspector notes: "Don’t miss the seared octopus served atop pork XO sauce or the lamb chops, served perfectly medium rare and finished with a shishito chimichurri, black pepper jus, and a dollop of onion soubise. Finally, deep-fried buns which arrive as Chinese “beignets” accompanied by vanilla ice cream laced with red bean paste, goat's milk caramel, and yuzu marmalade render dessert wholly unmissable."
Stay nearby:
It’s hard to miss the towering curves and angles of the Standard, surrounded as it is by a relatively low-rise district. And from inside the rooms it makes for unique perspectives on the East Village rooftops as well as the downtown bridges and classic uptown skyscrapers. Windows are floor-to-ceiling, and the in-room amenities are pure luxury-boutique: huge HD screens, Bluetooth-enabled sound systems, mosaic-tile bathrooms and three different bathrobes to choose from. All this and warmth too — the sunny rooms are fitted with subtly retro furnishings and dreamy beds with fluffy down pillows.
Manhattan (NoLita and Lower East Side)
8282 (Bib Gourmand)
Neighborhood: Lower East Side
Cuisine: Korean
Price: $60 dinner menu
There’s a first time for everything at this rambunctious little restaurant in the Lower East Side. The team works with a solid foundation of Korean flavors and from there, springboards into uncharted waters. Creative, bold dishes – all of which beg to be shared – run up and down this menu. Those wanting to stick to something more familiar will not leave disappointed.
Inspector notes: "The pan-fried scallion-parsley pancake makes for a superb start, followed by tender medallions of grilled Iberico pork galbi resting in a pool of spicy red chili paste."
Dhamaka (Bib Gourmand)
Neighborhood: Lower East Side
Cuisine: Indian
Price: $60 dinner menu
This rousing Indian restaurant in Essex Market is refreshingly unapologetic with its complex spices, fierce heat levels and inspired preparations of more unusual items (kidneys, anyone?). Dhamaka, which means “explosion” in Hindi, is a bold love letter to the country’s more rustic dishes, many of which are drawn from the owner’s childhood.
Inspector notes: "Where else have you had smoky goat belly flecked with coriander seeds and wrapped in cedar wood? How often does your mutton come in a clay pot filled with a deliciously dark chili oil and an entire bulb of roasted garlic?"
Neighborhood: NoLita
Cuisine: South East Asian
Price: $30 brunch (Sunday) menu / $60 dinner menu
This spot, which translates to "second born" in Balinese (Sister spot and "first born" is nearby Wayan), is the latest from Chef Cédric Vongerichten and wife Ochi Latjuba Vongerichten. It is a tribute to their love for the Indonesian archipelago, with everything from collected shells and tiles to handpicked glassware sourced directly.
Inspector notes: "The food is as sunny and pleasant as the setting. Snack on a bowlful of crispy-fried artichoke hearts with a side of basil, black olive and lemon aioli, then delight in the Ma·dé chirashi, presented in an etched wine glass with cubes of tuna and trout over kombu-braised potatoes for a dish that is as delicious as it is stunning."
Neighborhood: NoLita
Cuisine: Indonesian
Price: $30 lunch / $60 dinner menu
This enticing Indonesian restaurant, brought to you by Chef/co-owner Cédric Vongerichten boasts a modern French flair. Located in ever-fashionable NoLita, the long and sleek restaurant is a riot for the senses, thanks to a lush, exotic décor filled with candles, pillows, live plants, and warm teak paneling.
Inspector notes: "The seasonal menu is divided into satays, sides, small and large plates, as well as a sprinkling of desserts."
Stay nearby:
The Bowery Hotel (One MICHELIN Key)
From the outside it’s clear enough that the Bowery Hotel is a relatively recent addition to the neighborhood, but what’s inside is such a faithful homage to classic New York you’d be forgiven for starting to think it’s been here forever. Its eclectic, bohemian look helped usher in a new kind of romance in boutique-hotel style, and the timelessness of its aesthetic means the romance is still fresh long after the glossy minimalism of some of its contemporaries has begun to fade.
Manhattan (Lower Manhattan)
Neighborhood: The Seaport
Cuisine: Steakhouse
Price: $45 lunch menu
No expense was spared in the design of restaurateur Andrew Carmellini's Italian chophouse, located at Pier 17 in the South Street Seaport, where a bustling horseshoe-shaped bar anchors the ground floor and a team of sharply dressed servers manage the upstairs dining room, outfitted with Tuscan leather banquettes, Venetian mirrors, and charming views of the East River.
Inspector notes: "High quality steaks are seasoned and cooked deftly; and among the many cuts and sizes, the unique gorgonzola-cured Wagyu strip loin is certainly a highlight."
Crown Shy (One MICHELIN Star)
Neighborhood: Lower Manhattan
Cuisine: Contemporary
Price: $45 lunch / $60 dinner menu
Crown Shy occupies a stunning setting in the landmark Art Deco tower, 70 Pine Street. It’s an undeniable feast for the senses, as the cooking is just as enticing. The kitchen moves like clockwork, in sync and calm in its delivery of dishes like ricotta gnocchi, delightfully pillowy and slathered with a creamy sauce that surprises with a hit of spice along with crumbly duck bits.
Inspector notes: "The roasted Japanese sweet potato nestled in a bright-tasting green curry sauce is made heartier by some strewn farro, while a perfectly refreshing finale is the Creamsicle-inspired satsuma ice crowned with torched marshmallow and shattered bits of honeycomb candy."
Neighborhood: Lower Manhattan
Cuisine: French, African
Price: $45 lunch / $60 dinner menu
Nestled within the luxe and glamour of Printemps is this stylish restaurant by Chef Gregory Gourdet, who pulls French, African and Asian influences into a tight menu teeming with personality. Striking tilework, an open kitchen and a green, patterned booth make for a distinct, photo-ready setting.
Inspector notes: "Mature and composed, dishes like smoked beets with nuoc cham and pickled strawberries or asparagus soup with crab and grilled cucumber deliver flavor and finesse in spades. Duck glazed in cane syrup and finished with a tamarind jus is pure fireworks, while jasmine rice with red kidney beans is at once subtle, confident and deeply satisfying. Beautiful cocktails round out the experience."
Neighborhood: Lower Manhattan
Cuisine: Contemporary
Price: $60 lunch menu
Great views and good food rarely go hand in hand, but this stylish spot breaks that trend. Set in an iconic skyscraper and set some 60 floors up with Manhattan laid out before you, these views truly do not disappoint. The best seats in the house are those closest to the windows, though those with a view of the open kitchen are a close second.
Inspector notes: "Chef Justin Bogle and his team have injected new life into the kitchen with global ingredients and ambitiously creative compositions that make excellent use of seasonal ingredients. Oysters Manhatta with uni and Champagne sabayon is a luxurious start, while the skin-on, seared, dry-aged duck with persimmon, endive and a side of white Japanese sweet potato puree is a standout."
Stay nearby:
The Wall Street Hotel (One MICHELIN Key)
Lower Manhattan’s financial district has more to recommend it than you might think, and a hotel like the Wall Street Hotel goes a long way towards illustrating the appeal. The 19th-century Tontine Building stands on the site of a coffee house that was once the home of the stock exchange itself, and after a thorough renovation it’s now home to a 180-room luxury boutique hotel — one that happens to be decorated with Australian Aboriginal art, along with an eclectic range of decorative elements spanning the entire life of this Beaux-Arts classic, from 1855 to the present.
Read More: A Guide to New York's Financial District
Manhattan (Chelsea)
Neighborhood: Chelsea
Cuisine: Italian
Price: $45 lunch menu
Efficient, busy from the minute doors open and effortlessly likable, this Italian eatery hiding deep inside the Manhattan West development is everything we’ve come to expect—and enjoy—from restaurateur Danny Meyer.
Inspector notes: "Chef Hillary Sterling's food is equally inviting. The caramelized onion torta is enough to warrant a return, with melting onions packed into a delicate crust, buried under two kinds of pecorino and finished in the wood-burning oven."
Neighborhood: Chelsea
Cuisine: Fusion
Price: $60 dinner menu
This modern spot pays homage to Samuelsson's Ethiopian and Swedish roots with a seamless and heartfelt approach. The menu pulls from both cultures and their staple ingredients.
Inspector notes: "Few dishes represent this cultural collision better than the Swediopian, a berbere-cured salmon shingled between slices of Granny Smith apple, dressed with mustard seed caviar and buckthorn and finished with injera chips."
Neighborhood: Chelsea
Cuisine: Caribbean
Price: $60 dinner menu
Right on 7th Avenue in Chelsea, walls of mirrors, modern lights and cozy banquettes make for a stylish stage where Chef India Doris crafts an impressive, nicely trimmed menu that pulls European and Caribbean influences.
Inspector notes: "Carefully prepared and packed with flavor, the best dishes are the most personal: Salt cod fritters arrive with a fiery habanero aioli, and braised oxtail capped with cheddar polenta is a dreamy pie that would outclass its British pub relative. To finish, strawberry cheesecake prepared as a Swiss roll is a clever, beautiful effort."
Stay nearby:
Pendry Manhattan West (Two MICHELIN Keys)
It’s well tailored to its setting, thanks to the interior work of the New York–based Gachot Studios, but a keen eye might detect hints of the Pendry’s Californian origins — there’s a certain calming softness to the design and materials, and echoes of the West Coast’s golden sunlight in the décor. There’s also a sparse simplicity to the rooms and suites that makes them feel even more generously sized than they already are.
Manhattan (Flatiron, Gramercy, NoMad, Koreatown, Union Square)
Neighborhood: Flatiron
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Price: $45 lunch / $60 dinner menu
Tucked inside ABC Carpet & Home, this restaurant offers elevated vegetarian food in a beautiful, minimalist space. A clean aesthetic dominates the space, with mismatched chandeliers and bursts of bright colors.
Inspector notes: "The menu is detailed and clever, offering vibrant dishes for breakfast, lunch and brunch. There must be bread, as in the einkorn and antebellum grits sourdough focaccia served with gently roasted grapes, cultured hazelnut butter, concord jelly and Tropea onion confit."
Neighborhood: Gramercy
Cuisine: Contemporary
Price: $60 dinner menu
Though it's steps from Gramercy Park, an area already brimming with dining choices, Carlotto is a chic and elegant newcomer worthy of attention. It has just the right mix of Southern Italian-American cuisine and impeccable hospitality, where warmly lit interiors and exposed brick walls exude an urban trattoria ambience.
Inspector notes: "Begin with the beef carpaccio, with tissue-thin slices of beef tenderloin topped with slightly smoky aioli, Burgundy truffle and pecorino. Then, risotto tucked with meaty Alaskan king crab and sweet corn is textbook perfect. Finally, their selection of amari, including vintage varieties, is beyond comprehensive and is a worthy splash in your affogato."
Coqodaq (Bib Gourmand)
Neighborhood: Flatiron
Cuisine: Korean
Price: $60 lunch menu
It's very hard to snag a table at this hot spot. The rigamarole is worth it, as the ambience at this Korean fried chicken spot is just plain fun.
Inspector notes: "There are other items on the compact menu, but you're here for the chicken. Available as a "bucket" that includes chicken consommé to start, followed by two waves of different types of gluten-free fried chicken with house-made sauces, along with cold perilla seed noodles. Finally, yogurt soft serve completes the meal. Stick to the bucket for a reasonable bill, but splurge, add caviar and extras and it climbs quickly."
Neighborhood: Flatiron
Cuisine: Mexican
Price: $60 dinner menu
Cosme, with its hip demeanor, is a cherished destination. This contemporary space has a handsome bar up front that pours a litany of seasonally inspired cocktails for an eager crowd. Add in the roomy dining tables and soft lighting along with playful, boldy flavored Mexican food from a skilled kitchen team, and you have a winning formula.
Inspector notes: "One glance at the menu will also tell you why this place is so beloved. This cooking is clever, and, at times, surprisingly delicate. Pickled and tempura squash served with hazelnut mole is a nice play on textures and temperatures; sliced strip steak with subtle chile ancho is earthy and slight sweet; and nectarine tart is a deliciously crumbly dessert."
The Dining Room at Gramercy Tavern (One MICHELIN Star)
Neighborhood: Gramercy
Cuisine: Contemporary
Price: $60 lunch menu
Note: Gramercy Tavern is recognized by The MICHELIN Guide.
This fabled NY icon is high on most people's roll call. It's one of those places that manages the rare trick of being so confident in its abilities and can be all things to all diners. The “Tavern” side is a prized spot for lunch, especially if you can sit at the bar. The “Dining Room” though is for those who like a little more pomp with their pappardelle and truly comes to life at night. Service is attentive throughout.
Inspector notes: "Focused on impeccable products, the seasonal and creative American cuisine is a perfect match for the woody surrounds. It's also sure of its footing and unthreatening in its vocabulary."
HanGawi (Bib Gourmand)
Neighborhood: Koreatown
Cuisine: Korean
Price: $60 dinner menu
Beyond an ordinary façade lies this serene, shoes-off Bib Gourmand with traditional low tables, Korean artifacts and meditative music. While wine and beer are available, a pot of royal green tea from Mt. Jilee is a more apt pairing considering the soothing setting.
Inspector notes: "HanGawi is a soft-spoken, vegetarian-only restaurant that cares about what you eat and how you feel. The ssam bap offers a fun DIY experience with a long platter of fillings."
Neighborhood: NoMad
Cuisine: Contemporary
Price: $60 dinner menu
This bright, airy dining room doubles as a flower shop, and its vivid, spring-like décor feels like stepping into a magazine cover. But these gorgeous blooms serve a third, even more exciting, role here, making their way into cocktails and dishes crafted with edible flowers like nasturtium blossoms and hibiscus petals. (They're also crafting a collection of spices, salts and sugars).
Inspector notes: "Black pappardelle is imbued with lavender and black pepper, while trout tartare toast delivers a kick from chili, freshly grated horseradish and mustard flowers."
Neighborhood: Flatiron
Cuisine: Indian
Price: $45 lunch / $60 dinner menu
Featuring a series of spaces (the front area is primarily suited for a bite and bevy), the reprized décor flaunts pendant lights strung with thick grass ropes, vintage mirrors, and a gleaming white marble bar. Speaking of, teetotalers rejoice as the mocktails alone (a cucumber collins, anyone?) are worth a letter home.
Inspector notes: "Bold Indian flavors and elegant platings are par for the course. The menu certainly makes the most of goat as a whole."
Neighobrhood: Flatiron
Cuisine: Greek
Price: $30 lunch / $60 dinner menu
As its name in Greek suggests, this stunner is making “waves” in town by way of Roslyn, New York. The space transports diners to the Ionian Sea but it’s not just beauty that bewitches here.
Inspector notes: " All Hellenic meals begin with a panoply of spreads, so using a warm pita, scoop up the pikilia trio with feta, hummus and taramasalata. The menu also lists a series of fresh-caught fish ready for “your pleasure.”
Neighborhood: Koreatown
Cuisine: Korean
Price: $60 dinner menu
The front doesn’t look like much, but the latest opening from the talented Jua team on the edge of Koreatown captivates from the start. Find a two-story dining room washed over in warm, honeyed tones with stained glass windows and ceilings that reach for the sky.
Inspector notes: "The Korean cooking is elegant without being fussy: Think twice-fried chicken and beef tartare alongside a brilliant, dry-aged branzino that’s grilled until the skin is as chip-crisp and served with soy mustard sauce. Bubbling hotpots, a picture-perfect bowl of Queen’s Gold rice topped with a mountain of uni, and noodles round out the selection."
Neighborhood: Gramercy
Cuisine: Seafood
Price: $60 dinner menu
Park Avenue South may be brimming with restaurants—from expense account beauties to the massively trendy—but this dining room will stop you in your tracks. First with its looks (imagine an inviting bar that anchors the room up front, while the back is crowned by a raw bar and sushi counter); and then with its enticing cooking.
Inspector notes: "If the glistening items on ice didn't give you the hint, seafood reigns, with local plus global sourcing and preparations ranging from ceviche and sushi to towering platters and delicious entrées."
Stay nearby:
New York real estate prices being what they are, you can see why a spacious hotel room can easily run you a month’s rent back home. The flip side of this rule is that an affordable room is often laughably small. The Arlo NoMad, however, goes a long way toward solving the equation — through a combination of clever, compact layouts and the plentiful sunlight afforded by the full-length windows of a brand-new hotel building, its rooms manage to feel livable rather than laughable, in spite of their modest square footage.
Expect interiors that are luxurious but full of character, full of homages to classic American design movements as well as subtle but substantial modern luxuries. The humblest of its 78 rooms and suites is swanky indeed, and the penthouse, with its vaulted ceiling and its far-ranging views, is one of a kind. As a members’ club, the Twenty Two strives to mix locals with travelers, and its social life is given at least as much emphasis as its accommodations. Here the second-floor club space is augmented by Cafe Zaffri, an all-day restaurant by a team of New York culinary all-stars.
Manhattan (Greenwich Village, Noho, Soho, Tribeca, West Village)
Neighborhood: West Village
Cuisine: Classic French
Price: $60 dinner menu
Chef Angie Mar presents a celebration of haute French cuisine married with her Chinese heritage in this luxurious Greenwich Village location.
Inspector notes: "Chef Mar weaves together reverence and personality in dishes such as terrine of pork, duck, and kumquat confit. The "rabbit drowned in wine" is an unctuous pasta dish enriched with bone marrow."
Neighborhood: Tribeca
Cuisine: Indian
Price: $45 lunch menu
This soaring space oozes with grandeur. With its classic TriBeCa edifice and gorgeous marble bar (an ideal perch for post-work indulgence), the glass-fronted behemoth draws a posh crowd of Wall Streeters and well-heeled locals.
Inspector notes: "Most impressive of all is the sleek display kitchen, outfitted with a gleaming tandoor that turns out exceptional Mughlai food like sirkha gosht (lamb in a fiery chili and coriander chutney). Malai halibut, roasted then blanketed in a coconut-ginger sauce with toasted cumin seeds, is a standout."
Stay nearby:
Crosby Street Hotel, Firmdale Hotels (Three MICHELIN Keys)
This year, more than most, hotels are clambering over one another to slash costs and look adequately humble. What’s so appealing about Crosby Street, and the Firmdale approach in general, is that they’re unapologetic about the fact that theirs is a decidedly high-end offering. There’s something inherently a little bit decadent in the very idea of paying money for a place to sleep, after all, and while Crosby Street isn’t exactly conspicuous consumption of the champagne-in-the-bathtub variety, it’s by no means a hard time either — and the confidence shows, right down to the smallest detail.
Read More: The Ultimate West Village Guide: Breaking Down One of New York City’s Trendiest Neighborhoods
Manhattan (Times Square and Midtown)
Neighborhood: Midtown
Cuisine: Italian
Price: $60 dinner menu
Nestled within the Langham Hotel with walls of windows overlooking Fifth Avenue, Ai Fiori is the perfect perch for the expense account crowd. The handsome marble bar and lounge is ideal for a post-work drink; while large florals, leather chairs and square columns lure families into the formal dining room.
Inspector notes: "The menu boasts Italian favorites mingled with contemporary flair. The four-course prix-fixe is the best way to experience dishes such as radish carpaccio; pasta, like luscious strands of spaghetti twirled with sweet lumps of blue crabmeat and dressed with bottarga and Calabrian chili; and entrees, like seared duck breast composed with kumquat, radicchio and chestnut puree."
Neighborhood: Midtown West
Cuisine: French
Price: $45 lunch / $60 dinner menu
This Alain Ducasse bistro, housed in the venerable La Côte Basque space, may have been renovated in recent years, but it remains decidedly Old World in look, feel and taste.
Inspector notes: "The unabashedly French menu is stacked with comfortable, familiar bistro dishes that feature the likes of cassoulet, pâté en croûte and foie de veau."
Neighborhood: Midtown East
Cuisine: Contemporary
Price: $60 lunch / $60 dinner menu
Jonathan Benno and Jean-Georges Vongerichten are behind this elegant restaurant named for the address of the sleek building it's located within. The menu pulls influences from all over, hopscotching across Italy and France to Asia.
Inspector notes: "Dishes, like the foie gras plated with blood orange compote and served alongside warm, spiced madeleines, have a grand flair while featuring earnest cooking. Even a plate of asparagus is elevated, thanks to creamy avocado slices and a punchy vinaigrette."
Neighborhood: Times Square
Cuisine: Steakhouse
Price: $30 lunch menu
The menu’s “other soup” is a sly reference held over from Prohibition days; and diners still walk past the window-fronted meat locker where slabs of USDA Prime beef are dry-aged.
Inspector notes: "The chefs here turn out contemporary-minded fare like hamachi crudo with a yuzu-jalapeño vinaigrette to go with choice cuts of meat grilled over hickory."
Neighborhood: Times Square
Cuisine: Steakhouse
Price: $30 lunch / $60 dinner menu
Dining in the heart of Times Square isn't always a good bet, but Gui Steakhouse changes the narrative. A natural choice for pre- or post-theater dining, it's also worth a trip without show tickets to experience their traditional steakhouse classics with Korean influences in a sleek setting.
Inspector notes: "The menu includes raw bar items (Alaskan king crab leg) before shifting the focus to steaks with Japanese wagyu and USDA Prime meat. With a beautiful sear and deep grill marks, the aged steaks are finished simply with a sprinkling of Maldon salt. While steaks are indeed the raison d'être, the menu also features traditional American dishes like flounder and grilled chicken alongside Asian-inspired plates like dan dan noodles and wagyu fried rice."
Neighborhood: Midtown
Cuisine: Japanese
Price: $30 lunch / $60 dinner menu
This is a packed lunchtime operation where business folks gather and quickly fill the popular space for homemade soba. Dinnertime brings a mellower vibe, and a crowd of beer- and sake-sipping patrons ordering plates of spicy fried chicken and yakitori.
Inspector notes: "Appetizers may include a salad of assorted pickles and simmered daikon in a sweet ginger dressing. Skip over the fried seafood in favor of the soba totto gozen set, which includes the wonderful noodles in fragrant dashi; or try one of the many delicious dons topped with sea urchin and salmon roe or soy-marinated tuna, grated yam and egg."
Neighborhood: Midtown West
Cuisine: Italian
Price: $45 lunch menu
The team behind SoHo's beloved King has headed uptown to Rockefeller Center with Jupiter. The bright dining room boasts a bar counter and open kitchen, while green lacquered chairs, tiled columns and upholstered nooks set a sophisticated tone.
Inspector notes: "The menu is clearly defined and concise. Starters include a wonderfully hearty mozzarella plate arranged with crushed chickpeas and roasted radicchio. The delightful pasta offerings include luscious strands of spaghetti alle vongole and paccheri verdi dressed with a light-bodied sugo of slow-roasted pork, sage and lemon zest. Desserts, like the creamy, quivering panna cotta with Amarena cherries; and cocktails, such as the negroni sbagliato bianco, round out the enticing experience here."
Neighborhood: Midtown East
Cuisine: French
Price: $45 lunch / $60 dinner menu
Chef Alain Verzeroli's light-filled space is a verdant vision—with olive-green velvet furnishings, green-veined marble flooring, and lush plants at every turn. It’s the perfect effect for the chef's produce-driven menu, where seasonal vegetables, fruits, and herbs play a prominent role—with carefully sourced meats and sustainable fish as the supporting cast.
Inspector notes: "Dishes have included the likes of grilled Spanish octopus, plated with green olives, romesco, and green beans, or Ora King salmon enhanced with smoked chili butter and pak choi. End with a Valrhona chocolate crémeux with a salted caramel sabayon or the delightful lemon tart with tarragon ice cream."
Le Pavillon (One MICHELIN Star)
Neighborhood: Midtown East
Cuisine: Contemporary
Price: $60 lunch menu
Chef Daniel Boulud and his talented team of Chefs Michael Balboni and Will Nacev skillfully prepare a contemporary, globally inflected carte dominated by seafood and vegetable-focused items.
Inspector notes: "Recent highlights included torchetti pasta with Maryland jumbo lump crabmeat and a flourish of heirloom sweet peppers; or the amber-skinned rotisserie chicken breast with a root vegetable pot pie."
Neighborhood: Midtown
Cuisine: Contemporary
Price: $45 lunch / $60 dinner menu
No stranger to crowds, the team behind Frenchette has quickly found its footing on the ground floor of bustling Rockefeller Center. This is one of the more refined restaurants to open in the area in years, and the crowds have caught on immediately.
Inspector notes: "In line with a French brasserie, the menu offers familiar trappings: seafood platters, hearty pâtés, classic sauces like au poivre and vin jaune, and, of course, delicious profiteroles smothered in chocolate sauce."
The Bar Room at The Modern (Two MICHELIN Stars)
Neighborhood: Midtown
Cuisine: Contemporary
Price: $45 lunch / $60 dinner menu
Note: The Modern is recognized by The MICHELIN Guide.
The Modern is designed to capture the iconic feel of the MoMA in which it is housed. Art enthusiasts can't help ogling at its glorious surrounds; while excellent acoustics facilitating quiet conversations ensure a steady stream of couples and globe-trotters.
Inspector notes: "The staff perform a veritable ballet as they present diners with such appealingly nuanced dishes as a seed cracker with aged cheddar and butternut squash butter; or eggs on eggs, starring none other than soft-boiled eggs with sturgeon caviar.
Neighborhood: Midtown East
Cuisine: Indian
Price: $30 lunch / $45 dinner menu
This place exudes that classic 1920s speakeasy vibe, albeit with a twist, as the menu spotlights contemporary Indian cuisine. Bollywood hits and jazz play in the background as you peruse the cocktail list for nods to bootlegging gangsters like Diamond Joe, a slightly sweet gin-champagne cocktail.
Inspector notes: "Fluffy basmati rice with yellow lentils and black mustard seeds is enhanced with coconut for a savory-sweet treat, and don't miss the creamy daal makhani with black lentils and a hint of heat."
Stay nearby:
CIVILIAN isn’t just a high-design boutique hotel in Manhattan’s theater district; it’s an intricately detailed love letter to the glamour of Broadway itself. Hotelier Jason Pomeranc and designer David Rockwell aren’t new at this, either — in lesser hands, an homage like this might feel heavy-handed, but here the theatrical commitment is as tasteful as it is thorough.
Manhattan (Upper East Side)
Café Boulud (One MICHELIN Star)
Neighborhood: Upper East Side
Cuisine: French
Price: $60 lunch menu
A new and improved Café Boulud has been beautifully reborn on the storied corner of 63rd street and Park Avenue with Executive Chef Romain Paumier at the helm.
Inspector notes: "Enjoy this unique prix fixe menu which highlights four inspirations: classic French cuisine; "La Saison;" vegetarian farmers' market dishes; and "Le Voyage," offering an international focus. Choose one style of menu or handpick for a multicourse meal that is on-point with sharp execution and a soigné presentation."
Neighborhood: Upper East Side
Cuisine: Contemporary
Price: $60 dinner menu
The 90s are back and so is JoJo—famed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s first New York restaurant. Like the very best face-lift, this transformation has rid the space of its former fuddy-duddy feel and replaced it with a fresh, contemporary backdrop that beckons moneyed residents.
Inspector notes: "Good taste never goes out of style and diners hoping for a little culinary nostalgia will be rewarded here. The menu isn’t groundbreaking (think: roast chicken and Maine lobster) but it is very well executed."
Neighborhood: Upper East Side
Cuisine: Peruvian
Price: $30 lunch / $60 dinner menu
What began as a string of incredibly popular ceviche bars in the Gansevoort and Canal Street Markets, has now become Chef José Luis Chávez’s first sit-down restaurant. This fresh space is clean and modern, with a polished, easygoing vibe; a solid wine list; and some terrific cocktails (including a few creative takes on pisco sours).
Inspector notes: "Chef Chávez’s ceviche is reason alone to pull up a chair, offering the traditional Peruvian citrus-marinated version alongside Nikkei ceviche, a blend of Japanese and Peruvian flavors and ingredients. Another dish to order is the pulpo al olivo, with tender, bouncy octopus dressed with purple-hued, olive-forward tiger's milk. Pieces of avocado and fried capers further enhance this delicious dish."
Tha Phraya (Bib Gourmand)
Neighborhood: Upper East Side
Cuisine: Thai
Price: $30 lunch / $60 dinner menu
Is this the Upper East Side or the streets of Bangkok? Tha Phraya's interior pops with red lamps that dot the dining room, reminding one of a walk down Patpong Alley.
Inspector notes: "There are a few familiar favorites like green curry and Thai iced tea, but that's where the typical offerings end. Instead, discover a unique variety of dishes from all over the Thai region including Northern Thai sausage spring rolls and khao soi to Southern Phuket-style curry served family style."
Stay nearby:
The Lowell (One MICHELIN Key)
The Lowell saves the best for where it counts. These spaces are stylish updates on the classic prewar Upper East Side residential template, plush but always dignified, full of creature comforts and steeped in Gotham romance. Suites far outnumber rooms, contributing to the Lowell’s residential aspect, and more than a few of them have original wood-burning fireplaces, long gone from the vast majority of New York hotels.
Read More: Where to Eat in New York Near The Met
Manhattan (Harlem, Upper West Side)
Neighborhood: Harlem
Cuisine: Contemporary
Price: $45 lunch (Sunday) menu / $45 dinner menu
Amid the leafy, brownstone-lined Mount Morris Park Historic District, Barawine is an inviting dining room overseen by Fabrice Warin. This eye-catching space entices Lenox Avenue passersby to step in for a perch at the bar area’s communal table or a seat in the quieter back dining room. Whitewashed walls attractively double as wine storage throughout.
Inspector notes: "The crowd-pleasing menu defies classification and embraces many influences. Quinoa salad with tofu and seaweed will please the disciplined, while ravioli filled with a flavorful blend of ricotta, spinach, and garlic in a beurre blanc sauce is positively decadent. Braised lamb shank in a glossy mushroom red wine sauce over creamy polenta is another hit."
Neighborhood: Upper West Side
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Price: $45 lunch / $60 dinner menu
Dagon calls this prominent corner of Broadway home and is appealingly flanked by large windows. Inside, the room is open, spacious and easy-breezy, infused with shades of teal.
Inspector notes: "The menu is a clear and nuanced expression of Middle Eastern flavors, as may be evidenced by a well-dressed salad of onion, cucumber, tomato and schug. Fresh-baked breads, like kubaneh accompanied by creamy labneh, shouldn't be missed."
Neighborhood: Upper West Side
Cuisine: Greek
Price: $30 lunch / $60 dinner menu
The polished Eléa has been a hit out of the gate as its décor is picture perfect and the menu replete with classic Greek fare.
Inspector notes: "Imagine everything from creamy spreads with pita bread to fresh fish to get your taste buds going. Following suit, ingredients are given the spotlight in the likes of htipiti (feta with roasted chili pepper); taramasalata with cured ikura and pickled capers; as well as whole grilled tsipoura in a lemon, olive oil, and caper sauce."
Neighborhood: Harlem
Cuisine: Southern
Price: $45 lunch / $45 dinner menu
With its colorful spirit and lineup of Southern classics, this comfortable spot—as charming and lovely as its namesake owner, born-and-bred Harlemite Melba Wilson—is a perfect reflection of the neighborhood’s flavor, culture, and past.
Inspector notes: "It’s a place to gather and relax over good food and drinks, from Auntie B’s mini-burgers slathered with a smoky-sweet sauce to a golden-brown fruit cobbler that’s nothing short of heaven on a plate. Equally enticing is the Southern fried chicken—darkly bronzed, sweet, and salty when paired with Melba’s iconic eggnog waffles. Expect other surprises like spring rolls stuffed with black-eyed peas, collards, and cheddar cheese, as well as a healthy-minded grilled vegetable Napoleon with buffalo mozzarella."
Nougatine at Jean-Georges (Two MICHELIN Stars)
Neighborhood: Upper West Side
Cuisine: Contemporary
Price: $60 lunch / $60 dinner menu
Note: Jean-Georges is recognized by The MICHELIN Guide.
The longevity of Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s flagship is due to many factors—a sumptuous setting, a discreet aura and superior French cuisine. Dishes showcase everything from attention to detail and impeccable products to thoughtful garnishes and nuanced flavors. The omnivore menu is appealingly versatile thanks to contemporary accents and classic techniques.
Inspector notes: "A supple day-boat scallop over crispy "sushi" rice a light opener, while roasted cauliflower tea is delicate, warm and frothy with a pop of citrus from Santa Teresa lemons."
Neighborhood: Upper West Side
Cuisine: Italian
Price: $45 dinner menu
From its apartments to its restaurants, New York is well known for its diminutive spaces. And then there's Sempre Oggi. This Upper West Side spot is the exact opposite. Cavernous and contemporary with gold busts enhancing the space, it's Italian in every way, especially on the menu.
Inspector notes: "Order the rigatoni for a plate of house-made pasta interlaced with crispy guanciale and sauteed onion in a roasted tomato sauce, then for dessert, go classic tiramisu for an on-point iteration in all of its fluffy, creamy delight."
Stay nearby:
This is one of the only big business hotels in New York with a contemporary look — the guest rooms are sleek, minimal, with stylish modern furniture. But the most remarkable design choice is the inclusion of floor-to-ceiling windows — corner rooms, especially, seem suspended in air high above midtown Manhattan, offering a view that’s hard to match in New York’s more traditional luxury hotels.
Queens
Hupo (Bib Gourmand)
Neighborhood: Long Island City
Cuisine: Chinese
Price: $60 dinner menu
Sometimes you can hear the sound of sizzling woks in the kitchen of this Sichuan dining venture. It’s a good omen in Long Island City, which isn’t known for its Asian cuisine but may be soon, thanks to Hupo. The sleek space is narrow and long, with dark hardwood floors and lofty ceilings.
Inspector notes: "Such a quaint setting is an apt pairing for the small, focused menu that features regional favorites like spicy mapo tofu, house-made cold noodles slicked in a sweet and spicy chili oil, as well as Chungking spicy chicken. Nothing blasts of heat here, so spice junkies are unlikely to break a sweat. Still, dishes like stewed fish fillet in hot chili soup arrive chock-full of minced garlic and channel the kind of fiery, umami-driven complexity we crave from this cuisine."
Stay nearby:
From the outside, the hotel could easily be mistaken for another warehouse-turned-apartment-building in its Greenpoint neighborhood. The inside is just as true to form. The sunny, high-ceilinged rooms are fitted with large kitchenettes, dishware and all. By New York standards, they could just about pass as full kitchens, with more than enough counter space to sit on a stool and tear into some boxes of take-out. The homey urban décor, from the big pull-out sofas to the warm modern lighting and hardwood floors, all makes as much sense at this converted door factory in its low-slung, revitalized industrial neighborhood as a high-rise hotel makes sense in Midtown. Perhaps the biggest impact of the surrounding real estate, however, is on the price. Put simply, you get more for your money here.
Hero image: JoJo
