If there's one bad thing about New York City's culinary scene, it's that it can be hard to keep track of a good deal. And with over 350 restaurants in the selection, that decision is getting harder and harder.
That's why, with the arrival of the 2025 New York City Winter Restaurant Week (January 21st—February 9th), we've decided to compile 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
LORE (Park Slope)
Cuisine: Contemporary
Price: $30 lunch/$45 dinner menu
Run by Chef Jay Kumar, this unique corner storefront at the base of a residential building delivers creative, highly enjoyable Indian-infused and American fare.
Inspector notes: "The food is certainly the star, but the poetic cocktail list is worth more than a cursory glance."
Gage & Tollner (Downtown Brooklyn)
Cuisine: Steakhouse
Price: $60 lunch menu
There is plenty to eat here, as the team, headed by Executive Chef Adam Shepard is not content to merely let history and looks stand in for substance.
Inspector notes: "Seafood towers, big steaks, crab cakes and a superb platter of fried chicken with cornmeal fritters take their cues from the legendary Edna Lewis, who ran the kitchen in the late 80s and whose Southern cooking has inspired countless followers."
Alta Calidad
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."
Stay nearby:
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.
NEW: Discover Paris by The MICHELIN Guide — the ultimate address book of where to dine, stay, and enjoy the City of Light
Tong (Bushwick)
Cuisine: Thai
Price: $30 lunch/$45 dinner menu
One of the first questions a server here will ask is whether you like spicy food. Answer truthfully because this Thai kitchen does not hold back when it comes to those fiery chilies, which seem to find their way into every corner of the menu.
Inspector notes: "The space is indeed a welcome hangout, where friends can crowd their table with a host of small plates, or kub klaem. Highlights like fried banana blossoms with cucumber relish, or crispy rice with fermented pork sausage and shallots deliver a whirl of textures and sharp flavors."
KRU (Greenpoint)
Cuisine: Thai
Price: $30 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."
Francie (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."
Meadowsweet (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."
Mesiba (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. 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.
Inspector notes: "A creamy "risotto" made with freekeh delivers great flavors thanks to head-on prawns and a tangy-tart yogurt."
Stay nearby:
In Williamsburg, where rare high-rise buildings tend towards the nondescript, the William Vale is an immediate eye-catcher. The building, by Albo Liberis, is unmistakable, and with an exterior like that, you expect big things from what’s inside. And, in what has to be considered a leap forward for the Brooklyn hotel scene, the William Vale delivers — Williamsburg’s finally got the modern-luxe boutique hotel it was always destined to have.
Manhattan (Bowery, East Village, NoLita, Lower Manhattan)
Noreetuh (East Village)
Cuisine: Fusion
Price: $45 lunch/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."
Nudibranch (East Village)
Cuisine: Contemporary
Price: $45 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."
Stay nearby:
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.
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.
Carne Mare (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."
8282 (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."
Crown Shy (Lower Manhattan)
Cuisine: Contemporary
Price: $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."
Wayan (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 SoHo, 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."
Ma•dé (NoLita)
Cuisine: South East Asian
Price: $30 lunch/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."
Lupa
Cuisine: Italian
Price: $45 lunch menu
Is there anything more lovely than a lazy lunch at Lupa? You’d be hard-pressed to convince the regulars otherwise, as they flock in droves to this Thompson Street treasure for its amicable service, interesting wines and otherworldly pasta.
Inspector notes: "Carefully sourced products are scattered throughout this menu—witness perfectly seared octopus alla piastra, starring tender faro with crispy bits of prosciutto and fennel, or a starter of plump, marinated sardines laced with oil, coarse salt and served over diced cucumber and celery."
Acru
Cuisine: Contemporary
Price: $60 dinner menu
The pedigree of this team is impressive, with Atomix's Junghyun and Ellia Park behind the scenes while Chef Daniel Garwood leads the charge in the kitchen. The prix fixe menu offers rare value and inspired cuisine.
Inspector notes: "It's early days, but items like sea trout tartare dressed with cabbage granita and slow-roasted cherry tomatoes, or roasted carrot soup poured over monkfish liver custard, squid noodles, and toasted grains, indicate a bright future for this establishment."
Nami Nori
Cuisine: Japanese
Price: $30 lunch menu
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."
Stay nearby:
Crosby Street Hotel, Firmdale Hotels
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.
Vestiges of the building’s original architectural ornamentation remain, and are contrasted in the rooms with Scandinavian modernist furniture, in a way that’s reminiscent of more than a few Copenhagen luxury boutique hotels. Standard rooms are typically New York–sized, but some genuinely expansive suites are available as well. Ultra-modern details include a gym equipped with Peloton bikes and a generous pet policy; the hotel’s public spaces include a speakeasy-style cocktail bar named after the original hotel on this site, the Seville, as well as the flagship location of Scarpetta, the highly regarded Italian restaurant brand.
Manhattan (Chelsea, Flatiron, Gramercy, NoMad, Koreatown, Union Square)
Ci Siamo (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."
Hav & Mar (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."
Carlotto (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."
Oceans (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."
abcV
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."
The Dining Room at Gramercy Tavern (Gramercy)
Cuisine: Contemporary
Price: $60 lunch menu
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. It doesn't take reservations so get here early. 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."
Stay nearby:
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.
Kyma (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.”
Junoon (Flatiron)
Cuisine: Indian
Price: $45 lunch menu/$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."
Kanyakumari (Union Square)
Cuisine: indian
Price: $60 dinner menu
Compact but contemporary with a buzzy vibe, this restaurant is named for the city at the southernmost tip of India, and appropriately, spotlights the regional fare of south India with a focus on seafood. The cooking is as bold as you’d expect, with a depth of flavor. This kitchen puts their spin on the tried-and-true.
Inspector notes: "If the server recommends the slow-cooked Black Gold beef, order it. It's impossibly tender beef short rib dressed with Madras onion rings, crispy curry leaves, and tiny green chilies. A nuanced fish curry is complemented by the ghee rice."
If you know Schrager by his earlier work you’ll be surprised to see a relatively sober, subdued look on display. In fact it’s something of an Edition trademark, and it’s perfectly suited to the New York Edition’s century-old backdrop. The public spaces radiate prewar prestige, and the rooms feel serious, substantial, with subtly modern furnishings providing the contrasting note to the classic lines and materials.
Of course at this moment, even in New York, straight-up ostentation is quite out of style. Here the cavernous, colorful lobby bar is where the (subtle) fireworks really begin. Modern furniture, modern art, modern design — needless to say, this isn’t the typical Hyatt. What it is is perfectly suited to this particular corner of New York, at this particular moment, and if that’s not quite all that matters in choosing a hotel, it’s isn’t nothing, either.
HanGawi (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."
Koloman (NoMad)
Cuisine: Contemporary
Price: $60 dinner menu
It's old world-meets-new on the menu, where Chef Markus Glocker and his team take French and Viennese classics and render them with modern sophistication.
Inspector notes: "Snapper crudo with spicy citrus is a bright opener before moving on to an intriguing and modern dish of tagliatelle infused with confit fennel and accompanied by smoked brook trout, vermouth and caviar. There is perhaps no better way to end a meal here than with a return to tradition, as in the standout apple strudel with rum raisins and frozen buttermilk."
Il Fiorista (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."
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.
Manhattan (Greenwich Village, West Village, SoHo, TriBeCa)
Kubeh (Greenwich Village)
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Price: $30 lunch/$45 dinner menu
Chef/owner Melanie Shurka traveled to Israel to learn the art of making kubeh (dumplings) from the immigrant women of Kurdish, Iranian and Syrian descent. Taste the results of her education in this lovely Bib Gourmand, which showcases fresh, wholesome food, including a heartfelt rendition of its namesake dish.
Inspector note: "Though hand-rolled kubeh may be prevalent in the Middle East, they can be hard to find here. Don’t miss the Syrian lamb version, filled with richly spiced meat served in a hamusta broth with chard and zucchini."
Loring Place (Greenwich Village)
Cuisine: American
Price: $30 lunch/$60 dinner menu
Named after the Bronx street that his father grew up on, Loring Place is where Chef Dan Kluger serves up delicious, stylistic, and locally sourced Californian cuisine to a downtown crowd.
Inspector notes: "His skillfully made, vegetable-centric American fare served here is unique and spirited, beginning with caramelized cauliflower served with chilies and Meyer lemon jam. The wood-oven pizzas, made with house-milled whole wheat flour, are a hit at any time. The generously sized room is uncluttered and mid-century chic, with bright orange window frames and boldly striped banquettes."
Mel's
Cuisine: Pizza
Price: $45 dinner menu
Reservations are a challenge to get at this hot spot where a casual menu is perfectly poised for sharing. Salads and vegetable-focused dishes kick things off, and while it's tempting to skip ahead, don't. Sure, some of the first course items may seem perfunctory, but look again.
Inspector notes: "That gem lettuce is marinated, then grilled and served with burrata for something far from typical. Then there are the pizzas. Chef Melissa Rodriguez has the necessary skills to make a truly good pie (think paper-thin crust with chew and char)."
Le B
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."
Stay nearby:
In this town there are always bigger, swankier, more luxurious hotels. Personality is the only way out of that arms race. The Marlton is swanky enough, in its Parisian-inspired way, and it’s also realistically priced, so as to make space for a more eclectic clientele. It’s been described as a sort of baby Bowery, and that’s not inaccurate — imagine the Bowery Hotel on a cozier scale with a slightly more residential vibe, and you’re most of the way there.
Vestry (SoHo)
Cuisine: Contemporary
Price: $60 dinner menu
Vestry is a foolproof destination for guests craving a quiet evening in an intimate setting. Steering this kitchen's reins is Australian-born Chef Shaun Hergatt, whose admiration for Japanese culinary technique and elements is clear and woven into the seasonal vegetable- and seafood-based menu.
Inspector notes: "Risotto with diced white asparagus is lovely but the diced, seared, glazed eel served on top is a clever embellishment. Tender, flavorful slow-cooked lamb neck with a dark, rich, Bourgogne reduction is another standout dish that speaks to the season"
Stay nearby:
The location doesn’t hurt, down one of SoHo’s swankier streets, and a recent multi-million-dollar renovation by the London-based designer Tara Bernerd has left the interiors looking more vibrant than ever. The soaring loft-style guest rooms are still as quintessentially downtown as they come, equal parts luxury-hotel sheen and boutique-hotel funk, with high-end Italian linens, Dean & Deluca pantries (we used to call them minibars) and bathrooms that manage to be decadent and heavily marbled and yet youthfully stylish at the same time.
Tamarind (Tribeca)
Cuisine: Indian
Price: $45 lunch menu
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).
Inspector notes: "Malai halibut, roasted then blanketed in a coconut-ginger sauce with toasted cumin seeds, is a standout."
Stay nearby:
While you might not be literally partying with celebrity owner Robert DeNiro, there’s no question the Greenwich is an establishment that values privacy and discretion, two values many of today’s publicity-hungry boutique hotels lack. The location, in a neighborhood that’s become indelibly associated with DeNiro, places you roughly where hip and upscale intersect, minutes from more shopping and nightlife than any one neighborhood could reasonably need.
Manhattan (Times Square, Midtown)
Gallaghers (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."
Le Rock (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."
Soba Totto (Midtown)
Cuisine: Japanese
Price: $30 lunch/$45 dinner menu
As the name suggests, everyone arrives in droves for the tasty homemade soba. Dinnertime brings a mellower vibe, and a crowd of beer- and sake-sipping patrons ordering tasty plates of spicy fried chicken and yakitori galore.
Inspector notes: "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 tasty tidbits like sea urchin and salmon roe or soy-marinated tuna, grated yam and egg."
Ai Fiori (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."
Tonchin
Cuisine: Japanese
Price: $45 dinner menu
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."
Naro (Midtown)
Cuisine: Korean
Price: $30 lunch/60 dinner menu
The group behind Atomix and Atoboy continue to show no signs of slowing down with their latest opening in bustling Rockefeller Center. Named after South Korea’s first successful rocket to space, the restaurant offers a more traditional view of Korean cuisine dating back to the Joseon dynasty.
Inspector notes: "Choose between two tasting menus, one of which is vegetarian, and expect familiar dishes like mandu, bibimbap and shrimp pancake to be reimagined and refined, usually with mild-mannered flavors and always with high-quality ingredients."
The Bar Room at The Modern (Midtown)
Cuisine: Contemporary
Price: $45 lunch/$60 dinner menu
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."
Benoit
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."
Veerays
Cuisine: Indian
Price: $30 lunch/$60 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."
Le Pavillon
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."
Four Twenty Five
Cuisine: Contemporary
Price: $60 lunch 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."
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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, Harlem, Hamilton Heights)
JoJo (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."
Café Boulud
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."
Melba's (Harlem)
Cuisine: Southern
Price: $45 lunch/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 and berry-licious 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."
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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.
Manhattan (Upper West Side)
Dagon
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Price: $30 lunch/$45 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."
The Leopard at Des Artistes
Cuisine: Italian
Price: $60 dinner menu
This traditional Italian restaurant nestled inside the historic Hotel des Artistes is cherished for its well-executed favorites. Retaining that X factor from its previous incarnation as Café des Artistes, it is also a vault for everyone from artists to corporate bigwigs.
Inspector notes: "The cooking covers Italy's various regions and may unveil a lasagna Ennese, layering pork ragù, Marsala wine and Piacentinu cheese; or braised coniglio with lampascioni, wild mushrooms and chestnuts."
Eléa
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."
Nougatine at Jean-Georges
Cuisine: Contemporary
Price: $60 lunch/dinner menu
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."
Tha Phraya
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."
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The Mark is the very picture of classic, timeless Upper East Side poshness, in spite of — or maybe even because of — its recent, extremely thorough renovation. And in its present incarnation it’s proof that old money doesn’t necessarily imply old-fashioned.
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 (Long Island City)
Hupo
Cuisine: Chinese
Price: $30 lunch/60 dinner menu
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.
Inspector notes: "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."
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This being New York, of course, the Graduate is a touch more forward-looking and urban in style than, say, the Iowa City iteration, with architecture and design by the Oslo-based firm Snøhetta. The rooms come with views of the Manhattan skyline, and are bright and colorful — none more so than the Loft Suite, full of childlike charm (and inspired by the Tom Hanks movie “Big.”)
Hero image: Noah Fecks / Ma•dé
Thumb image: Evan Sung / Koloman
