EAST VILLAGE, ALPHABET CITY & LOWER EAST SIDEDinnertable - Asian Fusion - $$ - Alphabet City
Speakeasy restaurant in the back of a v trendy bar - one of the top 10 meals I’ve had in my life Sweet Chick - Southern - $$ - Lower East Side Dank chicken and waffles, biscuits and vibes Momofuku Noodle Bar - Ramen - $ - East Village My favorite ramen spot - go at a weird time or be prepared to wait BaoHaus - Taiwanese/Chinese - $ - East Village Hole in the wall - all they make are buns (amazing buns) Clinton Street Baking Company - Breakfast - $$ - LES No reservations, crazy long wait times, awesome breakfast foods Cacio E Pepe - Italian - $$ - East Village Cozy, cash only & toss your pasta in a Parmesan wheel table side! Sons of Essex - American - $$ - Lower East Side Great late dinner/drinks spot on the weekends. Awesome music, cool interior Freemans - American - $$ - Lower East Side Hidden gem! Beautiful, unique dishes & homey interior The Mermaid Inn - Seafood - $$ - East Village Classy spot, high end seafood. They bring you chocolate pudding with your check! Motorino - Pizza - $$ - East Village Small space, nice pizzas and salads, friendly staff Root & Bone - Southern - $$ - Alphabet City Homey interior, great for brunch Thursday Kitchen - Korean/Tapas - $$ - East Village Interesting menu infusing Korean and Spanish. Get the glow in the dark adult Capri-Suns! POST - Southern - $$ - Alphabet City Teeny tiny space, comfort food, sweet staff |
UNION SQUARE, GRAMERCY & FLATIRONBarn Joo - Korean/Tapas - $$ - Union Square
Interesting menu, awesome bibimbap & cocktails, good for sharing Boqueria - Spanish Tapas - $$ - Flatiron Super tasty dishes, cozy interior, great for dates Tortaria - Mexican - $ - Union Square Down and dirty (and tiny), get a pitcher of margaritas or mojitos Daily Provisions - Bakery - $$ - Gramercy Always packed! Overpriced sandwiches and baked goods that are actually worth it Javelina - Mexican/Tex-Mex - $$ - Gramercy Intimate space, good margs, specialty quesos Breads Bakery - Bakery - $ - Union Square Famous for their chocolate babka & also serve breakfast sandwiches in the back Tacombi - Mexican - $ - NoLIta/Flatiron They make their own sodas in house! CHELSEA & MEATPACKINGCookshop - American - $$ - Chelsea
Farm to table, great bloodies! Toro - Spanish Tapas - $$ - Meatpacking Beautiful space, higher end tapas, great drinks Seamore’s - Seafood - $$ - Chelsea/Nolita Good eats, cute space Dos Caminos - Mexican - $$ - Meatpacking/SOHO/Flatiron Great for groups, good food and margaritas - get the rosé sangria! |
GREENWHICH VILLAGE & WEST VILLAGE |
CHINATOWN & LITTLE ITALY |
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While We Were Young - American - $$ - West Village
Tiniest restaurant I’ve ever been in. Super instagrammable. Don’t take reservations but the food is worth the wait (beautiful and delicious) Buvette - French - $$ - West Village Cutest little French brunch spot in the village! Carroll Place - Italian - $$ - Greenwich Village Bad name, good food. Good for happy hour and bottomless brunch Agave - Mexican - $$ - West Village Nice bottlemless brunch spot Flex Mussels - Seafood - $$$ - West Village If you love mussels, you will love this place - gotta get the parmesan truffle fries Jack’s Wife Freda - American/Mediterranean - $$ - SoHo/West Village Everybody's favorite brunch spot Terra Wine Bar - Tapas - $$ - TriBeCa Really cute interior, great small plates |
Nom Wah Tea Parlor - Dim Sum - $ - Chinatown
Love love love this place, get the OG egg roll Deluxe Green Bo Restaurant - Shanghanese - $ - Chinatown Soooouuuup dumplings - that’s all I have to say Pulqueria - Mexican - $$ - Chinatown Sort of a speakeasy style restaurant, great food & the bar gets really popping after 10 on the weekends Parm - Italian - $$ - Little Italy Tiny space, get the chicky chicky parm parm (my name, not theirs) Egg Shop - Breakfast/Brunch - $$ - Nolita Super long waits, tiny space, good for brunch |
MURRAY HILL & MIDTOWN |
BROOKLYN |
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Urbanspace Vanderbilt - Food Court - $$ - Midtown East
Tons of trendy food spots in one local! Super crowded on Fridays Grand Central Oyster Bar - Seafood - $$$ - Midtown East Everybody’s gotta go here once. Super old school swanky Sons of Thunder - Hawaiian - $ - Murray Hill Probably the best poké spot in the city (they also weirdly serve hot dogs?) Hummus Kitchen - Mediterranean - $$ - Murray Hill Nice spot with great hummus and the fluffiest pita! Ruby's - Australian - $ - Murray Hill Great for salads and sandwiches - also the breakfast is awesome |
I know Brooklyn is not a neighborhood but I don't have enough recos to make more than one section (aka don't yell at me)
Hometown Bar-B-Que - BBQ - $$ - Red Hook Out of the way but sooo worth it Pies-n-Thighs - Southern - $$ - Williamsburg The chicken biscuit is out of this woooorld Habana Outpost - Mexican - $ - Fort Green Super casual and inexpensive, fun in the summer The Bounty - American - $$ - Greenpoint Lovely little spot, great hospitality (pro-tip: take the ferry over) |
DESSERTS |
BARS |
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Ice & Vice - Ice cream - $$ - Lower East Side
The most insane flavors I've ever tried (Milk Honey was bomb) plus the guys were so nice and encouraged us to try everything 10 Below - Ice cream - $ - Chinatown The hype is worth it - the ice cream is GOOD. Extra creamy/light and fun to watch them make! The Doughnut Project - Doughnuts - $$ - West Village Famous for their everything doughnut with cream cheese frosting and everything seasoning - perfect combo of savory & sweet Big Gay Ice Cream - Ice cream - $ - Various locations They only make chocolate and vanilla but they do it RIGHT. Get the American Globs cone. Just do it. Mikey Likes It Ice Cream - Ice cream - $$ - Alphabet City Tiny, hole in the wall spot with fun flavor combos M’O IL Gelato - Gelato - $$ - Little Italy Cold gelato in a warm soft panini.....mmm Doughnut Plant - Doughnuts - $$ - Lower East Side Lots of fun flavors (and shapes)! My fave was the square peanut butter & blackberry jam doughnut Soft Swerve - Ice cream - $ - Lower East Side Always a line but it is actually good. Get the Ube purple yam! Eggloo - Ice Cream Waffles - $ - Chinatown Very instagrammable. Starts off good but gets ugly/melty quickly. Ample Hills Creamery - Ice cream - $ - Meatpacking & Brooklyn Awesome, awesome ice cream. Get the munchies! Milk & Cream Cereal Bar - Ice cream - $ - Chinatown Super long lines, fun if you're into cereal but nothing crazy Van Leeuwen - Ice Cream - $ - SoHo Overpriced but actually really good Oddfellows Ice Cream Co - Ice cream - $ - East Village Ice cream sandwiches and brioche rolls! Loved the oatmeal cookie flavor |
Undercote - Specialty cocktails - $$$ - Flatiron
Botanical bar underneath the Korean steakhouse, Cote. Super cool space, delicious cocktails and appetizers. Apothoke - Speakeasy - $$$ - Chinatown My favorite speakeasy (on my favorite block). Yes it's pricey but the environment alone is worth it. Beauty & Essex - Speakeasy - $$$ - Lower East Side The only speakeasy I've been to that is actually hidden. Again, v pricey but fun to bring people visiting NYC Mr. Purple - Rooftop hotel bar - $$$ - Lower East Side Fun, pricey, trendy summer spot The Garret - Specialty cocktails - $$ - Alphabet City Small space, great staff, cool cocktails 230 Fifth - Rooftop bar - $$ - Flatiron The city's largest rooftop bar - good for groups and a view of the Empire State Building The Frying Pan - Bar on a boat! - $$ - Chelsea/Hudson Yards Bar on a docked ship in the Hudson! Very fun in the summer. Cork Buzz - Wine Bar - $$ - Union Square Nicer, upscale wine bar. They do rosé flights! Dante at Genuine - Italian - $$$ - Little Italy Cute, cosy spot (with good food too) we got drinks with gold in them! Pod 39 - Rooftop hotel bar - $$ - Murray Hill Mexican restaurant/bar in the lobby and beautiful rooftop! The Standard Biergarten - Outdoor bar - $$ - Meatpacking Semi-outdoor biergarten with not just beer and snacks! Pulqueria - Mexican - $$ - Chinatown Next door to Apotheke, great music & dancing (speakeasy vibes) The Williamsburg Hotel - Hotel bar - $$ - Williamsburg Beautiful space without being bougie, good music and not overly crowded |
