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Rigatoni with 30 clove pomodoro — The rigatoni with 30-clove pomodoro from Misi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

The 38 Essential Restaurants in New York City

From a Taiwanese American restaurant in Brooklyn to a famous Neapolitan pizza spot in Manhattan, here’s where to eat in the city right now

by Eater Staff Updated Apr 9, 2024, 11:03am EDT

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The rigatoni with 30-clove pomodoro from Misi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

| Louise Palmberg/Eater NY

by Eater Staff Updated Apr 9, 2024, 11:03am EDT

It’s the simplest and most difficult question to answer, whether it’s coming from a lifelong New Yorker or a first-time visitor: “Where should I eat in New York City?” The type of food, price, neighborhood, and occasion are just a few factors to consider, but those only go so far in a city of more than 25,000 restaurants. Enter the Eater 38.

This guide is our shortlist of the city’s must-hit restaurants, updated quarterly to reflect changing tastes and trends. Overhauled for the spring, the list includes a longtime Bronx kosher deli, a Michelin-starred Indian restaurant, a Korean homestyle spot, and a luxe sushi omakase counter overseen by a master.

All of the restaurants on this list have been open for at least six months, and we visited them many times throughout the course of putting together this guide. For guides to the hottest new openings in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens, see our Heatmaps for those boroughs. And for an insider’s perspective on how to eat well no matter where you are in NYC, pick up our new book: The Eater Guide to New York City.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process. If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

Liebman’s Deli

Open since 1953, Liebman’s is the last kosher deli in the Bronx — and is as much of a destination as its Manhattan rivals. Get the pastrami and corned beef on rye, the chicken soup, and the $5 frankfurter to dine in a seating area that’s delightfully retro.

552 W 235th St (Johnson Ave), Bronx, NY 10463

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The outside of a Kosher grocery. — The exterior of Liebman’s Deli in Riverdale.

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Roberto's

When Roberto Paciullo established his eponymous restaurant in Belmont in 1989, it was surprising: There among the red-sauced joints of Arthur Avenue was a different kind of Italian restaurant, closely approximating the food you might find in a rural trattoria, with the farmhouse furniture to match. Check the chalkboard specials, which might include radiatori in cartoccio or fricasseed rabbit.

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603 Crescent Ave, Bronx, NY 10458

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A seafood and white bean starter at Roberto’s. — A seafood and white bean starter at Roberto’s in the Bronx.

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Sylvia's

Dubbed “the queen of soul food,” Sylvia Woods opened her namesake restaurant in 1962, bringing generous servings of Southern comfort food to Harlem. The neighborhood restaurant is famous for its timeless cooking and Southern charm, which still endures decades after opening. While Woods died in 2012, her family continues to run the restaurant. Order the daily special such as meatloaf, the chicken and waffles, or the cornmeal-fried whiting. The restaurant earned the America’s Classics Award from the James Beard Foundation this year.

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328 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10027

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A large breaded fish filet with two side dishes. — Catfish at Sylvia’s.

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Agnanti

An Eater 38 wouldn’t be complete without a Greek fish restaurant in Astoria; a current fave is Agnanti, founded in the early 2000s, by Maria Lambrianidis and Spiro Sidorakis. The setting on the edge of Astoria Park, with its views of the East River, is memorable, and the roster of fish that can be grilled over charcoal or breaded and fried reflects a seasonal and partly local selection. You can’t go wrong with a mess of whiting or a one-pound black sea bass, and the bread dips and salads are great, too.

1906 Ditmars Blvd (at 19th St), Astoria, NY 11105

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A whole fish with lemon wedges and potatoes on a separate plate in the background. — A charcoal grilled black sea bass from Agnanti.

Hyderabadi Zaiqa

Haderabadi Zaiqa is a modest walk-down space in Hell’s Kitchen decorated with a map showing nearly 30 regional biryanis of India. There are plenty of them to choose from, like gongura chicken biryani with fragrant leaves of a type of hibiscus, and others that show off shrimp, eggs, lamb, paneer, and various vegetables — even a bright orange one that features the Andhra mango pickles called avakaya. Also consider the soups and appetizers, like tomato pepper shorba, with a thin and strikingly orange broth laced with chiles, or chicken vepudu in a creamy herbal sauce. Don’t miss the goat dum biryani.

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366 West 52nd Street, New York, New York 10019

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Biryani with goat on a serving plate. — Biryani with goat at Zaiqa.

Gallaghers Steakhouse

With places like Peter Luger, Cote, and Keens stealing the spotlight, Gallaghers is something of a sleeper among New York steakhouses. Gallaghers was founded in the late 1920s as a speakeasy, and the down-low atmosphere prevails. Rib-eye steak and prime rib are house specialties.

228 W 52nd St, New York, NY 10019

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An overhead shot of the rosy pink prime rib, sitting in brown jus. — Prime rib at Gallaghers

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Le Bernardin

Eric Ripert’s temple of fine dining has still got it, holding onto a rare four-star status that it has held since 1986, the year it opened, from the New York Times. The classic French restaurant is a celebration of seafood, with a tasting menu that includes tuna tartare, sea urchin, Dover sole, and halibut. And yes, there is a vegetarian tasting menu that rivals the pescatarian one, with courses centered around hearts of palm, artichokes, and white asparagus.

155 W 51st St, New York, NY 10019

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Speckled maine lobster tail sits next to leek cannelloni and dark brown red wine rosemary sauce — Lobster tail next to leek cannelloni with a wine rosemary sauce at Le Bernardin.

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Ci Siamo

A chef with an enthusiastic following, Hillary Sterling runs this Italian spot from the Danny Meyer empire. Adjacent to Hudson Yards, it offers a front lounge for walk-ins with a focus on aperitivi and cocktails, and a more formal reservation dining area beyond. Look for live-fire cooking with dishes like focaccia or pizza bianca; onion torta; pesca fritti; cavatelli with crab; and a roast chicken among mains.

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440 W 33rd St Suite #100, New York, NY 10001

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A spread of dishes from Ci Siamo’s menu laid out on a light wooden table interspersed with two glasses of wine. — A spread from Ci Siamo.

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Grand Central Oyster Bar

Grand Central Oyster Bar has occupied the subterranean space in Grand Central Station since 1913. The dramatic dining room, with its vaulted, tiled ceilings is one of the main attractions here. And the bar is one of the best seats for sampling among 25 varieties of seafood, from a menu of raw oysters, stews, pan roasts, sandwiches, and more. Note new hours mean it’s closed Saturday and Sunday.

89 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017

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Grand Central Oyster Bar’s dining room with high ceiling arches — The dining room at Grand Central Oyster Bar.

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Mariscos El Submarino

Mariscos El Submarino is a small restaurant in Jackson Heights known for its massive portions of seafood served in volcanic stone bowls. The restaurant has been hugely influential since it opened in 2020, inspiring a new wave of interest in the Mexican seafood dishes known as mariscos. The most popular order is the aguachile, a cousin of ceviche that’s ubiquitous in Mexico but harder to find in New York. They come in shades of more mild green, red, yellow, and spicy dark brown with a generous portion of shrimp, avocado, and sliced cucumber for around $20.

8805 Roosevelt Ave, Queens, NY 11372

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The aguachile negro at Mariscos El Submarino in Jackson Heights comes served out of a hulking molcajete. — The aguachile negro at Mariscos El Submarino.

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Woorijip

You can’t get any closer to Korean homestyle cooking than this: Woorijip is a humble carryout with some seating in front founded by Heidi Lee in 2000, and a favorite with office workers and tourists ever since. Select from rack upon rack of wrapped dishes that run to spicy gochujang chicken, grilled tofu, pork bulgogi, baked mackerel with lemon, nori rolls, and various forms of banchan, with a surprise or two daily.

12 W 32nd St (btwn Broadway & 5th Ave), New York, NY 10001

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A room filled with diners, some seated at tables, others carrying trays. — The lunchtime crowd at Woorijip.

Tosokchon

With branches in Palisades Park, New Jersey; and Annandale, Virginia, Tosokchon affects a rustic demeanor, done up like a house in the country. The food is often homestyle, with no fireworks intended, just good eating at reasonable prices. Soups are the heart of the menu, including one hangover soup that bobs with bracken and organ meats. And there are dumplings and noodles galore, as well as barbecued ribeye in the Los Angeles Korean style.

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14 East 33rd Street, New York, New York 10016

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A spread from Tosokchon.

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Nepali Bhanchha Ghar

Yamuna Shres’s casual restaurant that opened in 2015 joins a number of Nepali restaurants that have opened in Queens, specializing in momos, the South Asian dumplings. At Nepali Bhanchha Ghar, momos are served fried or steamed in a glistening tomato-based sauce stuffed with potato, paneer, goat, shrimp, beef, or chicken. It’s no wonder that for they’ve won the Jackson Heights Momo Crawl several years in a row.

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74-15 Roosevelt Avenue, Queens, New York 11372

A half-dozen momo float in a brown broth in a bowl. — A half-dozen momos from Nepali Bhanchaa Ghar.

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Where to Eat in Jackson Heights

Koloman

Koloman is an overhaul of what had been the Breslin at the Ace Hotel, now in a room with restored tin ceilings, a clock-themed bar, and a modern Austrian menu by head chef and co-owner Markus Glocker. Choose among dishes like celery root tartare, gougeres, souffle, and veal schnitzel. Pair them with a compelling selection from an Austrian wine list. After-dinner consider their hard-to-find collection of schnapps. Save room for desserts like the Lübeck marzipan, apple strudel, or caramelized milk bread, all of which live up to superlatives. There’s a good Martini Hour weekdays from 4 to 6 p.m. with its own menu.

16 W 29th St, New York, NY 10001

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A collection of dishes arranged on a black background. — Find Kolomon in the old Breslin space in the Ace Hotel.

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Ayada

Founded in 2008 and now with a branch in Chelsea Market, Ayada is the anchor of the Elmhurst neighborhood known as Little Bangkok. It was one of the first places in town to offer Thai cuisine with an urban Bangkok flair, not only with dishes from various regions (most notably Isan and Chiang Mai), but with Bangkok street food as well. Two of its early hits were a heavily spiced raw shrimp dish something like ceviche, and a kaeng pa with plenty of vegetables.

7708 Woodside Ave (btwn 77th & 78th St), Elmhurst, NY 11373

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Raw shrimp salad with a green sauce and Thai bird chiles. — Raw shrimp salad at Ayada.

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S&P

This year has become the year of the modern luncheonette: S&P is one of the forerunners of the group, a counter-service restaurant from the team behind the sandwich shop at Court Street Grocers. The menu is stocked with tuna melts, peanut butter bacon with rye, cottage fries, and egg creams: Few places feel more New York.

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174 5th Ave, New York, NY 10010

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A hairy hand passes a plate with a ham and cheese sandwich on white bread. — A ham and cheese at S&P.

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Chama Mama

For the last decade, the food of the former Soviet republic of Georgia has been taking off in New York City. Launched by our love of khachapuri, the traditional dish in which an oval of bread envelops a lake of cheese. The bread is available in several variations at Chama Mama, along with charcoal kebabs, stews, and a distinguished wine list with some lesser-seen varietals. There are several locations now in the city.

149 W 14th St, New York, NY 10011

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Khachapuri at Chama Mama.

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Awang Kitchen

The secret here is a broad array of Indonesian dishes both ancient and modern, accompanied by a traditional series of sambals — while most Indonesian restaurants in town content themselves with one or two. Fish cakes with peanut sauce, goat satays, and a series of intriguing baksos (meatballs) are all on the menu, and for vegans a wonderful gado-gado.

8405 Queens Blvd, New York, NY 11373

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Skewers of meat plus sauce and cubes of compressed rice cake. — An Awang satay platter.

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Semma

Semma opened three years ago at a time when Indian restaurants specializing in regional cuisines were on the increase, but even among that august lot, this West Village restaurant is distinguished. Chef Vijay Kumar grew up in Tamil Nadu, but nearly all come from far southern Indian states. The gunpowder dosa, configured as a triangle, is unbeatable, and many of the dishes, like lobster tail in coconut milk and mustard and Goan-style oxtail, are so pretty you won’t want to cut into them.

60 Greenwich Ave (at Perry), New York, NY 10011

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A red clay dish filled with snail shells and plated with nathai pirattal on a patterned tile background. — A dish from Semma.

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Via Carota

Rita Sodi and Jody Williams have several popular restaurants in a couple-block stretch of the West Village (including Buvette, I Sodi, and Bar Pisellino). Via Carota remains the crowd favorite for good reason, with its simple Italian dishes dressed up to perfection. Long known for being walk-in only, these days the restaurant thankfully has some tables open for reservations.

51 Grove St, New York, NY 10014

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Via Carota’s insalata verde salad. — Via Carota’s insalata verde.

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Uluh

Uluh in the East Village caters to students with some cash (in that it’s not cheap). There’s a selection of dim sum, which includes items like Shanghai seaweed dumpling soup, loofah dumplings, and Sichuan-style pig ears. In addition to dim sum, Uluh displays some exciting small plates: beef and tripe in chile oil or Nanjing salted duck, and a cold salad with okra and chiles, for example. The rest of the menu is divided into signature dishes, the “Ulah ten,” stir-fry, spicy dishes, vegetables, soups, noodles, and dishes for a New Yorker. The latter isn’t your typical General Tso’s, though there is that: It also features chile fried chicken and Xinjiang cumin beef.

152 2nd Ave (btw 9th & 10th St), New York, NY 10003

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Okra and chiles from Uluh.

Taqueria Ramirez

Blowtorched tripe or cactus with chicharron? Longaniza on its own or mixed with suadero? These aren’t the type of questions New Yorkers are used to asking in north Brooklyn, but standing at the counter of Taqueria Ramírez, their answers are obvious: We’ll take it all. This small taqueria with an even smaller menu — six tacos most days — opened in 2021, and became an immediate hit for its stewed meats plucked from a bubbling choricera. There are a handful of seats indoors, but most people spill out onto the sidewalk. A Manhattan location is in the works.

94 Franklin St, Brooklyn, NY 11222

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A gloved hands hold a sieve of crumbly red meat over a vat of orange fat and oil, also filled with other meats — Suadero (left) and crumbly longaniza stew in a choricera.

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Raku

Order a perfect bowl of udon and tea for under $40 including tax and tip at this neighborhood Japanese noodle restaurant open for lunch and dinner with a second location in Soho. Here since 2016, chef Norihiro Ishizuka’s restaurant has assembled a menu of vegetables and gyoza, donburi, hot and cold udon in a soothingly minimalist space that’s on track to expand next door.

342 E 6th St, New York, NY 10003

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A bowl of udon at Raku.

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Superiority Burger

Founded by former pastry chef Brooks Headley, Superiority Burger started out closet-sized space, serving a small selection of mainly vegan dishes and gelato of the day, with a vegetable burger as its centerpiece. Now in new digs in the former Odessa space, its vegetarian menu includes dozens of surprising selections, such as the collards-on-focaccia sandwich, stuffed cabbage, and funnel cake, among many other great desserts. It’s now open for lunch and dinner.

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119 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009

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A spread of dishes across a table. — Sandwiches and sides from the new Superiority Burger.

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Balthazar

Balthazar, restaurateur Keith McNally’s French brasserie, opened in 1997, changing the tide in what had been an industrial, art-filled downtown Manhattan. Today, the menu still includes mainstays like raw bar seafood towers, French onion soup, steak frites, and profiteroles. It remains relevant as ever, thanks so McNally’s running Instagram commentary, and his insistence on treating solo diners as VIPs with a glass of Champagne. The people watching is like few places in New York.

80 Spring St, New York, NY 10012

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Balthazar’s red awning. — The iconic Balthazar awning.

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Katz's Delicatessen

Katz’s has stood on the corner of East Houston and Ludlow streets since 1888, and the pastrami alone is a New York institution. The expansive, cafeteria-style dining room is almost always bustling, and diners have to know how to navigate the system. Get in line, remember to tip the slicer (they might give you an extra piece to snack on), and no matter what, don’t lose that ticket.

205 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002

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The front of a sprawling corner store at night, with red neon letters that read “Katz’s Delicatessen” in capital letters. — Outside of Katz’s Delicatessen.

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Sushi Ichimura

Sushi Ichimura displays an East-meets-West aesthetic in a 10-seat counter restaurant where you will be wowed. Eiji Ichimura, the sushi master who helped fine-tune the stateside practice of aging fish for modern diners, has crafted a menu that includes fish from Hokkaido and elsewhere around Japan, along with wares from suppliers at the Toyosu Market, with many items unavailable in the United States. It is a special occasion, indeed: The high-dollar, luxe 20-course omakase is listed on Resy at $900 for two before tax and tip.

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412 Greenwich Street, Manhattan, NY 10013

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A scene behind the counter at Sushi Ichimura.

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Una Pizza Napoletana

Expect lines at this destination that inspires many a pizza pilgrimage. Anthony Mangieri is known for his almost militant approach to Neapolitan pizza making, and a simple menu featuring classics done well. Last summer, Mangieri’s Una earned first-place title in the U.S. and second place for the best pizzeria in the world by the organization 50 Top Pizza.

175 Orchard St, New York, NY 10002

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An overhead shot of a pizza pie with mozzarella, basil, and red sauce, and a charred outer crust. — Una Pizza comes with a knife.

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Mắm

Vietnamese restaurant Mắm started as a pop-up that turned permanent from partners in love and life, Jerald Head and Nhung Dao. Menus change frequently, with a focus on regionality — one day it might be pho, another bún dậu — and that’s part of what makes Mắm wholly its own. The restaurant recently expanded with an additional storefront next door for extended seating (note: plastic stools are low to the ground).

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70 Forsyth Street, New York, New York 10002

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A spread of Vietnamese dishes at Mắm.

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Odeon

The classic founded in 1980 by restaurateur Keith McNally and then-wife Lynn Wagenknecht is just as cool today under Wagenknecht’s leadership. Its retro neon, perfect lighting, cushy banquettes, excellent playlists, and classic menu items make it a Manhattan mainstay. Get the shrimp cocktail and Odeon burger, the steak tartare, or the three-egg omelet with fries.

145 West Broadway, New York, New York 10013

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A red neon sign of the Odeon. — The neon sign of the Odeon.

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Uncle Lou

If you’re looking for old-school Chinatown, you might not think to start with a restaurant that opened in 2022. But Uncle Lou is one of the area’s most popular restaurants for a reason. The menu is large — as in, there are over 200 dishes — and most dishes are portioned for a family reunion. Start with the section called Loh Wah Kiu Favorites. There, you’ll find crowd-pleasing dishes and maybe something new: crispy, Chenpi duck flavored with Mandarin orange peel, or marbled beef buried in crunchy garlic chives. At dinner, there’s almost always a wait.

73 Mulberry St (btw Canal & Bayard), New York, NY 10013

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Inside Uncle Lou, with a dragon, and people celebrating the new year. — The scene at Uncle Lou.

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Misi

Misi is chef Missy Robbins follow-up to Lilia. But just because the restaurant is easier to get into than its sibling doesn’t mean it's any less of a pasta palace. In fact, we prefer the more low-key energy at this restaurant located just steps from Domino Park. The calling card here is the decadent ricotta toast, and there’s no way to go wrong with your pasta selection. Don’t sleep on the creamy gelato desserts.

329 Kent Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249

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A spread of dishes at Misi — The ricotta toast is a must at Misi.

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The Four Horsemen

The wave of natural wine bar openings was just around the corner when LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy opened the Four Horsemen in 2015. Almost a decade later, the always-packed bar and dining room remains a gathering place for wine lovers, scenesters, Francophiles, and restaurant enthusiasts. It’s rare for a wine bar to hit a home run with both its drink and food menus, but this Williamsburg favorite strikes the right balance with its knowledgeable servers and Michelin-worthy small plates. Prices are in line with a celebratory night out.

295 Grand St, Brooklyn, NY 11211

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A spread of food and wine from the Four Horsemen.

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L'Industrie Pizzeria

Opened in 2017, L’Industrie was once one of Brooklyn’s best-kept secrets: a top-tier slice shop where it was possible to pop in for a pie or a cup of gelato with olive oil and salt. Now it’s wildly popular, both in Brooklyn and the new Manhattan location, often with lines down the block. Slices come out on greasy paper plates with crisp, naturally leavened crusts and ample toppings like burrata and pepperoni.

254 S 2nd St, Brooklyn, NY 11211

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A hand holds two large slices covered in basil leaves and burrata from L’Industrie in the West Village. — Two slices from L’Industrie.

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Win Son

Win Son is as packed as it was when it first opened seven years ago. It’s no secret: This Taiwanese American restaurant has gotten better with time. Win Son has become a go-to for date nights, family in town, and big-group birthdays crowded around a lazy Susan. Bring a few friends, because the list of must-order dishes here has grown with time. Taiwanese staples like fly’s head and lu rou fan hit the spot, and there are tasty riffs on pork buns, pea shoots, and fried chicken sandwiches. For all the popularity, it’s almost always possible to walk in here with a short wait.

159 Graham Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11206

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The dining room at Win Son — The dining room at Win Son.

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A&A Bake Doubles and Roti

Bed-Stuy Trinidadian counter-service spot may be the only roti shop with a James Beard Award. In 2019, it received the America’s Classic, a distinction reserved for restaurants that have been around for a decade. But long before it received institutional support, it was already a mainstay for those in the area, who have long frequented the establishment for its affordable eats; in particular, its doubles, the deep-fried flatbreads stuffed with curried chickpeas. A&A relocated to its current home on Fulton Street in 2018, after first opening a couple blocks away in 2002.

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1337 Fulton St, Brooklyn, NY 11216

A hand holds an unwrapped Trinidadian double from A&A Bake Doubles and Roti in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. — A double from A&A.

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Ugly Baby

Ugly Baby was an immediate hit when it opened in Carroll Gardens in 2017, and half a decade later the popularity has held up. There are only a few non-spicy items on the menu, and several dishes, like the infamous “stay away” duck salad, appear on the menu next to flying saucer and airplane emojis. Over text, these symbols can mean a number of things, but on this menu, the message is clear: Order this, and you’ll be sweating from your eyeballs. The extensive craft beer menu offers some relief. The restaurant recently updated to a no-reservations policy.

407 Smith St, Brooklyn, NY 11231

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A dining room table with several dishes, two orange beverages with ice cubes, and a few ornamental, palm-sized cacti. — Ugly Baby may be Brooklyn’s spiciest Thai restaurant.

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Ayat

This Palestinian restaurant which first opened in October 2020 has sprouted an empire, with sibling locations all over the city. Portions are massive, so bring a buddy to share dishes like the mansaf (a fermented yogurt and lamb dish), as well as mezze platters heaping with baba ghanoush and other items meant for dipping.

8504 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11209

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The colorful mezze platter of hummus, baba ganoush, muhammarah, tahini, tabouleh, labne dusted with sumac is presented in a clay bowl ontop of a colorful tablecloth. — The mezze platter from Ayat in Bay Ridge.

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Liebman’s Deli

552 W 235th St (Johnson Ave), Bronx, NY 10463

Open since 1953, Liebman’s is the last kosher deli in the Bronx — and is as much of a destination as its Manhattan rivals. Get the pastrami and corned beef on rye, the chicken soup, and the $5 frankfurter to dine in a seating area that’s delightfully retro.

552 W 235th St (Johnson Ave), Bronx, NY 10463

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The outside of a Kosher grocery. — The exterior of Liebman’s Deli in Riverdale.

Roberto's

603 Crescent Ave, Bronx, NY 10458

When Roberto Paciullo established his eponymous restaurant in Belmont in 1989, it was surprising: There among the red-sauced joints of Arthur Avenue was a different kind of Italian restaurant, closely approximating the food you might find in a rural trattoria, with the farmhouse furniture to match. Check the chalkboard specials, which might include radiatori in cartoccio or fricasseed rabbit.

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603 Crescent Ave, Bronx, NY 10458

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A seafood and white bean starter at Roberto’s. — A seafood and white bean starter at Roberto’s in the Bronx.

Sylvia's

328 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10027

Dubbed “the queen of soul food,” Sylvia Woods opened her namesake restaurant in 1962, bringing generous servings of Southern comfort food to Harlem. The neighborhood restaurant is famous for its timeless cooking and Southern charm, which still endures decades after opening. While Woods died in 2012, her family continues to run the restaurant. Order the daily special such as meatloaf, the chicken and waffles, or the cornmeal-fried whiting. The restaurant earned the America’s Classics Award from the James Beard Foundation this year.

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328 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10027

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A large breaded fish filet with two side dishes. — Catfish at Sylvia’s.

Agnanti

1906 Ditmars Blvd (at 19th St), Astoria, NY 11105

An Eater 38 wouldn’t be complete without a Greek fish restaurant in Astoria; a current fave is Agnanti, founded in the early 2000s, by Maria Lambrianidis and Spiro Sidorakis. The setting on the edge of Astoria Park, with its views of the East River, is memorable, and the roster of fish that can be grilled over charcoal or breaded and fried reflects a seasonal and partly local selection. You can’t go wrong with a mess of whiting or a one-pound black sea bass, and the bread dips and salads are great, too.

1906 Ditmars Blvd (at 19th St), Astoria, NY 11105

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A whole fish with lemon wedges and potatoes on a separate plate in the background. — A charcoal grilled black sea bass from Agnanti.

Hyderabadi Zaiqa

366 West 52nd Street, New York, New York 10019

Haderabadi Zaiqa is a modest walk-down space in Hell’s Kitchen decorated with a map showing nearly 30 regional biryanis of India. There are plenty of them to choose from, like gongura chicken biryani with fragrant leaves of a type of hibiscus, and others that show off shrimp, eggs, lamb, paneer, and various vegetables — even a bright orange one that features the Andhra mango pickles called avakaya. Also consider the soups and appetizers, like tomato pepper shorba, with a thin and strikingly orange broth laced with chiles, or chicken vepudu in a creamy herbal sauce. Don’t miss the goat dum biryani.

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366 West 52nd Street, New York, New York 10019

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Biryani with goat on a serving plate. — Biryani with goat at Zaiqa.

Gallaghers Steakhouse

228 W 52nd St, New York, NY 10019

With places like Peter Luger, Cote, and Keens stealing the spotlight, Gallaghers is something of a sleeper among New York steakhouses. Gallaghers was founded in the late 1920s as a speakeasy, and the down-low atmosphere prevails. Rib-eye steak and prime rib are house specialties.

228 W 52nd St, New York, NY 10019

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An overhead shot of the rosy pink prime rib, sitting in brown jus. — Prime rib at Gallaghers

Le Bernardin

155 W 51st St, New York, NY 10019

Eric Ripert’s temple of fine dining has still got it, holding onto a rare four-star status that it has held since 1986, the year it opened, from the New York Times. The classic French restaurant is a celebration of seafood, with a tasting menu that includes tuna tartare, sea urchin, Dover sole, and halibut. And yes, there is a vegetarian tasting menu that rivals the pescatarian one, with courses centered around hearts of palm, artichokes, and white asparagus.

155 W 51st St, New York, NY 10019

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Speckled maine lobster tail sits next to leek cannelloni and dark brown red wine rosemary sauce — Lobster tail next to leek cannelloni with a wine rosemary sauce at Le Bernardin.

Ci Siamo

440 W 33rd St Suite #100, New York, NY 10001

A chef with an enthusiastic following, Hillary Sterling runs this Italian spot from the Danny Meyer empire. Adjacent to Hudson Yards, it offers a front lounge for walk-ins with a focus on aperitivi and cocktails, and a more formal reservation dining area beyond. Look for live-fire cooking with dishes like focaccia or pizza bianca; onion torta; pesca fritti; cavatelli with crab; and a roast chicken among mains.

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440 W 33rd St Suite #100, New York, NY 10001

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A spread of dishes from Ci Siamo’s menu laid out on a light wooden table interspersed with two glasses of wine. — A spread from Ci Siamo.

Grand Central Oyster Bar

89 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017

Grand Central Oyster Bar has occupied the subterranean space in Grand Central Station since 1913. The dramatic dining room, with its vaulted, tiled ceilings is one of the main attractions here. And the bar is one of the best seats for sampling among 25 varieties of seafood, from a menu of raw oysters, stews, pan roasts, sandwiches, and more. Note new hours mean it’s closed Saturday and Sunday.

89 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017

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Grand Central Oyster Bar’s dining room with high ceiling arches — The dining room at Grand Central Oyster Bar.

Mariscos El Submarino

8805 Roosevelt Ave, Queens, NY 11372

Mariscos El Submarino is a small restaurant in Jackson Heights known for its massive portions of seafood served in volcanic stone bowls. The restaurant has been hugely influential since it opened in 2020, inspiring a new wave of interest in the Mexican seafood dishes known as mariscos. The most popular order is the aguachile, a cousin of ceviche that’s ubiquitous in Mexico but harder to find in New York. They come in shades of more mild green, red, yellow, and spicy dark brown with a generous portion of shrimp, avocado, and sliced cucumber for around $20.

8805 Roosevelt Ave, Queens, NY 11372

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The aguachile negro at Mariscos El Submarino in Jackson Heights comes served out of a hulking molcajete. — The aguachile negro at Mariscos El Submarino.

Woorijip

12 W 32nd St (btwn Broadway & 5th Ave), New York, NY 10001

You can’t get any closer to Korean homestyle cooking than this: Woorijip is a humble carryout with some seating in front founded by Heidi Lee in 2000, and a favorite with office workers and tourists ever since. Select from rack upon rack of wrapped dishes that run to spicy gochujang chicken, grilled tofu, pork bulgogi, baked mackerel with lemon, nori rolls, and various forms of banchan, with a surprise or two daily.

12 W 32nd St (btwn Broadway & 5th Ave), New York, NY 10001

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A room filled with diners, some seated at tables, others carrying trays. — The lunchtime crowd at Woorijip.

Tosokchon

14 East 33rd Street, New York, New York 10016

With branches in Palisades Park, New Jersey; and Annandale, Virginia, Tosokchon affects a rustic demeanor, done up like a house in the country. The food is often homestyle, with no fireworks intended, just good eating at reasonable prices. Soups are the heart of the menu, including one hangover soup that bobs with bracken and organ meats. And there are dumplings and noodles galore, as well as barbecued ribeye in the Los Angeles Korean style.

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14 East 33rd Street, New York, New York 10016

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A spread from Tosokchon.

Nepali Bhanchha Ghar

74-15 Roosevelt Avenue, Queens, New York 11372

Yamuna Shres’s casual restaurant that opened in 2015 joins a number of Nepali restaurants that have opened in Queens, specializing in momos, the South Asian dumplings. At Nepali Bhanchha Ghar, momos are served fried or steamed in a glistening tomato-based sauce stuffed with potato, paneer, goat, shrimp, beef, or chicken. It’s no wonder that for they’ve won the Jackson Heights Momo Crawl several years in a row.

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74-15 Roosevelt Avenue, Queens, New York 11372

A half-dozen momo float in a brown broth in a bowl. — A half-dozen momos from Nepali Bhanchaa Ghar.

Koloman

16 W 29th St, New York, NY 10001

Koloman is an overhaul of what had been the Breslin at the Ace Hotel, now in a room with restored tin ceilings, a clock-themed bar, and a modern Austrian menu by head chef and co-owner Markus Glocker. Choose among dishes like celery root tartare, gougeres, souffle, and veal schnitzel. Pair them with a compelling selection from an Austrian wine list. After-dinner consider their hard-to-find collection of schnapps. Save room for desserts like the Lübeck marzipan, apple strudel, or caramelized milk bread, all of which live up to superlatives. There’s a good Martini Hour weekdays from 4 to 6 p.m. with its own menu.

16 W 29th St, New York, NY 10001

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A collection of dishes arranged on a black background. — Find Kolomon in the old Breslin space in the Ace Hotel.

Ayada

7708 Woodside Ave (btwn 77th & 78th St), Elmhurst, NY 11373

Founded in 2008 and now with a branch in Chelsea Market, Ayada is the anchor of the Elmhurst neighborhood known as Little Bangkok. It was one of the first places in town to offer Thai cuisine with an urban Bangkok flair, not only with dishes from various regions (most notably Isan and Chiang Mai), but with Bangkok street food as well. Two of its early hits were a heavily spiced raw shrimp dish something like ceviche, and a kaeng pa with plenty of vegetables.

7708 Woodside Ave (btwn 77th & 78th St), Elmhurst, NY 11373

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Raw shrimp salad with a green sauce and Thai bird chiles. — Raw shrimp salad at Ayada.

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S&P

174 5th Ave, New York, NY 10010

This year has become the year of the modern luncheonette: S&P is one of the forerunners of the group, a counter-service restaurant from the team behind the sandwich shop at Court Street Grocers. The menu is stocked with tuna melts, peanut butter bacon with rye, cottage fries, and egg creams: Few places feel more New York.

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174 5th Ave, New York, NY 10010

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A hairy hand passes a plate with a ham and cheese sandwich on white bread. — A ham and cheese at S&P.

Chama Mama

149 W 14th St, New York, NY 10011

For the last decade, the food of the former Soviet republic of Georgia has been taking off in New York City. Launched by our love of khachapuri, the traditional dish in which an oval of bread envelops a lake of cheese. The bread is available in several variations at Chama Mama, along with charcoal kebabs, stews, and a distinguished wine list with some lesser-seen varietals. There are several locations now in the city.

149 W 14th St, New York, NY 10011

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Khachapuri at Chama Mama.

Awang Kitchen

8405 Queens Blvd, New York, NY 11373

The secret here is a broad array of Indonesian dishes both ancient and modern, accompanied by a traditional series of sambals — while most Indonesian restaurants in town content themselves with one or two. Fish cakes with peanut sauce, goat satays, and a series of intriguing baksos (meatballs) are all on the menu, and for vegans a wonderful gado-gado.

8405 Queens Blvd, New York, NY 11373

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Skewers of meat plus sauce and cubes of compressed rice cake. — An Awang satay platter.

Semma

60 Greenwich Ave (at Perry), New York, NY 10011

Semma opened three years ago at a time when Indian restaurants specializing in regional cuisines were on the increase, but even among that august lot, this West Village restaurant is distinguished. Chef Vijay Kumar grew up in Tamil Nadu, but nearly all come from far southern Indian states. The gunpowder dosa, configured as a triangle, is unbeatable, and many of the dishes, like lobster tail in coconut milk and mustard and Goan-style oxtail, are so pretty you won’t want to cut into them.

60 Greenwich Ave (at Perry), New York, NY 10011

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A red clay dish filled with snail shells and plated with nathai pirattal on a patterned tile background. — A dish from Semma.

Via Carota

51 Grove St, New York, NY 10014

Rita Sodi and Jody Williams have several popular restaurants in a couple-block stretch of the West Village (including Buvette, I Sodi, and Bar Pisellino). Via Carota remains the crowd favorite for good reason, with its simple Italian dishes dressed up to perfection. Long known for being walk-in only, these days the restaurant thankfully has some tables open for reservations.

51 Grove St, New York, NY 10014

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Via Carota’s insalata verde salad. — Via Carota’s insalata verde.

Uluh

152 2nd Ave (btw 9th & 10th St), New York, NY 10003

Uluh in the East Village caters to students with some cash (in that it’s not cheap). There’s a selection of dim sum, which includes items like Shanghai seaweed dumpling soup, loofah dumplings, and Sichuan-style pig ears. In addition to dim sum, Uluh displays some exciting small plates: beef and tripe in chile oil or Nanjing salted duck, and a cold salad with okra and chiles, for example. The rest of the menu is divided into signature dishes, the “Ulah ten,” stir-fry, spicy dishes, vegetables, soups, noodles, and dishes for a New Yorker. The latter isn’t your typical General Tso’s, though there is that: It also features chile fried chicken and Xinjiang cumin beef.

152 2nd Ave (btw 9th & 10th St), New York, NY 10003

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Okra and chiles from Uluh.

Taqueria Ramirez

94 Franklin St, Brooklyn, NY 11222

Blowtorched tripe or cactus with chicharron? Longaniza on its own or mixed with suadero? These aren’t the type of questions New Yorkers are used to asking in north Brooklyn, but standing at the counter of Taqueria Ramírez, their answers are obvious: We’ll take it all. This small taqueria with an even smaller menu — six tacos most days — opened in 2021, and became an immediate hit for its stewed meats plucked from a bubbling choricera. There are a handful of seats indoors, but most people spill out onto the sidewalk. A Manhattan location is in the works.

94 Franklin St, Brooklyn, NY 11222

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A gloved hands hold a sieve of crumbly red meat over a vat of orange fat and oil, also filled with other meats — Suadero (left) and crumbly longaniza stew in a choricera.

Raku

342 E 6th St, New York, NY 10003

Order a perfect bowl of udon and tea for under $40 including tax and tip at this neighborhood Japanese noodle restaurant open for lunch and dinner with a second location in Soho. Here since 2016, chef Norihiro Ishizuka’s restaurant has assembled a menu of vegetables and gyoza, donburi, hot and cold udon in a soothingly minimalist space that’s on track to expand next door.

342 E 6th St, New York, NY 10003

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A bowl of udon at Raku.

Superiority Burger

119 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009

Founded by former pastry chef Brooks Headley, Superiority Burger started out closet-sized space, serving a small selection of mainly vegan dishes and gelato of the day, with a vegetable burger as its centerpiece. Now in new digs in the former Odessa space, its vegetarian menu includes dozens of surprising selections, such as the collards-on-focaccia sandwich, stuffed cabbage, and funnel cake, among many other great desserts. It’s now open for lunch and dinner.

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119 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009

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A spread of dishes across a table. — Sandwiches and sides from the new Superiority Burger.

Balthazar

80 Spring St, New York, NY 10012

Balthazar, restaurateur Keith McNally’s French brasserie, opened in 1997, changing the tide in what had been an industrial, art-filled downtown Manhattan. Today, the menu still includes mainstays like raw bar seafood towers, French onion soup, steak frites, and profiteroles. It remains relevant as ever, thanks so McNally’s running Instagram commentary, and his insistence on treating solo diners as VIPs with a glass of Champagne. The people watching is like few places in New York.

80 Spring St, New York, NY 10012

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Balthazar’s red awning. — The iconic Balthazar awning.

Katz's Delicatessen

205 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002

Katz’s has stood on the corner of East Houston and Ludlow streets since 1888, and the pastrami alone is a New York institution. The expansive, cafeteria-style dining room is almost always bustling, and diners have to know how to navigate the system. Get in line, remember to tip the slicer (they might give you an extra piece to snack on), and no matter what, don’t lose that ticket.

205 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002

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The front of a sprawling corner store at night, with red neon letters that read “Katz’s Delicatessen” in capital letters. — Outside of Katz’s Delicatessen.

Sushi Ichimura

412 Greenwich Street, Manhattan, NY 10013

Sushi Ichimura displays an East-meets-West aesthetic in a 10-seat counter restaurant where you will be wowed. Eiji Ichimura, the sushi master who helped fine-tune the stateside practice of aging fish for modern diners, has crafted a menu that includes fish from Hokkaido and elsewhere around Japan, along with wares from suppliers at the Toyosu Market, with many items unavailable in the United States. It is a special occasion, indeed: The high-dollar, luxe 20-course omakase is listed on Resy at $900 for two before tax and tip.

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412 Greenwich Street, Manhattan, NY 10013

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A scene behind the counter at Sushi Ichimura.

Una Pizza Napoletana

175 Orchard St, New York, NY 10002

Expect lines at this destination that inspires many a pizza pilgrimage. Anthony Mangieri is known for his almost militant approach to Neapolitan pizza making, and a simple menu featuring classics done well. Last summer, Mangieri’s Una earned first-place title in the U.S. and second place for the best pizzeria in the world by the organization 50 Top Pizza.

175 Orchard St, New York, NY 10002

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An overhead shot of a pizza pie with mozzarella, basil, and red sauce, and a charred outer crust. — Una Pizza comes with a knife.

Mắm

70 Forsyth Street, New York, New York 10002

Vietnamese restaurant Mắm started as a pop-up that turned permanent from partners in love and life, Jerald Head and Nhung Dao. Menus change frequently, with a focus on regionality — one day it might be pho, another bún dậu — and that’s part of what makes Mắm wholly its own. The restaurant recently expanded with an additional storefront next door for extended seating (note: plastic stools are low to the ground).

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70 Forsyth Street, New York, New York 10002

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A spread of Vietnamese dishes at Mắm.

Odeon

145 West Broadway, New York, New York 10013

The classic founded in 1980 by restaurateur Keith McNally and then-wife Lynn Wagenknecht is just as cool today under Wagenknecht’s leadership. Its retro neon, perfect lighting, cushy banquettes, excellent playlists, and classic menu items make it a Manhattan mainstay. Get the shrimp cocktail and Odeon burger, the steak tartare, or the three-egg omelet with fries.

145 West Broadway, New York, New York 10013

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A red neon sign of the Odeon. — The neon sign of the Odeon.

Uncle Lou

73 Mulberry St (btw Canal & Bayard), New York, NY 10013

If you’re looking for old-school Chinatown, you might not think to start with a restaurant that opened in 2022. But Uncle Lou is one of the area’s most popular restaurants for a reason. The menu is large — as in, there are over 200 dishes — and most dishes are portioned for a family reunion. Start with the section called Loh Wah Kiu Favorites. There, you’ll find crowd-pleasing dishes and maybe something new: crispy, Chenpi duck flavored with Mandarin orange peel, or marbled beef buried in crunchy garlic chives. At dinner, there’s almost always a wait.

73 Mulberry St (btw Canal & Bayard), New York, NY 10013

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Inside Uncle Lou, with a dragon, and people celebrating the new year. — The scene at Uncle Lou.

Misi

329 Kent Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249

Misi is chef Missy Robbins follow-up to Lilia. But just because the restaurant is easier to get into than its sibling doesn’t mean it's any less of a pasta palace. In fact, we prefer the more low-key energy at this restaurant located just steps from Domino Park. The calling card here is the decadent ricotta toast, and there’s no way to go wrong with your pasta selection. Don’t sleep on the creamy gelato desserts.

329 Kent Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249

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A spread of dishes at Misi — The ricotta toast is a must at Misi.

The Four Horsemen

295 Grand St, Brooklyn, NY 11211

The wave of natural wine bar openings was just around the corner when LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy opened the Four Horsemen in 2015. Almost a decade later, the always-packed bar and dining room remains a gathering place for wine lovers, scenesters, Francophiles, and restaurant enthusiasts. It’s rare for a wine bar to hit a home run with both its drink and food menus, but this Williamsburg favorite strikes the right balance with its knowledgeable servers and Michelin-worthy small plates. Prices are in line with a celebratory night out.

295 Grand St, Brooklyn, NY 11211

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A spread of food and wine from the Four Horsemen.

L'Industrie Pizzeria

254 S 2nd St, Brooklyn, NY 11211

Opened in 2017, L’Industrie was once one of Brooklyn’s best-kept secrets: a top-tier slice shop where it was possible to pop in for a pie or a cup of gelato with olive oil and salt. Now it’s wildly popular, both in Brooklyn and the new Manhattan location, often with lines down the block. Slices come out on greasy paper plates with crisp, naturally leavened crusts and ample toppings like burrata and pepperoni.

254 S 2nd St, Brooklyn, NY 11211

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A hand holds two large slices covered in basil leaves and burrata from L’Industrie in the West Village. — Two slices from L’Industrie.

Win Son

159 Graham Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11206

Win Son is as packed as it was when it first opened seven years ago. It’s no secret: This Taiwanese American restaurant has gotten better with time. Win Son has become a go-to for date nights, family in town, and big-group birthdays crowded around a lazy Susan. Bring a few friends, because the list of must-order dishes here has grown with time. Taiwanese staples like fly’s head and lu rou fan hit the spot, and there are tasty riffs on pork buns, pea shoots, and fried chicken sandwiches. For all the popularity, it’s almost always possible to walk in here with a short wait.

159 Graham Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11206

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The dining room at Win Son — The dining room at Win Son.

A&A Bake Doubles and Roti

1337 Fulton St, Brooklyn, NY 11216

Bed-Stuy Trinidadian counter-service spot may be the only roti shop with a James Beard Award. In 2019, it received the America’s Classic, a distinction reserved for restaurants that have been around for a decade. But long before it received institutional support, it was already a mainstay for those in the area, who have long frequented the establishment for its affordable eats; in particular, its doubles, the deep-fried flatbreads stuffed with curried chickpeas. A&A relocated to its current home on Fulton Street in 2018, after first opening a couple blocks away in 2002.

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1337 Fulton St, Brooklyn, NY 11216

A hand holds an unwrapped Trinidadian double from A&A Bake Doubles and Roti in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. — A double from A&A.

Ugly Baby

407 Smith St, Brooklyn, NY 11231

Ugly Baby was an immediate hit when it opened in Carroll Gardens in 2017, and half a decade later the popularity has held up. There are only a few non-spicy items on the menu, and several dishes, like the infamous “stay away” duck salad, appear on the menu next to flying saucer and airplane emojis. Over text, these symbols can mean a number of things, but on this menu, the message is clear: Order this, and you’ll be sweating from your eyeballs. The extensive craft beer menu offers some relief. The restaurant recently updated to a no-reservations policy.

407 Smith St, Brooklyn, NY 11231

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A dining room table with several dishes, two orange beverages with ice cubes, and a few ornamental, palm-sized cacti. — Ugly Baby may be Brooklyn’s spiciest Thai restaurant.

Ayat

8504 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11209

This Palestinian restaurant which first opened in October 2020 has sprouted an empire, with sibling locations all over the city. Portions are massive, so bring a buddy to share dishes like the mansaf (a fermented yogurt and lamb dish), as well as mezze platters heaping with baba ghanoush and other items meant for dipping.

8504 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11209

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The colorful mezze platter of hummus, baba ganoush, muhammarah, tahini, tabouleh, labne dusted with sumac is presented in a clay bowl ontop of a colorful tablecloth. — The mezze platter from Ayat in Bay Ridge.

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