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The Regency Bar & Grill
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Loews Regency Hotel
The Regency Bar & Grill, Loews Regency New York Hotel’s signature restaurant and home of the famed “Power Breakfast,” offers approachable and ingredient-forward dishes. Capturing the classic style of a refined bar and grill, the team creates food of the highest quality, simply prepared and executed perfectly. The restaurant works with regional, organic farms and supports ecological fishing practices. With perennial and recognizable ingredients, guests who are looking for sustainable culinary options can enjoy quality food time and time again.
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Estiatorio Milos
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125 W. 55th St.
Pristine Mediterranean-style seafood shines in an industrial-chic Midtown setting at Milos. Amid stark concrete walls and a giant white curtain studded with garlic cloves, customers get to pick their meal from the display of glistening, gorgeous chilled fish. It’s then prepared simply in the kitchen and grilled to perfection with a dash of olive oil and lemon. Just remember that you’ll be charged by the pound, so don’t be too shocked by the bill for that gargantuan Greek snapper.
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Balthazar Restaurant
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80 Spring St.
For more than a decade, Balthazar has remained New York's casual-French gold standard, where downtown chic combines with upmarket bistro cooking. Throughout the generous space, gigantic mirrors reflect the glow of the crowd (an always varied mix of next-door neighbors, international foodies and any New Yorker who knows his escargots). The high-powered weekday breakfast scene is a better alternative to the wait-for-two-hours weekend brunch.
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Hill Country Barbecue Market
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30 W. 26th St.
Inspired by the grand old meat markets-turned-barbecue joints of Central Texas with their distinctive, dry-rub style, Hill Country’s meats are smoked low and slow over Texas post oak. The service is unique, with a counter-style marketplace. Get your fill upstairs with the moist brisket on white bread, Kreuz Market jalapeño cheese sausage links shipped from Texas, beef and pork ribs, and beer can game hen piled high (all sold by the pound on brown butcher paper) with some Longhorn Cheddar mac and cheese and deviled eggs on the side. Southern desserts like the signature PB&J cupcake, longneck bottled beers and a full bar featuring bourbons and tequilas round out the offerings. Once you’re thoroughly stuffed, head downstairs to listen to some rollicking down-home tunes—live country, rock and blues bands are featured Tuesday through Saturday nights. Hill Country also caters to large groups and private events.
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ilili
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236 Fifth Ave.
Since 2007, ilili has shared the cuisine and culture of Lebanon in the Flatiron District, introducing the Lebanese table to curious diners while comforting native Lebanese guests with a celebration of their homeland. Owner and executive chef Philippe Massoud expertly crafts a sophisticated blend of modern and traditional Lebanese cuisine drawing influences from the span of the ancient Silk Road trade routes. Their warm and generous hospitality drives their mission to make every guest and team member feel genuinely welcomed and fundamentally honored.
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Red Rooster Harlem
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310 Lenox Ave.
Paying homage to Harlem's culturally rich and diverse neighborhood, Marcus Samuelsson has created a restaurant that focuses on elevated American comfort food against a backdrop of warm colors, stimulating art and soulful sounds. The 3,400 square-foot space houses a restaurant, a breakfast cafe, a grocery, a horseshoe-shaped bar and a communal table. The basement space is reserved for private parties and cooking classes and demonstrations.
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Le Bernardin Restaurant
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155 W. 51st St.
This temple of piscine pleasures is deemed one of the top restaurants in New York City year after year. Helmed by silver fox Eric Ripert, the kitchen turns out pristine plates of the sea’s finest creatures in a French style that acknowledges the classics but looks around the world for inspiration (uni risotto, Scottish salmon with baby bok choy). Award-winning sommelier Aldo Sohm is in charge of one of the city’s most exciting cellars.
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Gramercy Tavern
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42 E. 20th St.
Gramercy Tavern’s contemporary American cooking, warm hospitality, and unparalleled service has garnered the restaurant nine James Beard Awards. Executive chef and partner Michael Anthony’s menu consists of elegant dishes with a rustic influence that showcases the restaurant’s relationships with local farms and purveyors.
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Indochine
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430 Lafayette St.
It opened its doors more than 25 years ago, and Indochine still holds onto the elements that made it famous, including a crowd of yuppies mixed with the fashion world and on-the-rise celebrities. Utilizing exotic-meets-tropical design elements such as Japanese box lights, palm trees painted onto the walls and a sleek tiled floor worked in the late ’80s for this French-Vietnamese fusion restaurant, so why change now? Some consider Indochine to be past its prime, but revelers still frequent this pioneer for the consistent spring rolls, the reliable sole steamed in a banana leaf and the glazed duck breast.
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T Bar
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1278 Third Ave.
New York has some of the best steaks in the country, and this restaurant on the Upper East Side certainly holds its own. Formerly the Lenox Room, it reopened as T-Bar Steak and Lounge in 2007 with a renovated downtown décor. But the resident chef, Ben Zwicker, stuck around and still serves up the same impeccable steaks he has for years.
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The Polo Bar
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1 E. 55th St.
The Polo Bar is Ralph Lauren's first New York City restaurant, although he is not new to the game, having previously established RL in Chicago and Ralph's in Paris. The designer's touch is everywhere in this Midtown haunt for power brokers and bold-faced names. Gorgeous lighting, rich leather, equestrian art, flickering fireplaces and gold sinks in the bathroom bespeak of an aspirational Town & Country lifestyle. The designer is nothing if not detail oriented, which means the all-American food is very good, from the crab cake to the corned beef sandwich. There are also extensive vegetarian choices, such as hearty salads, a veggie burger with avocado and a slow-cooked farro and butternut squash combo with crispy quinoa and toasted pumpkin seeds. Admittance without a reservation is difficult, but there is a handsome bar for drop-ins.
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Melba’s
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300 W. 114th St.
Restaurateur Melba Wilson says she is “born, bread and buttered” in Harlem, and this sleek, busy uptown spot lives up to that motto from top to bottom. The menu features handed-down favorites from Melba’s Southern Carolina grandmother: wine-braised short ribs, catfish po’ boys, the requisite chicken and waffles, and sides such as black-eyes peas and collard greens.
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J.G. Melon
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1291 Third Ave
This Upper East Side burger joint has been faithfully flipping patties since the 1970s, and it’s still consistently rated one of the best burgers in New York. (A West Village location opened in 2015.) The no-frills pub has a crowded dining room and cheap prices, which is good, since it’s cash only. For a juicy burger that’s under $10, plus fries and other great bar food, it can’t be beat. Go for lunch, dinner or an after-hours bite—the kitchen is open until 2am.
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Café Sabarsky
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Neue Galerie New York
Café Sabarsky goes above and beyond the standard museum dining fare, with done-to-perfection Austrian classics like strudel, schnitzel and goulash. It's so good that whether you're visiting the Neue Galerie (in which it's located) or not, it's well worth a visit—fortunately you don't have to be a museum patron to get in. The best parts of the menu, as with any true Viennese cuisine, are the coffees and the desserts (the Sachertorte is a popular choice, for good reason).
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The Clocktower
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The New York Edition
The Clocktower, located on the second floor of the New York Edition Hotel (formerly the iconic Metropolitan Life building), is a collaboration between acclaimed restaurateur Stephen Starr and Michelin-starred British chef Jason Atherton. The chic 88-seat, David Rockwell-designed restaurant serves contemporary cuisine with British sensibilities, classic and contemporary cocktails, and a diverse selection of wines, along with local and global beers.
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Russ & Daughters at the Jewish Museum
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1109 Fifth Ave.
In a match made in heaven, famed Lower East Side appetizing shop and caterer Russ & Daughters has opened a certified kosher restaurant in the Upper East Side’s Jewish Museum. Museum admission is not required for uptown folks to partake in this family’s tradition of smoked salmon, blintzes, pickled herring, knishes, bagels and spreads—which are available as a sit-down meal or for takeaway. The 70-seat dining space is open for walk-ins on Sundays through Fridays and offers a reservation-only Shabbat brunch on Saturdays.
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Smith & Mills
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71 North Moore Street
Smith & Mills is as snug as a ship’s galley. It’s downright adorable, too, outfitted with salvaged materials and tufted banquettes. Restaurateur Matt Abramcyk is also behind the aptly named Tiny’s nearby. It’s open all day and into the wee hours, a secret spot you might visit for drinks and stay for a meal. The brief lunch menu includes oysters on the half shell, smoked whitefish toast and a poached chicken club with bacon. A couple more items are added at dinner, such as steamed mussels and veal meatballs with garlic toast.https://www.facebook.com/Smith-Mills-216645671700510/
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Cote
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16 W. 22nd St.
Cote serves Korean barbecue with American steakhouse favorites like iceberg wedge salad, shrimp cocktail, dry-aged rib eye and an extensive wine list. The clubby, industrial Flatiron District space is lined with big booths whose tables are inlaid with do-it-yourself grills. The menu includes traditional, well-marbled cuts of beef and short ribs, along with spicy kimchi stew and bibimbap.
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The Fulton
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Pier 17
Breathtaking views of the Brooklyn Bridge and Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s seafood-centric menu are reason enough to head to the end of Pier 17 in the Seaport. The world-renowned chef wows patrons with warm octopus astride fresh mozzarella, signature egg toast caviar, and a decadent swordfish Milanese with sauce gribiche. The bi-level space is huge, decked out in romantic nautical murals and featuring floor-to-ceiling windows plus an outside patio to enjoy the waterfront view.
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Portale
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126 W. 18th St.
Alfred Portale’s New American dishes flourished for 34 years at Gotham Bar & Grill, where he also mentored chefs like Tom Valenti, Bill Telepan, Tom Colicchio and Wylie Dufresne early in their careers. He’s ventured on his own to brandish his Italian roots in Chelsea (truly an event). The space is modern, carved out of an old carriage house, and features a large private dining room upstairs. On Portale’s dinner menu is a range of snacks (fritto misto, meatball sliders), primi (spaghetti with seafood, risotto with hedgehog mushrooms) and secondi (roast pork with peppers, duck breast with Calabrian chili honey). For dessert get the phenomenal milk chocolate tiramisu.
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Eli's Bar '91
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1270 Madison Ave.
Eli Zabar of Eli’s Bar 91 —yes, that Zabar—opened this Upper East Side wine bar in 2015 inside his Eli’s Essentials store at 91st Street and Madison Avenue. The wine list, mostly burgundies, Piedmont wines and champagne, come from Zabar’s own cellar. Stop by for classic lunch or brunch (scrambled eggs, breakfast sandwiches), or dinner and a quick bite; starting at 5pm. they serve a changing, market-driven menu (think handmade white truffle fettuccini and heirloom orange salad).
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Vicolina
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1302 Madison Ave.
Vicolina is a refined eatery serving Italian favorites such as pasta and meat dishes, plus a brunch menu. Inspired by a neighborhood favorite, Vicolina reintroduces the delicious food and warm ambience of a beloved Northern Italian gem. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.
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Fresco by Scotto
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34 E. 52nd St.
Comforting Italian is the draw at this bustling Midtown restaurant. Start with the substantial meat and cheese antipasto before moving on to signature dishes like the homemade thin linguini with lightly spiced prawns and Fresco sweet Italian sausage filled with cheese. The fact that it’s owned and operated by Marion Scotto and her children (including Fox 5 News co-anchor Rosanna) makes this a family affair. That homey spirit¬—coupled with generous portions—lends itself to the passing of plates famiglia style.
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Bond Street
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6 Bond St.
Located in NoHo, this trendy downtown restaurant has a warm minimalist interior design. The cuisine is new Japanese with European and Asian influences. Its kitchen boasts fresh, original and vibrantly spiced food, while the servers are friendly and attentive. Bond Street presents a fine-dining experience in a relaxed, intimate atmosphere. This celebrity hotspot offers an attractive setting, as well as a diverse menu which delights even the most fussy of palates. The innovative kitchen creates delectable offerings such as fugu sashimi (blowfish) and seared tuna and foie gras with plum wine glaze.