The 11 best restaurants in NYC right now
Newbies who are stunning as well as old favorites.
In New York City, selecting a favourite restaurant can be a fun endeavour with a wide range of options based on the situation, the person, and even the season. Despite having quite different attributes, your favourite dive, fancy dining location, and “any night” type of establishment may all rank highly on your own best list.
Our list of the top 11 restaurants in New York City covers all of these areas as well as others to create a list of all the places we wish we were at right now. They just need to be locations that we want to go back to repeatedly and that we believe you will as well. They don’t have to be the newest or most well-known (though some are).
Best restaurants in NYC
1. Kochi
Sungchul Shim, a Per se alum, created a nine-course, $135 tasting menu of skewers that were influenced by Korean royal court food. For $95, a cool combination is also offered. Kochi, which debuted in 2019, just received a Michelin star. Late last year, Shim opened the five-star Mari restaurant as a result of its success.
Normally, ordering everything on the menu would only be a pipe dream, but at Kochi, it is feasible. The menu features dishes like braised short rib and Spanish mackerel that has been charcoal roasted.
2. Crown Shy
James Kent, the longstanding chef de cuisine at Eleven Madison Park, which has a Michelin star, launched his first solo restaurant this year. In a sophisticated setting that serves as both a destination for major occasions and a nicer-than-normal evening whim, Crown Shy continues to produce superb food and stunning cocktails. After dinner, Overstory, which is located above, is a fantastic place for cocktails with a view.
Crown Shy has a sense of importance without being threatening. This must be the place kind of place, but it manages to be cozy and welcoming. The roasted short rib, gruyere fritters, and elegantly decorated Crown cocktails are among of our favorites.
4. Dhamaka
Astonishing greatest new restaurant in NYC in 2021 with cuisine infrequently found on regional menus.
The irrepressible Unapologetic Foods team highlights what they call “the forgotten side of India,” such as Champa ran meat, Gurda Kapoor, and doh Khel (pork with lime, cilantro, onion, and ginger). Gurda Kapoor is made of goat kidney, testicles, red onion, and pao (mutton, garlic, red chili). Since Dhamaka, the group has kept adding additional locations, such as Rowdy Rooster, which offers the city’s best new fried chicken sandwich.
4. Gage & Tollner
Long the stuff of folklore, Gage & Tollner had operated in its golden premises as one of Brooklyn’s most opulent restaurants before ceasing operations in 2004. After a halt in operations in 2020, a trio of Brooklyn-based hospitality professionals set to work on bringing Gage & Tollner back to life.
The March 15, 2020, estimated opening date for Gage & Tollner generated a lot of attention at the time, and the long wait only heightened excitement. The setting is just as stunning as we anticipated, and the menu’s rich, indulgent selections occasionally include throwbacks. Getting a seat at the bar is made simpler by the fact that walk-ins are given bar seats. The most frequented restaurant taking part in NYC Summer Restaurant Week is Gage & Tollner. If you get a chance, check out the Sunken Harbor Club up top as well.
5. Rezdora
Chef Stefano Secchi worked at Modena, Italy’s Osteria Francescana, which was named the world’s greatest restaurant in 2018 before opening one of NYC’s top restaurants the following year. Rezdôra offers a wide selection of pasta dishes that are all made using the best ingredients.
Even for those who grew up having pasta for dinner every night, a meal at Rezdôra feels novel. Although there are individual plates available, the $95 regional pasta tasting is a fun introduction to the best of the establishment.
6. Atoboy
Modern Korean small meals by Chef Junghyun Park are served in five courses for a fixed price of $75. For an additional $27, fried chicken is offered with gochujang sauce and a spicy peanut sauce.
One of the greatest methods to try as much as you can is with a tasting menu, although others are excessively restrictive and prohibitively pricey. The prix-fixe at Park is more reasonably priced than others, and you can select from a few selections for the most of the courses.
7. Gramercy Tavern
A timeless piece from New York that you can dress up or down (ish).
The dining room in the back and the tavern area up front, with a bar that feels like the place to be, both have a lively night out vibe. If you want to indulge, the dining room’s five-course tasting menu, priced at $165, is fantastic. Alternatively, you can order à la carte in the (also wonderful) tavern area, where every main dish is $36 or less.
8. Sushi Nakazawa
Chef Daisuke Nakazawa of Jiro Dreams of Sushi offers amazing omakase.
There are several pricey omakase restaurants in this city, but Sushi Nakazawa offers the same great quality and reverent atmosphere for only little less money. At the best sushi restaurants in New York City, chef’s picks can easily cost $300 or more, yet reservations at Nakazawa’s counter just $180 for roughly 20 mouth-watering dishes such fatty tuna, sea urchin, and yellowtail. The tranquil dining room costs $150, while the ideal sake pairings cost $90. With Saito this summer, Nakazawa followed his eponymous first place.
9. Ugly Baby
Ugly Baby is a Thai restaurant that has been booming on Smith Street in Carroll Gardens since 2017 and will push the boundaries of your heat tolerance. The “stay-away spicy Udon Thani’s duck salad” is filled with fiery flavors, and orders of calming toe ka ko will quench any palette fires.
The masterful use of heat demonstrated by Ugly Baby’s usage of spices is lauded by both experts and amateurs. Like many of the greatest restaurants in the city, there can be a considerable wait for a table, but the food is also good for delivery and takeout. Additionally, it just started taking reservations.
10. Oxomoco
The wood-fired cuisine is the main focus at the Michelin-starred Oxomoco (from the creators of Speedy Romeo). There are fish, lamb, and beet “chorizo” taco options.
The venue is a lot of fun, the cuisine is excellent, and the ambiance is upbeat. In contrast to many establishments of this quality, Oxomoco offers frozen drinks on its cocktail menu.
11. Olmsted
A local restaurant with a seasonal focus that combines a special occasion destination with awards.
We adore it because… With costs that currently top out at $38 for a za’atar smoked duck breast, Olmstead’s expertly written and executed menu has always had obvious notes of high dining at cheaper pricing. It also happens to be the perfect moment to admire Olmsted’s garden during these final summer days.
