New York City

Table of Contents

some ~featured~ picks

CotÉ

16 W 22nd St, Flatiron

Korean Steakhouse

What I love: the Butcher's Feast is an incredible value, as it comes with four cuts of beef, a fluffy egg souffle, two stews, and soft serve; if you plan to order a la carte, my favorite cut is the USDA prime galbi (marinated shortrib)

Rezdôra

27 E 20th St, Flatiron

Northern Italian Cuisine

What I love: literally all the pasta dishes... but if I had to choose, here's what I would recommend -- spaghetti allo scoglio (squid ink spaghetti), gnocchi del bosco, and of course, if there's one pasta dish you need to try in your lifetime, it is the uovo raviolo di nino bergese (one large raviolo stuffed with an herbed ricotta filling and a beautiful raw egg yolk to add to the richness)

Samwoojung

138 W 32nd St, Koreatown

Korean Cuisine

What I love: as a bulgogi-speciality restaurant hailing from its original location in Seoul in 1963, it should come as no surprise that their Seoul-style bulgogi is one of the best out there (plus, as an added bonus, they crack in eggs into the sauce, soaking up all the flavor); other than this star dish, the pine nut gochujang-glazed abalone and soy sauce marinated crab were also an incredible additions to the meal

Izakaya Toribar

164 E 56th St, Midtown East

Japanese Cuisine 

What I love: their tsukune (chicken meatball) with egg yolk and sweet dipping sauce is to die for and the best ones I've ever had; cooked tuna & mayo onigiri (rice ball) is also very tasty and well-seasoned

Jeju Noodle Bar

679 Greenwich St, West Village

Korean Cuisine

What I love: toro ssam bap (the perfect bowl doesn't exi- let me stop you there and tell you about what this bowl contains: fatty tuna, uni, golden osetra caviar), jeju fried chicken (crispy & juicy), and the wagyu ramyun

Kaikagetsu

162 Orchard St, Lower East Side

Japanese Cuisine

What I love: prix fixe 5-course dinner with incredibly authentic japanese dishes; friendliest waitstaff; one of my happiest dining experience

Anto

243 E 58th St, Midtown East

Korean Cuisine

What I love: premium chest comes with six courses: Caviar (Kaviari - Baeri - bright & briny), Carabinero Shrimp (yuzu gochujang cocktail sauce), Oysters (house chojung, watercress), Hudson Valley Duck (smoked honey, maldon salt), American Wagyu (45 day dry aged), Anto Galbi (Anto marinade); granded seafood rice (roasted fish of the day, spotted prawn, garlic chive)

4 Charles Prime Rib

4 Charles St, West Village

Steakhouse

What I love:  4 Charles cut (Gorgonzola aged prime rib with horseradish cream and natural beef jus), 10oz double wagyu cheeseburger (griddled and pressed snake river farms wagyu with american cheese, pickles, and dijonnaise), truffle mac & cheese

Chongqing Lao Zao

37-04 Prince St, Flushing

Hot Pot

Nubiani

315 5th Ave #3FL, Koreatown

Korean Cuisine

What I love:  potentially... better... than... Cote?

Mari

679 9th Ave, Hell's Kitchen

Korean Cuisine

What I love:  as the name is inspired by the Korean word for roll, this restaurant has a tasting menu inspired by fresh Korean hand rolls 

Antoya Korean BBQ

37 W 32nd St, Koreantown

Korean Cuisine

What I love: galbi (marinated beef short rib) had the perfect balance of tender meat and flavorful marinade; chadol buchu (sliced brisket and chive) is also a great combo

Jua

36 E 22nd St, Flatiron

Korean Cuisine

What I love:  the 7-course tasting menu features a "caviar kim" and "galbi & chan" with high quality ingredients and powerful flavors

Sixty Three Clinton

63 Clinton St, Lower East Side

New American Cuisine

What I love:  the 7-course tasting menu offers a bang-for-your-buck deal at $92 (excluding add-ons) with admirable depth of flavors and impressive ingredient pairings. With both chefs, Sam Clonts and Raymond Trinh, having previously worked at Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare and Bar Uchu, every dish feels thoughtfully and creatively crafted. While I thoroughly enjoyed every dish, one standout was the breakfast taco featuring smoked trout roe, ajitama, hash brown and salsa verde

Nowon

507 E 6th St, East Village

Korean American Pocha

What I love:  the legendary cheeseburger (smashed double, kimchi special sauce, roasted kimchi, american cheese, pickles, onion), and the extraordinary tots with the extremely addictive honey garlic butter - it's flavor town in this highly regarded gastropub 

Don Angie

103 Greenwich Ave, West Village

Italian Restaurant

What I love:  lasagna for two (aka, the lasagna pinwheels) -- each piece features a perfect bite: crispy top layer, homemade bolognese encased in soft pasta sheets, and dollops of light robiola cheese

Ariari

119 1st Ave, East Village

Korean Cuisine

What I love:  hap-cheon pork soup (subtle yet flavorful clear pork broth with various cuts of pork served with an onion chive salad), scallop DIY gimbap (fresh scallops, squid jeotgal, scallion mayo, apple kimchi, gim), dolsot al-bap (hot stone bibimbap with medley of fish roe, sea urchin cream), fried soft shell crab (served with a scallion yuja aioli), steamed monkfish, spicy pork with fried squid

Hojokban

128 Madison Ave, NoMad

Korean Cuisine

What I love:  hojok galbi (korean-style short rib steak served with a scallion salad and galbi sauce) garlic pork jowl (braised pork jowl served with radish kimchi, spicy celery pickle and scallion ssamjang), ramyun fried rice (fried rice made with cup noodles, and bacon served with chili oil and scallions), perilla oil noodle (cold buckwheat noodles tossed with wild perilla oil and house-blend soy sauce. Topped with scallion, red onion and chili pepper)

Moono

29 E 32nd St, Koreatown

Korean Cuisine

What I love:  spicy fried chicken (legitimately the best fried chicken I have ever had... like ever ever), mung bean pancake, galbi-jjim (extremely flavorful), mushroom sotbap, pyongyang cold noodle, scallop (refreshing appetizer), buckwheat ice cream (with corn crème brûlée)

Penny

90 E 10th St 1st Floor, East Village

Seafood Bar

What I love:  cute date spot featuring fresh seafood and a great wine selection; all the dishes were incredible but the standouts were the fluffy sesame brioche bread, the ice box (fresh plump shrimp, raw scallop and more) and added dressed razor clam, and the stuffed squid (intense flabor and spices)

Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi

10 Lincoln Center Plaza, Upper West Side

Afro-Caribbean Cuisine

What I love: deemed "best new restaurant in NYC" by New York Times critic Pete Wells and "Resy One To Watch" by The World's 50 Best Restaurants, Tatiana by Chef Kwame already has many accolades less than a year into opening (in November 2022). I wanted to try everything on the menu, but ended up settling on these dishes: curried goat patties (with green seasoning aioli and mango chutney), mind-blowingly tender braised oxtails (with rice & peas, thumbelina carrot, and chayote squash), short rib pastrami suya (featuring boneless wagyu short rib, caraway coco bread and melted red cabbage) and the bodega special for dessert (cosmic brownie and powdered donut ice cream)

Double Chicken Please

115 Allen St, Lower East Side

Cocktail Bar

What I love:  ranked #1 on the world's 50 best bars in 2023, DCP is both known for its creative cocktails (we tried "Japanese cold noodle", "cold pizza" and "mango sticky rice"), as well as its eponymous chicken sandwich (I am still dreaming about the thai basil aioli sauce that comes with the hot honey flavor; if you're not feeling as hungry, you can snack on some popcorn chicken with the same sauce!)

some of my favorite fine dining spots when you are feeling fancy

Eleven Madison Park

11 Madison Ave, Flatiron

American Fine Dining

Jungsik

2 Harrison St, Tribeca

Korean Cuisine

Atomix

104 E 30th St, NoMad

Contemporary Korean

Le Bernardin

155 W 51st St, Midtown

French Cuisine

Chef's Table At Brooklyn Fare

431 W 37th St, Midtown West

French & Asian Cuisine

Kaiseki Room by Yamada

145 W 53rd St, Midtown

Japanese Cuisine

Atera

77 Worth St, Tribeca

New American Fine Dining

The Modern

9 W 53rd St, Midtown

French/New American

Tsukimi

228 E 10th St, East Village

Japanese Kaiseki

Tempura Matsui

222 E 39th St, Murray Hill

Tempura Restaurant

L'abeille

412 Greenwich St, Tribeca

French/Japanese

some of my go-to japanese spots

Yopparai

49 Clinton St, Lower East Side

Japanese Cuisine

Hatsuhana

17 E 48th St, Midtown East

Japanese Cuisine

Ume

237 Kent Ave, Williamsburg

Japanese Cuisine

HAKATA TONTON

35 W 35th St, Koreatown

Japanese Cuisine

What I love: their brunch menu! particularly the yum cha set, which comes with sui gyoza, roast beef, eel canape, mentai omelette, ebi mayo, goma hamachi, kara age, bloomed tomato, kani harumaki, kakuni buns, ping lady roll, and choice of tea

Prime Meat Rokko

783 9th Ave, Hell's Kitchen

Japanese Cuisine

Shabushabu Mayumon

115 Division St, Lower East Side

Japanese Cuisine

Ootoya

141 W 41st St, Midtown

Japanese Cuisine

Tomi Jazz

239 E 53rd, Midtown East

Japanese Cuisine

Sip & Guzzle

29 Cornelia St, West Village

Japanese Cuisine

What I love: popular hot spot opened by the alums from Angel’s Share, Employees Only, and Alinea in Chicago; great drinks and electric chicken was so crispy, juicy and flavorful (drizzled with chili oil so they give you gloves and scissors to use)

NR

339 E 75th St, Upper East Side

Japanese Cuisine

Konban

311 W 17th St, Chelsea

Japanese Cuisine

Rule of Thirds

171 Banker St, Greenpoint

Japanese Cuisine

Suki

32 St Marks Pl, East Village

Japanese Cuisine

Kura Revolving Sushi Bar

2151 Lemoine Ave, Fort Lee

Sushi Bar

Nami Nori

33 Carmine St, West Village

Japanese Cuisine

Mari.Ne Handroll

135 W 41st St, Midtown

Sushi Bar 

What I love: cute spot, easy to get a reservation, and fresh handrolls with delicious sauces to go with it; top 3 favorite handrolls: soy bulgogi (didn't plan to like it but loved it), confit spicy tuna, and salmon

The Chemistry Room

130 W 47th St, Midtown

Sushi Bar 

Sushi of Gari

370 Columbus Ave, Upper West Side

Sushi Bar

OMakase by Korami

400 W 50th St, Hell's Kitchen

Japanese Cuisine

Sushi Lab

132 W 47th St, Midtown West

Japanese Cuisine

Okozushi by Mezumi

376 Graham Ave, Williamsburg

Japanese Cuisine

Sugarfish by Sushi Nozawa

33 E 20th St, Flatiron

Japanese Cuisine

Kazunori

157 E 53rd St, Midtown East

Handroll Bar

Yakitori Torishin

362 W 53rd St, Midtown West

Japanese Cuisine

Yakitori Totto

251 W 55th St 2/F, Midtown West

Japanese Cuisine

Yakiniku Futago

37 W 17th St, Flatiron

Japanese Cuisine

Gyu-Kaku

321 W 44th St #103, Midtown West

Japanese Cuisine

Davelle

102 Suffolk St, Lower East Side

Japanese Cafe

Katsu-hama

11 E 47th St, Midtown East

Japanese Cuisine

J's Kitchen

261 1st Ave, Stuy Town

Japanese Cuisine

Vert Frais

43-10 Crescent St, LIC

Japanese Cuisine

What I like: fluffy, airy, jiggly, not-too-sweet souffle pancakes and comforting Japanese classics like omurice (omelet, bacon friedrRice with onion, green peas, mushroom, scallop powder, demi-glace sauce)

some korean spots in ktown (& elsewhere)

Hyun

10 E 33rd St, Koreatown

Korean Cuisine

Oiji Mi

17 W 19th St, Flatiron

Korean Cuisine

LittleMad

110 Madison Ave, Koreatown

Korean Cuisine

Olle

11 E 30th St, Midtown East

Korean Cuisine

Baekjeong

1 E 32nd St, Koreatown

Korean Cuisine (BBQ)

Coqodaq

12 E 22nd St, Flatiron

Korean Cuisine

What I love: from the same people behind Cote is this buzzy fried chicken concept featuring a different parts of the chicken, a gluten-free rice flour batter and a variety of sauces you can squeeze on from fun little bottles

8282

84 Stanton St, Lower East Side

Korean Cuisine

What I love: littleneck soojebi (littleneck clams, potato soojebi, black pepper soy sauce, butter scallion pepper broth), dakgalbi kimchi-bap (gochujang marinated chicken over cheesy kimchi rice)

Rice Kitchen

39-37 30th St, Long Island City

Korean Cuisine

What I love: started as a ghost kitchen and is now a full-service restaurant serving a variety of fresh soy-marinated seafood (large gunsan premium crab, wild red argentine shrimp, scallop, salmon, and even abalone!) 

Atoboy

43 E 28th St, Nomad

Korean Cuisine

Five Senses

9 W 32nd St, Koreatown

Korean Cuisine

What I love: sogalbijjim (braised boneless prime short ribs, carrot, radish, dates, chestnut, jalapeno in a soy reduction), jae yook bokum (spicy marinated berkshire pork loin stir-fried on a sizzling pan), ojing-eo bokum (stir fried squid with vegetables and noodle in a house special gochujang sauce)

Cho Dang Gol

55 W 35th St, Midtown West

Korean Cuisine

Kunjip

32 W 32nd St, Koreatown

Korean Cuisine

Hangawi

12 E 32nd St Koreatown

Korean Cuisine

What I love: beautiful cozy atmosphere with traditional decor serving an all vegetarian menu; Hangawi hot stone bowl with multigrain rice had a nice assortment of vegetables and came with some kimchi and mild kimchi, korean pancakes platter includes three different flavors of savory pancakes and three sauces (leek, kimchi mushroom, and kobucha pumpkin)

Take31

15 E 31st St, Koreatown

Korean Cuisine

Seoul Salon

28 W 33rd St, Koreatown

Korean Cuisine

Her Name is Han

17 E 31st St, Koreatown

Korean Cuisine

Sam Sunny

517 2nd Ave, Kips Bay

Korean Cuisine

Okdongsik

13 E 30th St, Midtown East

Korean Cuisine

Joomak Banjum

312 5th Ave, Koreatown

Korean Cuisine

Osamil

5 W 31st St, Koreatown

Korean Gastropub

Yoon Haeundae Galbi

8 W 36th St, Koreatown

Korean Cuisine (BBQ)

Dondon Korean BBQ

37 W 43rd St, Midtown

Korean Cuisine (BBQ)

What I love: a Korean BBQ spot specializing in pork, from the team behind Kochi and Mari

some yum chinese food spots

Szechuan Mountain House

23 St Marks Pl, East Village

Szechuan Cuisine

Hwa Yuan

42 E Broadway, Chinatown

Szechuan Cuisine

Juqi

133-36 37th Ave G17, Flushing

Beijing Cuisine

Uluh

152A 2nd Ave, East Village

Chinese Cuisine

Spicy Village

68 Forsyth St B, Chinatown

Henan Cuisine

Chi Restaurant & Bar

492 9th Ave, Hell's Kitchen

Chinese Cuisine

Tai Er

133-36 37th Ave F17, Flushing

Chinese Sauerkraut Fish

Nai Brother

27-17 42nd Rd, Long Island City

Chinese Sauerkraut Fish

Yunnan Rice Noodle House

53 Bayard St, Chinatown

Yunnan Cuisine

Wu's Wonton King

165 E Broadway, Chinatown

Cantonese Cuisine

Potluck Club

133 Chrystie St, Lower East Side

Cantonese-American Cuisine

Uncle Lou

73 Mulberry St, Chinatown

Cantonese Cuisine

What I love: crispy garlic duck

Big Wong

67 Mott St, Chinatown

Cantonese Cuisine

What I love: roast duck and soy sauce chicken (and roast pork) are my go-tos at this good reliable cantonese spot

Royal Seafood

103 Mott St, Chinatown

Dim Sum

Nom Wah Tea Parlor

13 Doyers St, Chinatown

Dim Sum

New Lake Pavillion

6015 Main St, Flushing

Dim Sum

Shanghai You Garden

135-33 40th Rd, Flushing

Shanghainese Cuisine

What I love: scallion pancake with sliced beef, pan fried pork bun, soy peas, grandma style braised pork, braised spare ribs in wuxi style, braised deep fried round hoof, shredded pork & preserved vegetable noodle soup and then of course, the free xiao long bao!

Shanghai Time

273 W 38th St, Midtown

Shanghainese Cuisine

What I love: their sheng jian bao (panfried pork soup dumpling) is probably the best I've ever had... not too bread-y with flavorful and plentiful amount of soup inside and a crispy pan-fried bottom for that added texture; the scallion pancake with beef brisket was also surprisingly a standout, with perfect crispiness

Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao

24 W 33rd St, Koreatown

Shanghainese Cuisine

Tim Ho Wan

610 9th Ave, Midtown West

Dim Sum

Yin Ji Chang Fen

91 Bayard St, Chinatown

Rice Noodle / Cantonese Cuisine

What I love: a Guangzhou chain featuring delicious rice rolls and congee -- we got the beef & shrimp with chives rice roll and the pork liver congee on a cold rainy day and it was exactly what we needed

Bonnie's

398 Manhattan Ave, Williamsburg

Cantonese-American Cuisine

What I love: x.o. cheung fun (seared rolled rice noodles, dried scallop-shrimp x.o. sauce, cured pork, bean sprouts + chives), chrysanthemum green salad (chrysanthemum leaves, greens, creamy soy sesame + crispy shallots)

Kong Sihk Tong

65 Bayard St, Chinatown

Cantonese Cuisine

Cha Kee

43 Mott St, Chinatown

Cantonese Cuisine

Mabu Cafe

18 Doyers St, Chinatown

Cantonese Cuisine

Shoo Loong Kan

133-36 37th Ave, Flushing

Hot Pot

Da Long Yi Hot Pot

159 Canal St, 2/F, Chinatown

Hot Pot

Liuyishou Hot Pot

136-76 39th Ave, Flushing

Hot Pot

Haidilao Hot Pot

138-23 39th Ave, Flushing

Hot Pot

The Dolar Shop

55 3rd Ave, East Village

Hot Pot

YGF Malatang

92 3rd Ave, East Village

Hot Pot

What I love: the popular chain with over 6,000 branches in Asia has arrived in NYC; a fast-food style spot has a very wide selection of meats, seafood, vegetables, noodles, and more that you pick out for yourself using a large bowl and tongs and is charged by the pound, then you can choose between a bone broth, tomato broth or dry pot with peanut/sesame dressing

when southeast asian food just hits the spot every time

Pranakhon

88 University Pl, Union Square

Thai Cuisine

What I love: a diverse range of authentic dishes that makes me wanting to go back to try them all. Incredible service and unique large interior, and generally easy to get a reservation or walk-in

Pure thai Cookhouse

766 9th Ave #2, Midtown West

Thai Cuisine

What I love: nothing on this menu that I haven't loved, but my go-to would be the ratchaburi crab & pork dry noodles featuring an incredible handmade egg noodles

LumLum

404 W 49th St, Hell's Kitchen

Thai Cuisine

Wayan

20 Spring St, Nolita

Indonesian Cuisine

Thai Diner

186 Mott St, Nolita

Thai Cuisine

What I love: thai diner egg sandwich (egg, cheese, sai oua herbal sausage & thai basil wrapped in roti), thai disco fries (fries smothered in spicy massaman curry with red onion, peanuts & coconut cream), phat see ew 

The Tyger

1 Howard St, SoHo

Southeast Asian Cuisine

Tong

321 Starr St, Bushwick

Thai Cuisine

Sappe

240 W 14th St, West Village

Thai Cuisine

What I love: skewers (chicken liver, pork belly, chicken, and ox tongue), tom yum tiger prawn hotpot, mama e-la (pan fried wavy egg noodles in a sweet garlic soy sauce eith sauteed beef brisket), goi nuer (spicy esan style beef tartare with rice crackers)

Soothr

204 E 13th St, East Village

Thai Cuisine

Fish Cheeks

55 Bond St, NoHo

Thai Cuisine

Chalong

749 9th Ave, Hell's Kitchen

Thai Cuisine

Three Roosters

23 Pell St, Chinatown

Thai Cuisine

West New Malaysia

69 Bayard St, Chinatown

Malaysian Cuisine

nothing beats a great plate of pasta

Massara

913 Broadway, Flatiron

Italian Cuisine

What I love:  Rezdora's sister restaurant does not disappoint, from good food to good vibes - loved their light and fluffy made-to-order pizzette, deep fried stuffed squash blossom, corteccia (sausage ragu & broccoli rabe), candele (ragu genovese), and beautiful cheesemakers raviolini

Torrisi

275 Mulberry St, SoHo

Italian Cuisine

What I love:  beautiful interior in the ground floor of the landmark Puck Building with incredible pastas such as the tortellini pomodoro and cavatelli with Jamaican beef ragu (other dishes we tried includes the cucumbers new yorkese and charred clam boule) and incredible service

Via Carota

51 Grove St, West Village

Italian Cuisine

What I love:  while probably most well known for their tonnarelli cacio pepe, I would argue the must-get items on their menu are the insalata verde (I usually refuse to order salad when I dine out, but their sherry vinaigrette was just so addicting), the via carota svizzerina (hand-chopped grass-fed steak), and panna cotta; highly recommended date spot with intimate vibes and incredible service

I Sodi

314 Bleecker St, West Village

Italian Cuisine

What I love:  lasagna a sugo (house made pasta with sugo di carne bechamel and parmigiano), pappardelle al limone (house made pappardelle with lemon, pecorino sardo and black pepper), and pici pesto

Carbone

181 Thompson St, Greenwich Village

Italian Cuisine

What I love: the iconic spicy rigatoni vodka and tortellini al ragu

L'Artusi

228 W 10th St, West Village

Italian Cuisine

What I love: pici nero (crab, calabrian chili, garlic, tomato, nori breadcrumbs) - my absolute favorite with a delicious tomato-based sauce and lots of lump crab meat, ricotta & crackers (off menu special), rigatoni (rabbit ragu, basil, chilies, parmigiano), bucatini (pancetta, tomato, chilies, pecorino), olive oil cake (golden raisin marmellata, madeira, crème fraîche mousse)

Lilia

567 Union Ave, Williamsburg

Italian Cuisine

What I love:  sheeps milk cheese filled agnolotti (this tube-shaped pasta is filled with a light, fluffy sheep’s milk cheese and served with an incredible honey-saffron butter sauce), malfadini with pink peppercorns (not as good as the agnolotti, but loved the texture of the squiggly-shaped noodles)

Misi

329 Kent Ave, Williamsburg

Italian Cuisine

What I love: spinach and mascarpone filled tortelli, brown butter, ricotta salata

Bad Roman

10 Columbus Cir, Upper West Side

Italian Cuisine

What I love:  this new Quality Branded restaurant (the restaurant group behind Don Angie) serves up a bold menu -- roasted garlic babka, black truffle whipped ricotta, spicy gem caesar, short rib pappardelle, rock shrimp chitarra, whole roasted 2lb lobster & calabrian pasta, tiramisu ice cream cake (I am obsessed), and lemon cheesecake (cutely shaped as a lemon!)

Fiaschetteria “Pistoia”

114 Christopher St, West Village

Italian Cuisine

What I love: very fresh homemade pasta with cozy vibes; ordered the tagliatella tartufo (homemade egg pasta with truffle; perfect creamy texture) and pappardelle al ragu (slow cooked beef ragu bolognese style)

Masseria Dei Vini

887 9th Ave, Midtown West

Italian Cuisine

Sant Ambroeus

200 Vesey St, Battery Park

Italian Cuisine

Alice

126 W 13th St,  Greenwich Village

Italian Cuisine

What I love: we went here for the "LOBSTER, BIG WINES, AND YOU LOOKING INTO MY EYES" three-course lobster dinner special, where we got a lobster bisque, lobster roll, and one of the fettuccine lobster / one of the king crab & truffle

Zero Otto Nove

2357 Arthur Ave, Bronx

Italian Cuisine

Trattoria Dell'Arte

900 7th Ave, Midtown

Italian Cuisine

some classic american eats

Dinosaur Bar-B-QUE

700 W 125th St, Harlem

Barbecue

What I love: ribssssssss

Sweet Chick

178 Ludlow St, Lower East Side

Chicken & Waffles

What I love: nashville hot chicken with classic belgian waffles

Au Cheval

33 Cortlandt Alley, Chinatown

American Restaurant

What I love: double cheeseburger featuring two beef patties with sharp American cheddar, pickles, onions and dijonnaise + top it off with their thick-cut bacon and farm egg

Maison Pickle

2315 Broadway, Upper West Side

American Restaurant

What I love: patty melt (Jacob’s beef burger blend, toasted buttermilk bread, melted cheddar cheese, lettuce, Maison sauce, au jus, crispy onions, cole slaw, big dill pickles)

Breakfast by Salt's Cure

27 1/2 Morton St, West Village

Pancake Restaurant 

What I love: oatmeal griddle cakes are in a league of their own - absolute favorite in the pancake family tree

Clinton St. Baking Co.

4 Clinton St, Lower East Side

American Brunch

What I love: probably the most iconic brunch spot in NYC and it still continues to be extremely popular (somtimes stops accepting walk-ins even by 1pm because the waitlist is too long!); while all the brunch options are solid picks, the pancakes warm maple butter is the no brainer must-pick

Golden Diner

123 Madison St, Lower East Side

Brunch Spot

The Four Horsemen

295 Grand St, Williamsburg

New American

What I love: even if I told you what I enjoyed on their menu, this probably wouldn't help you because this restaurant changes up their menu very often; but not to worry, pretty much everything on their menu is delicious! cozy atmosphere and a great spot for a date night

Estela

47 E Houston St, Nolita

Contemporary American

Crown Shy

70 Pine Street, FiDi

New American Restaurant

The Noortwyck

289 Bleecker St, Greenwich Village

New American Restaurant

What I love: desserts were a standout (mille-feuille and the opera cake), plus the BBQ duck breast was delicious with a very crispy skin

Le Rock

45 Rockefeller Plaza, Midtown

French/American Restaurant

Bar56

53 Water St, Dumbo

American Restaurant

What I love: raviolo al uovo (ricotta, meadow creek egg, guanciale, black pepper), anson mills farro piccolo (chanterelles, roasted corn, black truffle), vanilla panna cotta (strawberry, olive oil, sea salt, basil)

Little Maven

30 W 18th St, Flatiron

American Restaurant

Catch NYC

21 9th Ave, Meatpacking

American Restaurant

Brooklyn Crab

24 Reed St, Red Hook

Seafood Restaurant

The Boil

139 Chrystie St, Lower East Side

Cajun Seafood Boil

Lure Fishbar

142 Mercer St, SoHo

Seafood Restaurant

Astoria Seafood

3710 33rd St, Astoria

Seafood Restaurant

What I love: all the food was great but honestly the best part was the experience of choosing your own fish and seafood (and then deciding how you want it cooked)! we got some fried calamari, red snapper and some grilled prawns

Emily

35 Downing St,  West Village

American Restaurant

What I love: ok so I know this is supposed to be a pizza place but I think the emmy double stack burger (dry-aged grass fed beef, emmy sauce, caramalized onion, american cheese and pickle on a pretzel bun) is my favorite item to get here

Burger & Lobster

132 W 43rd St, Midtown West

Burgers... and Lobsters...

Jacob's Pickles

509 Amsterdam Ave, Upper West Side

Southern Restaurant

Jackson's Eatery | Bar

10-37 Jackson Ave, Long Island City

American Restaurant

some of my favorite spots to get a warm bowl of noodles

Raku

342 E 6th St, East Village

Udon Shop

What I love: niku udon (broth is incredible and has a beautiful depth of flavor, plus it contains extremely tender beef short ribs, tendon, and honeycomb tripe), yaki nasu (deep fried eggplant, spicy miso pork, quail egg) is my favorite appetizer as it has great soft texture from the eggplant and rich flavor from the miso pork 

Ichiran

152 W 49th St, Midtown

Ramen Shop

SOBA NOODLE AZUMA

251 W 55th St, Midtown West

Soba Noodle Shop

What I love: I get the cold soba noodle with grated yam (yamaimo) and poached egg pretty much every time because I love the unique slimy texture of the yamaimo with the noodles

Ho Foods

110 E 7th St, East Village

Taiwanese Cuisine

What I love: the beef noodle soup (classic red cooked taiwanese style beef noodle soup, beef shanks, bone broth with a little spiciness, scallion, cilantro, and house fermented mustard greens)

Ippudo

321 W 51st St, Midtown

Ramen Shop

Okiboru House of Tsukemen

117 Orchard St, Lower East Side

Ramen Shop

What I love:  spicy tsukemen (thick, bouncy noodles made in-house served with a rich and flavorful dipping broth, topped with a beautifully marinated soft boiled jammy egg, pork chashu, scallion and house-made chili paste)

Okiboru House of Udon

124 2nd Ave, East Village

Udon Shop

What I love: extra wide Himokawa-style udon that has the perfect chew and silky texture; fell in love with this unique udon while in Tokyo and was over the moon when I found out I could have it in NYC

Tsurutontan Udon Noodle Brasserie

21 E 16th St, Flatiron

Japanese Cuisine

Kame

330 8th Ave, Chelsea

Ramen Shop

Kin Ramen

129 W 56th St, Midtown

Ramen Shop

Kooksoo

1638 Schlosser St D-2, Fort Lee (NJ)

Kooksoo Korean Noodle Shop

What I love:  king ribs jjampong is the perfect bowl of noodles and comes with everything - incredible fresh noodles with the perfect chew, shrimp, mussels, zucchini, beansprouts, and of course the giant king short ribs! p.s. they also offer combos with a small side of bulgogi or LA galbi, p.s.s. they have self serve kimchi(!!)

Monsieur Vo

104 2nd Ave, East Village

Modern Vietnamese Cuisine

What I love: not your typical vietnamese restaurant - featuring all kinds of flavorful dishes like the roasted bone marrow, com chien cua (tamarind fried rice with lump crab and runny yolk), and the monsieur platter (coriander skirt steak, grilled beef rolls, lemongrass BBQ pork, sugar cane shrimp served with woven vermicelli, roasted peanuts, lettuce, pickled carrots and herbs)

Madame Vo

212 E 10th St, East Village

Vietnamese Cuisine

Tsuta

22 Old Fulton St, Dumbo

Ramen Shop

Sobaya

229 E 9th St, East Village

Soba Shop

some of the best spots for a quick bite

Katz's Delicatessen

205 E Houston St, Lower East Side

Deli

GO! Go! Curry!

273 W 38th St, Midtown West

Japanese Curry

Thisbowl

65 Bleecker St, NoHo

Australian Health Bowl

What I love: The O.G. bowl with salmon sashimi, kale, beets, red onion, edamame, roasted sesame dressing, seaweed salad, avocado, sansho crispy crunch, tobiko 

Jamrock Jerk

Food Cart - Check Website for Rotating Locations

Jamaican Cuisine

What I love: beef oxtails (seasoned and marinated with Jamaican herbs and spices, slow stewed to a soft and succulent perfection, served with rice & peas, fried plantains & salad)

L'Industrie Pizza

104 Christopher St, West Village

Pizza Shop

What I love: interesting slices like fig, jam & bacon and new yorker slice with pepperoni, sausage, and ricotta, and burrata slice 

Prince Street Pizza

27 Prince St A, Nolita

Pizza Shop

What I love: my preference for pizzas are really for thin crust slices, but I make an exception for Prince Street's spicy pepperoni (fra diavolo sauce, spicy pepperoni and fresh mozzarella)

Joe's Pizza

1435 Broadway, Midtown

Pizza Shop

Roberta's

261 Moore St, Bushwick

Pizza Shop

Vezzo NYC Thin Crust Pizza

176 Lexington Ave, Midtown East

Pizza Shop

Mei Lai Wah

62 Bayard St, Chinatown

Chinese Bakery

What I love: pineapple bun with roast pork (cha siu)

Lou Yau Kee

124 E 14th St, Union Square

Chicken Rice Shop

Los Tacos No.1

229 W 43rd St, Midtown

Taco Shop

What I love: after trying all their taco offerings, I have perfected by los tacos order and have not strayed from it ever since -- two adobada quesadillas with flour tortillas (the marinated pork is just so full of flavor, and while I used to always get the corn tortilla, I tried the soft flour tortillas one day and could never go back) 

Xi'an Famous Foods

38 E 23rd St, Flatiron

Chinese Cuisine

What I love: N1 spicy cumin lamb hand-ripped noodles (wide hand-ripped biang-biang noodles mixed with sauteed slices of spicy cumin lamb and the incredible soy sauce and black rice vinegar based sauce)

Shu Jiao Fu Zhou

295 Grand St, Chinatown

Fuzhou Cuisine

What I love: pork & chive dumplings (well-made, consistent, juicy, with a skin that has a little bite to it, and most amazingly at a great price -- what more can you ask for?)

Awesum DimSum

612 8th Ave, Midtown

Dim Sum

some of my absolute favorite dessert spots

WIN SON BAKERY

Known For: Taiwanese-Inspired Pastries (e.g., Millet Mochi Donut, Custard Toast, Fan Tuan) 

CHA-AN TEAHOUSE

Known For: Japanese and Matcha Desserts

MANGO MANGO

Known For: Everything Mango!

LAFAYETTE BAKERY

Known For: Suprême Croissant

GRACE STREET

Known For: Shaved Ice, Asian Treats

MISTER DIPS

Known For: Soft Serve

BAO TEA HOUSE

Known For: Sweet & Savory Baos

XING FU TANG

Known For: Freshly-Made Brown Sugar Boba

BOBA GUYS

Known For: Boba

KETTL

Known For: Matcha Latte

NANA'S GREEN TEA

Known For: Matcha and Hojicha Parfait

DUO CAFE

Known For: Chinese Afternoon Teahouse

SPOT DESSERT BAR

Known For: Creative Asian-Inspired Desserts (e.g. Matcha Lava Cake)

MATCHAFUL

Known For: Plant-Based Matcha Drinks & Soft Serve

TAIYAKI

Known For: Taiyaki

TAI PAN BAKERY

Known For: Chinese Baked Goods

SPONGIES CAFE

Known For: Sponge Cake

MAGNOLIA BAKERY

Known For: Banana Pudding

ANITA

Known For: Gelato

DIPPIN' DOTS

Known For: Ice Cream Dots

IL LABORATORIO DEL GELATO

Known For: Gelato & Sorbet

ABC KITCHEN

Known For: Chocolate Cake

PRINCE TEA HOUSE

Known For: Tea, Cakes, Desserts

GONG GAN

Known For: Croffle, Bread, Drinks

ANDO PATISSERIE

Known For: Chinese-French Desserts (e.g., Basque Lava Cheesecake, Earl Grey Portuguese Custard Tart)

JOEY BATS CAFE

Known For: Pasteis de Nata (Portuguese Egg Custard Tart)

Lysee

Known For: Korean- & French-Inspired Dessert

BLACK TAP

Known For: Creative Milkshakes

CHA CHA MATCHA

Known For: Everything Matcha

MILK BAR

Known For: Cereal Milk Soft Serve, Compost Cookie, Layered Cakes

JACQUES TORRES

Known For: Gourmet Chocolate

MAMAN

Known For: Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookie

LEVAIN BAKERY

Known For: Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie

an assortment of other incredible cuisines

Boqueria

53 W 19th St, Flatiron

Spanish Tapas

What I love: paella de marisco (bomba rice, monkfish, sepia, squid, shrimp, clams, mussels, saffron, salsa verde), and gambas al ajillo (shrimp, garlic, brandy, lobster reduction, Guindilla pepper in olive oil)

Laser Wolf

97 Wythe Ave, Williamsburg

Israeli Cuisine

Noreetuh

128 1st Ave, East Village

Hawaiian Cuisine

Claud

90 E 10th St, East Village

European Wine Bar

What I love: a cute wine bar with an extensive wine list (ordered a glass of riesling and it was light, crisp, and refreshing); all dishes were a hit: chicken liver agnolotti (little foie gras pasta pockets), pork chop with smoked onion jus (first time I had a pork chop that was not dry and tough, plus the smoked onion jus is to die for), crab and corn fritters, red shrimp with olive oil and garlic (served with a sourdough bread that I just love dunking in the fragrant oil with confit garlic), and of course you need to end the meal with the devil's food cake (decadent chocolate layer cake) 

Semma

60 Greenwich Ave, West Village

Indian Cuisine

What I love: gunpowder dosa (rice & lentil crepe, potato masala, sambar), goanese oxtail (angus oxtail, green cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, cilantro), mirchi ka salan (stuffed long peppers, sesame seeds, peanuts), dindigul biryani (goat, seeraga samba rice, garam masala, mint)

Hyderabadi Zaiqa

366 W 52nd St, Hell's Kitchen

Indian Cuisine

What I love: no frills, small little spot in Hell's Kitchen; the same spot has turned over quite a bit but Hyderabadi Zaiqa is quite the exception - at any hour of the day there have been people waiting to try the popular authentic Hyderabadi cuisine

Dhamaka

119 Delancey St, Lower East Side

Indian Cuisine

What I love: nalli biryani (slow braised lamb shank, basmati rice), nagaland pork (smoked pork tail, naga chili, axone), bombil fry (bombay duck, semolina, ginger), gurda kapoora (goat kidney & testicles, tomato, pao)

Pio Pio 8

604 10th Ave, Midtown West

Peruvian Cuisine

What I love: any of the combos with the mama juanita's rotisserie chicken (with french fries, avocado salad, served family style)

Shukette

230 9th Ave, Chelsea

Middle Eastern Cuisine

What I love: frena (moroccan bread, garlic, and fresh za'atar), not your average hummus (marinated chickpeas and bang bang shatta), joojeh chicken (saffron yogurt marinated grilled chicken with toum), and tahini soft serve (with halva floss, hazelnuts, and pomegranate) 

Zaytinya

1185 Broadway, NoMad

Mediterranean Cuisine

Nerai

55 E 54th St, Midtown East

Greek Cuisine

Llama San

359 6th Ave, Greenwich Village

Japanese/Peruvian Cuisine

Cosme

35 E 21st St, Flatiron

Mexican Cuisine

What I love: cornhusk meringue is probably their most iconic dish (and for good reason -- this dessert was perfectly balanced and not overly sweet, and had a very light, unique texture), epazote quesadillas (similar to a cheese empanada and was just so tasty)

Quique Crudo

27 Bedford Street, West Village

Mexican Cuisine

What I love: very small walk-in only spot in the west village; favorite dish: mar y tierra (seared scallops, homemade chorizo, hash potato, cashews, chipotle alioli, salsa verde)

Jajaja

63 Carmine St, West Village

Vegan Mexican Cuisine

What I love: crispy pescado (hemp and flax battered chayote, chipotle almond butter, and onion; blown away by all the flavors and can't believe it was all vegan!), grande nachos (our chorizo, refried beans, habanero queso, salsa verde, and sour cream)

Atla

372 Lafayette St, NoHo

Mexican Cuisine

El Vez

259 Vesey St, Battery Park

Mexican Cuisine

What I love: birria tacos (chile braised beef, queso mixto, consommé, cilantro & onion)

Tap NYC

267 Columbus Ave, Upper West Side

Brazilian Cafe

What I love: açaí bowl (with homemade vegan granola and fruits), tapioca sandwiches (gluten-free!), pão de queijo (brazilian cheese bread)

La Parisienne

9 Maiden Ln, FiDi

French Cafe

Le Coucou

138 Lafayette St, SoHo

French Restaurant

Dame

87 MacDougal St, Greenwich Village

Seafood Restaurant

What I love: grilled oysters with green chartreuse hollandaise and fish & chips

Gan-hoo BBQ

3702 Main St, Flushing

Chinese Barbecue

Trust Bae

1204 Broadway, Koreatown

Filipino Japanese Cuisine

What I love:  the 16-course menu is not-your-typical Japanese omakase; Philippines-born Chef Frances Tariga (as seen on Top Chef, Chopped, and Beat Bobby Flay) creates her own take with traditional Filipino dishes/flavors (slow-braised oxtail lumpia, kinalaw pod with house citrus ponzu, and coconut sticky rice & king crab binalot)

1803 NYC

82 Reade St, Tribeca

Cajun-Creole Cuisine

Minetta Tavern

113 MacDougal St, Greenwich Village

French Cuisine

Raoul's

180 Prince St,  SoHo

French Bistro

What I love: Raoul's burger au poivre (with st andré cheese, cornichon & pommes frites)