Showing 1-21 of 21 results
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'Cesca
Be prepared to eat hearty and eat well at 'Cesca, where the earthy decor and rustic tables are a precursor to the bulky platters of meat and pasta that await you. The slabs of tuna, grilled perfectly and dipped in tomato sauce, and chunks of tender lamb are totally worth wading through, but you better be hungry. Lighter fare like paninis are available at the bar. It's a great place for cocktails, too.
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'Inoteca
Get in line for one of the square, chunky wooden tables that are always packed at 'inoteca. The tasty bite-sized panini and framezzini (pressed or regular sandwiches) are wholesome and delicious (try the hollowed out one, filled with egg, truffles and fontina cheese), and deep dishes like eggplant parmagiana, lasagna or frutti di mare pasta are famously garlickly and good.
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Al Di La Trattoria
Make reservations waaaay in advance as this place is perpetually packed - for good reason though: the food. There are plenty of pastas and antipasti, but also braised rabbit with black olives and polenta, calf liver, and pan-roasted cod.
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Alcala
A well-kept secret near the UN, you won't find a quieter backyard anywhere. It'd be a shame not to try the excellent Basque wines - they go so well with dishes like salted codfish salad with black olives, baby squid, meat cannelloni with truffle and béchamel sauce, and the obligatory seafood paella.
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Artisanal
For those who live, love and dream fromage , Artisanal is a must-eat. More than 250 varieties of cheese, from stinky to sweet, are on the menu. Along with classic French entrees like steak au poivre , you can sample four types of fondue (including chocolate) and gougères (little servings) of everything from Brie to Ossau Iraty.
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Babbo
Celebrity chef Mario Batali has multiple restaurants in Manhattan, but everyone has a sneaking suspicion that this two-level split townhouse is his favorite. Whether you order 'mint love letters' or lamb's brain francobolli or pig's foot milanese, you'll find Batali at the top of his innovative, eclectic game. Reservations are in order.
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Bouley
The darling of New York's foodie scene has fallen from his pedestal at times, but he's always bounced back deliciously. David Bouley's flagship restaurant is filled nightly with people dying for a bite of his seasonal dishes, from baby lamb and eggplant moussaka to razor clams and asparagus. Get a reservation or resign yourself to eating at Bouley Bakery, Café & Market next door, or at Danube, Bouley's Austrian-inspired creation.
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Cafe Sabarsky
It can get a little tight in this popular Neue Galerie café on the weekends, but the food, and opulent Old-World ambiance make it worth the fight for a table. Authentic Austrian food--trout-filled crepes, goulash, sausage and strudel--are served on heavy platters and silver cups brought from Vienna.
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Da Nico
One of the few places in Little Italy where you can step back from the street and feel a shred of Old World ambiance, Da Nico's enormous outdoor patio is as much an attraction as its giant shrimp scampi, pollo scarpariello and pizza napoletana. Not much in touristy Little Italy stands out anymore, but this family-run establishment is still a winner.
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Db Bistro Moderne
A sophisticated standout in neon-filled Times Sq, sleek and modern DB Moderne saves its flashiness for the food - chilled fennel velouté, bacon-veiled salmon, snail fricassee, coq au vin and of course, the DB Burger, stuffed with truffles, foie gras and braised short ribs.
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Frankie's 457 Sputino
There's no end to the inventive sides Frankie's dishes up - roasted cauliflower, artichokes, beets, sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts and mushrooms - to go along with your choice of salty cured meats, or deep-dish sandwiches with tasty meatballs or crunchy veggies.
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il bagatto
A bustling yet romantic little nook, this spot has thoroughly delicious Italian creations, plus an excellent wine list and a dedicated sommelier who will let you taste before you decide. Even with a reservation you'll have to wait a few minutes to get seated - it's homey that way. Definitely order dessert - it's fabulous.
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Jo Jo
No matter how far down the fusion highway Jean-Georges Vongerichten chooses to stray, his first, and best hotspot, retains its iconic status. The townhouse decor is dark and sultry and the dishes equally so: venison cubes tossed with pomegranate seeds, roast chicken with green olives. The not-to-be missed signature dish is a dessert - decadent Valrhona cake that oozes chocolate.
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La Taza De Oro
Keeping it real for more than three decades, La Taza de Oro has a long, functional countertop with barstools and plain tables that won't win any design awards. But the decor goes with the stomach-filling cheap eats like rice-and-beans, lechón asado, flan and more. Unpretentious, and very satisfying.
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Les Halles
It's hard not to kick up your heels in a cancan dance at Les Halles, a red-roomed wonder of a bistro that serves up classic French fare: filet de boeuf Bearnaise , cassoulet Toulousain , choucroute garnie , moules frites , steak au poivre , and plenty of amuse-gueules to start.
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Markt
Its big red awnings have dominated the 'nabe's center square for years now, and it remains one of the best places in town for a Hoegaarden or another foreign beer alongside some mussels and fries.
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Peasant
If a restaurant can garner rave reviews when it's competing on a street like Elizabeth, flush with trendy openings and the latest hot spots, then it's really got something special. Here it's rustic Italian food with poetic names like polpi i purgatorio , quaglie farcite , and porchetta arrosto .
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Rao's Restaurant
So you want to go to Rao's. Who doesn't? Getting a reservation is like trying to find a shamrock--you just gotta be lucky. Serving clams, baked ziti and classic lasagna without pause since 1896, Roa's is an institution, a standard-bearer, a disappearing slice of New York. If you can't get a table, stop for a drink at the bar; it's worth the trip.
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Thalassa
Greek owned and operated, Thalassa was once a cheese and wine storage facility; now it's a sleek, stylish restaurant selling fresh fish by the pound. Pick from spetsiota, risotto with seafood in olive oil, lobster braised with brandy, cheese, garlic and thyme, braised lamb, silky-sweet wild boar, North African shrimp, and plenty of gorgeous sparkling Greek wines.
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Wallse
Before you start wondering what Austrian food is, exactly, try the spätzle with braised rabbit, mushrooms, peas and tarragon. It may not answer your question, but you'll no longer care. Pair it with a sour cherry strudel and pistachio ice cream dessert, and life is complete. Classic European food tastes its best in neighborly places like Wallse.
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Zucco: Le French Diner
Swing by to grab a fresh, crispy sandwich pressed just right, served with white napkins and tiny wineglasses, or savor the deep, meaty flavor of the North African Merguez lamb sausage. Other French classics, along with the tin-pressed ceiling, include moules marinières , and grilled tuna à la Provençale .
Showing 1-21 of 21 results
