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Pure Food & Wine
The 'chef' (there's no oven in the kitchen) at this gem churns out delicious, artful concoctions made completely from raw organics. Dishes include tomato-zucchini lasagna (sans cheese and pasta); mushroom, avocado and ginger sushi rolls; and the chanterelle, olive and 'ricotta' ravioli with pistachio oil and macadamia cream sauce. In warmer months, don't miss a chance to settle into a table in the shady, oasis-like backyard.
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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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Regional
Cuisine from 20 Italian regions can be sampled in a series of small plates, or you can hone in on a particular favorite - pizza from Naples, for example - and get your starters, wine and dessert from that region. The name gives the gimmick away, but Regional is on to a good thing. The pastas - filled with cheese and veggies and/or spicy meats - steal the show.
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Rice
Nature's most prolific grain is on the menu here, and once you've had a mouthful of the moist green rice (infused with cilantro, parsley and spinach) or the Thai black rice (sticky, tender and steamed in coconut milk) you'll be hooked. The shrimp satay with a warm sauce of roasted almonds is succulent, the lentil stew is flavorful, and the vegetarian meatballs with sesame crunch totally addictive.
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River Cafe
It takes a beating from purists who sniff the words 'tourist trap,' but they've probably never actually been to this floating wonder with beautiful views from under Manhattan Bridge. The seared mahi-mahi with almond crust and scallop seviche are just two of many innovative dishes the kitchen produces, and River Café's brunches are legendary for their bloody marys and perfect eggs.
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River Room Of Harlem
Get a load of that view - the George Washington Bridge to the north, and a sweeping panorama of the Hudson River to the south. Add to that some delectable dishes - paprika grilled skirt steak, jumbo shrimp and gravy, corn mean and okra over market fish - let-down-your hair dancing (salsa in the bar), groovy music (fusion, acid and all types of jazz), and general bonhomie, and you have a real winner.
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Roppongi
Melt in your mouth, five-flavor sashimi, perfectly round rice and delicately cooked noodles, salmon with green olive moromi miso and sushi rolls accompanied by mango salsa and orange compote are regular fixtures at this Upper West Side standout that has the friendliest waiters ever.
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S'mac
If you're only going to do one thing, you've got to do it well - S'Mac hits the spot with mac-and-cheese lovers. The All-American has cheddar and Vermont jack, with bacon if you like, or you could try the gruyere mac-n-cheese or manchego and Cajun macs. Dishes come in four sizes and are served in cast iron skillets.
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Sascha
There's a swanky restaurant upstairs and an attractive bar/bistro downstairs, but the best part of Sascha is its on-site bakery. Fresh brioche, croissant, and paninis washed down with fresh hot chocolate while you sit in the sunshine at Sascha's outdoor tables.
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Schiller's Liquor Bar
The combination of the eclectic bistro fare and the warm and homey surroundings is a large part of Schiller's allure - the other element is the Rivington St location, a great place to sit with a cold beer on a hot day. The wine carafes are generous, portions ample, and the food - steak frites, cuban sandwiches, baked chicken and glazed cod - reliably good.
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Settepani's
Pretty Settepani's is a glorious sight on a warm day - its rust-colored awning flutters in breezes that flow up and down broad Lenox Ave, and people of many different backgrounds enjoy fresh salads, sandwiches, quiches and desserts. It's one of several bright coffee hangouts springing up in Harlem. The service is sometimes a little slow, but people are rarely in a rush to leave anyway.
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Son Cubano
Bringing a touch of Little Havana to the West Side, with mojitos, conga drummers and spicy tapas, Son Cubano is a popular after-work and weekend drinking, dining and dancing establishment. Dishes include grilled pulp o with a smoky sauce, plantains and a daily seviche.
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Soy Luck Club
Lots of the menu items are indeed soy-based - the soy chicken and fontina (wheat-free) crepe, the tofu salad and avocado sandwich, and the mesclun, edamame and soy-nut salad, just for starters - but there's plenty here too for the soy-phobic. Panini, salads and brunch items, some even containing meat, abound.
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Sparky's
A pit stop for cheap, tasty, high-quality fast food, Sparky's has soy dogs and beef dogs, real ice cream or Tofutti sandwiches, grilled cheese, hand cut fries and, for breakfast, locally-made yogurts and granola with milk. Everything is organic and family farmed.
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Spice Market
You can get lost wandering among the beautiful pagodas and Buddha-filled corners of Spice Market, yet another innovation from Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who has six restaurants in the city. Expect Asian street food taken up a notch: satay on a stick, mussels in lemongrass, chicken samosas and pork vindaloo. A night at the bar downing appetizers is just as fun (some say better) as the table experience.
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Surya
Sleek and sexy, Surya's cool interior gives way to a trellis-lined patio where you can sip chilled white wine or an excellent bar cocktail while waiting for a fiery vindaloo, flavored with spices from India's southwest coast, or a tender saag with fresh ginger. Meat lovers and vegetarians will be equally thrilled with the choices.
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Tabla
At first glance you'll wonder if you're reading the menu wrong--could lobster and haricot verts be Indian? Only in the hands of Goa-born and France-raised chef Floyd Cardoz, who masterfully blends American produce with his native staples. If you can't get in or you're just in a relaxed mood, stay downstairs at Cardoz's more casual Bread Bar. Order a Tablatini with your tandoori steak and watch the endless parade of street traffic.
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Taboon
A white-domed oven grabs the eye as you enter this airy, stone-floored and brick-walled eatery, and if you watch it carefully, you'll see some crisp, sage-rubbed bread taken out and brought to your table as you're seated. The food is a fusion from both sides of the Mediterranean: shrimp in shredded pastry, haloumi salad, lamb kebabs, various grilled fish dishes and lots of variations on hummus. Live flamenco Monday nights.
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Tavern On The Green
Everything about Tavern on the Green screams romance - its location, its quiet ambiance, its bejeweled and bedecked gardens with sweeping views. It's a unique experience to dine there, but don't go expecting great cuisine. The menu's been the same forever it seems, and the kitchen's apparently just lost interest. But, don't let that fact spoil your view.
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Tenement
The name refers to the past more than the present, because although it's housed in an old tenement (that became a bordello), this restaurant is a sleek and sexy place with gaslights on the walls and pierogies, po'boys, calamari, succulent racks of lamb, duck breast and glazed chicken dishes. The late-night bar menu is even better.
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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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The Good Fork
You get two types of cuisine in a convivial atmosphere here. If 'Korean style' steak, kimchi rice and fried egg don't appeal, try dumplings, or the gumbo, or the ravioli, or even the slow braised Korean pork. It's all good.
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The Grocery
Even with the additional space, it's still hard to get a table at what's become Smith St's hottest eatery. Semolina crusted fluke, pan roasted monkfish, octopus, teenage greens, home smoked trout and spaetzle on the side are perennial favorites.
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The Orchard
The perfect restaurant for when you don't know what you're in the mood for, The Orchard claims no allegiance to any one cuisine but instead celebrates them all, from the humble Mexican street taco to tuna tartare and seafood risotto. The long, white room gets a glossy lift from candles, but is otherwise pleasantly nondescript.
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The Soda Shop
Lunch and dinner are great - full of American classics like hearty mac-n-cheese, spaghetti with rich, flavorful meatballs - but locals love the breakfasts. Soda Shop's homey interior is the perfect place to grab a short stack or fluffy omelette on the way to work.
