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Kurt Gutenbrunner's Austrian café inside the Neue Galerie has impeccable service, a beautiful dining room with period objects and lavishly upholstered banquettes, and fine cuisine. Especially gemütlich (pleasant) is the breakfast service. Cakes and pastries are also superior. Classical music Wednesday and Thursday evenings as well as Friday afternoons are an additional pleasure.
From the founder of Ciao Bella comes this wondeful laboratory of gelato, with a fantastic selection of interesting flavors. Try the chocolate hazelnut, green apple, Thai chili chocolate, mango, ... try them all! Flavors change constantly, so surprise yourself with some of the newest concoctions fresh out of the lab. Also a great selection of beverages, some made with your favorite flavors. Whole Foods Market on the Bowery now features a stand serving many flavors from the Lab for on-site consumption as well as pre-packed containers for purchase.
In November of 2021, Gotham reopened with new owners for the first time since 1984. After closing for 18 months during the pandemic, Gotham came back with an updated name—trading “Bar and Grill” for “Restaurant”— a redesigned interior by its original architect James Biber, and a new menu with longtime former pastry chef Ron Paprocki in the role of executive chef. Historically decorated with an unprecedented six three-star New York Times reviews, Gotham’s new owners—former Managing Partner Bret Csencsitz and environmentalist Kevin Conrad—sought to honor this legacy while ushering Gotham into a greener, more mindful era. Filling the restaurant with books, music, and art to complement its world-class dining, Csencsitz’s stated goal is to make Gotham “the most meaningful restaurant in New York.” Arts and dining programming, from evening jazz to exclusive wine dinners, make Gotham a vibrant, ever-evolving destination like the city it calls home. Over the years a host of iconic chefs have cut their teeth in Gotham kitchen. With Gotham’s four decades of culinary history behind him, Paprocki has captured the spirit of Gotham’s approachable yet unforgettable cuisine while introducing his own vision for the menu. The goal to provide unpretentious service in an environment that inspires you and your conversation remains the same today as in 1984.
Like the debate over which Ray's is the original, the fight over who has New York City's best slice will likely never end. But a good chunk of people—from celebrities to tourists to dyed-in-the-wool New Yorkers—would bestow that honor on Famous Joe's. Those people are 100% correct. Joe's—they're famous enough that no one bothers with the word in their name—serves no-frills slices to a never-ending queue of pizza lovers in Greenwich Village. The walls are covered in pictures of celebrities posing with the guys behind the counter, who are such fixtures of the place that they have a certain cachet of their own. The 75 year-old owner, Neapolitan immigrant Joe Pozzuoli, still owns and operates the joint after four decades, which goes a ways toward explaining the consistent quality of the pizza. Yes, you have seen Joe's in Spider-man 2, when The Daily Show's Aasif Mandvi was berating Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker for not delivering pizzas fast enough. Those were the heady days before Joe's was displaced from the corner of Carmine and Bleecker by a fancy-pants gelato store—they now live half a block away. But where they are is immaterial, in the long run, because the best pizza is the best pizza no matter where you get it. Just as long as you get it at Joe's.
For over thirty years, Il Mulino's flagship restaurant in Greenwich Village has remained top rated in New York’s elite dining scene. With an emphasis on authentic preparations from the Abruzzo, Italy, Il Mulino delivers expertly crafted dishes with exemplary service in our home at West 3rd Street.
Café Luxembourg has been an Upper West Side institution for over thirty years. No doubt due to the beautifully prepared french bistro food with professional, yet unpretentious service at reasonable prices. The menu changes seasonally and offers many classic French bistro dishes as well as offering daily specials. When it opened in 1983, Cafe Luxembourg quickly became the quintessential neighborhood bistro of the Upper West Side. This charming 90 seat restaurant glows in the warm light of Jean Perzel fixtures and antique mirrors. The dining room tables are covered with white paper over linen and an enormous vase of flowers towers over the red leather banquettes and French cafe chairs. The welcoming servers wear traditional black and white uniforms with long white bistro aprons. Located on 70th street just west of Broadway, Cafe Luxembourg entertains New Yorkers, celebrities and visitors alike. The full service bar is home to many regulars, either fans of the topnotch cocktails or wine enthusiasts perusing the well developed list. The lively buzz of the dining room is inviting and intimate. The frequency of dining customers is testament to the sincere efforts by the entire Cafe Luxembourg staff.
In the heart of Chelsea, overlooking the Hudson River waterfront with great views of Little Island NYC, City Winery’s Barrel Room Restaurant & Wine Bar is a welcoming space to relax and unwind during lunch or dinner. The restaurant features a wood-fired pizza bar and a full-service craft coffee and espresso bar. The menu is wine-inspired, globally-influenced, and locally-sourced, perfect for pairing with City Winery’s own vintages, extensive wine offerings, craft beer and cocktails and more. As Manhattan's only fully-operational winery, the menu features over a dozen tap wine options, preserved in stainless steel kegs in a temperature-controlled environment for optimum freshness with every glass. The tap system, developed by City Winery’s Master Winemaker David Lecomte, has been recognized for its “green” approach with no need for bottling, corks or labels; and therefore, minimal impact on the environment.
After more than 80 years on Christopher Street, Li-Lac moved to lower Eighth Avenue near West 4th Street. With a stunning selection of traditional American dipped chocolates, the new store is bright and airy, and the selection and service remains impeccable.
Il Buco is doubtless one of the most charming restaurants in New York City. Its beginnings as a rustic antique store echo throughout the decor, with "Primitive American" country tables, candles & kerosene lighting, artisanal chandeliers and antique furnishings. The Mediterranean menu complements the decor, and includes an extensive list of seasonal appetizers accompanied by a menu of pastas and entrées that changes daily according to market. The cuisine is inspired by Italy as well as the Iberian Peninsula, with special attention placed on selected imports of Italian products, including the finest Umbrian olive oil produced exclusively for il Buco. All products are selected based upon a commitment to traditional artisan craftsmanship and are available for purchase. For long term residents who love the old haunts of the literary and famous, Il Buco is a must-know location. The restaurant and its famed wine cellar inhabit a space long thought to have inspired Edgar Allan Poe's The Cask of Amontillado. We can't vouch for the veracity of that tale, but we can say that the wine cellar at Il Buco really does have a character all its own. For visitors who want to get a feel for Old New York, this is certainly a great place to stop in for a glass of wine and a small plate. Those looking for a romantic spot should ask for reservations in the cellar, where candlelight flickers and mystery whispers.
All varieties of seafood and shellfish are prepared here with one goal in mind: to enhance the simple perfection of each ingredient. The food is neither complicated or intimidating. From the crab cakes or wild striped bass ceviche to other signature dishes such as grilled loup de mer or butter poached lobster, dining at Oceana is a totally gratifying experience. Three-course prix fixe menus are de rigeur here. Ethan Koelbel helms the kitchen following the departure of Chef Ben Pollinger in August of 2016. A small note: while the majority of the patrons are suit-and-tie, the dress code has seemingly relaxed in the days since Oceana's rebirth, and one might dine in a t-shirt and jeans unmolested these days.
This incredible kingdom of chocolate is unsurpassed in New York, a divine empire of boxed chocolates, hot chocolates, luxurious gifts, exotic sweets, and fine teas and coffees. You won't believe your eyes when you visit MarieBelle!
The formerly mobile-only ice cream dream of Douglas Quint and Bryan Petroff brings their eclectic menu of soft serve ice cream to four walls, with the same inventive toppings, daily specials, and a full-on selection of sundaes, cones, and floats, as well as some of the best milkshakes in the city. Multiple locations around the city.
The warm kitsch of El Almacen strikes at the hot and untempered iron of Williamsburg's South American offerings.
The original supersize Japanese restaurant below 14th Street serving fairly average cuisine at fairly high prices to the masses.
In contrast to the perennially-crowded nearby Tia Pol, El Quinto Pino has a more sedate feeling, perhaps given its clever layout. The restaurant got a sleek makeover in early 2010, and the menu by renowned chef-owner Alexandra Raij has some stunning options. While much has been written about the divine garbanzos with spinach and its classic salmorejo, a heavenly thick tomato soup with small pieces of chorizo and hard-boiled egg, it is the solid meat dishes that really impress here. Those wonderful gambas, head-on shrimp with garlic, the pringa, a mixed-meat sandwich served in waxed paper, as well as an open-faced beef brisket are truly heavenly. A nice variety of Spanish wines, beer and other drinks make this intimate setting a great place to kick back after a long day at work.
A great tapas bar and restaurant on the fringe of Chelsea's gallery district, Tia Pol established itself immediately as an authentic purveyor of authentic Spanish cuisine and keeps going strong. Small plates of seafood, cheese, meats, potatoes, croquetas, and other hot & cold specialties are augmented by a great wine and beer list. Definitely try the delightful patatas bravas, the lamb skewers, the octopus, the head-on shrimp, and perhaps a cheese plate or one of the specials. While the restaurant is quite small, the service is very attentive and the atmosphere is pleasant. Indeed, in a dozen dining experiences over the course of a year, we never had a single negative; everything was always excellent and served with flair. Dining at the bar is also possible, and the eclectic mix of people makes it a fun experience. Although we initially feared that once all the major media outlets discovered Tia Pol it would become more difficult to score a table, it nevertheless underscores this restaurant's tremendous success. Hint: arrive early or quite late. Brunch is also a pleasant and relaxed affair here, especially in summer and early autumn when the restaurant's floor-to-ceiling glass doors are kept wide-open.
Alexandra Raij's third restaurant in Chelsea, where she first made a splash in 2004 with Tia Pol and later with El Quinto Pino, has made a name for herself in creating excellent tapas and a terrific atmosphere. After establishing Piquillo at JetBlue's sexy Terminal 5, her handsome 34-seat restaurant gets its moniker from a Basque reference to a smallish serving of wine. Little wonder that the offerings on the wine list here are solely from the Basque region. And moreover, it's just around the corner from her El Quinto Pino, making this little corner of Chelsea almost as Basque-ified as Elko in Nevada. Insider tip: the seafood specials are out of this world.
Pio Pio Hell’s Kitchen is a departure from the original Pio Pio concept, with the same high standards of food quality and service that New Yorkers have come to know. The beautifully designed, and architectural award-winning space, offers a modern but relaxed atmosphere and deliciously food. From inventive fusion ceviches, to traditional Peruvian fare, the Pio Pio Hell’s Kitchen menu aims to please everyone.
One of New York's hidden gems, The Bonnefont features "FreNoCal," a distinctive French à-la Northern California cuisine created by Executive Chef/Owner Nicole O'Brien, a nod to her Sonoma County wine country roots. Libations feature a carefully curated selection of wines from small producers in the United States and France; unusual liquors such as single malt scotch from France; and unique small craft beers. Chef Nicole will work with you to create a special event menu, including non-alcoholic and special dietary requests. Both plated and buffet-style options are available.
Pie heaven as the sisters Elsen turn pie into an all-the-time thing, with handmade crusts, locally sourced ingredients, and some stellar breakfast pasties and quiches. Rightly celebrated as some of the best pie in the universe this shop attracts folks from far and wide, from Zaphod Beeblebrox to folks from all over the tri-state area making special trips into the city just to get that perfect pie.