Best Restaurants in New York City

The best New York City restaurants at a glance

1. Katz's Delicatessen

Katz's is the classic pastrami stop on the Lower East Side.

The portions are large, the room is busy and the ticket system can feel unnecessarily serious until you understand it. Keep the paper ticket you receive at the door and pay when leaving.

Come for the history and the pastrami rather than a quiet lunch. One sandwich can be enough for two people with modest appetites.

Official website: Katz's Delicatessen.

2. Russ & Daughters

Russ & Daughters is the appetizing-counter choice: bagels, smoked fish, cream cheese and the ritual of taking a number on Houston Street.

The original shop is best for takeaway. Use the café when you want to sit down and turn the same tradition into breakfast or lunch.

Official website: Russ & Daughters.

3. Los Tacos No. 1

Los Tacos No. 1 is the useful counter-service option when the day needs excellent food without a reservation.

The original Chelsea Market stand is convenient on a High Line day, but other locations may be easier when the market is at its busiest. Order more than one taco before giving up your place at the counter.

Official website: Los Tacos No. 1.

4. Xi'an Famous Foods

Xi'an Famous Foods brings hand-pulled noodles, dumplings and cumin-heavy flavours into a fast-casual format.

It is one of the easiest ways to add a distinctly New York immigrant-food story to a sightseeing day without building the entire schedule around dinner. Several locations make it practical rather than ceremonial.

Official locations: Xi'an Famous Foods.

5. Via Carota

Via Carota is the West Village Italian choice.

The cooking is seasonal and apparently simple; getting a table is the complicated part. Do not design an entire evening around walking in at a precise time without checking the current reservation and queue system.

Official website: Via Carota.

6. Keens Steakhouse

Keens is the historic steakhouse choice near Herald Square.

The dining rooms, clay-pipe collection and mutton chop give it a sense of place that a generic luxury steakhouse cannot reproduce. It is expensive, so book it because you want the history as well as the meat.

Official website: Keens Steakhouse.

7. Semma

Semma is the South Indian destination on this list.

It is a reminder that a serious New York dining itinerary should not consist only of pizza, delis and steakhouses. Reservations can be difficult; check the current release schedule rather than relying on a last-minute table.

Official website: Semma.

8. Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi

Tatiana brings Afro-Caribbean flavours and a New York point of view to Lincoln Center.

This is the restaurant to consider when dinner is part of an Upper West Side or performing-arts evening. It is also one of the harder reservations on this list, so have a second plan.

Official website: Tatiana.

9. Le Bernardin

Le Bernardin is the formal seafood choice.

Come for a destination meal with the budget, clothes and time that implies. It is not a necessary New York experience, but it is a useful benchmark when fine dining is one of the reasons for the trip.

Official website: Le Bernardin.

10. Atomix

Atomix is the modern Korean tasting-menu choice.

This is a planned evening rather than somewhere to add between attractions. Reserve well ahead, read the cancellation terms and allow the restaurant to be the main event.

Official website: Atomix.

Which New York neighbourhood is best for restaurants?

The West Village and East Village give first-time visitors the easiest concentration of strong restaurants and a good evening atmosphere. The Lower East Side works well for classic stops and newer dining rooms.

Queens is the better answer when variety matters more than famous reservations. Jackson Heights and Flushing each deserve a food-focused half-day rather than a rushed detour from Midtown.

Do you need reservations?

For famous restaurants on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, yes. Destination tasting menus and small West Village dining rooms can require planning weeks ahead.

Counter-service restaurants, pizza shops, delis and neighbourhood bakeries keep the trip flexible. Book two or three priority meals, not breakfast, lunch and dinner every day.

How much should you budget for eating?

New York can be expensive, but the useful budget is per day rather than per restaurant. A bagel breakfast, noodle or taco lunch and one proper dinner can feel more representative than three formal meals.

Remember tax and tip when reading menu prices. For table service, the final cost will be noticeably higher than the number beside the dish.

How to use this restaurant list

Choose restaurants that fit the neighbourhoods already in your itinerary. Crossing Manhattan for a famous lunch rarely makes sense when an equally good meal is near the next stop.

Use this list for anchors, then leave space for pizza, bakeries and the unplanned place that looks busy for the right reasons.