13 Must-Eat Spots In New York City
New York City is a food lover’s paradise, offering everything from humble street carts to Michelin-starred restaurants. The Big Apple’s diverse culinary landscape reflects its melting pot of cultures, histories, and innovations.
Whether you’re craving a pastrami sandwich that’s been perfected over generations or innovative pastries that sparked worldwide trends, these 13 eateries represent the essential NYC dining experiences you simply can’t miss.
1. Katz’s Delicatessen – Where Sandwiches Tower Sky-High
Time stands still at this Lower East Side institution, where tickets in hand, customers have ordered mammoth pastrami sandwiches since 1888. The ritual remains unchanged: join the organized chaos at the counter, watch skilled cutters hand-slice your meat, and tip generously for the extra pieces they’ll inevitably offer.
Pastrami on rye reigns supreme here – peppery, smoky, and impossibly tender after days of curing. The sandwich arrives with a sour pickle and a warning: you’ll never look at deli meat the same way again.
Beyond the “When Harry Met Sally” fame, Katz’s represents a vanishing New York, serving history between two slices of bread.
2. Peter Luger Steak House – Brooklyn’s Beef Temple
It’s cash only—no credit cards, no exceptions, and no apologies. This Williamsburg landmark has been searing perfect porterhouses since 1887, operating with a beautiful stubbornness that feels refreshingly honest in today’s dining landscape. The German beer hall atmosphere sets the stage for meat theater at its finest.
Steaks arrive sizzling on preheated plates, sliced tableside, and drizzled with clarified butter that mingles with meat juices to create a sauce worthy of worship. The thick-cut bacon appetizer alone justifies the journey across the Williamsburg Bridge.
Surly career waiters who’ve seen it all add character to an experience that hasn’t changed much in over a century – and shouldn’t.
3. Grand Central Oyster Bar – Seafood Beneath the Stars
Nestled beneath the celestial ceiling of Grand Central Terminal lies a century-old sanctuary for seafood lovers. The vaulted Guastavino tile ceilings create perfect acoustics for the symphony of shucking, steaming, and satisfied slurping that’s been the soundtrack here since 1913.
Maritime treasures arrive daily from both coasts, with the oyster selection changing constantly. Regulars know to order the creamy oyster pan roast – a decadent concoction prepared on antique steam kettles by cooks who’ve mastered the timing down to the second.
Between commuter rushes, the curved lunch counter offers a moment of briny bliss amid Manhattan’s perpetual motion.
4. John’s of Bleecker Street – Pizza Perfection in a Coal-Fired Oven
Graffiti-carved wooden booths tell stories of generations who’ve pilgrimaged to this Greenwich Village pizza temple since 1929. The coal-fired brick oven, grandfathered in despite modern regulations, imparts a distinctive char impossible to replicate with gas or electric heat.
No slices here – whole pies only, emerging bubbling and blistered with a thin, crisp crust that somehow maintains structural integrity beneath simple, quality toppings. The sauce, bright and uncooked until it hits the oven, provides the perfect acidic counterpoint to the milky fresh mozzarella.
Families crowd around tables covered in red-checked cloths, participating in a New York ritual that defies food trends and Instagram aesthetics.
5. Sylvia’s – Harlem’s Soul Food Queen
Gospel brunch at Sylvia’s feels like Sunday dinner at grandma’s – if grandma happened to be the undisputed queen of soul food. Founded in 1962 by Sylvia Woods, this Harlem landmark has hosted everyone from presidents to pop stars, all drawn by the magnetic pull of authentic Southern cooking.
Crispy fried chicken arrives with skin that shatters like glass, revealing juicy meat perfumed with secret spices. Sides demand equal attention: mac and cheese with a proper crust, collard greens simmered with smoked turkey, and cornbread that strikes the perfect sweet-savory balance.
Between bites, servers might share stories of Sylvia herself, preserving her legacy one plate at a time.
6. Dominique Ansel Bakery – Cronut Kingdom and Beyond
Long before dawn, pastry pilgrims form lines outside this SoHo bakery, hoping to taste the creation that launched a thousand copycats: the Cronut®. French-trained Dominique Ansel’s croissant-doughnut hybrid may have put him on the map, but it’s his relentless creativity that keeps this bakery relevant.
The DKA (Dominique’s Kouign Amann) – a caramelized croissant with a crackling exterior and tender, buttery interior – often outshines its more famous sibling. Seasonal creations reveal Ansel’s playful genius, like chocolate chip cookie shots filled with vanilla milk or frozen s’mores torched to order.
Every item emerges with technical perfection and a childlike sense of wonder that transforms simple sugar and flour into edible art.
7. Russ & Daughters – Appetizing Store of Dreams
The art of appetizing lives on at this Lower East Side gem, where four generations have sliced smoked fish paper-thin since 1914. Unlike delicatessens focused on meat, this Jewish “appetizing store” specializes in dairy and fish – particularly the silky smoked salmon that draws devotees from around the globe.
Watching the white-coated counter staff assemble a perfect bagel sandwich is performance art: hand-rolled bagels from their bakery, precisely measured cream cheese, and salmon sliced so thin you can read The New York Times through it. The herring selection alone merits its own pilgrimage.
Beyond food, Russ & Daughters represents the enduring immigrant story of New York, preserved in salt and smoke.
8. Per Se – Thomas Keller’s Urban Sanctuary
Floating above Columbus Circle with Central Park views, Per Se represents American fine dining at its zenith. Thomas Keller’s East Coast counterpart to The French Laundry offers a theatrical experience where every element – from the blue door entrance (a nod to its California sibling) to the final mignardises – is choreographed for maximum impact.
The nine-course tasting menu changes daily but always includes Keller’s signatures: “Oysters and Pearls” (pearl tapioca with Island Creek oysters and caviar) and butter-poached lobster. Service achieves the nearly impossible feat of being both flawless and warm.
Three hours and many thousands of calories later, guests depart with personalized menus and the afterglow of culinary transcendence.
9. Le Bernardin – Seafood Symphony in Midtown
“The fish is the star of the plate.” This simple philosophy has guided Chef Eric Ripert’s temple to seafood since 1986, earning more four-star reviews than any restaurant in New York history. The serene dining room feels like a sanctuary from Midtown’s chaos, where hushed tones and muted colors keep focus where it belongs – on the plate.
Ripert’s genius lies in his restraint, applying French technique to pristine fish with just enough accompaniment to enhance without overwhelming. The barely seared tuna with foie gras might be the most luxurious bite in Manhattan.
Even the simplest dish – like skate wing with brown butter – reveals layers of flavor that unfold with each bite.
10. Delmonico’s – Dining Through History in the Financial District
America’s first fine dining restaurant continues serving Gilded Age glamour in the heart of the Financial District. Opened in 1837, Delmonico’s pioneered concepts we now take for granted: printed menus, tablecloths, and private dining rooms. The restaurant’s innovations extend to the plate – Eggs Benedict, Baked Alaska, and Lobster Newburg were all created here.
The signature Delmonico steak – a boneless ribeye – arrives with a perfect crust from the 1,800-degree broiler and a side of decadent Delmonico potatoes. The dining room’s mahogany paneling and brass fixtures transport guests to an era when J.P. Morgan and Diamond Jim Brady debated business over brandy.
Every bite contains a morsel of American culinary history.
11. Magnolia Bakery – Cupcake Craze Cornerstone
Before the global cupcake explosion, there was this unassuming West Village bakery with its mint-green walls and handwritten signs. Magnolia catapulted to fame after a 30-second appearance on “Sex and the City” in 2000, transforming from neighborhood gem to international tourist destination overnight.
The vanilla cupcake with buttercream frosting remains the signature, but insiders know the true star is the banana pudding – a cloud-like concoction of fresh bananas, vanilla wafers, and creamy pudding that inspires devotion bordering on obsession. Watching staff frost cupcakes in the window provides a moment of therapeutic calm.
Despite expansion to multiple locations, the original Bleecker Street shop maintains its charming, pre-Instagram simplicity.
12. Los Tacos No. 1 – Chelsea Market’s Mexican Marvel
Three friends from Tijuana and California brought authentic border-style tacos to Chelsea Market, creating what many consider the best tacos in Manhattan. The perpetual line moves quickly as efficient taqueros press fresh corn tortillas, grill marinated meats, and assemble each taco to order.
The adobada (marinated pork) spins hypnotically on a vertical spit, slowly caramelizing before being sliced directly onto waiting tortillas. Add pineapple, cilantro, onion, and guacamole from the condiment bar, then stand at the counter to devour immediately – these tacos wait for no one.
The no-frills approach (counter service, no seating) keeps focus squarely on flavor that transports you straight to Baja California.
13. Bunna Cafe – Ethiopian Feasts in Bushwick
From pop-up to permanent fixture, Bunna Cafe brought Ethiopia’s plant-based culinary traditions to Bushwick, Brooklyn. The name “bunna” (coffee in Amharic) hints at the importance of the traditional coffee ceremony – a multi-stage ritual performed throughout the day that transforms caffeine into communion.
The heart of the menu is the colorful feast served on injera, a spongy sourdough flatbread that functions as both plate and utensil. Vibrant stews called wats – from spicy misir (red lentils) to earthy shiro (ground chickpeas) – showcase Ethiopia’s mastery of complex spice blends.
Live music and honey wine complete an experience that feels both authentic and perfectly at home in Brooklyn.