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I work on Wall Street and my lunch usually comes from various food trucks parked in the area. Get your meal to go and head on to the Elevated Acre for a picnic with a sensational view of the East River and Brooklyn.
Briyani cart - situated on the Northern side of Liberty Plaza. One of the few carts which are open for lunch and dinner. The briyani is large enough to be shared but for a smaller meal, get the kati rolls
Banh mi cart - this Vietnamese baguette cart is located by Hanover Square. Get the "#1 Special" and don't say no when the lady in the cart asks "Spicy?"
Fika - swedish espresso house with branches on W58th and Park Avenue South. This location makes chocolates in-house, which are so yummy albeit pricey
Pita Press - easy Greek lunch. My go-to is the rice bowl with feta-filled zucchini fritters
La Maison du Chocolate - a quieter location of the Parisian chain. Try the thick hot chocolate for a winter treat
Shake Shack - further West than Wall Street. Avoid peak lunch times or you'll have to deal with hungry Goldman Sachs-ers
Not recommended: Financier (overpriced and unremarkable sandwiches), Cipriani (no longer embodies any sense of old new york glamour - but if you must, get the pre fixe lunch on the balcony)
Tribeca
Locanda Verde - there's always the chance of catching sight of a celebrity as this italian place. The food is fantastic. Book in advance.
Marc Forgione - Understated elegance - a restaurant to bring those you want to impress. The lobster toast is a must-order
Nobu Next Door - skip Nobu for it's less formal space. The alleged birthplace of modern miso cod. Also get the jalapeno sashimi.
Macao Trading Company - owned by the same drink-masters that helm Employees Only, the menu takes on an oriental spin but I recommended sticking to the cocktails - dine elsewhere.
Silver Lining - this dimly-lit cocktail bar/jazz lounge takes up a great deal more space than your average bar. Forget the drinks menu and let the mixologists behind the bar take over. When the jazz band isn't on, you can actually hear each other speak - making this a sexy date spot.
Bubble Tea - you can find them almost everywhere, but mostly on Mott Street. We usually just pick the one with the shorter line
Big Wing Wong - I come here for the roast duck rice. Ask for the special green ginger sauce which is usually only served with the roast chicken rice dish
Xi An Famous Foods - there are two stores in Chinatown - the Bayard Street store has seats but the tiny East Broadway shop allows you to watch them hand-pull the noodles behind the counter. Always get the spicy Lamb Cumin Noodles - don't let the excessive oil turn you off
Prosperity Dumplings - 5 dumplings for $1. They dumplings are as tasty as they are cheap. Just close one eye at the dingy-looking space
Golden Unicorn - I really liked this 2nd/3rd floor restaurant for dimsum the one time I was there. I hear Ping's is also really good
Not recommended - walk past any Malaysian restaurant you stumble upon. There are none worth going to outside of Flushing, Queens
Lower East Side
Clinton Street Baking Company - come early for their fluffy pancakes - which are served all day, every day (yup, you can have pancakes for dinner)
Freemans - located at the end of the narrow namesake alley, the food is well worth the wait. Hunting trophies and taxidermy make up the rustic decor. The artichoke dip is not to be missed.
The Meatball Shop - also found in the West Village and Williamsburg. One of my favourite places in the city, particularly after a night about town. The long lines mean I usually take my meatballs to go though. Make sure you check out the daily specials.
Mission Chinese - the East Coast version of the San Francisco restaurant. If you are not there before this not-so-authentic SzeChuan restaurant's opening time at 5.30pm, take away your order instead.
Pok Pok Phat Thai - good enough pad thai outside of Flushing with servings large enough to share.
West Village
Café Cluny - my favourite spot for brunch. The eggs are a must-order
Extra Virgin - a lovely stop-over while wandering the tree-lined neighbourhood. If you can, get a table in the garden out back
Keste - when you want something nicer than a slice of Joe's (which by the way have the best slices in town). The popularity is warranted - their pizzas are really good!
Mary's Fish Camp/ Pearl Oyster Bar - both are great options for fresh seafood in the area and annoyingly do not accept reservations either. Go early or grab a drink at Wilfie and Nell nearby while you wait
Spotted Pig - fancy pub grub with a perpetual line. I hear the burger is great but make sure you get the gnudi too!
Frankies Spuntino - I was thrilled when this branch of the Brooklyn chain opened. Any of the pastas are great options, my favourite: the cavatelli!
RedFarm - you won't find Chinatown prices at this place. You also won't find dumplings shaped like Pac Man either. Beyond the novelty, the food is remarkably good. I am a fan of the long communal tables; the wait? not so much
Employees Only - a "speakeasy" that everyone knows about and loves, which are pretty much due to the quality cocktails and hospitality extended by the boys behind the bar. No pretentious bartenders here! Come during the week for a quieter experience. It can get very crowded and loose on Fridays and Saturdays
Buvette - tiny yet cosy French cafe that serves great wine with a limited food menu
Whitehall - more Aussie than British (despite what is on the website). Although the Adelaide-born chef has since left, the fabulous down-under vibe is still apparent from the antipodean waitstaff to the burger with beetroot. These guys also love their gin as much as I do - there are multiple pages of gin-based cocktails you can choose from
En Japanese - this humongous restaurant has a surprisingly large array of vegetarian options, including the oft-written about homemade tofu
Not recommended: Rosemary's (long waits with mediocre Italian at the end of it)
Chelsea / Meatpacking District
Scarpetta - the pastas here are great. Come early for a drink at the bar - the cocktail menu is not be missed.
Buddakan - don't diss this sceney spot. The cocktails are great and food is surprisingly tasty! Order the edamame dumplings and chinese sausage fried rice. Great for a girls' night out.
Bathtub Gin - gin-heavy speakeasy located behind a door fronted by a coffee shop.
Red Cat - this places serves top-notch contemporary American. S and I have enjoyed a couple of really awesome dates here.
Txikito - best Basque-style tapas outside of San Sebastian. Skip the overpriced cava if you can.
Red Cat - this places serves top-notch contemporary American. S and I have enjoyed a couple of really awesome dates here.
Txikito - best Basque-style tapas outside of San Sebastian. Skip the overpriced cava if you can.
Notable mention: Barbuto - I have yet to dine here although it's been on my list for a long long time.
Not recommended: Pastis (mediocre food and overrun by tourists)
Not recommended: Pastis (mediocre food and overrun by tourists)
Gramercy / Union Square
Gramercy Tavern - skip the main dining room (which only serves a tasting menu) and dine at the front tavern instead. This is an all-time favourite.
Gramercy Tavern - skip the main dining room (which only serves a tasting menu) and dine at the front tavern instead. This is an all-time favourite.
Maialino - another big favourite for pastas in the city. While the dining room is only open at traditional dining hours, the front bar section is open all the time. Pastas at 3pm? No problem! Right by Gramercy Park - which you can (only) peek into after your meal.
15 East - if you like sushi omakase, reserve early for a limited spot at the rather theatrical chef's counter. Regardless where you dine, don't forget to order the house-made tofu.
City Bakery - hot chocolate with marshmallows! Every February I look forward to hot chocolate month, where they serve a different flavour of liquid chocolate daily.
ABC Kitchen - I love almost everything on the (brunch) menu - especially the popcorn icecream. I have yet to attempt to snaggle a dinner reservation.
Num Pang - great Cambodian sandwiches with plenty of vegetarian options. Their Grand Central location also delivers.
Flatiron
Eleven Madison Park - I took S here for his birthday last year and every bit of it was wonderful. It is the second best dining experience we've had in New York (after Daniel).
La Verdure - this is the very good vegetarian spot in Mario Batali's gigantic food emporium, Eataly. Rarely will you have to wait for a table here. Don't forget to order any of the Italian wines on the menu.
NoMad/ Herald Square
Our apartment is in this neighbourhood. While there may not be a dense restaurant scene apart from K-town (which we love by the way), what limited options we have are pretty darn awesome - just skip the seedy Irish pubs along the way.
Breslin - I've only had brunch/lunch at this April Bloomfield/Ken Friedman joint and love the lamb burger they serve. Actually everything in the Ace Hotel is great - from the lobby lounge, to John Dory Oyster Bar as well as the coffee at Stumptown. Now there's a new No. 7 Sub too!
The NoMad - while Eleven Madison Park is more special-occasion dining, the NoMad dining room is an affordable option for a taste of Daniel Humm's cooking. Have a drink at the Library bar beforehand and make sure you pay a visit to the expansive bathrooms downstairs.
Hangawi - best vegetarian Korean in New York (along with their more casual sister restaurant, Franchia).
K-Town (32nd Street between 5th and 6th avenues) - I've been to many of the restaurants along this strip and none disappoint. We particularly enjoy the bibimbap and japchae at Kunjip and the grilled spicy pork belly at Gahn Mi Oak.
Upper West Side
Bar Boulud, Epicerie and Boulud Sud - all of these Daniel Boulud places across the street from Lincoln Centre are great. BB serves a great brunch, Epicerie is good for a quick pastry fix and a taste of some of the dogs found at DBGB; and BS is your spot for classy mediterranean.
Nougatine - wonderful alternative to Jean Georges. It is my go-to spot for brunch with a lovely view of Central Park.
Levain Bakery - this hole in the wall serves freshly-baked cookies that literally melt in your mouth. Squat on any of the stoops close by and enjoy!
Levain Bakery - this hole in the wall serves freshly-baked cookies that literally melt in your mouth. Squat on any of the stoops close by and enjoy!
[to be continued]
