The Best Restaurants In New York, According To 10 Tastemakers
The food scene in New York is renowned for good reason, but where do those in the know go to eat? Here, 10 tastemakers share their most-loved restaurants in the city, from favorite neighborhood haunts to Michelin-starred hotspots. By KATIE BERRINGTON
Batsheva Hay, designer
“My favorite restaurant is the Grand Central Oyster Bar. The main dining room is so nostalgic and classic New York – a huge, cavernous space under Grand Central Station. It's not even about the food – it's the atmosphere that makes it all worth it. I order a martini with extra olives and the smoked Norwegian salmon. The bathroom has an amazing lip-shaped couch, too.”
“My favorite restaurant is the Grand Central Oyster Bar. The main dining room is so nostalgic and classic New York
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Madelynn Furlong, interior designer
“I love the recently opened Le Dive, because it feels like a little slice of Paris in NYC. The interior and atmosphere are very chic and welcoming, and the menu of light bites and natural wines has my heart – the artichoke is a favorite of mine!”
Sophia Li, journalist and film-maker
“Perhaps it’s my way of extending summer, but I love Altro Paradiso in Soho for lunch or dinner. Order the juiciest olives and a pasta for lunch, and swap out the olives for fresh oysters in the evening. I love sitting outside to people-watch during golden hour – the whole ambience captures the dog days of summer. I also have to have an Asian restaurant on docket that’s more low-key. Fish Cheeks in Noho delivers the spiciest and most authentic Thai food (careful with the spice level you order!). Then there’s also MáLà Project in the East Village, on 1st Avenue – Chinese dry pot with dim sum is my comfort food to the max.”
“I love sitting outside to people-watch during golden hour – the whole ambience captures the dog days of summer
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Dee Poku-Spalding, entrepreneur
“La Mercerie is the prettiest spot in Soho, and I especially love it for lunch. It’s run by a woman chef (always a bonus for me) in a mixed-use space where you can also shop for beautiful homewares. I often have the soft-boiled egg with whipped cauliflower and tofu, or the buckwheat crepes, and sit in a side booth for prime people-watching.
“These days, Brooklyn is where you’ll find all the edge and innovation in cooking. Celestine is another gorgeous light-filled dining room, in the heart of Dumbo, with a modern, Mediterranean-inspired menu. Get a table by the window and gaze out at the Manhattan Bridge for that New York feeling.”
Gabriela Hearst, designer
“It is difficult to choose what to love most at Eleven Madison Park, because we are talking about one of the top restaurants in the world. I’ll start with the art that [chef and owner] Daniel [Humm] curates, the environment that he creates, the service… but, most importantly, the cleverness of his food. Because of his belief system, this three-Michelin-star restaurant is also plant-based, which is not only a revolutionary concept but also a delicious one. It’s really an experience of a lifetime, [so] if one is lucky enough to go, I would highly recommend it.”
“It’s really an experience of a lifetime, [so] if one is lucky enough to go, I would highly recommend it
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Laila Gohar, chef and artist
“My favorite restaurant in NYC is Altro Paradiso. I am slightly biased, but I truly think it’s the best place to go for a delicious plate of pasta and a glass of wine. I live nearby and enjoy great meals there with friends and family a couple of times a week. I also really love going for lunch.”
Kate Young, stylist
“French restaurant Le Crocodile is my favorite in NYC. The room is gorgeous, and the outdoor space is cozy and beautiful. The leeks are my favorite thing to order, and the roast chicken and fries are the best I’ve ever had. There’s a private dining room that I love to book with friends for special events, too – we had Friendsgiving there last year.”
“The leeks are my favorite thing to order, and the roast chicken and fries are the best I’ve ever had
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Marjon Carlos, journalist and editor
“I’m a Brooklyn girl at heart and, luckily, many NYFW designers are showing in my borough now, which makes rushing to get to my seat ahead of show time less of a feat. Before a day of shows, I always love to stop by Joy’s Secret Garden in my neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant. [They] serve refreshing juices that will give you enough energy to zip through a back-to-back schedule. Then, to wind down for the day, I love to meet up with friends at my mainstay, Saraghina, which does sublime Italian food and brick-oven pizzas, served in a rustic and not-so-pretentious atmosphere. You can dish about your favorite collections over slices, drinks and tuna carpaccio.”
Aerin Lauder, founder and creative director
“Café Sabarsky at Neue Galerie is my favorite restaurant for lunch in New York. I always like to sit in the corner booth, looking out over Central Park. The wiener schnitzel and homemade pretzels are delicious, and the endless selection of Austrian and German pastries makes it a popular destination for an afternoon coffee break. The beautiful ambience makes you feel like you are far away from the bustling city.
“Majorelle, at the The Lowell hotel, is another local favorite of mine, especially for dinner. The chicken curry and chocolate soufflé are both delicious. The restaurant is always filled with beautiful fresh flowers, and I love sitting in the palm-filled garden – it immediately transports you.”
“The restaurant is always filled with beautiful fresh flowers, and I love sitting in the palm-filled garden – it immediately transports you
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Cassi Namoda, artist
“When I spent several months of 2021 in NYC, I think I was most excited about going to Lodi. I loved this idea of having a civilized lunch on a relaxed workday – a sort of escape and departure into some lost and forgotten part of the city and enjoying an Italian menu. I like to sit tucked away and order the baccalà alla livornese secondi, which is hake with tomato, olives and potato. The food reminds me of the Portuguese influence I had growing up in a Lusophone country. After lunch, I have an espresso and a nice long stroll to the train or get a city bike.”