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Restaurants We have selected 25 restaurants, which we have divided into five categories: Gastronomic, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. The restaurants are listed alphabetically within these different categories, which serve as guidelines rather than absolute definitions of the establishments. Visitors to New York who wish to dine in that special restaurant should make a reservation well in advance. It is not unreasonable to call a few months ahead for a table in the trendiest eating places. An 8.25% sales tax is automatically be added to the bill but service charges are only standard for large groups. The prices quoted below are for a three-course meal and a bottle of house wine or equivalent. They include sales tax but not service charges. Gastronomic Babbo This intimate dining room, with crisp linens across simple wooden tables, lets the food take on a starring role. As Babbo is Italy by way of New York, the soppressata with shaved fennel is drizzled with vinegar made from Macintosh apples and the beef short ribs are accompanied by pumpkin polenta. No visitor should pass up the plate of five different pastas. Babbo is fun, friendly and hard to get into, so diners should reserve in advance. 110 Waverly Place (at Sixth Avenue) Tel: (212) 777 0303. Fax: (212) 777 3365. Price: US$45. Wine: US$22. Four Seasons It is hard to believe that before this culinary landmark opened its doors over 40 years ago, no other restaurant had hit upon the idea of changing the menu each season. Philip Johnson’s sleek design in the wood-panelled Grill Room and the marble-centred Pool Room makes this one of the city’s most beautiful spaces. The food is hearty American fare, such as grilled lamb chops with cranberry bean-white corn succotash, that sustains the city’s movers and shakers as they make and break deals. 99 East 52nd Street (between Park and Lexington Avenues) Tel: (212) 754 9494. Fax: (212) 754 1077. E-mail: Iwouldnotmissit@aol.com Website: www.fourseasonsrestaurant.com Price: US$80. Wine: US$25. Gotham Bar & Grill They work miracles at Gotham Bar & Grill. Tables are as tightly spaced, as in any New York restaurant, but the various levels and the soaring ceilings hung with lighting fixtures resembling parachutes give the illusion of space. The staff are harried yet always seems to anticipate the diner’s every whim. What is more, chef Alfred Portale – who pioneered the gravity-defying entrées that everyone emulates – does American food like nobody else. Dishes to try include the Maine lobster tails or grilled Atlantic salmon. 12 East 12th Street (between Union Square and Fifth Avenue) Tel: (212) 620 4020. Fax: (212) 627 7810. E-mail: gothamgm@aol.com Website: www.gothambarandgrill.com Price: US$60. Wine: US$25. Gramercy Tavern A place New Yorkers take out-of-town guests, this old-fashioned tavern is actually two places in one. The bar serves delicious but uncomplicated meals, while the dining room presents extraordinarily flavourful fare, such as salt-baked king salmon with rhubarb and loin of lamb with lemon confit. Those on an expense account should go all out on the market menu and get a little taste of nearly everything. 42 East 20th Street (between Broadway & Park Avenue) Tel: (212) 477 0777. Fax: (212) 477 1160. Web site: www.gramercytavern.com Price: US$75. Wine: US$24. Le Cirque 2000 With tongue firmly set in cheek, designer Adam Tihany transformed the stately Villard House into a circus as imagined by Salvador Dalí. The presentation of the food is just as overstated, from the enormous gilt-edged plates for entrées to the Venetian-glass fantasies that hold devilishly delicious desserts. The real reason to come, however, is the food. Diners can try duck with seared foie gras or veal mignon with potato gnocchi. 455 Madison Avenue (between 50th and 51st Streets) Tel: (212) 303 7788. Fax: (212) 303 7712. Website: www.lecirque.com Price: US$75. Wine: US$25. Business ‘21’ Club Cole Porter sang the praises of this place nearly 70 years ago and it’s still worthy of song. With a clientele that has included every president since Teddy Roosevelt, this former speakeasy has a history few New York eating places can match. Diners enter below a line of lawn jockeys (21 of them, naturally) to reach the string of intimate dining rooms. The ‘21’ burger is the classic choice but chef Erik Blauberg has updated the menu of classic American fare to include dishes such as oven-roasted veal chops and hickory-fired filet mignon. 21 West 53rd Street (between Fifth and Sixth Avenues) Tel: (212) 582 7200. Fax: (212) 974 7562. Website: www.21club.com Price: US$50. Wine: US$28. Jean George As they are so often set in basements and backrooms, restaurants in New York rarely get to brag about their view. Jean George lets its location in the Trump Hotel speak for itself. Diners can sit on the terrace facing Central Park or enjoy the same view from the Art-Deco influenced dining room. The decor is subdued, allowing chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s French fare to dominate. Few diners will forget dishes like the sliced sea scallops, which sit atop sautéed cauliflower, in a hurry. The wine list is vast, and the sommelier is happy to help select a bottle. 1 Central Park West (at 60th Street) Tel: (212) 299 3900. Fax: (212) 299 3941. Website: www.jean-georges.com Price: US$100. Wine: US$27. Judson Grill Vases holding arrangements the size of compact cars dominate this cavernous space in Midtown. Yet the food is the star at Judson Grill and diners can watch chef Bill Telepan and his staff whip it up in the open kitchen. Starters include a foie gras terrine, before guests move on to the likes of the expertly prepared medallions of tuna. 152 West 52nd Street (between Sixth and Seventh Avenues) Tel: (212) 582 5252. Fax: (212) 265 9616. Website: www.judsongrill.citysearch.com Price: US$40. Wine: US$30. Russian Tea Room A golden tree hung with Venetian glass eggs and a 15-foot tall aquarium shaped like a dancing bear grace the opulent dining room of this long-time New York City landmark. The midnight blue walls reflect the glow of hundreds of candles. Does the food measure up? Guests who have sampled the caviar will not need to ask. 150 West 57th Street (between Sixth and Seventh Avenues) Tel: (212) 974 2111. Fax: (212) 974 2221. Website: www.web.russiantearoom.com Price: US$50. Wine: US$32. Tavern on the Green This is perhaps the most famous restaurant in New York – and with good reason. It’s a fantasy land, hung with thousands of twinkling lights. Inside is a maze of dining rooms, each more extravagant than the last. Any night of the week there is a movie première party, a reception honouring a local dignitary or a political fundraising event. In terms of food, diners should stick with the old favourites, such as the sirloin steak or the rack of pork. Central Park West at 67th Street Tel: (212) 873 3200. Fax: (212) 875 8051. Website: www.web.tavernonthegreen.com Price: US$60. Wine: US$20. Trendy 71 Clinton Fresh Food The Manhattans here are the tastiest (and strongest) in the city, so guests should sample one as they wait for a table at this instantly popular hangout for Lower East Side hipsters. There’s no sign on this tiny storefront – diners must just look for the stainless-steel façade. There are just a handful of options – like the goat-cheese tart topped with applewood-smoked bacon – so that chef Wylie Dufresne can concentrate on creating something truly magical. 71 Clinton Street (between Rivington and Stanton Streets) Tel: (212) 614 6960. Fax: (212) 614 9426. Price: US$35. Wine: US$16. Fressen It is easy to pass right by the demure façade of this chic eatery in the Meatpacking District without noticing it. Inside, the industrial decor attracts a chic crowd (yes, that is Brad Pitt at the next table.) The menu draws inspiration from across the globe – diners can start with the grilled baby octopus with tzatziki and move on to the pan-roasted Alaskan white salmon. If there are problems getting a table, it is at least worth elbowing through to the sleek bar. 421 West 13th Street (at Washington Street) Tel: (212) 645 7775. Fax: (212) 255 2713. Website: www.fressen.com Price: US$40. Wine: US$21. Nobu Lovely birch trees line the dim dining room at this long-standing favourite in TriBeCa. The food is most accurately labelled ‘Japanese-inspired’, which means that chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa lets his imagination run wild. Newcomers should sample the black cod with miso. Diners who cannot get a seat should try the appropriately named Next Door Nobu and those who cannot get as far as New York could try the branch in London. Nobu: 105 Hudson Street (at Franklin Street) Next Door Nobu: 105 Hudson Street (between Franklin and Varick Streets) Tel: (212) 219 0550. Fax: (212) 219 1441. Price: US$70. Wine: US$28. Pastis This picture-perfect recreation of a slightly faded French bistro is the most democratic place in town – no reservations are accepted, so everyone has to wait. Diners belly up to the bar and wait their turn to sample the steak-frites or the croque monsieur. A better option is to head here early for brunch – the basket of warm breads is worth the trip. 9 Ninth Avenue (at Little West 12th Street) Tel: (212) 929 4844. Fax: (212) 929 5676. Website: www.pastisny.com Price: US$35. Wine: US$22. The Red Cat Moroccan lanterns hanging overhead illuminate this long, narrow eating place in the newly chic gallery district of Chelsea. No pretence here – the warm, welcoming staff guides diners through a menu featuring pan-crisped skate with a marinated cucumber and artichoke salad and char-grilled pork chop with olive purée. 227 Tenth Avenue (between 23rd and 24th Streets) Tel: (212) 242 1122. Fax: (212) 242 1390. Website: www.theredcat.com Price: US$45. Wine: US$24. Budget Bright Food Shop East meets West – or, more specifically, Asia meets Arizona – at this unpretentious little luncheonette in Chelsea. For instance, the ‘Bright quesadilla’ is stuffed with tamarind-roasted chicken and topped with smoked Monterey Jack cheese. The lovely neon sign outside is an original, dating from 1937. 216 Eighth Avenue (between 21st and 22nd Streets) Tel: (212) 243 4433. Fax: (212) 243 4735. Website: www.kitchenmarket.com Price: US$25. Wine: US$20. Grange Hall The Great Depression might seem like an odd theme for a restaurant, but this eating place, tucked away on a side street in Greenwich Village, makes it seem inspired. In a dining room with murals celebrating the heartland, guests can sample cranberry-glazed pork chops with poached apples or grilled lamb steak with rosemary and fried Idaho potatoes. Also recommended is a ‘prairie martini’ that can be ordered at the lovely carved-wood bar. 50 Commerce Street (at Barrow Street) Tel: (212) 924 5246. Fax: (212) 255 2117. Price: US$30. Wine: US$20. Holy Basil The city’s best Thai food can be found in the wood-panelled dining room of this East Village standby. Diners cannot go wrong with the crispy duck with basil, which defies gravity as it stands in the centre of the plate. Another favourite is the green papaya salad drizzled with lime juice. 149 2nd Avenue (between Ninth and Tenth Streets) Tel: (212) 460 5557. Price: US$30. Wine: US$15. Moustache The colourful wall hangings and copper-topped tables lend an exotic feel but tasty Turkish food is the real star at this West Village eating place. After starting with the lemony houmus, eaten with billowy pittas hot from the oven, diners can move on to the pizta covered with spicy ground lamb. 90 Bedford Street (between Grove and Barrow Streets) Tel: (212) 228 2022. Fax: (212) 229 2220. Price: US$20. Wine: US$15. Second Avenue Deli New York’s Lower East Side was once overflowing with outstanding Jewish delis but this is one of the last. Diners can eat in the Molly Picon Room, filled with memorabilia of the famous Yiddish theatre star. Portions are huge, so guests may want to try half a sandwich (corned beef, naturally) with a bowl of the city’s best matzo ball soup. 156 Second Avenue (at Tenth Avenue) Tel: (212) 677 0606. Fax: (212) 353 1836. E-mail: 2ndavedeli@2ndavedeli.com Website: www.2ndavedeli.com Price: US$20. Wine: US$16. Personal Recommendations Dok Suni Korean women bustle around the kitchen of this hip little East Village eatering place, which is a good indication that the food is authentic. Diners should try the bulgogi – marinated beef served with a platter of spicy kimchi and a dozen other condiments that guests wrap in lettuce leaves. Dok Suni is always crowded but diners can grab a beer at the bar while they wait. No credit cards are accepted. 119 First Avenue (between Seventh Street and St Mark’s Place) Tel: (212) 477 9506. Price: US$30. Wine: US$16. Florent No longer alone in the trendy Meatpacking District, this old-fashioned diner refuses to be crowded out by showier neighbours. Diners can grab a stool at the counter for French-influenced fare (the steak-frites is great, as are the moules). The sassy message board above the bar is always good for a chuckle. 69 Gansevoort Street (between Greenwich and Washington Streets) Tel: (212) 989 5779. Fax: (212) 645 2498. Price: US$30. Wine: US$16. Home Home is where many a New Yorker’s heart is. This is what Yanks call ‘comfort food’, meaning that it is the type of food mum made. Servers manoeuvre through the narrow dining room armed with dishes such as roasted chicken or grilled pork chops. The spicy onion rings come with homemade ketchup so tasty that diners may want to take some with them. Nobody should dare leave without sampling the intensely chocolately pudding. 20 Cornelia Street (between Bleecker and West Fourth Streets) Tel: (212) 243 9579. Fax: (212) 647 9393. Price: US$25. Wine: US$21. Joe Allen Guests can see the stars, quite literally, at this laid-back restaurant on the edge of the Theater District. Actors hang out here after the curtain comes down, so it is not hard to spot luminaries like Nathan Lane and Bernadette Peters filling up on satisfying American fare such as grilled sirloin steak or sautéed calf’s liver. Those who prefer the West End can stop by the restaurant’s London branch on Exeter Street. 326 West 46th Street (at Eighth Avenue) Tel: (212) 581 6464. Fax: (212) 265 3383. Website: www.joeallenrestaurant.com Price: US$30. Wine: US$18. Miracle Bar & Grill Southwestern fare – New York’s version of it, anyway – highlights the menu at this cosy spot in the East Village (there is also one in the West Village). Diners should insist on sitting in the pleasant garden out back and start with the catfish tacos, then move on to the pork chops with an orange-ancho chile glaze. Branches: 415 Bleecker Streets (at Bank Streets) Tel: (212) 924 1900. Fax: (212) 924 1960. E-mail: miraclebargrill@aol.com Website: www.miraclegrill.citysearch.com Price: US$30. Wine: US$18. 112 First Avenue (between Sixth and Seventh Streets) Tel: (212) 254 2353. Fax: (212) 777 2647. E-mail: miraclegrillny@aol.com Website: www.miraclegrill.citysearch.com Price: US$30. Wine: US$18. |
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