From A Native New Yorker: Where to Eat in NYC
Being born and raised in NYC and still not even touching half of the restaurants speaks to the variety of options it has to offer. I go out to eat often and love to share my favorite restaurants in my home city. Here are a few of my personal favorites.
High End:
These are the places where you can expect to spend a few coins on dinner. Meaning drinks, appetizers and dinner for 2 can be upwards of $200.
L’Avenue: As Saks Fifth Avenue’s official restaurant, don’t expect anything less than the best here. This restaurant is a twist between French and American. The Lola Flores cocktail is easily one of the best drinks I’ve ever had. If you don’t like overly strong drinks with a sweet kick to it, definitely give this a try. For Appetizers, Abi loved the escargot (not a fan but if it’s your thing then give it a try) and I loved the dumplings along with the eggplant burrata. For entrees I had the salmon which was cooked perfectly and Abi had the spicy Thai beef which was a show stopper. I must say I didn’t expect for the mashed potatoes to be as stellar as they were. They were the perfect texture and perfect amount of season. For dessert definitely have the Saks S’Mores.
Brooklyn Chophouse: A Black owned Asian Fusion steakhouse with a loaded menu with just about every thing you can think of. Some favorites are the dumplings, sea bass, chicken fried rice and the filet mignon.
Le Grand Broucherie: I typically am not a fan of French food. Sorry but I’ve been to France 3x and was underwhelmed with the food each time. However when I came here I was very impressed. I had the smoked salmon as an appetizer and the sea bass as my main course and loved both. I finished it off with the Paris breast for dessert.
Tao (Downtown): One of my go to’s when I’m out on the town or after a long day of shooting content. I always prefer the downtown location over the midtown one (another story for another day).The drinks, food and music have always been on point. It’s a modern take on Asian cuisine and I haven’t had a bad time here yet. My favorite drink is bubbles and berries and my go to meal are the chicken wing lollipops with the vegetable fried rice.
Median Range:
These are the restaurants where dinner is considered “standard” for NYC. Meaning these are normal prices for dinner for 2 which is usually around $100-$130
Tanner Smith’s: A Prohibition era themed restaurant that takes you back in time. If you aren’t familiar, the Prohibition era was a time where alcohol in the U.S. was banned. So people found unique and creative ways to consume it without getting caught (ex: putting alcohol in teapots). The teapot cocktail was my favorite drink (I had the Paloma which was tequila, lime and grapefruit soda). For meals we had the NYC Poutine and the chicken & waffles. As a dessert lover I would recommend the s’mores to finish.
Soco: This plays still holds the title as one of my favorite places to eat. It’s Black owned southern comfort (hence the name) food. Have the fried chicken and red velvet waffles. Some other favorites from friends are the pork chops and shrimp and grits.
Lola Taverna: An impressive Greek restaurant in soho with a pretty outdoor seating area that’s heated in the winter. The Fondue is a 10/10 considering I never liked fondue anywhere else. A popular main course is the lamb chops and I hate the impossible meat kebabs which were very good.
Maison Pickle: I came here with a group of friends and we loved every thing we had. For dinks we had the razzle which was the perfect mix of sweet and bitter. My favorite appetizer was the garlic parmesan bread and the my main course was the French toast with hot honey chicken. One of my friends had the Reuben sandwich which he loved.
Negril BK: Also Black owned and a staple if you love Caribbean food. Try the jerk wings and coconut curry salmon.
The Mean Fiddler: With such an extensive menu for bunch and dinner, I was pleasantly surprised to like every thing I had. Some favorites were the nacho fries (a must), cotton candy Prosseco, m&m pancakes and many more.
The Greens at Pier 17: For rooftop vibes, great views and a comfortable setup, this is one of my favorite places to chill with the girls or relax with bae. The private mini lawn set up makes it very unique compared to other rooftops. Full Blog post here
Imani Caribbean Kitchen & Bar: There has been an ongoing debate on whether this place is Black owned or not. I’ve been told multiple answers from different people so I really cannot confirm. However I dined here twice: once for brunch and once for dinner and I enjoyed my food and the service. The only downside is there are no reservations so tables are on a first come first serve basis. It’s a blend of Caribbean and Soul food dishes and I definitely recommend a visit.
Low End:
These restaurants are considered affordable to NYC standards. Dinner and drinks for two will be less than $100
Thep Thai: One can never go wrong with Thai food in this city. Dinner for two with drinks included was around $80. I liked the pineapple fried rice as well as the volcano chicken.
Scottadito Osteria Toscana: Arguable the closest you’ll get to local Italian food in Italy is right here in the Park Slope area of Brooklyn. They have a very affordable brunch special with an entree and unlimited mimosas for $29.95. This place is perfect for date night and small groups. I recommend the margarita pizza, ravioli’s and not one, but two orders of tiramisu :-).
Mamouns: This isn’t an actual restaurant persay because the seating here is very limited so most people just opt for takeout. However the food is good and affordable. It’s a Middle Eastern style restaurant that serves falafel, kebabs and shawarma.
Los Tacos No 1: So it’s not exactly Southern California style tacos but when three friends from Mexico and California moved to NYC and bring authentic tacos to east, it’s definitely the equivalent. Tacos and tostadas are around $5 each and sodas are $3-$4 each. It’s a grab a go place with a few small tables but it’s one of the best cheap eateries in NYC.
Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer: The original outrageous milkshake you’ve seen on Pinterest with either birthday cake or Oreo cookies on the glass was probably from here. Lines used to go all the way down the street for this place because of these milkshakes (tip: kids are welcome and they love it here too). I’ve had the cookies and cream one and it was delicious. Be prepared to have a slight sugar rush if you aren’t a sweets lover like me. Grab a burger and fries since you probably already consumed a bunch of calories anyway. There are also salads, chicken sandwiches and other yummy appetizers / sides as well. For adults, Happy Hour is Monday - Friday 3pm-6pm where draft beers are $6, and well drinks are $8.
