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New York Restaurant and Dining

NYC.com features detailed reviews of hundreds of top New York restaurants written by our editors and visitors, as well as reviews of every type of cuisine and recommendations of great places to eat in all five boroughs. Also check out our gourmet guide, our guide to dining on a budget, and our all-new Best of New York Restaurants guide!

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Eleven Madison Park

American (New)

1.0 Miles Flatiron District

Eleven Madison Park expresses the spirit of grand New York dining with a contemporary accent. Designed by architects Bentel & Bentel, with soaring 30-foot ceilings and windows overlooking beautiful Madison Square Park, the Art-Deco restaurant embodies an urbane sophistication that is at once relaxed and bustling. The restaurant has been owned by Chef Daniel Humm since 2011 and during that time it has evolved considerably, both in food and in experience. Their tasting menu consists of entirely plant-based courses. Guests can also visit the bar for a more abbreviated version of the tasting menu, light snacks, or simply for a cocktail or glass of wine. They typically offer three menus, all of which are 100% plant-based. Their main dining room tasting menu is nine to ten courses, traditionally lasting two and a half to three hours, featuring both plated and communal dishes. The 6-course menu features highlights from the Full Tasting menu along with tableside preparations, lasting roughly two hours. In the lounge they offer a Bar Tasting menu that consists of four to five courses, commonly lasting one and a half to two hours. Eleven Madison Park's award-winning, eclectic wine list offers 36 wines by the glass, available at your table or in the cozy wine bar set beneath a gold-leaded Art Deco ceiling. The bar also boasts a world-class selection of Calvados and an extensive array of cocktails.

Aquavit

Scandinavian

0.5 Miles

Located in Park Avenue Tower at 65 East 55th Street between Park and Madison Avenues in Midtown New York, Aquavit offers modern takes on modern Nordic Cuisine complemented by an extensive winelist and an Aquavit infusion and cocktail program. Aquavit transforms Nordic cuisine with extraordinary care, mixing respect for tradition with a penchant for excellence and the conviction to try new techniques and ingredients. For lunch, Aquavit serves an a la carte menu of Scandinavian classics such as Swedish Meatballs, Gravlax and Toast Skagen. For dinner, they offer a four-course prix fixe or seven-course tasting menu of modern Nordic selections. The dining room has just been redesigned with modern and rustic elements that complement and complete the Nordic dining experience. In the Bar and Lounge you can savor craft cocktails and a variety of Nordic tastes tailored to your selections ideal for a date, casual meeting or an after-work gathering. The Linné Salon and Nobel Room accommodate Private Dining functions for meetings, social gatherings and elegant entertaining for up to 100 guests.

Restaurant Daniel

French

1.2 Miles Upper East Side

Savor award-winning chef Daniel Boulud's seasonal French cuisine inspired by the market in the sumptuous Venetian Renaissance style dining room or in the Bellecour Room, available for private parties. To ensure the excellence of his cuisine, Daniel Boulud has established a kitchen brigade trained in the French tradition respecting the techniques, hierarchy and discipline of their trade. American-born Executive Chef Alex Lee, with Daniel since 1993, directs a team of three devoted Sous Chefs: Cyrille Allannic, Olivier Reginensi, and Patrice Martineau as well as Bruno Bertin orchestrating Feast and Fêtes catering. Together they orchestrate the efforts of 40 cooks representing a rich array of cultures and nationalities working together in 4000 square feet of state of the art kitchen designed by Daniel Boulud himself. There is no easy way to categorise Daniel Bolud's cooking, so we offer this sample by season: In winter, Chef Daniel Boulud celebrates black truffles from Perigord in dishes such as: Maine Sea Scallops Layered with Black Truffle in Golden Puff Pastry or Roasted Squab Stuffed with Foie Gras and Black Truffle, Winter Vegetables and Chestnuts. Spring is celebrated with a focus on asparagus, morels and delicate peas. Bolud highlights them on his menu with his celebrated Asparagus, Lobster and Artichoke Salad with Fresh Hearts of Palm and Meyer Lemon Dressing; Chilled Five Pea Soup with a Rosemary-Infused Cream, Bacon and Crisp Croutons; or finally, Morels with Duck and Foie Gras Stuffing. Summer comes to life on Daniel Boulud's menu with fragrant tomatoes, chanterelles and local sweet corn. He adds his own personal touch to them in Chilled Summer Tomato Gelée with Opal Basil, Peekytoe Crabmeat and Spicy Avocado; Roasted Tuna with Country Bacon, Chanterelles and Truffled Beef Jus; or Corn Crêpes Filled with Chanterelles, Farmers' Market Vegetables and Chives. During the autumn months, the fragrant, earthy white truffles of northern Italy inspire the chef as he shaves them over luxuriant Risotto with Porcini or enhances a dish of Braised Turnips Stuffed with Pigs Feet and Fall Mushrooms with White Truffle Sauce.

per se

American (New)

0.9 Miles Upper West Side

After per se opened in 2004 it quickly established itself as one of New York City's top restaurants. With per se, Thomas Keller brings his distinctive hands-on approach from Napa Valley's French Laundry to New York City. The restaurant reflects his intense focus on detail that extends to cuisine, presentation, mood and surroundings. Keller chose Adam Tihany, today's pre-eminent restaurant/hotel designer to draw together subtle references of The French Laundry and elements from both his and Keller's pasts. From the Blue Door entrance (modeled after the famed blue door at The French Laundry) to the fireplace, field stone and elegant but simple décor, one feels as if they're dining in an appropriately adorned metropolitan version of Keller's flagship restaurant in Napa Valley. The dining room holds just 15 tables and boasts spectacular views of Central Park. There's also a salon, bar, wine cellar, a private room for 10 and another that accommodates up to 60 guests. The 24-seat lounge, which includes four bar stools, can accommodate diners with its à la carte menu that features up to ten dishes, which aren't necessarily the same dishes on the tasting menus. Always at the forefront of innovation, Thomas Keller made headlines by announcing he would abolish tipping at per se and replace it with a European-style service charge. New Yorkers have reacted rather positively to this change, and it does remove some of the magic and mystery behind tip calcuation. Moreover, you can always an tip additional sum for exceptional service. NYC.com most recently visited Per Se after our unforgettable Easter spent at Keller's French Laundry in Yountville, California, reached on a beautifully sunny Sunday after a relaxing drive from the Bay Area. We had arrived 30 minutes early, and occupied ourselves with touring the impressive vegetable garden just across the street from the restaurant; as the day went on, the growing crescendo of small flourishes and nuanced touches in course after course culminated with massive chocolate Easter eggs brought to the table after the mignardises. Inside these hollow eggs were wrapped caramels placed by the pastry chef. At the time, it seemed no dining experience in the United States would equal or surpass it. Yet entering Keller's fourth-floor realm at the Time Warner Center could hardly be a more different experience than driving to the French Laundry. For starters, the Time Warner Center remains a ridiculous tribute to the imperial superego of a faltering corporation, filled with stores (excepting Whole Foods) that generally appear to be mostly empty. While attending performances at Jazz at Lincoln Center remains a highly satisfying experience, casual or fine dining at this shopping mall would appear to be foiled by the rather generic frilly surroundings. As one enters through sliding glass doors—after walking down a long corridor filled with vitrines of glassware of relatively questionable aesthetic value—perhaps the most polite thing one could say of the fourth-floor realm outside Per Se would be ars ut artem falleret, art to deceive art. The entry portal and its exaggerated luxury, of course, serve to remind the power brokers, gourmets and gourmands alike that Keller's architectural confection per se, i.e. with all due respect to its inherent nature, offers the required amount of artifice and edifice in a most New York way: with soaring ceilings and the lavish building materials that symbolize the go-go years of this decade. The wine cellar tempts, and the lounge features plush banquettes as well as a few appropriately-placed pieces of furniture overlooking Central Park. Stated differently, instead of the tranquil solitude of Yountville, the New Yorker awaiting one of the 15 tables here leaves chaotic Columbus Circle for a tamed and ordered sphere—evocative, subtle, and chromatic in a highly structured form quite like Mondrian's Broadway Boogie-Woogie. How interesting then, to be confronted with a perfect view of the Museum of Arts & Design from Per Se's tastefully-appointed dining room. Edward Durrell Stone's utterly transformed lollipop building that lost its spun-sugar motifs in its stripped-down aesthetic redesign perhaps allows the diner to reflect upon the sort of pleasure that awaits in the Kellerian world: the refinement and tempering of forest and sea. Out of a multitude of ingredients comes a unique dining experience in which we are told "no single ingredient is ever repeated throughout the meal". We began with gougères and the signature tuile with salmon and crème fraîche, which certainly put us in the appropriate mood to receive the first course, "Oysters and Pearls," that consisted of a resplendent Sabayon of pearl tapioca with Island Creek oysters and Sterling white sturgeon caviar—a much-savored ingredient most beloved at the French Laundry. The subtlety of this dish cannot be overstated; aside from the magnificent appearance, texture and taste, its sheer ingenuity alone was simply extraordinary. Thereafter, we collectively opted for the Terrine of Hudson Valley Moulard Duck Foie Gras ($30.00 supplement) served with a duck consommé "en gelée" with subtle and ingenious slow baked beets and red ribbon sorrel augmented with kumquat coulis. As at the French Laundry, when the servers perceived the thick toasted brioche had cooled to a point where it would not complement the terrine, it was quickly replaced with another plate of hot brioche. You might find these details trifling, or instead you might find them simply reflective of a master chef who overlooks no minor detail in order to please his patrons. Similarly, the handsome dish of six sea salts to accompany the terrine could on the one hand be seen as ostentatious, or instead perhaps simply make for a delectable accompaniment that involves choosing among some of the most intriguing and flavorful salts known to man. Food and wine critics, not to mention all manner of gourmets and gourmands, enjoy impressing their fellow diners with tales of fine dining—this restaurant here, that wine tasting there—and generally manage to repeat details ad nauseum at meals such as at Per Se. In this parlor game of one-upsmanship, occasionally one draws in the staff as well as if (in the manner of Cicero, one hopes) to delight or to instruct. Thus it was with great excitement that our inquiry about a certain varietal was responded to by the sommelier both with great enthusiasm about this particular part of California near Mendocino as well as a truly masterful declamation of the vintage, the vineyard and the general vicinity. In other words, he went beyond impressing us with his impressive depth of knowledge. Never mind that this, our first bottle, was neither particularly expensive nor unusual; he spoke of this Syrah from a vineyard unfamiliar to us with the same energy one presumes he would reserve for a Corton-Charlemagne at ten times the price. (In a tip of the toque to the new reality, we note that our expense account no longer covers the myriad possibilities of the Trockenbeeranauslese, Yquem and Bordeaux that so appropriately ruined our late youth.) Though the mark-up on the nearly 50-page wine list seems quite high even to the casual observer, it does remind us that Keller makes very little (if any) profit on the menus per se; the top quality of the ingredients, their preparation, and the superior service make the execution of these prix fixe menus extremely expensive. When you further consider that service is included—unlike at nearly every other restaurant in this country—it makes the lavish menu seem all the more valuable. Hence the shock of delight to be thusly confronted with a butter-poached Nova Scotia lobster, a rather substantial piece of tail meat accompanied by a striking serrano ham croquette, Cripps Pink apples and mâche with an apple cider emulsion. Though a trip to Maine two weeks ago again reminded us the present fate of the lobsterman in this troubled economy is indeed a miserable one, we might attempt to accentuate the positive here: an overabundance of lobsters along the Atlantic Coast has made fortune smile upon the diner who wishes to eat them. How to follow this delicate crustacean with anything more impressive? Thereafter appeared a Liberty Farm Pekin Duck breast with rhubarb and turnip confit and Sauce "Périgourdine" that nearly set us into orbit. Flown over from this farm, located in an unincoporated area of Sonoma County near Petaluma, both the climate and method of raising their poultry makes these ducks about as flavorful as one can find. And then appeared—as we switched to a hearty Zinfandel—the most marvelous carré d'agneau rôti (to merely call it a lamb chop would be an understatement) with morel mushrooms and fava beans with Béarnaise reduction and tiny potatoes that we presumed from their flavor were from the Goshen/Warwick area but surprisingly enough instead came from a California farmer's market. This Elysian Fields Farm lamb from Orange County, NC, was truly superb, every morsel utterly savory. There followed a Brunet of poached apricots, hazelnuts, marinated sunchokes and frisée, a modest portion of tender bites that eased the way for the ensuing caramelized banana sorbet with maui pineapple and lime salt. It did not escape our attention that our wine and water glasses were constantly refreshed, and that the service at all times was more attentive than I've experienced in any of the other top New York restaurants that we have reviewed here in recent years—even at the clock went well past eleven. Finding the bombe au pamplemousee not quite to our taste, we instead opted for the mille-feuille de poire, an intensely flavorful walnut bavarois with bosc pears and candied walnuts and licorice ice cream. Mille-feuille indeed—for it was followed by the luxurious signature Keller mignardises of chocolates, truffles, hard candies and caramels. Despite that the economic downturn has sealed the fate of an increasing number of figures who seem right out of Boccaccio's De Casibus Virorum Illustrium, in turn affecting an untold number of Keller's well-to-do patrons, the dining room of Per Se nevertheless remains packed. A testament, no doubt, to Keller's ability to deliver the most outstanding dining experience found in this country. When we discussed our experience with a colleague who had dined at Per Se last year, his response summed it up: "I couldn't really eat anything the next day. Anything else seemed a letdown." Per Se is one of the Restaurant & Bar Collection at Columbus Circle.

Le Coucou

French

2.6 Miles

2017 James Beard Award winner: Best New Restaurant Chef Daniel Rose of the highly regarded Parisian restaurant La Bourse et La Vie brings his flair to NYC and teams up with veteran restauranteur Stephen Starr. At Le Coucou you will find classic French cuisine in a charming setting created by Roman and Williams.

Gabriel Kreuther

French

0.2 Miles

Overlooking Bryant Park, chef Gabriel Kreuther's eponymous restaurant offers a comfortably luxurious, Alsatian-inspired dining experience with a distinctly New York spirit. Michelin-starred chef Kreuther was born on a family farm in Alsace and raised on his mother's traditional Alsatian cooking. After attending culinary school and working in Michelin-starred kitchens throughout Germany, France and Switzerland, Kreuther arrived in New York City in 1997 to work as a sous chef at La Caravelle restaurant. A chef de cuisine position at Jean-Georges and an executive chef role at the lauded Atelier at the Ritz-Carlton followed. In 2004, Kreuther became the executive chef of Danny Meyer's The Modern, where his cooking received numerous accolades throughout his nearly decade-long tenure. A member of the Bocuse d'Or USA Culinary Council, Kreuther was named one of Food & Wine's Best New Chefs in 2003 and received a 2009 James Beard Foundation Award for “Best Chef: New York City.”

Smorgasburg Williamsburg

American (Regional)

2.7 Miles Williamsburg

Smorgasburg happens every Saturday on the Williamsburg waterfront at East River State Park, featuring packaged and prepared foods, purveyors from New York City and across the region, and other food-related vendors (kitchen utensils, housewares, etc.), for a total of 100 vendors. The markets are always open rain or shine.

Le Bernardin

French

0.4 Miles Theater District

Le Bernardin, New York's internationally acclaimed four star seafood restaurant, was born in Paris in 1972 by sibling duo Maguy and Gilbert Le Coze. Dedicated entirely to the cuisine of Gilbert Le Coze, the self-taught seafood wizard, it only served fish: Fresh, simple and prepared with respect. Le Bernardin was named after an order of monks who liked to eat and drink and a song about the monks that Gabriel Le Coze, Maguy's and Gilbert's father, kept singing to them. Maguy and Gilbert Le Coze were born and raised in a small village called Port Navalo in Brittany, France. Le Coze's parents owned and operated a small restaurant and inn, the Hotel de Rhuys. Gilbert received his cooking lessons by helping his grandfather and father in the kitchen and on the fishing boat while Maguy Le Coze worked alongside her mother in the dining room. The dual combination of Gilbert's new cooking techniques — unheard of in the Haute Cuisine-obsessed salons of Paris' better restaurants in the early seventies—with Maguy's energy and drive in the dining room propelled Le Bernardin to one Michelin star in 1976. Considering that Le Bernardin was opened on a shoestring budget with Maguy's and Gilbert's parents helping out in the kitchen as the only employees on opening night, the Michelin accolades were an incredible accomplishment. Continuing its success story, in 1980 the restaurant moved to a larger location garnering two coveted Michelin stars. This was the highest acclaim for a seafood-only restaurant since the powerful Michelin organization reserves the right to bestow three stars to restaurants with menus that also offer meat, games, poultry and fish to its diners. Le Bernardin insisted on only serving the best fish, carving out a niche in the competitive restaurant world of Paris and establishing an international reputation. Inspired by the triumph of Le Bernardin in Paris and its many American clients, the Le Coze's sought to open a Le Bernardin in New York in 1986. By again employing the technique of "divide and conquer", Maguy commanded the functions of the dining room and décor, while seafood virtuoso Gilbert took control of the kitchen. In no time, Le Bernardin became a four star restaurant which is renown for setting standards in the cooking of seafood in America. The restaurant holds several records in New York: it received its four star review from the New York Times only three months after opening—that's how much Gilbert's unconventional cooking had taken New Yorkers—and is the only New York four star restaurant that has maintained its status of excellence for more than 10 years. Reviews have come in 1986, 1989 and 1995 with the same verdict: Four stars. After the unexpected death of her brother Gilbert in 1994, Maguy Le Coze is now working closely with her partner/chef Eric Ripert. Ripert, one of the brightest talents in the kitchens of the world, and Le Coze continue to uphold Le Bernardin's position as one of the world's premier restaurants. In 1998, Maguy Le Coze won the coveted James Beard Award for "Outstanding Restaurant" in America, Eric Ripert was named "Chef of the Year New York" by the James Beard Foundation, influential Gourmet magazine ranked Le Bernardin number one in New York and the Zagat's Guide for 1999 also placed the restaurant in its top spot for food. To the delight of its fans all over the world, 1998 also saw the publication of Le Bernardin's first cookbook called Le Bernardin—Four Star Simplicity.

Smorgasburg Prospect Park

American (New)

6.8 Miles Brooklyn Heights

Smorgasburg happens every Sunday in the South East corner of Prospect Park. Featuring packaged and prepared foods, purveyors from New York City and across the region, and other food-related vendors (kitchen utensils, housewares, etc.), for a total of 100 vendors. Rain or shine. Located on Well House Drive between the Lefrak Center at Lakeside and the Boathouse. Open from 11:00am to 6:00pm

Marea

Italian

0.8 Miles Midtown

Marea means tide in Italian, and aptly describes the sea change Chef Michael White presents with his interpretation of southern Italian coastal cuisine. From his trademark handmade pastas to his fresh crudo and whole fish, Chef White and Owner Chris Cannon are committed to reinventing the notion of seafood in New York. Located in one of Manhattan's most storied addresses, Marea has won numerous accolades since opening in 2010. To date, Marea has received two Michelin stars, the 2010 James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant, three stars from The New York Times, named Best New Restaurant by Bon Apetit, Esquire, and GQ Magazine and also Best Italian Restaurant by Zagat. Marea has also recently joined the family of Relais & Chateaux’s elite group of Grande Chef Gourmand.. At Marea, the menu reads like a study of the sea. The crux of the cuisine is devoted to the freshest and most seasonal fish and shellfish sourced from both the Mediterranean and waters worldwide. The breadth of the menu offers you the opportunity to select and choose your dining experience. Selections are devoted to crudo, a wide variety of oysters & clams and antipasti. Chef White is famous for his house-made pasta, and at Marea, the dishes are replete with frutti di mare. The menu also includes composed fish dishes, whole fish preparations and a short selection of meat to round out the extensive offerings. The wine list, overseen by Beverage Director Francesco Grosso, features a significant selection of wines that pair perfectly with the bounty of the sea. With over 750 selections, 50 percent of the wine list is dedicated to European whites, which complement the fresh fish and seafood; the restaurant has over 15 rosé selections to offer year round.

Cafe Carlyle

French

1.8 Miles Upper East Side

When famed composer Richard Rodgers moved in as The Carlyle's first tenant, music became an essential part of The Carlyle experience. A romantic and intimate venue, Café Carlyle continues the tradition of the 1930s supper club. It features original murals created by French artist Marcel Vertes, the Oscar-winning art director of the 1952 Moulin Rouge. The nightly scene recalls an old MGM classic, camera ready pure Manhattan backdrop and a soundtrack that is classic cabaret. Café Carlyle is known for headlining incredible talents, including Eartha Kitt, Ute Lemper and Woody Allen, who regularly appears to jam with the Eddy Davis New Orleans jazz band. For over 30 years, Café Carlyle was synonymous with the legendary Bobby Short, whose spirit will live on through the music at Café Carlyle. Seating up to 70 for dinner and 90 for a performance, the supper club offers a uniquely intimate space and is highlighted by music-themed murals by Vertes.

Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare

American (New)

0.6 Miles Hell's Kitchen

Nestled in the back of a busy Manhattan grocery store is the unassuming entrance to a hidden gem, Chefs Table at Brooklyn Fare, where cutting-edge culinary expertise and ingenuity come alive. An exceptional experience awaits you as Executive Chefs Max Natmessnig and Marco Prins raise the bar on a nightly basis, blending diverse international cooking traditions with classical French Haute-cuisine technique. Raised in Austria, Chef Max Natmessnig began his career as a young stagier in Lyon France at Auberge de L’Ile Barbe, before a world tour of decorated posts at restaurants around the world, including Alois in Munich, Steirereck in Vienna, Oud Sluis in the Netherlands. In 2009, Chef Max also worked at the original location of Chef’s Table Brooklyn Fare alongside Chef Marco Prins. Originally from Holland, Chef Marco Prins fell in love with cooking at a young age. The son of a flower farmer, Chef Prins was raised on the home cooked meals of his mother, inspiring him to forge a career as a chef at age 16. After attending culinary school in Rotterdam, Chef Prins worked his way around Michelin-starred restaurants in New York and Europe. After meeting Chef Max at Chef’s Table in 2009, the pair are reunited once again in collaboration. Their tasting menu changes daily and adapts to the season, weaving a seafood-forward culinary journey with intermittent meat courses and a variety of desserts. There is also an award-winning wine program which offers a tailored wine pairing to accompany the meal, alongside à la carte selections. Note to hipsters, there is a dress code and formal business attire is on the menu. Jacket required for men. Jeans, sneakers, flip-flops, shorts or short sleeve shirts are not permitted in the dining room.

Russ & Daughters

Seafood

2.3 Miles Lower East Side

Back when "fancy" and "appetizing" could be found on façades across the Lower East Side, when places like M. Schacht served up all manner of smoked fish, Russ & Daughters had already been there for decades. Founded in 1914, Russ & Daughters maintains absolute top quality over its beautiful display cases of smoked fish, dried fruits, nuts and many other specialities. It's a true gem on the Lower East Side, and not to be missed.

Prohibition

Bistro

2.2 Miles Upper West Side

Prohibition is an upscale restaurant/bar where one can come with a date and have an intimate dinner, or with friends just to hang out and listen to live music. They offer an eclectic and sophisticated menu that accommodates both the serious diner and the casual sampler. The interior, which invokes the glamour and romance of the Prohibition-Era style of the twenties and early thirties, helps create terrific ambience. All of this has made Prohibition a mainstay on the Upper West Side. Check website for schedule of live music, and do come Mondays and bring your own material for NYC's best open mic night!

Dylan's Candy Bar

Candy Stores

1.2 Miles Upper East Side

An amazing temple of candy, Dylan's is New York City's most exciting and extraordinary candy store. On two levels connected by a staircase filled with dazzling gummy candy (see photo), Dylan's has literally everything you can imagine in its 10,000-square foot store. From penny candy to t-shirts to Wonka bars to baby gifts like bubblegum cigars, Dylan's is the place to take kids. The ice cream is wonderful, the treats are superb. In fact, you can find over 5,000 different candies including 21 different colors of M&Ms. And there is simply no place like Dylan's party room; it is a treat beyond belief. Now featuring a cocktail bar and New York City's only rock candy aquarium.

Teuscher Chocolates of Switzerland at Fifth Avenue

Candy Stores

0.5 Miles Midtown

Fine Swiss chocolates imported weekly. Made using freshest ingredients. Chocolate lovers know this is the real deal. Or at least those that can afford it.

Scalini Fedeli

Italian

2.9 Miles Tribeca

New Jersey's best Italian restaurant has found a home in downtown Manhattan. Scalini Fedeli offers modern & eclectic Italian with a distinct French influence. The interior is graceful and dramatic with vaulted ceilings, turn-of-the century antiques, and romantic works of art evoking a distinctly Tuscan feel.

Jean Georges

French

0.9 Miles Upper West Side

The eponymous crown jewel in Jean-Georges Vongerichten's global culinary empire, Jean-Georges also one of the city's greatest restaurants, with accolades from the James Beard Foundation and nearly everyone else, including four stars from the New York Times and three Michelin stars. Chef Vongerichten brings a menu of finely crafted dishes to his sun-drenched, airy space using the best in contemporary French and American techniques, blending expertly with Asian influences and insights, for a seasonal menu that not only evolves with the trends but tends to set them. Such a masterful chef would never leave too much control to the patrons, and Jean-Georges offers a perfectly curated pair of six-course tasting menus alongside a three-course prix fixe. While the selections are ever-changing, they run a tasteful gamut that may include a ten mushroom soup, a crab risotto with nori and key lime, butter-poached lobster, parmesan-crusted organic chicken with black truffle, artichoke, basil and lemon butter, and crispy confit of suckling pig with baby beets and ginger vinaigrette. "It is time to revive the kind of service that is reminiscent of the 40's and 50's," states the chef and co-owner Jean-Georges Vongerichten. "We wanted to bring back table-side service for two reasons: first, because it is elegant and graceful; but more importantly, I felt it was time to bring the excitement and the wonderful aromas of food preparation back into the dining room. After all, we cooks are the ones that have been having all the fun in the kitchen -- that first aromatic smell of freshly sliced meat or the placement of the perfect garnish to finish a dish will now be experienced by the diners. It will add a sense of aliveness and conviviality to the dining room that focuses on the food." While he has become a celebrity chef with a number of less traditional restaurants in the ensuing years since Vongerichten first opened Jean Georges, he has nevertheless maintained stellar quality here by continuing to focus on the elements that make top New York dining experiences so extraordinary: quality, service and elegance. You will also find an award-winning wine list with an international selection of 650 wines ranging up to $12,500. For those preferring a more casual atmosphere, Nougatine offers a tranquil setting and additional hours in an adjacent space.

Gramercy Tavern

American (New)

1.2 Miles Union Square

One of America's most beloved restaurants, Gramercy Tavern serves inventive American cuisine in a rustic yet elegant setting. Opened in 1994 by legendary restaurateur Danny Meyer in a historic landmark building, the Tavern has welcomed guests to enjoy its contemporary American cuisine, warm hospitality, and unparalleled service for over two decades. Chef Michael Anthony’s fiercely seasonal menu consists of elegant dishes with a rustic influence that showcase the restaurant’s relationships with local farms and purveyors. The restaurant can be enjoyed through two distinct dining experiences: the Tavern and the Dining Room. The Tavern serves an à la carte menu in a casual, walk-in setting and offers a daily four-course tasting menu at dinner. The Dining Room offers fixed-price and tasting menus with an à la carte option at lunch. Executive Chef and Partner Michael Anthony began cooking professionally in Tokyo, later honing his skills in France at a number of renowned restaurants. After several years at Restaurant Daniel, Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Barns, he joined Gramercy Tavern as the Executive Chef in 2006. The restaurant has earned a number of accolades under his leadership, including a three-star New York Times review (2007), and James Beard Awards for “Outstanding Restaurant” (2008) and “Best Chef: New York City” (2012). He is also the author of The Gramercy Tavern Cookbook.

La Bergamote — Chelsea

Cafes

1.2 Miles Chelsea

La Bergamote's new and expanded Chelsea location represents a truly authentic French patisserie, featuring breakfasts of fresh croissants and steaming bowls of café au lait served in a tranquil European atmosphere. Oversized glass display cases are packed with fresh breads and rolls, several types of croissants (including chocolate, almond and ham & cheese), brioche, diverse sandwiches (including smoked trout, saucisson, croque monsieur, etc.), quiches, house-made chocolates, truffles and pâtes de fruits. But the most extraordinary offerings are the more than two dozen types of pastries, ranging from crème brûlée to mousse noisette, eclairs, mini-patisserie, fruit tarts, and numerous others. Large cakes include the heavenly triple chocolate mousse and exquisite Bergamotier. The owners hail from the city of Nancy, and they clearly pay attention to all the details, including their top-quality espresso machine and hand-painted wall murals and framed artwork. You'll find a great value and top quality assured here, and the multinational staff is happy to describe the ingredients in the various confections and let you feel free to linger while enjoying your meal. A second location with table service opened in Midtown West in 2008.