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[Nex Superne]

RESTAURANT RATINGS

MICHELIN GUIDE (zero to three stars): The Michelin Guide is considered by most chefs to be the most prestigious and influential restaurant guide in the Western world. Despite the guide's many idiosyncrasies, it is still generally considered the highest honor in the culinary world to achieve the elusive three star rating.
Michelin NYC Three Star Restaurants
Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare
Daniel
Eleven Madison Park
Jean Georges
Le Bernardin
Masa
Per Se

THE NEW YORK TIMES (zero to four stars): Home of the single most influential restaurant critic position in the United States. Aside from the starred restaurant reviews, the NYT also features a “$25 and Under” column that covers inexpensive places and runs the Diner's Journal blog, which covers general topics in food, wine, and the NYC dining scene.
Restaurant Reviews
$25 and Under
Diner’s Journal

ZAGAT (scale of 30 for food, décor, and service): The most prominent US restaurant guide, Zagat takes a "democratic" approach in contrast to Michelin’s secretive tradition of anonymous, trained inspectors. Restaurant scores are tabulated by survey.
Zagat NYC 2012
Top Food: Le Bernardin
Top Service: Per Se
Top Décor: Asiate
Most Popular: Le Bernardin


NEW AMERICAN

PER SE, Michelin 3 stars, NYT 4 stars, Zagat 2012 Top Service

“Oysters and Pearls”
Sabayon of pearl tapioca with Island Creek oysters and sturgeon caviar

Mignardises

ELEVEN MADISON PARK, Michelin 3 stars, NYT 4 stars


CHEF'S TABLE AT BROOKLYN FARE, Michelin 3 stars, NYT 3 stars

OTHER STANDOUTS
GRAMERCY TAVERN, Michelin 1 star, NYT 3 stars
THE NOMAD, Michelin 1 star, NYT 3 stars
WD~50, Michelin 1 star, NYT 3 stars
ANNISA, Michelin 1 star, NYT 2 stars
MOMOFUKU SSÄM BAR, NYT 3 stars


FRENCH

LE BERNARDIN, Michelin 3 stars, NYT 4 stars, Zagat 2012 Top Food and Most Popular

Yellowfin tuna, foie gras, toasted baguette, chives, and extra virgin olive oil

The "Egg" - Milk chocolate pot de crème, caramel sauce, caramel custard foam, maple syrup, Maldon sea salt

JEAN GEORGES, Michelin 3 stars, NYT 4 stars

Foie gras brûlée, roasted strawberries, aged balsamic

DANIEL, Michelin 3 stars, NYT 4 stars

OTHER STANDOUTS
CORTON, Michelin 2 stars, NYT 3 stars
THE MODERN, Michelin 1 star, NYT 2 stars

 

[Nex Superne]

ITALIAN

MAREA, Michelin 2 stars, NYT 3 stars
DEL POSTO, Michelin 1 star, NYT 4 stars
BABBO, NYT 3 stars
ROBERTA'S, NYT 2 stars
FRANNY'S, NYT 2 stars


OTHER EUROPEAN

ACME, NYT 2 stars
New Nordic
ALDEA, Michelin 1 star, NYT 2 stars
Modern Portuguese
SEÄSONAL, Michelin 1 star
Modern Austrian
TXIKITO, NYT 1 star
Spanish (Basque pintxos)

STEAK

MINETTA TAVERN, Michelin 1 star, NYT 3 stars
Côte de boeuf with roasted bone marrow

PETER LUGER, Michelin 1 star, NYT 2 stars
Porterhouse

PIZZA

DI FARA
Dom DeMarco has been doing his own thing for decades, and at first glance his pizza appears like a regular, undistinguished NY-style slice as it comes out of a plain, conventional gas oven. A second glance reveals the truth: mozzarella di bufala and fior di latte, Parmigiano Reggiano, San Marzano tomatoes, and hand-snipped basil result in a unique New York-Neapolitan hybrid. Prices are prohibitive ($5 for a plain slice), waits are excruciatingly long, and the place is a dusty, linoleum-lined dump; still, the pilgrimage is worthwhile.

LUCALI

PATSY’S EAST HARLEM

TOTONNO'S CONEY ISLAND

NEAPOLITAN
According to those from Naples, this is the una vera pizza; no other style will do. There are strict requirements for an authentic DOC (denominazione di origine controllata) Neapolitan pie: type 00 Italian wheat flour, natural baker’s yeast, an extremely high heat (> 900 °F) wood-fired oven, and specific ingredients, including San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella di bufala from Campania, fresh basil, and extra virgin olive oil. After a scant minute or so in that blazing heat, the roughly 10 inch diameter pie emerges. At its best, it is a perfect marriage of sparingly applied cheese, vibrant and balanced tomato sauce, and a charred, beautifully yeasty crust. Those that are uninitiated may find the pizzas rather wet for their liking, especially towards the middle of the pie as the moisture of the mozzarella accumulates during cooking.

KESTE
Regina Margherita

MOTORINO, NYT 1 star
Burrata, broccolini, sausage, fresh chilies, garlic

MISCELLANEOUS

ABSOLUTE BAGELS
KATZ’S DELICATESSEN, pastrami on rye (order it fatty)
RUSS & DAUGHTERS, smoked fish and Jewish appetizing

 

[Nex Superne]

JAPANESE

SUSHI

MASA, Michelin 3 stars, NYT 3 stars
This is the best Japanese restaurant in the entire country; it is also one of the most expensive restaurants in the world. The minimum price is $450 per person, and with supplemental items, it can reach $600 before drinks, tax, and tip. Masa isn’t really a traditional sushi-ya as it devotes the first third of the meal to intricate, kaiseki-style cooked dishes, profligate with luxurious Western ingredients such as white truffles and foie gras. Sushi comprises the remaining two-thirds of the meal, and most of the seafood is imported straight from Tsukiji. An absurd place, in the best way possible.

Uni risotto with summer truffles

SUSHI YASUDA, NYT 3 stars
At the top of its game, Yasuda serves one of the best sushi meals in the city at a mere fraction of Masa’s price. The lunch prix fixe is a great way to experience Yasuda on the cheap, when a small set sushi menu will set you back $30/person or so. But if you want the full experience, you'll have to eat at the bar. The final price will depend heavily on which nigiri you choose, with rarer and more prized cuts of fish carrying a hefty expense. Expect to pay $80/person on the low end and up to $150/person on the high end. The rice here is very good.

Uni nigiri with sea salt

15 EAST, Michelin 1 star, NYT 2 stars


ICHIMURA AT BRUSHSTROKE, NYT 3 stars


KAISEKI

SOTO, Michelin 2 stars, NYT 2 stars


KYO YA, Michelin 1 star, NYT 3 stars

YAKITORI

TORI SHIN, Michelin 1 star
The best yakitori-ya in NYC and probably the best in the US, although it's pricier than the much more popular Yakitori Totto.

YAKITORI TOTTO


YAKINIKU

TAKASHI, NYT 1 star


IZAKAYA

SAKAGURA
ABURIYA KINNOSUKE
HAKATA TONTON


SOBA

COCORON
SOBA KOH


RAMEN

IPPUDO
TOTTO RAMEN



KOREAN

JUNG SIK, Michelin 1 star, NYT 2 stars
DANJI, Michelin 1 star, NYT 1 star
GAM MEE OK TANG
HAHM JI BACH


CHINESE

CANTONESE
IMPERIAL PALACE, NYT 1 star
GREAT NY NOODLE TOWN

SICHUAN
LITTLE PEPPER
LAN SHENG, Michelin 1 star
SZECHUAN GOURMET, NYT 2 stars

SHANGHAINESE
NAN SHIAN DUMPLING HOUSE

HUNAN
HUNAN HOUSE

SHANDONG
M & T RESTAURANT

SHAANXI
XI'AN FAMOUS FOODS


THAI

AYADA THAI
SRIPRAPHAI, NYT 2 stars
POK POK


BAKERIES AND DESSERTS

BOUCHON BAKERY
DOMINIQUE ANSEL BAKERY
IL LABORATORIO DEL GELATO
KEE’S CHOCOLATES
LA MAISON DU CHOCOLAT
LADURÉE
OTTO (gelato)
STEVE’S AUTHENTIC KEY LIME PIES
TWO LITTLE RED HENS


COCKTAILS BARS AND SPIRITS

The cocktail is an American invention and it is fitting that NYC is the birthplace of the recent nationwide cocktail renaissance. Many major cities in the US can now boast top-notch cocktail bars, including, for example, The Violet Hour in Chicago and Bourbon & Branch in San Francisco. However, none of those cities can match the sheer amount of mixology talent here. Carefully chosen spirits, custom ice, freshly-squeezed fruit juices, and house-made bitters and infusions set these places apart. NB: most of these bars have strict rules. If you’re too loud, you will be asked to shut up. If you try to hit on random women, you will be asked to stop. If you get drunk, you will be asked to leave. Bizarre concept I know, but these places exist for the pleasure of enjoying high-quality drinks, not getting hammered or picking up chicks.

DEATH + COMPANY
Winner of the "World Best Bar" award at Tales of the Cocktail 2010, this is the single best cocktail bar in NYC, IMO. Expert bartenders mix drinks from an intimidatingly varied and intelligently crafted cocktail menu, arranged thoughtfully by spirit. It exudes a classic speakeasy vibe and the drinks are consistently top-shelf.

PDT (PLEASE DON’T TELL)
Hidden speakeasy + wildly unusual flavor combinations + deep-fried hot dogs = the winner of the "World’s Best Bar" award at Tales of the Cocktail 2009. Think along the lines of Neuske bacon-infused bourbon for a decidedly smoky riff on an Old Fashioned. Go with an open mind and palate.

MAYAHUEL
A shrine to the agave plant and its associated spirits: tequila and mescal. No pedestrian daiquiris here; the bar is headed by ex-Death & Co head bartender Phil Ward, and he has constructed a menu that explores the full range these underappreciated spirits possess.

AMOR Y AMARGO

MILK & HONEY
Sasha Petraske’s flagship bar. It functions as a reservations-only semi-private club: it has a secret, undisclosed phone number, many of the tables are designated for regulars only, and there’s no drink menu whatsoever. Simply ask the bartender what you’re in the mood for (e.g. brown, stirred, and bitter) and he’ll come up with something interesting that fits that profile.

POURING RIBBONS


WINE BARS

TERROIR
THE TEN BELLS


BEER BARS

TØRST
BEER TABLE
BIERKRAFT
BLIND TIGER ALE HOUSE
SPUYTEN DUYVIL


COFFEE

ABRAÇO
BLUE BOTTLE COFFEE CO.
NINTH STREET ESPRESSO
STUMPTOWN COFFEE ROASTERS
THIRD RAIL COFFEE


AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE

Cipriani – Money doesn’t buy taste
Jekyll & Hyde – Defining kitsch in Midtown
Il Mulino – Reigning champ of overpriced Italian-American restaurants in the US
Little Italy – Yes really, pretty much all of it is terrible
Lombardi’s – Might have been good 100 years ago
Magnolia Bakery – Stop being a cupcake whore, especially when they suck
Max Brenner – Expensive chocolate is not supposed to taste bad
Mr. Chow’s – Just no
Norma’s – The official overpriced brunch institution
Ninja – Fun if you hate yourself, or just love irony
Nello – Money still doesn’t buy taste
Serendipity 3 – By all means, if you’re an 11 year old girl

 

[LogicStep]

Would be good if you could post a estimate of how much one would be looking to spend at each one. Some of those look real expensive.

 

[SnakeXs]

Very solid starter list, if only for compiling a bunch of places I've wanted to check out in one place.

Looking forward to people's contributions greatly.

 

[scorcho]

The Bruni approves!

edit: next to Clinton Street Bakery you should put in (2 hour wait)

 

[AbortedWalrusFetus]

Beautiful. I sort of wish it wasn't limited to NYC so I could put up some Philadelphia area recommendations, but it's still an awesome thread.

 

[-x.Red.x-]

So nice, keep it up, can't wait to see the final results as i will check them out.

 

[Keen]

Wow, awesome! Great job!

 

[El Sloth]

Goddamn, thank you for this. I was just looking for a nice place to go out to eat for next weekend.

 

[Zyzyxxz]

YES! Thank you for taking the time to start something this massive!

I really wanna try eating at so many of these places some day like Lugers, Per Se, and Masa but then that spending spree would probably cost me almost a $1000 in food alone.

Still what's money for a once in a lifetime experience of the grandest culinary creations.

 

[Davidion]

Excellent start for a list dude. I'll start compiling a short list of personal faves and some other Asian strongholds. A little side addendum of sake bars, beer bars, and Flushing may be in order.

 

[JzeroT1437]

Excellent first few posts; a lot of these look like they're the top-knockers in some guidebooks though (Luger--I'm lookin at you!). Is this a collaborative thing, is it all going to be the best of the best, or can people post places they didn't like too?

 

[SnakeXs]

Excellent start for a list dude. I'll start compiling a short list of personal faves and some other Asian strongholds. A little side addendum of sake bars, beer bars, and Flushing may be in order.

Yes please. I wanna hear people's favorite neighborhood spots, or unique spots worth traveling for. So bad. Hole in the wall to fine dining to beverages to desserts to liquor. I want it all.

 

[masud]

You win for giving respect to patsy's, so many people don't know that the real pasty's is in Spanish Harlem. Best pizza in the city. Period. (fuck Brooklyn)! I'd choose to eat cold patsy's out the fridge over 90% of the pizza out there. The sauce is otherworldly...

 

[Alucrid]

Beautiful. I sort of wish it wasn't limited to NYC so I could put up some Philadelphia area recommendations, but it's still an awesome thread.

Make one, I'd be interested to see what's on it.

So hungry now.

 

[JzeroT1437]

You win for giving respect to patsy's, so many people don't know that the real pasty's is in Spanish Harlem. Best pizza in the city. Period. (fuck Brooklyn)! I'd choose to eat cold patsy's out the fridge over 90% of the pizza out there. The sauce is otherworldly...

This past Summer they had an anniversary event with prices from however long ago it was they opened. A whole pizza was like 60 cents. That was an awesome day.

Found it here:

http://www.nycdailydeals.com/

 

[Zilch]

Ha, I took a girl to Magnolia Bakery yesterday (UES one). I thought the cupcakes were alright. Cozy place too.

 

[AbortedWalrusFetus]

Make one, I'd be interested to see what's on it.

So hungry now.

I'd be far too lazy to put as much effort into it as the OP has. It would be fun though.

 

[I AM JOHN!]

Ha, I took a girl to Magnolia Bakery yesterday (UES one). I thought the cupcakes were alright. Cozy place too.

The real reason you go to Magnolia is for the banana pudding!

Also: Search "Jewel Bako" -> Not found.
Son, I am disappoint.

 

[Nex Superne]

Beautiful. I sort of wish it wasn't limited to NYC so I could put up some Philadelphia area recommendations, but it's still an awesome thread.

Feel free to chime in! If you think it'll get lost in this thread because of the title, a new Philly thread would be cool too.

Excellent start for a list dude. I'll start compiling a short list of personal faves and some other Asian strongholds. A little side addendum of sake bars, beer bars, and Flushing may be in order.

Sounds good. I'll try to eventually flesh out some of the spare sections as well.

Excellent first few posts; a lot of these look like they're the top-knockers in some guidebooks though (Luger--I'm lookin at you!). Is this a collaborative thing, is it all going to be the best of the best, or can people post places they didn't like too?

I think in general the thread should be about favorites or restaurants you really liked. For the OP, I'm going to keep the listings fairly limited, highlighting just the best NYC has to offer; for example, I could have put Adour Alain Ducasse and Gordan Ramsay at the London in the French section as they are great restaurants by nearly any standard, but they really pale in comparison to the others. However, if you think I'm genuinely missing something, I'll add it.

Also, I'm hardly an expert on most neighborhoods. I'm sure Davidion will come up with a much better and more detailed list of Flushing recommendations than I can. So people should feel free to come up with suggestions.

Also: Search "Jewel Bako" -> Not found.
Son, I am disappoint.

Jewel Bako was in the upper tier for sushi years ago, but I'm afraid it doesn't make it anymore. Ever since their very talented chef Masato Shimizu left for 15 East, it just hasn't been the same. He was one of the major reasons Jewel Bako was good. On the plus side, you can just go to 15 East!

 

[Dizzan]

I went to two Michelin Starred places while in NYC.

Oceana which was nice but I much preferred Gramercy Tavern which was a little cheaper, less pretentious and the food was excellent.

A cheap little French place was La Gouille? Great atmosphere at affordable prices

 

[Zilch]

The real reason you go to Magnolia is for the banana pudding!

Also: Search "Jewel Bako" -> Not found.
Son, I am disappoint.

Yeah, we almost decided to order it once we saw it.

 

[funkmastergeneral]

GAF definitely needed another thread for New Yorkers to discuss why their city is the best at everything

 

[SnakeXs]

GAF definitely needed another thread for New Yorkers to discuss why their city is the best at everything

GAF definitely needed another useless post by a bitter non-NYer.

 

[LQX]

I have lived in NY my whole life and have never been to a good restaurant or I should say a high class restaurant. Every time I order Gen. Tso chicken from China Dragon it blows my mind how good it taste so I wonder if I would explode after going to one of these restaurants posted. One of the reasons I never attempted to go to a good restaurant is that I cant stand rare meat and every time I see some program that showcases restaurants they always show the person scarfing down bloody meat.

 

[SnakeXs]

I have lived in NY my whole life and have never been to a good restaurant or I should say a high class restaurant. Every time I order Gen. Tso chicken from China Dragon it blows my mind how good it taste so I wonder if I would explode after going to one of these restaurants posted. One of the reasons I never attempted to go to a good restaurant is that I cant stand rare meat and every time I see some program that showcases restaurants they always show the person scarfing down bloody meat.

I feel so, so very bad for you. Truly.

 

[nitewulf]

fantastic start, there should also be "regular" recommendations (looking at the NYC'ers in this regard for recommendations), that are less fine dining, but rather great value/ambiance.

i took my wife to "One if by Land - Two if by Sea" for Valentine's Day dinner last night, and it deserves a mention somewhere up top. Possibly the most romantic restaurant in the city.

edit:
http://www.oneifbyland.com/

Some personal Lunch favorites:

Pizza:

Luzzo's

Cheap Thai Lunch:

Bodhi Tree

Sushi:

Yama (the Irving Place location)

Sandwich:

Baoguette (either the original Baruch College location or St. Marks)

Porchetta (wonderful pork sandwich, no place to sit though, go during summer, pick up the sandwich, grab a coffee and eat at Tompkins Sq Park)

Ramen:

Kambi

Ramen Setagaya

 

[entremet]

I have lived in NY my whole life and have never been to a good restaurant or I should say a high class restaurant. Every time I order Gen. Tso chicken from China Dragon it blows my mind how good it taste so I wonder if I would explode after going to one of these restaurants posted. One of the reasons I never attempted to go to a good restaurant is that I cant stand rare meat and every time I see some program that showcases restaurants they always show the person scarfing down bloody meat.

Um, you can always let the server know that you would want your meat well done. You will be laughingstock at the kitchen, though.

 

[nitewulf]

OR, you could have chicken, or seafood. There's no mandate that you must have rare lamb or beef.

 

[Grifter]

Fantastic thread. I just happened to be in NYC visiting the folks. The wife had been wanting to check out Max Brenner's and my friend also actually proposed at Ninja. =( Well, my coconut chocolate milkshake at Max may have been my best shake ever, despite the price. Fun for the novelty.

Gonna seek these out, thanks!

 

[BastardTrees]

too rich for my blood

Big Wongs

Tads Steakhouse

Bo ky Noodles

Katz Deli


New Malaysia Restaurant - Located in the tunnel between Bowery and Elizabeth

next to J an L game trading. (best chicken and rice in the city.)

 

[Host Samurai]

Quality Meats
Phillipe Chow
T bar
Fresco

 

[Grifter]

I forget maybe, but doesn't Tad's usually end up on avoid lists?

Hainanese Chicken is one of my favorite dishes <3

 

[Askia47]

Nice list, but most of those places are too expensive for me to eat at.

The Japanese ones look pretty good though.

 

[BastardTrees]

I forget maybe, but doesn't Tad's usually end up on avoid lists?

Hainanese Chicken is one of my favorite dishes <3

It's a ghetto steakhouse of the inner city people to be honest quality is all over the place but I remember eating there like 5 years ago.

it was pretty good.

F yeah Hainanese Chicken

 

[Ephemeris]

Awesome list.

I have lived in NY my whole life and have never been to a good restaurant or I should say a high class restaurant. Every time I order Gen. Tso chicken from China Dragon it blows my mind how good it taste so I wonder if I would explode after going to one of these restaurants posted..

I feel you on this one.

 

[nitewulf]

Nice list, but most of those places are too expensive for me to eat at.

The Japanese ones look pretty good though.

the ones i posted for lunch, aside from Yama and Luzzo's are pretty cheap. specially Bodhi Tree, which is basically 7 bucks for appetizers and a lunch course...with lot of stuff besides the usual Thai color curries.

 

[Zyzyxxz]

Wow I didn't know Momofuku Ko has two michelin stars, but then again with the way the restaurant is set up having only 12 seats I'd expect it to be somewhat on the high end scale.

 

[GK86]

Great thread. I have never been to a really fancy restaurant. I think I will attempt to go to one next month.

 

[golem]

nice.. only been to Gramercy Tavern and Momofuku on your list so far, will try to swing by more next time im in town

 

[JzeroT1437]

GAF definitely needed another thread for New Yorkers to discuss why their city is the best at everything

This is one of the best ideas for a NY thread I've ever seen. At least it's utilitarian in nature. There's a new "Visiting NYC for X days--what to see" threads on the boards. Now we have a repository for restaurant suggestions, which is an excellent start.


My favorites (keep in mind, I'm limited to 8 months experience):

Burger: Shake Shack
Chinese: Nice Green Bo
Pizza: Artichoke's
Polish: Velselka
Ice Cream: Chinatown Ice Cream Factory
Thai: Topaz Thai
Greek: Taverna Kyclades
Southern: Cowgirl
Korean Fried Chicken: Mad For Chicken
French: Sappi's
Bakery: Rose and Joe's Italian Bakery / Martha's Country Kitchen Bakery
Italian: Lanza's

 

[fallengorn]

Great thread! I'll add it later on.

 

[Schattenjäger]

Awesome post but it fails simply for not mentioning grimaldi's for best pizza!

 

[victreeb3l]

too rich for my blood

Big Wongs

Tads Steakhouse

Bo ky Noodles

Katz Deli


New Malaysia Restaurant - Located in the tunnel between Bowery and Elizabeth

next to J an L game trading. (best chicken and rice in the city.)

Holy shit this looks amazing.

 

[Nex Superne]

My favorites (keep in mind, I'm limited to 8 months experience)

That's cool. Some suggestions off the top of my head:

Burger: It's incredibly expensive ($26), but Minetta Tavern's Black Label Burger is sensational and is my pick for the best burger in NYC. Beware, it has a STRONG dry aged funk to it, so if you don't like dry aged beef you're probably going to hate it. If you do like dry aged beef, it leaves all other burgers in its wake. Condiments don't belong on this burger; just revel in that minerally funk, simply adorned with caramelized onions. Using Pat LaFrieda's USDA Prime beef for your patty blend makes all the difference.
Chinese: You can do better than Nice Green Bo. If you want to stay in Chinatown, try Cantoon Garden. Ideally, you should go with a large group so you can order a bunch of stuff; even better if someone in your group speaks Chinese. Don't miss the salt baked squid, fried stuffed peppers, or the xie rou dou miao.
Pizza: Just a couple of blocks south of Artichoke lies Motorino East Village. Best overall pizza in NYC IMO; Motorino's ingredients are on a much higher level than Artichoke's. The only thing I like from Artichoke is their Sicilian slice, some of the other slices are just off.
Ice Cream: Not really ice cream, but Il Laboratorio Del Gelato is worth trying. I think it's better than GROM.
Thai: The easy answer is Sripraphai. Hands down the best Thai restaurant in NYC, but make sure to order authentic Thai dishes, not the pad thai or weak curries.
Southern: Consider Redhead in the East Village. Also consider making the trek up to Harlem for Charles' Country Pan Fried Chicken.
Korean Fried Chicken: The best is found at the $100 fried chicken dinner at Momofuku Noodle Bar. It comes with one Southern style, Old Bay-seasoned fried chicken, one triple-fried Korean-style chicken, mu shu pancakes, peppers, carrots, radishes, shiso leaves, herbs, bibb lettuce, and four sauces. Enough to feed 6+ people, but it's insanely popular so you'll have to reserve about a month in advance.
French: Err, yeah, LOTS of room to explore here. Haven't scratched the surface yet.
Bakery: Despite its expense, I'd try Bouchon Bakery to start. They do virtually everything at an extremely high level.
Italian: Try something a bit upscale. Head for Scarpetta and make sure to get the polenta with fricassee of truffled mushrooms to start and the astonishing spaghetti pomodoro as your main. Accompanied by a glass of prosecco or vino rosso, it is simply one of the best Italian meals available in the city. Killer bread basket as well, which comes with infused olive oil, marscapone, and eggplant caponata.

Awesome post but it fails simply for not mentioning grimaldi's for best pizza!

I did mention Grimaldi's, but said both Patsy's East Harlem and Totonno Coney Island are better as far as coal-oven pizzas go. Even the original Grimaldi's suffers from troubling inconsistency, and the quality of their crust pales in comparison to the better pizzerias. They're just not near the top anymore IMO.

 

[djtiesto]

Any recommendations for good Middle Eastern food or Indian in the city?

Great thread, btw.

 

[nitewulf]

Burger : Bonnie's Grill in Brooklyn has the best burgers i had in the city.

Death & Company - everyone should go at least once, the cocktails are really, really good and classy, and the crab cakes melt in your mouth. but i think the novelty wears off after the third time, and apparently the sister bar Please Don't Tell is even more snobbish, which i find difficult to believe.

middle eastern:

Yatagan has the best lamb shawrma.

Kebab Garden 2 (East Village) is great for Kofte Kebabs.

If you don't mind driving to Brooklyn, Sahara is excellent for all grilled meats and seafood. Great flatbreads, and salads as well. It's huge, with a backyard, so worth the drive.

 

[CajoleJuice]

Pretty awesome thread. Bookmarked.

 

[Nex Superne]

Death & Company - everyone should go at least once, the cocktails are really, really good and classy, and the crab cakes melt in your mouth. but i think the novelty wears off after the third time, and apparently the sister bar Please Don't Tell is even more snobbish, which i find difficult to believe.

Actually, Death & Company and PDT aren't sister bars, they just happen to be two blocks apart. You're bound to get a bunch of clueless trendseekers (e.g. most Yelpers) at both places though, since they're two of the most prominent speakeasy-style cocktail bars.

IMO, these bars actually get better after you've been several times and have become more knowledgeable about cocktails. That's when the fun can begin: off-menu cocktails, fully customized drinks, obscure historical cocktails, unusual liquors etc. Being a regular has perks.