Manhattan is one of the most popular boroughs in New York City, known for its beautiful skyscrapers and charming architectures. It’s the home to most attractions and iconic landmarks in the city hosting millions of visitors every year both local and foreign. One of the most fascinating features of Manhattan is it’s food.
There tons of restaurants from Midtown to Downtown Manhattan, so when you go for sightseeing or just strolling down 5th Avenue, you can easily stop at any of these fancy restaurants and grab a plate. Food is very essential, and the people of Manhattan understands this and due to the influx of tourists from different parts of the globe, you can find all kinds of restaurants, from Italian, French, Mexican, to Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai, Hawaiian, Nigerian, Greeks, etc. So, if you are looking for the best restaurants in Manhattan, then look no further because in the article, we have complied the best restaurants in Manhattan in no particular order and we have added their addresses, opening hours and also their website incase you want to make a reservation.
1. Gabriel Kreuther
Address: 41 W. 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036
This restaurant is opposite Bryant Park and it’s also in close proximity to Grand Central Station. Gabriel Kreuther is named after chef Gabriel Kreuther, it is one of the best restaurants in Manhattan and they specialize in French cuisine. In this restaurant you’d find some of the popular French dishes like truffled liverwurst and tarte flambée. At the restaurant, they offer warm touches and carefully curated handmade ceramics with unique Alsatian-inspired dishes. Their menu is full of several other amazing dishes that would make you want more.
At the walk-in bar, you can order homemade beignets with seasonal marmalade served a la carte, the menu is replete of top quality dishes, they are open for both lunch and dinner. This is a place to chill on a busy afternoon and also a romantic spot for a date night. Check out their time below;
Opening Hours: Mon – Wed: 5:00pm – 9:30pm; Thurs – Fri: 12:00pm – 1:45pm (Lunch), Thurs – Sat: 5:00pm – 10:00pm (Closed on Sundays).
Website: Gabriel Kreuther (https://www.gknyc.com/)
2. Gramercy Tavern
Address: 42 East 20th Street, New York, NY 10003
This is popular restaurant in Manhattan, they focus primarily on American cuisine, they have been around for over two decades and boasts of unparalleled services and warm hospitality. The chef Michael Anthony makes sure every guest at the restaurant is well taken care of with mouthwatering dishes and fast delivery services.
They serve chicken and pork mains, roasted oysters, fish and duck liver mousse. They offer Greenmarket Lunch, the three course $72 menu provides seasonal fare in a warm and relaxed setting. You will have a choice to choose three dishes at each course. They offer an à la carte Tavern menu throughout the Tavern and the menu prices do not include gratuity.
Opening Hours: 11:30 am – 10:00pm Daily
Website: gramercytavern.com
3. Carroll Place
This is an Italian American restaurant and Cocktail Bar located in Greenwich Village, they serve delicious Italian fare with a wide selection of cocktails and drinks. The atmosphere is warm with soothing live music. This is one of the best restaurants in Manhattan, they serve various kinds of Italian specialties such as homemade pastas and wood-fire pizzas, meat and cheese boards, gastropub inspired burgers as chicken wings, etc.
You can order artisan cocktails, variety of wines and craft beer. The main dining room features high tables and a rustic tavern-esque bar. On weekends, they offer traditional and unique specialties like steak and eggs, pancake and gelato, baked truffle eggs, etc.
Opening Hours: Weds 5:00pm – 12:00am; Thurs 5:00pm – 11:00pm; Fri 4:00pm – 4:00am; Sat 11:00am – 4:00am; Sun 11:00am – 10:00pm (closed on Mondays and Tuesdays)
Website: carrollplacenyc.com
4. The Grill
Address: The Seagram Building 99 East 52nd Street New York, NY 10022
This is an historically based American chophouse, it is one of the best restaurants in Manhattan with a nice a la carte menu. The Grill like most grills in New York City has received several reviews since its opening and has been crowned the best in New York and one of the best in the country across multiple national publications.
They cater to both event and private dining. They can accommodate large parties of up to 37 seats at the private dining room, 15 guests at The Salon, 22 guests at the Gallery, etc.
The Grill, located at the Seagram Building is a steak house offering lunch, dinner, dessert, they also serve variety of cocktails and wines. This is a nice place to be, the atmosphere is eclectic and the service is superb. The menu include items like prime rib, Tabasco with honey mustard ducklings.
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri: 11:45am – 2:00pm; 5:00pm – 11:00pm; Sat: 5:00pm – 11:00pm (closed on Sundays)
Website: The Grill
5. Charles Pan-Fried Chicken
Address: 340 W 145th St, New York, NY 10039
Located in the Upper West Side, Charles Pan-Fried Chicken serve more than chicken, their menu is full of variety of delicious fare that will satisfy your cravings. At this restaurant, you’d get fried chicken made in a cast skillet rather than a deep fryer. They serve several other options of meat like turkey wings, pork ribs, etc. If you are looking for a place in Manhattan to enjoy a good meal, then head over to Charles Pan-Fried Chicken.
At this restaurant, all plates are served with your choice of two sides and a cornbread. Some items in the menu include 3 piece of Pan-Fried Chicken, barbecue smoked chicken, barbecue smoked pork, 2 Turkey Wings smothered in Charles’s Gravy, etc.
Opening Hours: Mon – Thurs & Sun: 11:00am – 10:00pm; Fri – Sat: 11:00am – 11:00pm
Website: charlespanfriedchicken.com
6. Añejo
Address: 668 10th Ave. @ 47th St., New York, NY 10036
This is a Mexican restaurant and Tequila Bar offering a quality and fun dining experience with delicious food and drinks. With chef Camacho’s innovative menu, the serve unique small plate with a new twist on Mexican food. At the restaurant, you’d find fun and casual dining experience with warm and welcoming staffs to assist you through their wide selection of dishes, cocktails, and agave spirits.
The menu contain items like guajillo chili marinade served with sliced pork shoulder, and pineapple, pickled onions. You can garb brunch, lunch and dinner but diner is available from Mondays to Fridays and online order is also available.
Opening Hours: Mon – Wed: 12:00pm – 11:00pm; Thurs – Sat: 12:00pm – 12:00am; Sun: 12:00pm – 10:00pm
Website: anejonyc.com
7. La Grenouille
Address: 3 East 52nd Street, NYC.
This restaurant has been around since 1962, over the years, they have garnered experience and that is why they are amongst the best restaurants in Manhattan, they offer old-school and traditional French fare with a touch of new vibes. If you are looking for an authentic french cuisine, this is place for you. They serve lobster ravioli, dover sole alongside lemon and hollandaise sauce. The menu contain items like Cocktail Nibbles, Chilled Asparagus, Asparagus cheese omelette, Grilled Salmon or Chicken Caesar Salad, etc.
Their menu include indoor and outdoor dining. At the restaurant you can enjoy live jazz music from 9:15 pm till 10:45 pm, the Late Night Jazz Menu begins from 9:15 pm and ends 10:30 pm.
Opening Hours: Weds – Sat: 4:30pm – 9:45pm (closed on Sundays – Tuesdays)
8. Crown Shy
This is a neighborhood seasonal restaurant located on the ground floor of Art Deco masterpiece 70 Pine Street. Their beautiful dining room and bar occupy a series of room with floor-to-ceiling windows with an elegant open kitchen.
Their dish is more of European origin with a touch of other cuisines from around the world. On the dinner menu, they serve dishes like white beans hummus and ‘nduja pine nuts, etc. For dessert you can order honey icebox cake with strawberry sorbet, and almond. Etc.
They also serve a vast selection of cocktails, beers, non-alcoholic, wine and spirits. This is nice spot to hangout after a stressful day at work. You can also make an online reservation.
Opening Hours: Mon – Sun: 5:30pm – 12:00am
Website: www.crownshy.nyc
9. Atomix
Address: 104 E 30th St, New York, NY 10016
This is a Korean restaurant offering a chef’s tasting menu; chef Junghyun and manager Ella Park — husband and wife hope to deliver to the world through New York City ‘Ato’ an innovative Korean cuisine. The restaurant is a follow-up to their firstborn Atoboy, it’s a place where guests and relax and enjoy their cuisine through tasting menu inspired by Korean traditional and technique.
They serve a luxurious 4 course tasting menu with items like Smoked trout roe Squash blossom mandoo, king crab, century egg, Romano beans, Seaweed, etc.
Opening Hours: Weds – Sun: 5:30pm – 11:00pm (closed on Mondays and Tuesdays)
Website: atomixnyc.com
10. The Modern
Located inside the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), The Modern serve both French and New American dish in a modernist space. At the restaurant, they serve chef Thanos Allen refined contemporary dishes in a charming setting overlooking MoMA garden. Their seasonal menu is accompanied a vast selection of wine. This is one of the best restaurants in Manhattan and they have several awards to show for it.
If you are at the MoMA for sightseeing you can get both lunch and dinner here, they offer contemporary cooking with a twist to their traditional tasting menu. Some of the dishes served at this restaurant include lobster, roasted with chanterelles and wild spinach. Heirloom cucumbers with burrata and pistachios, and lots more.
Opening Hours: Daily: 11:30am – 2:30pm (Lunch); Mon – Sat: 5:00pm – 9:00pm (Dinner).
Website: themodernnyc.com
11. Le Rock
Address: 45 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10111
Located at the Rockefeller Center, this restaurant is from the Frenchette team, they serve French cuisine and the large Art Deco space is usually packed with guests having a wonderful time. If you are in Rockefeller Center for sightseeing, you should take advantage of this restaurant, they have warm and friendly staffs to help and guide you through the menu.
At the restaurant, they serve delicious dishes like chilled shrimp, dressed Crab, liver scallop. For appetizers, they have Agnolotte corn chanterelles, Sucrine champignons mimolette, etc. You can make an online reservation, order or take out.
Opening Hours: Tues – Sat: 5:30pm – 10:00pm (closed Mondays and Sundays)
Website: lerocknyc.com
12. Dante NYC
Address: 79-81 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012
This is an Italian restaurant with a small bar, they are known for their Negroni which they have been serving for decades and it remains one of the best restaurants in the city where you can get Negroni. Located in Greenwich Village, SoHo, they offer indoor and outdoor seating with their chef-curated menu and space suitable for small to large groups so if you are hosting a work event or a cocktail party with friends or a family dinner this is a nice place for it. The setting is that of most Brooklyn’s fancy diners
They serve top quality fare with a vast selection of cocktails, wines, craft beers and beverages. You can get breakfast, Brunch, lunch, dinner and dessert here. You can afford to miss their signature cocktail, it’s super delicious.
Opening Hours: 10:00am – 12:00am Daily
Website: Dante NYC
13. Rezdôra
Rezdôra is an Italian restaurant and they have one of the most unforgettable tasting menus in the city, This New York Times three-star restaurant and a 2020 Michelin Star recipient is one of the best spots in the city where you can get the best home-made pasta, traditionally prepared fish, meat, local vegetables and Northern Italian wines.
They serve lots of delicious dishes like tagliolini, strozzapreti, cappelletti. Other items on the menu are Caseificio served with toasted bread and virgin oil. Burrata, stracciatella, etc. Walk-ins are welcome but it’s best you book a reservation so you do not wait too long to get a table. They start accepting reservations 21 days advance but the bar is first come first serve for full dining experience.
Opening Hours: Mon: 5:00pm – 10:30pm; Tues – Fri: 12:00pm – 2:30pm & 5:00pm – 10:30pm; Sat & Sun: 11:30am – 2:30pm & 5:00pm – 10:30pm
Website: rezdora.nyc
14. Cafe China
Address: 59 W 37th St, New York, NY 10018
This is a Sichuan restaurants and it’s one of the best in the city, it held the Michelin star for seven consecutive years, it’s run by Xian Zhang and Yiming Wang. The restaurant was temporarily closed in 2021 but has reopened in a three-story brick building in Midtown Manhattan.
At The restaurant, they serve a traditional Sichuan menu together with well concorted cocktails and wines. Items on the menu include Sea Bass with Rice Peppers, Whole Fish with Asian Chilis, Kung Pao Chicken, etc. Their classic cocktails are Dry Martini, Manhattan, Vesper, etc.
Opening Hours: Mon – Thurs: 12pm – 3pm & 5pm – 10:30pm; Fri: 12pm – 3pm & 5pm – 11pm; Sat: 12pm – 11pm; Sun: 12pm – 10:30pm.
Website: Cafe China
15. Aquavit
Address: 65 E 55th St, New York, NY 10022
Aquavit is located in the heart of Manhattan at Park Avenue Tower, they focus on Scandinavian cuisine with seasonal Nordic dishes transformed with extraordinary care. They have moved to different locations within the city over the years but they maintain their unique touch and reputation as one of the best in the city.
Aquavit is a nice spot for a date night with their white tablecloths and different shades of blue adorning the environment. They have a lunch menu and tasting menu, they offer two beautiful private dining rooms both located beyond the bar and lounge.
Website: aquavit.org
16. Balthazar
Address: 80 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012
This is a luxurious restaurant that specializes in French cuisine, they have indoor and outdoor dining services for every day breakfast, lunch and dinner, and brunch on weekends. This bustling, romantic brasserie serves traditional French fare with a vast selection of fresh seafood and shellfish, bread and pastries from their bakery. They also serve various kinds of cocktails and wines. Their menu is full of delicious dishes that would make you want more.
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri: 8:00am – 12:00am; Sat & Sun: 9:00am – 12:00am
Website: balthazarny.com
17. Cadence
Address: 111 E 7th St, New York, NY 10009
This is a plant-based restaurant in East Village with southern soul, thier kitchen is not only vegan, it is also organic and entirely soy-free. Chef Shenarri Freeman prepares dishes from her southern heritage without animal products so you can get southern dishes retrofitted for a vegan diet.
If you are a vegan this restaurant is the idea place for you, one of the items on the menu you can not afford to miss is the southern fried lasagna, and the rich yellow pillow of cornbread baked in an iron skillet with melted vegan butter and sweetened with an apple-based honey.
Opening Hours: Tues -.Sun: 5:00pm – 11:00pm (closed on Mondays)
18. Mel’s
Address: 85 10th Ave, New York, NY 10011
This is a nice restaurant located in Chelsea, the food at this restaurant is undeniably delicious and every item on the menu is prepared over open fire and apart from pizzas, there is a wide selection of vegetable and seafood small plates. Although the restaurant is regarded like a pizza spot, they serve other delicious cocktails. This kind of restaurants are everywhere in the city there are also nice food spots in Queen, and Manhattan as well.
They serve Focaccia Sicilian olive oil, roasted garlic, Radicchio Radish, basil and garlic vin, etc. For cocktails you can order Vermouth Soda/Tonic, Negroni Gin, Italian bitter, sweet vermouth, etc.
Opening Hours: Mon – Thurs: 5:30pm – 10:00pm; Fri – Sat: 5:30pm – 11:00pm; Sun: 4:30pm – 9:00pm
Website: mels-nyc.com
19. Cathedrale
Address: 112 E 11th St, New York, NY 10003
Cathedrale is a Moxy East Village hotel restaurant, offering French-Mediterranean dishes with a carefully curated menu. The chef, Jason Hall, paints a picture of coastal cuisine of Southern France with a touch of Greece, Spain and Italy.
The atmosphere at the restaurant is eclectic and it’s beautifully decorated. Walk-ins are welcomed but reservations should be made 30 days in advance and for parties of 5 or more, you would need to secure the reservation with your credit card.
Opening Hours: Tues – Sat: 5:00pm – 12:00am; Sun: 11:30am – 3:00pm (Brunch)
Website: Cathedrale
20. Sakagura
Address: 211 East 43rd Street, B1 New York 10017
This is a Japanese restaurant close to Grand Central, the restaurant is known as ‘hidden gem’ because it’s located beneath an office building. They offer Japanese small plates and sake. Inside is well decorated giving you a traditional Asian ambiance with warm lighting and beautiful paintings.
They serve traditional izakaya-style signature dishes, some of the items on the menu are chicken meatballs, sashimi, etc. Aside the food they also serve different variety of wine and other drinks.
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri: 11:45am – 3:00pm (closed Saturdays and Sundays)
Website: sakagura.square.site
