As a travel blogger, I get asked some of the same questions over and over again. The question that gets the number one spot is : “Where are the best places to eat in NYC ?”
I’ve sent countless Facebook messages, texts, and emails with the answer to this question. I just had a friend take her daughter to NYC, and guess what she asked me ?
I figured it’s time to make a formal post on my recommendations for places to eat in New York City. So without further ado, here are my favorite restaurants in NYC for every occasion!
The Polo Bar
This is 1 of the 2 restaurants that I recommend that are very close to the “tourist areas.” It is also the hardest restaurant on the list to get a reservation and the one that you will most likely find a celebrity. Honestly, I wasn’t blown away by the food.
However, the atmosphere more than makes up for it. It truly feels like Ralph Lauren’s personal supper club.
The only way that I have been able to score a reservation at the Polo Bar is through the American Express Platinum dining concierge. The Polo Bar starts taking reservations up to 30 days in advance, and you definitely need to make the reservation on day 30.
La Esquina
If you only eat at one of the NYC restaurants on my list, choose the La Esquina. La Esquina is a Mexican, Speak Easy restaurant. La Esquina is located in the SoHo district, and is very unassuming from the street.
Don’t let the exterior fool you, because the street version of La Esquina is not where you want to be!
Again, you will have to book a reservation far in advance to score a seat at the secret underground La Esquina.
Yes, its really a secret as in you will have to ask someone where to go. No, they won’t offer you any unsolicited help. Trust me, we walked around scratching our heads for at least 15 minutes. Hey, thats why they call it a speak easy!
Beyonce is also known to take her family to La Esquina, so if its good enough for Beyonce its good enough for my family! La Esquina was my first choice for taking my mother, sister, and brother while in New York City.
Mercer Kitchen
Mercer Kitchen is my favorite lunch spot in NYC, and its conveniently located in the SOHO shopping district. The truffle pizza is to die for. If you want to act like you are eating healthy, the Kale salad is a great pairing with the pizza.
Beauty and Essex
This restaurant is for the party crowd, and I wouldn’t recommend bringing children. We brought our kids, and it was a mistake. First of all, you will enter the restaurant through a pawn shop. Yes, its weird and kinda cool at the same time.
After you pass through the Pawn Shop, you will find a decidedly more chic restaurant interior.
The music is loud and the crowd is young. Beauty and Essex serves only shared tapas, because lets be honest, the crowd isn’t here to eat. There is even a DJ in the women’s restroom with free glasses of champagne flowing. Beauty and Essex would be perfect for a girls night out!
ABC Kitchen
The ABC Kitchen is one of the Jean-Georges restaurants. Interestingly, its not over the top expensive and still very very good. It is a farm to table organic restaurant that is located in the flat iron district. You get a lot of bang for your buck at the ABC Kitchen in NYC.
The Plaza Food Hall
I’m going to have to give a shout out to my friend, Virginia, on “forcing” me to eat at the Plaza Food Hall. Admittedly, I thought it would be a tourist trap because its located under the Plaza Hotel. I pride myself in knowing all the places that the locals like to eat in NYC, and I didn’t think the Plaza Food Hall would fit the bill.
I was wrong. You hear that Virgina? It’s the last time you will hear it. 😉
Ok, so back to the food hall located under the Plaza. They literally have everything, and its all pretty and irresistible. You will find everything from sandwiches to seafood to homemade crepes at the Plaza Food Hall.
Check out our last NYC vlog, which includes the Plaza Food Hall!
You might also enjoy the other New York City posts on the blog :
Fun Things To Do In New York City That You Haven’t Heard About
