KEY2

Best restaurants in New York

Counters, dining rooms and neighbourhood favourites, chosen for the way they actually eat — not for how loudly they market.

Carbone
KEY2 Pick

Italian-American • $$$$

Carbone

Red-sauce theatre in Greenwich Village, tableside spicy rigatoni and a reservation that books out weeks ahead.

Best for: Date Night / Special Occasion

Eleven Madison Park
KEY2 Pick

Fine Dining, Plant-Based • $$$$

Eleven Madison Park

Daniel Humm's plant-based tasting menu overlooking Madison Square Park still carries three Michelin stars.

Best for: Special Occasion / Business Dinner

Katz's Delicatessen
KEY2 Pick

Deli • $$

Katz's Delicatessen

Take a ticket at the door and don't lose it — the pastrami on rye has been the city's benchmark since 1888.

Best for: Casual / Late Night

Le Bernardin
KEY2 Pick

Seafood, Fine Dining • $$$$

Le Bernardin

Eric Ripert's three-Michelin-star seafood room remains the city's most disciplined tasting menu.

Best for: Special Occasion / Business Dinner

Peter Luger Steak House
KEY2 Pick

Steakhouse • $$$$

Peter Luger Steak House

The 1887 Williamsburg institution still serves porterhouse for two off a dry-aged program nobody's matched.

Best for: Special Occasion / Steak Lovers

Russ & Daughters
KEY2 Pick

Appetizing Shop • $$

Russ & Daughters

A fourth-generation Lower East Side appetizing shop where the smoked salmon and bagels are non-negotiable.

Best for: Brunch / Casual

Gramercy Tavern

New American • $$$$

Gramercy Tavern

Danny Meyer's flagship pairs a walk-in tavern room with a formal dining room built on hyper-seasonal produce.

Best for: Business Dinner / Special Occasion

Joe's Pizza

Pizza • $

Joe's Pizza

A fold-and-go slice off Bleecker Street that's been the city's default answer to 'best pizza' for decades.

Best for: Quick Bite / Casual

Los Tacos No. 1

Mexican, Tacos • $

Los Tacos No. 1

Chelsea Market's line-out-the-door taco counter, adobada and nopal cooked fresh on the griddle.

Best for: Quick Bite / Casual

Raoul's

French Bistro • $$$

Raoul's

A SoHo bistro since 1975, dim and clubby, with steak au poivre that hasn't needed to change.

Best for: Date Night / Late Dinner

Superiority Burger

Vegetarian • $

Superiority Burger

A tiny East Village counter turning out a vegetarian burger good enough to convert dedicated carnivores.

Best for: Quick Bite / Vegetarian

Xi'an Famous Foods

Chinese, Noodles • $

Xi'an Famous Foods

Hand-ripped biang biang noodles and cumin lamb burgers that started as a Flushing food-court stall.

Best for: Quick Bite / Casual

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