Where to Eat in New York City: 10 Hot Restaurants Worth the Hype

To say that New York reigns as a global dining destination is a given- this is a city with restaurants where visitors worldwide flock to eat. Some even plan eating-out specific trips here, with their days revolving around dining at the latest hotspots in town.

The choice tables evolve at a fast clip. These days, the cool crowd can’t get enough of Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud’s opulent steakhouse La Tête d’Or. Located in the Flatiron neighborhood, this is a place that makes for a special night out with its glamorous décor, doting service, and indulgent dishes. You can’t not have the classic steak tartare, French onion soup, or the impressive seafood tower.

We also love surf and turf

For more seafood options, Crevette, in downtown, is the third hit in New York from husband-and-wife team Patricia Howard and chef Ed Szymanski. The duo behind Dame and Lord’s fame has created a menu with dishes that nod to France, Spain, and Italy. That means red shrimp carpaccio, a saffron seasoned seafood rice with razor clams and lobster, and a whole turbot for two. The elegant cocktails round out the food.

Photo: Courtesy of Torrisi, New York City

On the Italian front, Major Food Group’s Michelin-starred Torrisi in Little Italy is perpetually sought-after. The comfortable bar accepts walk-ins even if you can’t snag a reservation. In our opinion, it’s a fine perch to dig into antipasti like fennel and grapefruit cocktail, pasta like the linguini in a pink Manhattan clam sauce, and grilled chicken that’s anything but basic.

Lume in the West Village is another Italian must-try. Always buzzy with an in-the-know set, it offers a solid wine list with international bottles and well-executed favorites like the beef meatballs in a grandma-style tomato sauce, homemade garlic and truffle focaccia, and a ziti with Bolognese.

Photo: Courtesy of Lume, New York

If celebrity-spotting is on your mind, we highly suggest Sartiano’s at The Mercer hotel in Soho. Don’t ask which boldface comes here—just go and see for yourself. Founded by Scott Sartiano, the hospitality impresario behind the in-demand private club Zero Bond, it’s a subterranean, sultry spot with an impressive wine, spirits, and cocktails list. Italian-leaning, its menu of delicious dishes includes baked clams with pancetta, fusilli with wagyu beef ragu, and a hearty pork chop with creamy polenta.

Asian food is having a moment

When we want our Thai fix and a hip setting, too, there’s no better restaurant than Fish Cheeks with two outposts in town- Noho, and now, Williamsburg.

Photo: Courtesy of Fish Cheeks / Connie Zhou

Chef Dustin Everett doesn’t hold back on the authenticity with his cuisine or the heat. The flavors are unmistakably bold. We recommend the pork belly in chili garlic and the coconut crab curry with lime leaf. To imbibe, we look to the refreshing cocktails like the Tongue & Cheek, crafted with vodka, lychee, lime, and hibiscus.

Photo: Courtesy of Fish Cheeks

Indian restaurants are in no short supply in the city, but the jockey spot to get into Bungalow in the East Village has reached something of a fever pitch. Helmed by the celebrity chef Vikas Khanna, it has a picture-worthy modern Indian design and a menu of refined dishes from all over India. House favorites include the stuffed paneer with passion fruit chili chutney, a chicken Amritsari in a tandoor spice mix, and a Rajasthani pulled lamb. You have to have the rose kulfi with sweet vermicelli for dessert.

Photo: Courtesy of COQODAQ

Our trip to Asia rounds out with COQODAQ from Simon Kim of Michelin-starred Korean steakhouse Cote. This is his homage to Korean fried chicken, elevated style. Think chicken nuggets with 24-karat caviar and buckets of chicken with assorted sauces complemented with coleslaw, double-fried French fries, and champagne from a blockbuster list.

Foreign Exotic Delights

New York, being the global melting pot it is, also has a winning Peruvian spot, Mission Ceviche, with a sprawling space near Union Square. The biophilic-centric design is “wow” and matches the food—the extensive menu speaks to the Japanese, Chinese, and other ethnic influences in Peru. Sashimi, ceviche, fried rice, and other shareable plates all figure in.

Photo: Courtesy of Mission Ceviche Restaurant

We can’t leave Miriam off our list. The Park Slope, Brooklyn location is 20 years in and is as happening as ever, while the Upper West Side is the new kid on the block.

Photo: Courtesy of Miriam’s in Park Slope, Brooklyn

The restaurants are bright and cheery, and the food is vibrant. We always order the shakshuka in a flavorful tomato and bell pepper sauce or the falafel platter for brunch. At dinner, we go for the assorted dips to start, and the chicken or lamb shawarma as our main. Either meal, we can’t do without lots of the warm, fluffy pita baked in-house.