I can't get enough of New York. I have been there ten times already, and each 10-day trip was a full food experience one… I have tried enough pastrami sandwiches, cookies, burgers and desserts to feel the nostalgia of this city that moves so fast. Surely there’s more to discover and more to enjoy, but for the meantime, I think I've discovered enough places to give you my Top10 list of favorite restaurants and tasty discoveries to satisfy your taste buds in the Big Apple.
Eleven Madison Park New York: Three Michelin Stars. The World’s Best Restaurant! A Memorable Experience
Eleven Madison Park is not a dining experience; it’s a state of mind, a journey that activates all your senses from the second you walk into the minute you leave. Your ears, your eyes, your taste buds, and your nose will be put to a challenge, and they will love it; come here and let yourself be guided into the world of chef Daniel Humm.
Pershing Square: Good Food and Good Mood Facing Grand Central Terminal New York
I’ve been passing in front of this restaurant for years considering it as a destination for tourists without feeling like walking in; its red lights, fresh vibes and catching neons made me change my mind, and I’m happy I did so. 4,1/5 on google maps, I stopped for lunch.
Craft: Incredible Food! A Lovely Dinner in New York
It’s big; it’s cozy, it’s beautifully decorated and professionally managed, Craft is one of New York’s renowned restaurants known for its good food and special ambiance. You have a meeting, or probably a date... do it at Craft. From the sea to the land, the food choices are diverse, created using products handpicked from farmers around the area. The mission is to use antibiotic-free ingredients.
Heavenly Italian at Rossopomodoro, Eataly New York
After visiting Eataly of Dubai, Milano and Istanbul it was time to give the one in New York a try. I love this place. I love the way things are displayed, how the restaurants welcome you and how everything is created to amaze. Hundreds if not thousands of guests visit Eataly on a daily basis to enjoy one of their half dozen restaurants for lunch and dinner.
Santina: Loved the Vibes, Loved the Food
Welcome to Santina, a vibrant place where at least a hundred people are having dinner tonight. Well lit, decorated with colored glass chandeliers from Modena, wood floor, a lively bar, street food style terrace... the place is alive with the sounds of action, people chitchatting, smiling faces... in a simple yet beautifully decorated space.
Bistango: Yummy and Simple Italian Cuisine in New York
Dimmed lights in a cozy ambiance, the small restaurant is about a square space, with two sides open on the streets around. There is a bar, and a door opens to the Kitchen from where the plates sound originates. I was excited to try their pasta, especially after looking at the big bowl plates on the tables around us.
Balthazar New York: One Awesome Burger and Superb Stroganoff
Balthazar is New York’s most famous French brasserie open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, serving a traditional French cuisine with a touch of class and refinement. Arriving at 1 pm on a Wednesday, the place was extremely loaded with guests waiting in line to be seated. After enjoying the experiences in London and breakfast in New York, I was back for lunch. For info, a photo I took here last year has already been viewed by seven million persons on google maps; I was ready to post more photos.
Supermoon Bakehouse: Iconic, Unique, Innovative and Shockingly Tasty
Let me tell you about a place where art is the driver. A big space where only a few stools are available with six stone tables. A square box with light coming from the ceiling to shine on a table, one single table where food is displayed to be shot by your phone. It’s where baking has another meaning, where aromas enchant, where music transports and where food makes you want to scream. The Bakehouse is not like any bakeshop and definitely not like any coffee shop, it’s all about art transforming ingredients into edible things.
Smile to Go: A Dream Place in New York
...because you will smile from the minute you walk in! A fresh place, bright colors, happy decor and a simple menu prepared in the open kitchen in front of guests. Colored pans displayed above the kitchen, open fridges, cakes display and lots of blue. I loved the music, the food choices, the service, the attention... everything transports you into another dimension.
Buvette: New York’s Preferred Breakfast is on Top of the List
Buvette is one of my favorite breakfast places; it’s where I got the highest number of views on google maps, it’s where food is memorable, it’s where I used my Leica camera for the first time... Buvette is New York’s preferred breakfast place and mine as well. I was back for the waffle, for the scone and for the great vibes that put one in a good mood for a long day ahead.
PJ Clarke’s: Relive History at a Restaurant in New York Where Food is Outstanding
They say that you can’t visit New York and not experience the authenticity and history at “PJ Clarke’s”. A restaurant from the last century, the place still feels and looks old as it used to welcome its clientele back then. Toilets in the heart of the restaurant probably dating from 1884, no locks and no doors, old wood, old writings... they say it was the cool place before even the word “cool” existed. Come here for the burger and the lobster roll along with other seafood specialties.
Covina: Bar, Restaurant, Breakfast and Positive Vibes in New York
A bar at the entrance takes you to a vast restaurant facing an open kitchen. Metal and industrial materials, wood, cupboards and kitchen utensils blending together into a marriage of colors. Touches of yellow, pink flowers, red garbage bins and colorful paintings. Despite not having enough daylight, the place feels positive and fresh. Sit and relax, have a coffee, enjoy the soothing tunes... the place is inviting.
Studio: A Happy and Creative Breakfast in New York
I was here three months ago and still remember the warm hummus with beans, the avocado toast, and the positive vibes. Middle Eastern with touches of class inspired by the cuisines of the world, Studio is an unusual place serving unique creations prepared with love and attention. Passion is everywhere, the music, the decor, the waiters and the food!
Norma: One of New York’s Best Italian Restaurants, a Must Try
It’s a pleasant experience from the minute you walk in. It even starts when you read the 4.7/5 google rating and discover the Michelin guide recognition on the restaurant door. I was welcomed like a king into a lively space with positive vibes and handled by a smiley waitress who helped me with the order. People were smiling, guests enjoying the moment, professional management and the sounds of food being prepared a-la-minute. Norma is one of New York’s best Italian restaurants worth trying.
Fairfax: When Simple Things Make You Happy, An Enjoyable Breakfast in New York
Part of the same group called “Happy Hospitality,” Fairfax is another perfection like its siblings, “Joseph Leonard” and “Studio at Freehand” which I both reviewed already. This group managed to create amazing things just by adding love and attention. The simplicity of food, of decor and perfect service, make of the group’s brands one of the most envied around the city. I can still remember the avocado on toast at Studio and Brussel sprouts with sriracha sauce. Managed by a gentle lady, calm and attentive, she invited us to wherever we want even choosing a table for six. A smile, sweet attention, she made sure to get me the best choice without garlic just making it happen; and I noticed that with my two previous experiences, they just make it happen!
Boucherie: French Culinary Art in New York
Boucherie is a traditional French Brasserie an exact copy of the ones up in Montmartre transported into the fast business city of New York. Stopping for a drink, a slice of charcuterie or a delicious French meal, Boucherie opens every day as of 11 am. A late lunch, I was transported to Paris and back, enjoying soothing tunes, taken care by a gentle waiter and sipping a glass of red wine...
The Dabney Washington, Featured at The Chefs Club New York: Live The Kitchen Vibes
It’s where starred chef meet, a restaurant called The Chefs Club is famous for its refined offerings prepared by professionals. With eight chefs playing around the open kitchens, this unique restaurant showcases your food being cooked in front of your eyes. A certain class, upscale attention, professionalism in service, this restaurant promises an unforgettable experience.
Union Fare New York: The World Sexiest Croissants
Imagine an eye candy croissant, red inside out and decorated with red cake crumbles. Bite into it and let the explosion awaken your senses. Loaded with cream, embraced by a flaky dough, the croissant is like none I’ve seen before. Lightly flaky and buttery at the same time, the croissant has a light chewiness to it with a subtle sweetness while the inner cream cheese-filling pops. So yummy!
Joseph Leonard: It’s Breakfast at Home in New York City
It’s the name that tempts you at first then you discover the place and fall in love! It was only eight when I pushed the door open of Joseph Leonard’s little heaven. Occupying the corner of some traditional quarter feeling like old London, a small restaurant, kind of a “bistro du coin”, this home away from home is the perfect stopover for every person seeking calm and serenity in the early hours. Dimmed lights, wood, stylish yet authentic decorative items, photos here and there, an old clock, travel bags, mirrors, and the bar. It’s enchanting, it’s magical, I felt good the minute I walked in.
Society Cafe New York: Much More Than a Simple Breakfast, It's A Journey
Behind a big facade that looks like the entrance of a castle is hidden a beautifully designed hotel called The Walker. Oozing class and style, this place is not for the average tourist but more of a space for connoisseurs. It feels like an old English saloon while keeping it fresh and colorful. Orange and light blue patches here and there, access the restaurant by the main lobby. I personally didn’t even know this place existed but I’d put on my list of worthy visits.
ABC Kitchen: A Flawless Experience in New York
From the minute you walk into the second you leave, the moments that unfold make for a memorable experience that you'll want to rave about to all your friends. A restaurant by the famous "Jean-Georges" awarded three stars in the Michelin Guide and handled by the most professional staff one could imagine. Beautiful decor and a superb menu: everything here is special...
Le Coucou at 11 Howard Hotel; French Class and Perfection
I didn’t know what to expect, a French name for a restaurant is it a brasserie or a bistro, I opened the door, looked up and... I stopped in awe! A magnificent decor made with class and style, French finesse in a minimalistic decor inspired by the French revolution with touches of subtle modernism. No Music, calm and simplicity, a refined style oozing positivity. I rarely felt so amazed and was so excited to try the food.
Levain: The World’s Best Cookie is Found in New York! #Mouthwatering and #Sexy
Walnuts, Chocolate Chips... Oh, my Lord, that's awesome, that's amazingly awesome. Crunchiness, molten heart, light bodied walnuts... A sensation the mind can't find words to describe. This signature cookie is packed with semi-sweet chocolate chips and chunks of walnuts so every single bite is as good as the one before. Huge, thick, and gooey but crisp on the outside, the New York Times says these “may possibly be the largest, most divine chocolate chip cookies in Manhattan.”
Katz: The Place of Dream Sandwiches
It’s called Katz, and it sells one of the world’s tastiest sandwiches. I’ve been here three or four times already enjoying their thick, super loaded juicy sandwiches prepared in front of you. Thousands of customers come here daily, hundreds of tables filled all day long, hundreds of thousands of meat slices cut and it’s been the same since the beginning of the century. When photos speak for themselves, you will understand the feeling of coming here and living the crowd.
Hillstone: Enjoy Some Outstanding Pork Ribs
Walk into a 60’s inspired bar, where the lights are dimmed in broad daylight… Dark colors… dark leather and wood, bars and roundtables with just a few light spells coming in between the shutters. The first impression was even better than I expected. Suspense…
Zuma New York: Much More than a Restaurant
It's much more than a restaurant or a bar, Zuma is an experience, a journey into an amazing concept, where some of this city's most innovative drinks are blended and great food is served. The vibes at Zuma New York are outstanding. This iconic restaurant is a place one must visit at least once in a lifetime.
ilili: New York's Famous Lebanese Fine Dining Experience
The place is interesting, a bit dim, but full of class and finesse. It's a corridor where the bar is takes you to the main dining area under a high ceiling with a view of the first floor. Follow the corridors to another space down below the first floor with a low ceiling for a more intimate dining experience. Light wood enchants the space that's not Lebanese at all, more of a high-end place to please the American clientele of busy New York.
