# New York restaurants **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 10, 2009, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-restaurants/495933 "2009-05-10T09:05:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-restaurants/495933/21 "2009-05-11T03:28:23Z")
There’s Little India in the thirties/twenties on Lexington Avenue. You might want to walk around to find some good eats there. ---
**Author:** ![AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-restaurants/495933/22 "2009-05-11T05:28:00Z")
someplace to get lox and bagels perhchance? I am a lox and bagel connseiour…just got back from NYC for Mom’s Day brunch. I had a resturant lox and bagel (some place in Brooklyn in Pahk Slope) and then went to the local bagel place to get a lox and bagel for the ride home. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-restaurants/495933/23 "2009-05-11T06:55:01Z")
> [@robardin](#): > > For a general “New York food experience”, pay a visit to Zabar’s on the Upper West Side (), not just for the food but the New York ambience. Close-packed, jostling, sarcastic wisecracking from servers and customers alike, the smells, the tastes, it’s a lot of fun! Especially on a Sunday morning, especially when they wheel the rack of fresh chocolate croissants from the bakery! This is one of the things I miss most from NYC. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-restaurants/495933/24 "2009-05-11T11:58:38Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > Tony DiNapoli has excellent family style Italian. There is a brew-pub in the basement of the Empire State Building (“heartland brewery”? not sure) that is excellent. The Palm is supposed to be excellent steak house, but I haven’t been there. Heartland Brewery is fine, but it’s more of a brewery chain. The Palm is ok, but if you want steak, you should check out any of these places: Del Friscos Primehouse Striphouse Quality Meats BLT Steak Sparks ---
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-restaurants/495933/25 "2009-05-11T12:22:45Z")
I recommend a stroll through Curry Hill, the Indian area previously mentioned, along Lexington Avenue in the high 20s (not that far from where you’re staying). Great (for the most) part South Indian food (there’s also at least one Indian-style Chinese place, but I haven’t tried it). I have had good meals at Saravanas (Lexington and 26th Street ) and Tiffin Wallah (Lex & 27). There’s also Kalustyan’s (Lex & 28th), an amazing spice shop (been around forever) that has decent and cheap steam-table food upstairs if you want a quick bite. [Shopsins](http://www.shopsins.com/) is indeed great but has pretty limited hours – there’s no restaurant anymore, it’s a stall in the Essex Street Market. I doubt there’s too much of a line on a weekday, Kenny wouldn’t stand for it. There are a number of Brazilian places off Sixth Avenue up in the high 40s. I also think a stroll through the Korean area near Penn would be interesting – I’ve had a few good meals there. The great Portuguese food is to be found in Newark, oddly enough. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-restaurants/495933/26 "2009-05-11T13:36:02Z")
I would also check out “Restaurant Row” on 46th between 8th and 9th Ave. Beccos has pretty good Italian, Bangkok House is good for Thai and there are a few others there. ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-restaurants/495933/27 "2009-05-11T14:30:27Z")
FWIW, I visited **Shopsin** ’s for breakfast on a weekday morning when I visited NYC last October… seating is VERY limited in their new location, but we managed to get a table almost right away. The food is good, but nothing spectacular, and the prices are reasonable (budget about $15-$20 per person for food and coffee). It’s worth going for the experience, though. Kenny is every bit as interesting and opinionated as you’d expect from reading his book (especially once he gets going on his ideas about eating, cooking and the world at large), and as for the menu… you have to see it to believe it. Also, I’d definitely second/third/fourth/whatever the motion to head to the Upper West Side to check out **Zabar** ’s. Again, it’s as much about the experience as it is about the food… I was in foodie heaven. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-restaurants/495933/28 "2009-05-11T14:46:31Z")
Since everyone else is focusing on the rest of town I’ll give you the low-down on Inwood (bottom of the hill) and Hudson Heights (top of the hill). There is of course [The New Leaf Cafe](http://www.nyrp.org/newleaf/) which I hear is good but have never eaten there. **Rancho Jubilee** for the Dominican Flavor. Take a walk down the beautiful steps (or the elevator in the subway station if you’re tired) in Ft. Tryon park it’s at the intersection of Broadway, Nagle and Hillside across from the Post Office. They have great food and the decor is very unique, kind of islandy, everything is all carved wood. This place is right by my apartment. 😉 \*\*Mamajuana \*\*on Dyckman and Seaman for Paella but only for dinner time. (Il Sole next door has great food but awful service. ) This one you can also get to by walking through Ft. Tryon park, it’s a nice walk. If you want to go uptown a bit further there is **The Garden Cafe** , next to the Catholic Church, they have a fabulous outdoor garden, a nice wine selection and good kind of New York restaurant standards, like strip steak with peppercorn sauce or penne in vodka sauce, that kind of thing. I highly recommend [The Park Terrace Bistro](http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/park-terrace-bistro/) great Moroccan food and a fine wine selection. Had a great Riesling there last time I went. There is a Cuban place I’ve never tried at the corner of Cabrini and 181 which looks pretty nice. Walk down Cabrini from the Cloisters and you’ll have a river view for much of the way. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-restaurants/495933/29 "2009-05-11T14:47:38Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > I would also check out “Restaurant Row” on 46th between 8th and 9th Ave. Beccos has pretty good Italian, Bangkok House is good for Thai and there are a few others there. Kind of spendy there though. It’s a good place to start, and if you go down 9th the prices come down a bit and there are all kinds of places from Turkish to, Moroccan, to Indonesian within a couple blocks of there. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-restaurants/495933/30 "2009-05-11T18:40:42Z")
I love Cafe Milano in Little Italy on Mulberry St. There is also a bigger Little Italy in the Bronx and for authentic chinese go to Flushing Meadows. ---
**Author:** ![HoboStew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f17d59/32.png) [@HoboStew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoboStew)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-restaurants/495933/31 "2009-05-11T19:47:54Z")
> [@adhemar](#): > > I like a wide variety of foods so pretty much anything is welcome except hot dogs. I’m also going to NYC soon, and I thought this was funny because one thing I do every time I go there is get a hot dog from Grey’s Papaya. You just can’t get a dog like that on the west coast. Anyways I’ll be keeping tabs on this thread, just thought that was amusing. ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-restaurants/495933/32 "2009-05-11T19:52:51Z")
**Junior’s** Cheesecake will change you. (right next to the Marriott Marquis in Times Square) ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-restaurants/495933/33 "2009-05-11T19:55:29Z")
Bah, **MsWas** beat me to it. There is plenty of good dining up in Inwood. > [@mswas](#): > > Since everyone else is focusing on the rest of town I’ll give you the low-down on Inwood (bottom of the hill) and Hudson Heights (top of the hill). > > There is of course [The New Leaf Cafe](http://www.nyrp.org/newleaf/) which I hear is good but have never eaten there. The New Leaf is in fact quite good. They serve a lovely brunch on the weekends starting at 11. The downside is that they do not accept reservations for brunch, so if the weather is good, plan to wait a bit. > [@](#): > > \*\*Mamajuana \*\*on Dyckman and Seaman for Paella but only for dinner time. (Il Sole next door has great food but awful service. ) This one you can also get to by walking through Ft. Tryon park, it’s a nice walk. I do not love Mamajuana, but it is pretty solid. Have you been to Mama Sushi yet? That I rather like. > [@](#): > > I highly recommend [The Park Terrace Bistro](http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/park-terrace-bistro/) great Moroccan food and a fine wine selection. Had a great Riesling there last time I went. This is pretty much the best place in Inwood. It’s now called the Bistro Marrakech. > [@](#): > > There is a Cuban place I’ve never tried at the corner of Cabrini and 181 which looks pretty nice. Walk down Cabrini from the Cloisters and you’ll have a river view for much of the way. > > Good luck! Are you thinking of Hispaniola, on 181st and Cabrini? It is a dominican/asian fusion place, and the food is very good. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-restaurants/495933/34 "2009-05-11T19:57:39Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > As a Chicagoan, I definitely avoid the pizza when in New York. Yuck! > > Have a great trip!..TRM Funny you should say that. I think Chicago style pizza is just congenitally horrible and am perpetually shocked at its continued existance. It takes all kinds to move the world. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![HoboStew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f17d59/32.png) [@HoboStew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoboStew)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-restaurants/495933/35 "2009-05-11T20:01:30Z")
> [@Maeglin](#): > > Funny you should say that. I think Chicago style pizza is just congenitally horrible and am perpetually shocked at its continued existance. It takes all kinds to move the world. 🙂 And as a neutral observer, I find both styles to be wildly overrated. Good pizza is good pizza wherever you go. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-restaurants/495933/36 "2009-05-11T20:11:17Z")
> [@HoboStew](#): > > And as a neutral observer, I find both styles to be wildly overrated. Good pizza is good pizza wherever you go. I just personally loathe thick crust, soupy, oily pizza of any kind. I am sure there is plenty of thick crust pizza that is considered good by people who like it, but I am not one of those people. Any thick crust pizza, to my taste, is just not going to be good. I think I am being charitable by even admitting that it is pizza to begin with, as opposed to, say, shmizza. It has nothing to do with regional style or whether or not something is overrated. ---
**Author:** ![HoboStew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f17d59/32.png) [@HoboStew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoboStew)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-restaurants/495933/37 "2009-05-11T20:21:44Z")
I’m not the biggest fan of deep dish either, but when done well (around here, [zachary’s](http://www.zacharys.com/) is the best) it can be just as good as any other style of pizza. I like em in all styles, and I’ve had good and bad versions of just about all of them. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-restaurants/495933/38 "2009-05-11T20:50:17Z")
> [@Maeglin](#): > > I do not love Mamajuana, but it is pretty solid. Have you been to Mama Sushi yet? That I rather like. I like Mamajuana quite a bit. We ordered some spicy tuna roles from them last night, I didn’t have any but Caitlin said they were meh but not terrible, said she’d keep ordering Sushi from Ozen on 97th street as we have been. 😉 Only problem is Ozen takes so long. I wish we had good chinese in these parts. I was thinking of writing a letter to the owners of Grand Sichuan and begging them to come open a restaurant in Inwood. > [@](#): > > This is pretty much the best place in Inwood. It’s now called the Bistro Marrakech. Right, and it is pretty much the best place in Inwood. > [@](#): > > Are you thinking of Hispaniola, on 181st and Cabrini? It is a dominican/asian fusion place, and the food is very good. Yes, that is precisely what I’m thinking of. Have to try it and the New Leaf sometime. There’s also a fair number of pretty decent places on 187th street between Ft. Washington and Cabrini. Bleu Evolution is good for a fairly standard New York French Bistro fare, their steaks are quite good. Across the street from that is Next Door and 107 West which are both fair but not amazing. Bleu Evolution has very nice garden seating. The Mexican place on Ft. Washington Ta Cocina is very good, we order from there all the time, but it’s nothing to write home about. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-restaurants/495933/39 "2009-05-11T20:51:33Z")
Heh, I think Pizza is overrated. 😉 Unless it’s from Coronets, slices the size of your arm and enough oil to lube your Ford Fiesta. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-restaurants/495933/40 "2009-05-11T21:00:07Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Heh, I think Pizza is overrated. 😉 Unless it’s from Coronets, slices the size of your arm and enough oil to lube your Ford Fiesta. 😉 Tim Roth doesn’t seem to work there anymore, so it has kind of lost its luster. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-restaurants/495933.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-york-restaurants/495933.md?page=3)