NEW YORK CITY

Welcome to my ultimate New York City guide — a curated list of my favorite places to eat, drink, indulge in the city’s most delicious experiences. Whether you’re a local looking for new spots or a visitor ready to taste your way through NYC, this guide is for you. From hidden gems to iconic restaurants, I’ve gathered my personal recs that capture the true essence of the city’s food scene. And because this city is always evolving, so is this list. I’ll be updating it regularly as I continue to discover new places that inspire me. So check back often, and let’s eat our way through NYC together.

If you want a more detailed take on where to eat, I track and rank every spot on Beli, even the ones not listed on this guide. Think full notes with photos, standout dishes, and honest scores, so you can see how each place compares. Follow along on my Beli Profile @punarvi, for complete lists from cities around the world, where I’ve had the honor of experiencing their culinary scenes.

EAT

American

The Corner Store

📍 SoHo
Instagram: @thecornerstore
Must-Have: Lobster roll, pizza rolls, caesar salad, samoa sundae

Breakfast & Brunch

BAGELS

Apollo Bagels

📍 East Village
Instagram: @apollobagels
Must-Have: Classic plain bagel with scallion cream cheese. Add onions, tomatoes, capers for a bagel sandwich

Black Seed Bagels

📍 Multiple Locations
Instagram: @blackseedbagels
Must-Have: Bagel sandwich with your favorite toppings, cream cheese, and spicy mayo

Pop Up Bagels

📍 Multiple Locations
Instagram: @popupbagels
Must-Have: Classic plain bagel with scallion cream cheese

BURRITOS

Best Damn Breakfast Burrito

📍 East Village
Instagram: @bestdamnbreakfastburrito
Must-Have: La Neta with side of citrus habanero

BRUNCH

Win Son Bakery

📍 Multiple Locations
Instagram: @winsonbakery
Must-Have: Scallion pancake

Oases

📍 Chelsea
Instagram: @oasesnyc
Must-Have: Blueberry matcha, tuna crispy rice

Gjelina

📍 East Village
Instagram: @gjelinarestaurant
Must-Have: 4 onion pizza, potato pizza, lemon ricotta pancakes

Burgers & Sandwiches

Superiority Burger

📍 East Village
Instagram: @superiorityburger
Must-Have: Superiority burger

The Sandwich Board

📍 East Village
Instagram: @thesandwichboardnyc
Must-Have: Banh Mi

Caribbean

Kabawa

📍 Multiple Locations
Instagram: @kabawa
Must-Have: Everything is amazing.

Chinese

Uluh

📍 East Village
Instagram: @uluh.ny
Must-Have: Truffle fried rice, braised chili chicken, peach oolong with chees foam

Phoenix Palace

📍 Chinatown
Instagram: @phoenixpalaceny
Must-Have: Chilled tofu, bok choy salad, chilli crab noodles

The Best Sichuan

📍 Multiple Locations
Instagram: @thebestsichuan
Must-Have: Soup Dumplings, Kung Pao, Dry Pot, Fried Rice

Mala Project

📍 Multiple Locations
Instagram: @malaproject
Must-Have: Kung Pao, Dry Pot

Spicy Moon

📍 Multiple Locations
Instagram: @spicymoonnyc
Must-Have: Chopped Cheese Spring Roll, Wonton in Chili Oil, Dan Dan Noodles, Kung Pao Tofu

Antidote

📍 Williamsburg
Instagram: @antidote_nyc

Lucky Rabbit Noodles

📍 Brooklyn, DUMBO
Instagram: @luckyrabbitnyc
Must-Have: Vegan dumplings, garlic noodles, lychee lemonade

Ethiopian

RAS

📍 West Village
Instagram: @rasplantbased
James Beard Nominee
Must-Have: Injera Nachos, Fried Chik'N Sandwich

Fine Dining

Cesar

📍 Hudson Square
Instagram: @cesar.newyork
Michelin ❁❁ - Must have the Uni Toast

French

Chez Fifi

📍 Upper East Side
Instagram: @chezfifinyc
Must-Have: Tomato martini, Endive Salad, Escargot, Frites with Caviar

Indian

Kidilum

📍 Flatiron
Instagram: @kidilum.nyc
Must-Have: Thayir wada, podi idli, chakka, mappas, kalanji, podi cocktail

Adda

📍 East Village
Instagram: @addanyc
Must-Have: Makai Mattar Tikki, Jackfruit Lukhmi, Dhaniwal Malai Gobhi, Paneer Kurchan, Gucchi and Kumbh Pulao

Kanyakumari

📍 Flatiron
Instagram: @kanyakumarinyc
Must-Have: Welcome Rasam, Vada Pav, Guntur Idli

Patiala Indian Grill & Bar

📍 Garment District, 35th St. Location
Instagram: @patialaindiangrillbar
Must-Have: Stuffed Mushrooms, Dahi Sev Poori, Paneer Tash Kebab, Paneer Lababdar, Onion Kulcha

Angel

📍 Jackson Heights
Instagram: @angelnyc
Must-Have: Bhel Puri, Veg Dum Biryani, Paneer Makhani, Amul Cheese Naan

Ahimsa

📍 Murray Hill
Instagram: @ahimsanyc
Entirely vegetarian menu, everything is really good and the staff is so amazing

Italian

Quality Italian

📍 Midtown
Instagram: @qualityitalian
Must-Have: Truffle cacio e pepe, little gem caesar

L'Artusi

📍 West Village
Instagram: @lartusi

Sartiano's

📍 SoHo
Instagram: @sartianos
Must-Have: Crudos, Caesar Salad, Veg Lasagna, Umami Martini

Korean

Sunn's

📍 Lower East Side, Chinatown
Instagram: @sunnsnyc
Must-Have: Banchan of the day, tteokbokki

Jua

📍 Flatiron
Instagram: @juanyc
Michelin ❁

Jungsik

📍 Tribeca
Instagram: @jungsik_nyc
Michelin ❁❁❁

Hwaro

📍 Midtown
Instagram: @hwaro.nyc

Gurumé

📍 Midtown
Instagram: @gurumenyc
Must-Have: Brussel Sprouts, Soju Elixirs

Mexican

Limusina

📍 Hudson Yards
Instagram: @limusinanyc
Must-Have: Fundido queso, black sea bass ceviche, bibb salad, guacamole (skip the tres leches)

Casa Enrique

📍 Long Island City
Instagram: @casaenrique
Must-Have: Veggie Crema Enchiladas

Quique Crudo

📍 West Village
Instagram: @quiquecrudonyc
Must-Have: Guacamole, Ceviche, & Enchiladas. Ask for the spicy sauce!!

La Contenta Oeste

📍 West Village
Instagram: @lacontentaoeste
Must-Have: Gaucamole, Tacos, Queso Fundido, sides of the green jalapeno and red chile de arbol sauce

Super Burrito

📍 Williamsburg
Instagram: @superburritonyc
Must-Have: Wet Burrito with Verdugo hot sauce bottle on side

Mediterranean

Theodora

📍 Fort Greene
Instagram: @theodoranyc
Must-Have: Everything

Molyvos

📍 Midtown
Instagram: @molyvosnyc
Must-Have: Favorite lunch spot - All of the spreads, Ouzo Flamed Halloumi Cheese Saganaki

Shuka

📍 SoHo
Instagram: @shukanyc
Must-Have: All of the spreads

Shukette

📍 Chelsea
Instagram: @shukettenyc
Must-Have: Strawberry labneh, squash blossoms, frena, basmati rice

Au Zaatar

📍 East Village
Instagram: @auzaatar
Must-Have: Spicy falafel, hummus plus, labneh, spicy green and red sauces

Peruvian

Pio Pio

📍 Multiple Locations
Instagram: @piopionyc
Must-Have: Juanita's Chicken, Fried Rice, Aji Verde "Green Sauce"

Pizza

Parla

📍 Upper West Side
Instagram: @parla.pizza
Must-Have: NY Classic, Burrizza

Chrissy's Pizza

📍 Greenpoint
Instagram: @chrissyspizza
Must-Have: Plain Cheese

Bleecker Street

📍 West Village
Instagram: @bleeckerstreetpizza
Must-Have: Plain Cheese

Emmett’s On Grove

📍 Greenvich Village
Instagram: @emmettsongrove
Must-Have: Their tavern style with jalapeno + onion + the paprika ranch on the side

Prince Street Pizza

📍 Nolita
Instagram: @princestreetpizza
Must-Have: Plain NY Cheese

Lucali

📍 Carroll Gardens
Instagram: @lucali_bk
Must-Have: Plain Cheese

Sushi

HANDROLLS

Maki Kosaka

📍 Flatiron
Instagram: @makikosaka_nyc
Must-Have: Bluefin Toro, Yellowtail with Jalapeno Miso

Sushi Tokoro

📍 West Village
Instagram: @sushitokoronyc
Must-Have: Kampachi Handroll

Nami N o ri

📍 West Village
Instagram: @naminori.nyc
Must-Have: Salmon serrano

OMAKASE

Yoshino

📍 East Village
Instagram: @yoshinonewyork
Michelin ❁

Sushi Tokoro

📍 West Village
Instagram: @sushitokoronyc

SUSHI

Ume

📍 Williamsburg
Instagram: @umenyc
Must-Have: Add the Tuna, Uni, Salmon Roe bowl on top of the Sushi Set

Umeko

📍 West Village
Instagram: @umeko_ny
Must-Have: Chirashi don

Thai

Thai Villa

📍 Flatiron
Instagram: @thaivillanyc
Must-Have: Green Curry, Drunken Noodles

Up Thai

📍 UES
Instagram: @upthainyc
Must-Have: Green Curry, Drunken Noodles, Basil Fried Rice

Valla Table

📍 Hell's Kitchen
Instagram: @vallatable

Soothr

📍 East Village
Instagram: @soothr nyc

Vietnamese

Obao

📍 Hell's Kitchen
Instagram: @obaonyc
Must-Have: Garlic Noodles

COFFEE + TEA

Toby's Estate

📍 West Village
Instagram: @tobysestate.ny
Must Have: Iced Toby's latte

Sawada

📍 Chinatown
Instagram: @sawadacoffee
Must Have: Iced latte "tokyo style"

Milkweed Studio

📍 Little Italy/Nolita
Instagram: @milkweedstudio.nyc
Must Have: Iced latte with their homemade hazelnut syrup - a must!!

Caffe Paradiso

📍 SoHo
Instagram: @caffeparadiso.nyc
Must Have: Salted brown butter & oat latte on tap

Pantry

📍 SoHo
Instagram: @pantrypantrypantry
Must Have: Banana split iced matcha latte

Sorate

📍 SoHo
Instagram: @sorate.co
Must Have: hojicha latte, matcha latte

Urbana Coffee & Gallery

📍 Chelsea
Instagram: @urbana.coffee
Must Have: Maple sea salt iced latte

DESSERTS

ASIAN

Postcard Bakery

📍 West Village
Instagram: @postcardbakery
Must-Have: Strawberry & Grape Fruit Sando

Salswee

📍 Flatiron
Instagram: @salswee
Must-Have: Strawberry Cake & Yuzu Dessert

BAKERY

Mary O's Irish Soda Bread

📍 East Village
Instagram: @maryosirishsodabreadshop
Must-Have: The irish soda bread, must get one per person. So good.

Radio Bakery

📍 Green Point + Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
Instagram: @radiobakerynyc

Librae Bakery

📍 East Village
Instagram: @libraebakery

Soaked Bar

📍 Jersey City
Instagram: @soakedbar
Must-Have: lemon, cherry, biscoff, and oreo
*Note: Local Pickup only in Jersey City. Orders must be placed during the Sunday weekend limited drop for pickup the following weekend. It's the best tres leches you'll ever have. So so good!*

COOKIES

SHOPPING

Madame Motavu

📍 West Village

Instagram: @madamemotavu

I have found some vintage gems here. Say hello to Rosemary! <3

Big Night