10 Restaurants In New York City To Die For

Source: The New York Times

James Kent, the longstanding chef de cuisine at Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park and head chef at NoMad, and Jeff Katz, managing partner at Del Posto, teamed up to build this restaurant. Crown Shy serves delicious meals and stunning cocktails in an exquisite setting that's equal parts special occasion destination and a nicer-than-normal evening whim. Crown Shy has a powerful presence without being threatened. It's the kind of this-has-to-be-the-place setting that manages to stay warm and friendly. The gruyère fritters, roasted short rib, and regally adorned Crown drinks are our favorites.

Dhamaka

Source: Robb Report

Dhamaka is the best new Indian restaurant in NYC, with delicacies that are rarely found on local menus. The Adda team's second act includes dishes such as gurda kapoora (goat kidney, testicles, red onion, and pao), doh khleh (pork with lime, cilantro, onion, and ginger), and Champaran meat, which they describe as "the neglected side of India" (mutton, garlic, red chili). 

Cocktails featuring gin, rose water, dragon fruit, lemon, and aquafaba, such as the Gulaabo, are also worth a visit to Dhamaka's multicolored bar.

Rezdôra

Source: La Cucina Italiana

Chef Stefano Secchi, who formerly worked at Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy, which was named the greatest restaurant in the world in 2018, went on to open one of New York City's best restaurants the following year. He uses the greatest quality cheeses and seasonal ingredients from farmers' markets to create a sneakily astonishing array of pasta at Rezdôra. Even for those who grew up on pasta night, dinner at Rezdôra feels like a fresh culinary experience. Individual meals are offered, but the $95 regional pasta tasting is a fun way to sample the finest of the restaurant.

Atoboy

Source: Star Chefs

Chef Junghyun Park's collection of modern Korean small plates is served in five courses for $75. For $27, you can have fried chicken with spicy peanut sauce and gochujang sauce. One of the greatest methods to try as much as possible is to use a tasting menu, but some are overly restrictive and pricey. The prix-fixe menu at Park is more reasonable than others, and you'll have a few alternatives for most dishes.

Ugly Baby

Source: New York Magazine

Ugly Baby, a Thai restaurant that has been thriving on Smith Street in Carroll Gardens since 2017, will put your heat tolerance to the test. Do not be afraid of the spice, whether you order the "stay-away fiery Udon Thani's duck salad" or the khao soi. Instead, order a bowl of calming tue ka ko and let the coconut cool your mouth. The use of spice by Ugly Baby is a master class in heat that both novices and enthusiasts will enjoy. The wait for tables can be long, as it is at many of the city's greatest restaurants, but the food is also good for takeout and delivery.

Gage and Tollner

Source: New York Post

Gage and Tollner had a former incarnation as one of Brooklyn's most opulent restaurants until its gilded venue closed in 2004 after more than a century of existence. Following a baker's dozen years, a trio of Brooklyn hospitality specialists got to work resurrecting it, and Gage and Tollner were officially up for business again, after a little hiatus in 2020. Gage and Tollner's previous estimated opening date of March 15, 2020, garnered a lot of attention at the time, and the wait just added to the excitement. The venue is just as wonderful as we expected, with rich, sumptuous cuisine items that are repeated with occasional throwbacks. Walk-ins are given priority at the bar, making it a little easier to get in.

Van Da

Source: The New York Times

Van Da is a Vietnamese restaurant that charmed the area when it initially opened in 2019 and quickly received honors such as a New York Times star and a Michelin Bib Gourmand designation. Van Da's original menu is still available, which is fortunate given how difficult it is to get a table. Early favorites like short rib grilled cheese with a shot of pho, shaking beef and shrimp, and pig tapioca dumplings are just as delicious to eat again as they are the first time.

Adda

Source: Adda NYC

This beautiful Indian restaurant is run by the same people who run the more recently launched (and more difficult to book) Dhamaka. The flavors sing whether you eat butter chicken or kale pakora. Peppers' heat and cumin's warmth are only two examples of what keeps you going back for more. You get a fun eating experience where the food is as lively as the atmosphere. Each time we return, the cuisine is new and exciting, with a wonderful balance of inventiveness and tradition.

Leland Eating And Drinking House 

Source: Nicolelocal.com

Leland Eating And Drinking House is a small local diner in a charming location that you may find yourself unintentionally returning to. The relatively short menu still manages to offer a plethora of combinations. Once we can resist the temptation of Leland's trout rillette, scorched lemon skillet mussels, and full-fried fish, we plan to try them all. The kitchen also produces some of the best bread in or out of any of New York City's best bakeries.

Cadence

Source: TripAdvisor

A new vegan soul cuisine restaurant in a gleaming, jewel-toned slip of a venue on east Seventh Street, led by executive chef Shenarri Freeman. Cadence is one of Overthrow Hospitality's plant-based restaurants in New York City. The creamy, expertly-textured grits and outstanding hearts of palm cakes on Freeman's menu are hits. Southern-style fried lasagna with pine nut ricotta, spinach, and red wine sauce Beyond Meat's bolognese is a must-try.

If you are a New Yorker, let us know what restaurants we have missed in the comments below.