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The selected restaurants have been divided into five categories: Gourmet, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. The restaurants are listed alphabetically within these different categories, which serve as guidelines rather than absolute definitions of the establishments.

Visitors to New York who wish to dine in that special restaurant should make a reservation well in advance. It is not unreasonable for patrons to call for a table in the trendiest eating places a few months in advance. Sales tax of 8.375% is automatically added to the bill but service charges are only standard for large groups.

The restaurants have been split into four price categories:
$$$$ (over US$75)
$$$ (US$45 to US$75)
$$ (US$25 to US$45)
$ (under US$25)
These prices include starter, main course, dessert and a half-bottle of wine or equivalent. Not included is tax or a customary tip of 15-20%.

Gourmet

Chanterelle
The décor is simple (Austrian shades, crystal chandeliers, fresh flowers and bare walls except for the etchings in the entranceway), but Chanterelle remains one of the city’s top French restaurants. Grilled seafood is a perennial favorite on the ever changing menu that features the likes of steamed leek-wrapped salmon with saffron, roast squab with pea ravioli and rack of lamb with cumin salt crust.

2 Harrison Street (at Hudson Street) in Tribeca
Tel: (212) 966 6960.
Website: www.chanterellenyc.com  
Price: $$$$
Daniel
Named after renowned chef-owner Daniel Boloud, this restaurant consistently ranks among the city’s most opulent venues for French fare. With an accent on seasonal ingredients, culinary masterpieces have included butter-poached Maine lobster with kumquats and peppered polenta tuile, slow-baked Dover sole with Louisiana crayfish and a duo of red-wine-braised short ribs and peppered shallot confit with seared rib eye and sautéed porcinis. Jacket and tie are required for gentlemen.

60 East 65th Street (between Park and Madison Avenues)
Tel: (212) 288 0033.
Website: www.danielnyc.com  
Price: $$$$
Gramercy Tavern
Danny Meyer’s contemporary American restaurant never goes out of fashion. Diners looking for delicious but uncomplicated meals, head to the airy first-come-first-served bar, while the formal dining room presents extraordinarily skillful fare, such as smoked lobster and grilled halibut. Those on an expense account should go all out on the market (fixed-price) menu and get a little taste of nearly everything.

42 East 20th Street (between Broadway and Park Avenue)
Tel: (212) 477 0777.
Website: www.gramercytavern.com  
Price: $$$$
Le Cirque
Designer Adam Tihany makes a whimsical circus statement at Le Cirque with soaring ceilings, a giant abstract ‘big top’ and monkey statuettes. The presentation of the food is just as dramatic. Diners can savour roasted cod, paupiette of black sea bass or roasted duck with rhubarb marmalade on enormous plates to the Venetian-glass fantasies that hold delicious desserts like crème brulée.

1 Beacon Court, 151 East 58th Street (between Lexington and Third Avenues)
Tel: (212) 644 0202.
Website: www.lecirque.com  
Price: $$$$
Russian Tea Room
Reopened in 2006, the Russian Tea Room is back, and it’s just as magnificent as the days when Nureyev held court. Lovers of the old dining room will be gladdened to hear that nothing has changed. The gilded eagles, plush leather banquettes and walls lined with oil paintings are still there. The food, thankfully, is just as impressive with rich borscht, glazed duck and succulent caviar among the many tsar-pleasing options.

150 West 57th Street (between Sixth and Seventh Avenues)
Tel: (212) 581 7100.
Website: www.russiantearoomnyc.com  
Price: $$$$

Business

‘21’ Club
With a clientele that has included every president since Teddy Roosevelt, this former speakeasy has a history few New York venues can match. Diners enter below a line of lawn jockeys to reach the string of intimate dining rooms. The ‘21’ burger is the classic choice but chef John Greeley has updated the menu of classic American fare to include dishes such as grilled swordfish with polenta cake and cedar plank-roasted Arctic char.

21 West 52nd Street (between Fifth and Sixth Avenues)
Tel: (212) 582 7200.
Website: www.21club.com  
Price: $$$
Gotham Bar & Grill
They work miracles at Gotham Bar & Grill. Tables are as tightly spaced as in any New York restaurant but the various levels and the soaring ceilings hung with lighting fixtures resembling parachutes give the illusion of space. Chef Alfred Portale, who pioneered the gravity-defying mains that everyone now emulates, does American food like nobody else. Dishes include a decadent seafood salad and Muscovy duck with foie gras.

12 East 12th Street (between Union Square and Fifth Avenue)
Tel: (212) 620 4020.
Website: www.gothambarandgrill.com  
Price: $$$$
Jean Georges
As they are so often set in basements and backrooms, restaurants in New York rarely get to brag about their view. Jean-Georges lets its location in the Trump Hotel speak for itself. Diners can sit on the terrace facing Central Park or enjoy the same view from the art deco influenced dining room. The décor is subdued, allowing chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s French fare to shine.

1 Central Park West (between 60th and 61st Streets in Trump International Tower)
Tel: (212) 299 3900.
Website: www.jean-georges.com  
Price: $$$$
The Palm
The original New York City classic looks much like it did in the 1920s when cartoonists from the then nearby King Publications plied their craft on the restaurant walls for a meal. The cartooned walls, simple wood setting and tile floors are still a popular venue for large and succulent steaks, giant lobsters, homemade chips, creamed spinach and cheesecake. Reservations suggested.

837 Second Avenue
Tel: (212) 687 2953.
Website: www.thepalm.com  
Price: $$$
Tavern on the Green
Set in Central Park amid twinkling lights with a live swing band playing in the background, Tavern on the Green is a visitor’s favorite. Inside is a maze of dining rooms, each more extravagant than the last. Tiffany-styled chandeliers grace the mirrored hallway to the left of the entrance. In terms of food, diners will find old favorites such as sirloin steak, rack of lamb, salmon and prime rib.

Central Park West at 67th Street
Tel: (212) 873 3200.
Website: www.tavernonthegreen.com  
Price: $$$

Trendy

Bombay Talkie
This trim and stylish Chelsea restaurant seamlessly blends Indian haute cuisine with street food. Among the picks are tasty dosas from the south, pork vindaloo from Goa and numerous naans, chats and kathi rolls. Portraits of glossy Mumbai film stars decorate the walls while Bollywood movies play overhead. Tasty cocktails like the Umrao Jaan (gin, lime juice and saffron syrup) add to the allure.

189 Ninth Avenue at 21st Street
Tel: (212) 242 1900.
Website: www.bombaytalkie.com
Price: $$
Esperanto
Far from the madding crowd of Times Square, this nicely lit East Village eatery serves up delicious plates of Latin-American tapas. A youthful neighborhood crowd tucks into Brazilian pork stew, tuna ceviche and chayote salad with lime dressing. The cocktails are an equally important part of the equation with (Brazilian) caipirinhas and (Cuban) mojitos sating that insatiable thirst.

145 Avenue C at Ninth Street
Tel: (212) 505 6559.
Website: www.esperantony.com
Price: $$
Nobu
Although it opened in 1994, Nobu remains one of New York’s trendiest Japanese restaurants. A-listers and model-gazers hold court inside the stylish restaurant steered by master chef Nobu Matsuhisa. The menu features over 40 different cold and hot dishes, alongside the mouthwatering sushi and tempura options. Reservations are recommended. Those who get the Nobu urge but didn’t plan ahead head to neighboring Nobu Next Door, with a superb raw bar.

105 Hudson Street at Franklin
Tel: (212) 219 0500.
Website: www.noburestaurants.com
Price: $$$

Nobu Next Door
105 Hudson Street at Franklin
Tel: (212) 334 4445.
Price: $$$
Prune
Despite its old-fashioned name, the creative rustic American fare at this tiny East Village bistro competes with some of the city’s best restaurants. Popular mains include grilled quail with braised escarole and a whole grilled fish with fennel. Simple vegetable sides are also raised to their highest potential under the guidance of Chef Gabrielle Hamilton, whose childhood nickname gives the restaurant its sweet name. Prune also serves a weekend brunch. Reservations are recommended.

54 East First Street (between First and Second Avenues)
Tel: (212) 677 6221.
Website: www.prunerestaurant.com
Price: $$$

Budget

Fluffy’s Cafe and Bakery
Located steps from Broadway, this small snack shop, with a few tables and a counter that faces the street, has quick service, delicious bakery goods, wraps and fresh fruit, all very reasonably priced. It is a perfect breakfast, lunch and snack stop for someone on the go or for take away. No alcohol.

855 Seventh Avenue (between 54th and 55th Streets)
Tel: (212) 247 0234.
Price: $
Mama’s Food Shop
Mama’s serves up tasty American comfort food in a cosy East Village setting. Diners can choose from helpings of fried chicken, grilled salmon and ‘mac ‘n’ cheese’, which derive from the 1950s TV dinner era. There is also a large array of oh-so-satisfying vegetable sides - broccoli with garlic, roasted brussels sprouts and mashed potatoes, to name but a few. No credit cards. No alcohol.

200 East Third Street (between Avenues A and B)
Tel: (212) 777 4425.
Website: www.mamasfoodshop.com
Price: $
Max
Max has earned many fans for its delicious but reasonably priced Italian fare. Country-style Italian table and chairs are crammed together in the main dining space, with barely room for diners to move between them and a sideboard teeming with pepper grinders and bowls of parmesan cheese. A walk through the kitchen, which bisects the restaurant, takes you to the narrow bar area and another small dining space. No credit cards.

51 Avenue B (between Third and Fourth Streets)
Tel: (212) 539 0111.
Website: www.max-ny.com
Price: $$
New York Noodle Town
Although other places will charge more, the noisy and fluorescent-lit New York Noodle Town never fails to feed its guests properly. Diners can choose from roasted fowl, salt-baked crab or soups and should be sure to get an order of the city’s best Hong-Kong-style noodles. The shared tables are full at almost any hour (the restaurant closes only briefly in the early morning) sometimes with celebrities.

28 Bowery Street (at Bayard Street)
Tel: (212) 349 0923.
Price: $

Personal Recommendations

Artisanal
Set in a handsome art deco dining room, Artisinal is heaven for cheese lovers. Chef Terrence Brennan prepares high-quality French bistro fare, but it’s the fromage for which Artisanal is famed. There are more than 250 different varieties on hand, representing some of the finest cheese makers in France, Spain, Portugal and the USA. Fondues are quite popular, while prix-fixe meals are an excellent value.

2 Park Avenue (entrance on 32nd Street)
Tel: (212) 725 8585.
Website: www.artisanalbistro.com  
Price: $$$
Brasserie Julien
This small, crowded bistro is a real family affair, with the restaurant named after owner/chef Philippe Feret’s son, and various dishes on the menu named after other members of his family. Philippe, a former chef at Windows of the World, infuses his seasonal menu with favorites like cheese fondue, and Moroccan Chicken Bisteeya, wrapped in filo dough and stuffed with raisins, almonds and eggs. Live Jazz on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

1422 Third Avenue (between 80th and 81st Streets)
Tel: (212) 744 6327.
Website: www.brasseriejulien.com  
Price: $$$
Do Hwa
The West Village is blocks away from the city’s Little Korea and yet the vaguely upscale Korean restaurant delivers the goods. The comfortable yet semi-industrial space lends a special something to the bibimbop (rice, vegetables and sometimes meat served with kochujang, the ubiquitous red pepper paste condiment, with a fried egg) or meat-heavy tabletop grills, served with a platter of spicy kimchi and a dozen other condiments.

55 Carmine Street (between Bedford Street and Seventh Avenue)
Tel: (212) 414 1224.
Website: www.dohwanyc.com  
Price: $$
Garden Court Café
Soft background music, high beamed ceilings, flowering vines and large, live trees create a serene atmosphere in this small, glass-enclosed bistro located in the Asia Society. Chef Nima Khansari’s changing menu includes light and delicious fare with unique dishes like Thai curry crab cakes and signature dishes like chicken curry salad and wild striped bass with orange soy glaze. The restaurant is known for its tea selection. Open for lunch only. Closed Mondays.

Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue at 70th Street
Tel: (212) 570 5202.
Website: www.asiasociety.org/visit/cafe  
Price: $
Gobo
This upscale vegetarian restaurant serves beautifully presented dishes. The creators of this Zen-like space have given the kind of attention to tofu, tempeh and vegetables that other restaurants give to meat dishes. And to many a patron’s surprise, the ingredients are not all that different from other Japanese inspired or contemporary meals. Meat-free meals have never looked this good.

West Village location:
401 Sixth Avenue (between Waverly Place and West Eighth Street)
Tel: (212) 255 3902.
Website: www.goborestaurant.com  
Price: $$

Upper East Side location:
1426 Third Avenue
Tel: (212) 288 4686.
Il Corallo Trattoria
A local favorite, this Italian bistro is cosy, inexpensive and delicious. In the summer the French windows are open to allow diners to catch a breeze and watch the passers-by. Everything is good but try the rigatoni Pugliese - pasta, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, black olives and eggplant in garlic and oil. There are always chicken, meat and fish specials plus homemade desserts.

176 Prince Street (between Thompson and Sullivan Streets)
Tel: (212) 941 7119.
Price: $$
Lupa
Although his upmarket restaurant Babbo and the more casual pizzeria and wine bar Otto span the price-range of Italian cuisine, it is Mario Batali’s medium-priced restaurant that is just right. To the rustic dinner tables waiters rush crusty bread and such succulent items as a ricotta gnocchi with sausage and fennel, linguini and mussels, and a veal saltimbocca (with prosciutto and sage leaves).

170 Thompson Street (between Houston and Bleecker Streets)
Tel: (212) 982 5089.
Website: www.luparestaurant.com  
Price: $$



Nightlife:

New York nightlife is non-stop and highly addictive. Manhattan buzzes with nocturnal activity, from bustling neighborhood bars to swank cocktail lounges and ultra hip nightclubs, where some of the world’s best DJs entertain the city’s ‘beautiful people’.

The East Village, from 14th Street to Houston, east of Broadway, is famous for its local bars that stay open late and its small live music clubs. The Lower East Side, an edgy and hip neighborhood that borders the East Village at Houston and stretches south to Chinatown at Canal, offers a similar nightlife scene and vibe.

Soho is the cool capital, with its small chic bars attracting models, poseurs and media types. The gay scene is headquartered in the bars of Chelsea and the West Village, which also offers a lively mix of jazz clubs. Gramercy, in the 20s on the east side, has a smaller selection of velvet-rope cocktail lounges. Upmarket tastes are catered for in the sophisticated lounges and cocktail bars in Midtown and the Upper East and Upper West Sides. The city’s best nightclub scene is headquartered in the Meatpacking District around Ninth Avenue and 13th Street.

Entrance fees to some of the smarter nightclubs can be pricey and are cash only. The hippest clubs employ strict dress codes, only allowing the cool and the beautiful to break through the velvet ropes. The normal club closing time is 0400, although many venues are open all night. An ever-changing crop of ‘after-hours’ places offer entertainment until sunrise, however, alcohol cannot legally be served between 0400 and 0800 or after 2400 on Sunday. The minimum drinking age is 21 and checking of photo ID is mandatory.

Time Out New York (website: www.timeoutny.com) is a very good source of nightlife event information, published weekly and sold at newsagents and kiosks. A good online nightlife and restaurant guide is Yelp (website: www.yelp.com/nyc).

Bars: New York has a massive range of bars, with everything from neighborhood dives and lively Irish pubs to slick jet-set haunts with DJs and dimly lit, cocktail lounges. Hip bars include Max Fish, 178 Ludlow Street, Lower East Side, which fills with a young, T-shirt-and-jeans crowd, and the neo-Moroccan style Serena, 222 West 23rd Street, Chelsea, a subterranean lounge in the cool and legendary Chelsea Hotel, as well as favorite of the ‘beautiful people’. Nublu, 62 Avenue C, East Village, attracts a festive, alternative crowd to its nights of Brazilian music and cutting-edge jazz. Von, 3 Bleecker Street, East Village, is a great little neighborhood bar, with a dog or two running around, candle-lighting and a good-looking but unpretentious crowd.

A more sophisticated lounge, the Campbell Apartment, Grand Central Station, Midtown, is tucked away in this busy rail terminal, serving top-class cocktails, like Flapper’s Delight, Prohibition Punch, first-rate Martinis and the perfect Manhattan. For old-time New York, there is the former speakeasy Chumley’s, 86 Bedford Street, West Village, or The Monkey Bar in the Elycée Hotel, 60 East 54th Street. When it opened in 1936, its patrons included Tennessee Williams and Tallulah Bankhead.

Clubs: The New York clubbing scene is notoriously fickle. These days popular dance spots include Cielo, 18 Little West 12th Street (website: www.cieloclub.com), boasting one of the city’s best sound systems. APT, 419 West 13th Street (website: www.aptwebsite.com), has a number of cosy lounges spread among a multi-level apartment-like club. Club Shelter, 150 Varick Street (website: www.clubshelter.com), is a mixed gay and straight mega-club, admired by lovers of highly danceable house music.

Comedy: New York’s leading comedy venues, featuring top-line comedians, include Caroline’s on Broadway, 1626 Broadway (website: www.carolines.com), HA! Comedy Club NYC, 369 West 46th Street (website: www.hanyc.com), which is booked and managed by comics, and Gotham Comedy Club, 208 West 23rd Street (website: www.gothamcomedyclub.com) - named ‘one of the 10 great places to watch stand up’ by USA Today. Co-founded by the late Rodney Dangerfield, Dangerfield’s, 1118 First Avenue (website: www.dangerfields.com), has received rave reviews for over 35 years.

Live Music: The famous Madison Square Garden, 1 Pennsylvania Plaza, Seventh Avenue between 31st and 33rd Streets (website: www.thegarden.com), plays host to a number of rock and pop heavies, from Britney Spears to U2. The Knitting Factory, 74 Leonard Street (website: www.knittingfactory.com), stages a good mix of rock, punk, bluegrass and experimental sounds on its three levels.

New York is also home to numerous jazz clubs, including The Blue Note, 131 West Third Street (website: www.bluenote.net), and the Iridium Jazz Club, 1650 Broadway (website: www.iridiumjazzclub.com), which both reel in the best American and international jazz musicians. Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, Jazz at Lincoln Center Broadway at 10 Columbus Circle, Fifth Floor in the Time Warner Building (website: www.jalc.org/dccc), has top-notch jazz performers, as well as a stunning view of Central Park and the East Side skyline.

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