Best NYC Restaurants, Curated by Way Forward

West Village · 314 Bleecker St

Tuscan cooking with a beautifully restrained point of view. Start here for a pasta-centered evening on Bleecker Street.

West Village · 51 Grove St

Seasonal Italian plates and a room made for lingering. A lovely anchor for a day wandering Grove Street.

West Village · 60 Greenwich Ave

Southern Indian cooking for a dinner that becomes the main event. Make this your plan when you want bold flavors.

West Village · 23 Commerce St

A special-occasion sushi pick on Commerce Street. Choose it when you want the meal to hold your full attention.

West Village · 90 Bedford St

A small corner restaurant with an intimate neighborhood feel. Our shortlist pick for an unhurried dinner for two.

West Village · 50 Commerce St

Hearty American cooking with Shaker influences. A change of pace when the group has already had plenty of pasta.

West Village · 240 W 14th St

An Isan Thai option for bringing a little more heat and energy to your neighborhood dinner plans.

West Village · 27 Bedford St

A small Mexican seafood stop on Bedford Street. Keep this one in mind when you want something beyond the usual tacos.

West Village · 33 Carmine St

Open-style hand rolls on Carmine Street. A good fit for a casual meal before continuing your Village walk.

West Village · 42 Grove St

A compact French café for the morning, afternoon, or evening. Think coffee, small plates, and a little time to yourself.

West Village · 51 Grove St

Begin with a West Village lunch. Seasonal Italian food and Grove Street make a very good first impression.

SoHo · 180 Prince St

Put a SoHo bistro evening on the itinerary. If you want the burger at dinner, check the bar-only service details first.

Lower East Side · 127 Orchard St

Sit down for bagels and smoked fish on the Lower East Side. Choose the Orchard Street café for a seated meal.

Lower East Side · 35 Orchard St

Make room for a New York slice on Orchard Street. An easy food stop between downtown plans.

Chelsea Market · 75 9th Ave

A taco stop that fits a Chelsea Market visit. Keep this meal casual and save the long dinner for another night.

West Village · 60 Greenwich Ave

Build one evening around Southern Indian cooking. A strong counterpoint to the pizza, bagels, and Italian classics on your trip.

Chinatown · 123 Madison St

A Chinatown diner with a broader culinary perspective. A useful daytime pick when your route takes you toward the bridges.

West Village · 23 Commerce St

For the trip’s special dinner, put a focused sushi experience on the shortlist and check booking options early.

Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn · 372 Fulton St

Give Brooklyn its own evening. This historic oyster and chop house makes the journey part of the experience.

Greenwich Village · 79-81 Macdougal St

Caffe Dante on MacDougal Street is our aperitivo stop in this edit. Pair food and cocktails with a Greenwich Village evening.

West Village · 90 Bedford St

For a cozy neighborhood date: a small dining room on a picture-perfect West Village corner.

Lower East Side · 43 Canal St

For seafood and conversation: the shortlist singles out its two-person tables and bar seating as a particularly good date setup.

SoHo · 43 MacDougal St

For a pasta-and-wine evening: Roman cooking on MacDougal Street, with enough occasion to make a regular night feel planned.

East Village · 90 E 10th St

For the person who cares as much about the wine as the food. Make a full dinner of this East Village pick.

Greenwich Village · 79-81 Macdougal St

For an aperitivo date that can become dinner. Choose the MacDougal Street location when pairing it with Greenwich Village plans.

Tribeca · 1 White St

For a more deliberate evening: seasonal cooking inside a Tribeca townhouse, with both à la carte and tasting-menu options.

Greenwich Village · 87 MacDougal St

For a seafood-centered date on MacDougal Street. The original shortlist particularly loves the fish and chips.

West Village · 314 Bleecker St

For a quietly confident Italian dinner. Put the phones away and let a few simple dishes do the work.

West Village · 42 Grove St

For a daytime date without too much ceremony. Coffee and something to eat can become a slow walk through the Village.

SoHo · 138 Lafayette St

For an occasion: elegant French dining in SoHo. Choose this when the evening calls for a little more dressing up.

Fort Greene, Brooklyn · 7 Greene Ave

Head to Fort Greene for Mediterranean flavors, dry-aged fish, and open-fire cooking. A reason to plan a Brooklyn evening.

Ridgewood, Queens · 853 Onderdonk Ave

Make the trip to Ridgewood for a wood-fired neighborhood bar and grill. Let Queens be the destination, not an afterthought.

Williamsburg, Brooklyn · 159 Graham Ave

Taiwanese-American cooking in Williamsburg. Go with people who like ordering together and trying a little of everything.

Williamsburg, Brooklyn · 136 Broadway

A Williamsburg dinner with a sense of occasion. The shortlist’s standouts include the duck and soufflé cakes.

Red Hook, Brooklyn · 329 Van Brunt St

Build an afternoon around Red Hook, then settle in for American tavern food. The burger is the shortlist’s reason to go.

Tribeca · 94 Chambers St

A Tribeca restaurant-and-wine-bar choice for when your next great dinner matters more than chasing a scene.

Tribeca · 71 Worth St

A wine-led evening on Worth Street. A smaller-scale alternative when you want good food and a bottle to talk about.

Flatiron · 17 W 19th St

Contemporary Korean dining in Flatiron. Make this your discovery pick when you want a more composed dinner experience.

Lower East Side · 3 Allen St

Explore a Northern Mexican point of view on Allen Street. Check the current menu formats before choosing your experience.

West Village · 27 Bedford St

A Mexican seafood detour in the West Village. Keep it on the list even if you think you already know the neighborhood.

West Village · 314 Bleecker St

For Tuscan simplicity and serious pasta. A bolded favorite in the original shortlist and a natural starting point for this edit.

West Village · 51 Grove St

For an Italian meal that goes beyond pasta. Give the seasonal vegetables space on your table.

Chelsea · 107 W 17th St

For a more traditional, polished Italian dinner in Chelsea. The shortlist places it among its strongest Italian recommendations.

SoHo · 43 MacDougal St

For Roman flavors and a wine-focused evening in SoHo. Choose this when you want dinner to feel like a small escape.

Nolita · 55 E Houston St

For an old-school Nolita dining room with personality. The shortlist recommends the atmosphere as much as the Italian food.

Chelsea · 511 W 18th St

For modern Italian dining with a more social Chelsea mood. A good crossover between the pasta list and the night-out list.

NoHo · 47 Bond St

For a rustic Bond Street dinner. The former antique-store setting gives this NoHo restaurant its distinctive warmth.

West Village · 649 Washington St

For casual Italian cooking on Washington Street. Keep it in mind for a neighborhood dinner without a formal occasion.

East Village · 647 E 11th St

For Tuscan food and wine in a small, relaxed setting. This listing points to the East Village location.

West Village · 211 Waverly Pl

For a sociable West Village trattoria evening. A particularly fitting choice when the group wants atmosphere alongside its pasta.

West Village · 23 Commerce St

The strongest sushi endorsement in the original shortlist. Our first pick here for making sushi the occasion.

East Village · 119 E 7th St

An East Village omakase favorite in the source list. Compare its current menu with the more elaborate options before deciding.

West Village · 33 Carmine St

For open-style hand rolls and a casual West Village plan. A different experience from a traditional nigiri-led omakase.

Greenwich Village · 138 W Houston St

For hand rolls and a creative Japanese menu. Follow the restaurant’s current New York booking details when choosing your location.

NoHo · 6 Bond St

For a dressed-up Japanese dinner on Bond Street. A social NoHo choice when atmosphere is part of your plan.

West Village · 220 W 13th St

For a special-occasion omakase on West 13th Street. A considered pick when you want a more traditional sushi focus.

Flatiron · 33 E 20th St

For an approachable, structured sushi meal. The Flatiron location is the one included in this shortlist.

NoMad · 15 W 28th St

For freshly made hand rolls and a more casual stop. The NoMad location works well between midtown and downtown plans.

Lower East Side · 22 Orchard St

For an omakase detour to Orchard Street. A shortlist option when you want to explore beyond the familiar names.

East Village · 208 E 7th St

For omakase with a more layered, creative approach. This entry refers to the East Village location on East 7th Street.

SoHo · 180 Prince St

For a SoHo bistro evening with character. Dinner burger service is limited to the bar, so plan around that if it is your priority.

Upper East Side · 140 E 74th St

An Upper East Side favorite from the original shortlist. A French dinner to put on your uptown itinerary.

Upper East Side · 129 E 60th St

For a historic French dining room with a new chapter. Choose it for a classic bistro mood on East 60th Street.

Tribeca · 412 Greenwich St

For French cooking with Japanese influence in Tribeca. A bolded shortlist pick for a more intimate dinner.

West Village · 42 Grove St

For a little French café time on Grove Street. Equally appealing as a daytime stop or a small-plate evening.

West Village · 76 Carmine St

For a French dinner on Carmine Street. A useful addition to your West Village rotation beyond the established classics.

SoHo · 138 Lafayette St

For refined French dining and a special setting. Save this one for an anniversary or another evening worth dressing for.

Williamsburg, Brooklyn · 80 Wythe Ave

For a Brooklyn brasserie plan at the Wythe Hotel. Pair the meal with time to explore Williamsburg.

Midtown West · 45 Rockefeller Plaza

For French dining at Rockefeller Center. A useful choice when your New York day is taking place uptown from the Village.

NoHo · 380 Lafayette St

For a grand café and bakery in NoHo. A flexible pick when you want a French stop during a downtown day.

West Village · 26 Greenwich Ave

For the most party-minded choice in this edit. The shortlist highlights the late-night atmosphere; ask about the evening you plan to visit.

Meatpacking · 21 9th Ave

For a dressed-up Meatpacking night with seafood and a lively room. Check its dress code before going; hats and athletic wear are restricted.

SoHo · 114 Kenmare St

For Mexican food, cocktails, and a downtown scene. Check which room your reservation is for at the Kenmare Street location.

Chelsea · 511 W 18th St

For a social Italian dinner in Chelsea. Choose it when the group wants an energetic restaurant rather than a club.

Chelsea / Meatpacking · 75 9th Ave

For a dramatic dining room and a celebration dinner. A theatrical setting for the group that likes making an entrance.

Harlem · 310 Malcom X Blvd

For a Harlem night built around food and music. Check the live-music calendar before choosing your date.

West Village · 211 Waverly Pl

For a buzzing trattoria table in the West Village. This is a social dinner pick, especially for people-watching.

West Village · 121 W 10th St

For cocktails with a casual dinner. A West Village bar-and-restaurant option when the plan should feel easy.

Upper East Side · 1621 2nd Ave

For a lively, classic Italian evening on the Upper East Side. More full dining room than dance floor.

SoHo · 56 MacDougal St

For a relaxed, social Israeli meal in SoHo. Choose it for gathering friends over shared plates, not a guaranteed party program.

Flatiron · 35 E 21st St

For contemporary Mexican cooking in Flatiron. The original shortlist’s favorite when the meal calls for more than a quick taco stop.

Chelsea Market · 75 9th Ave

For a focused taco stop at Chelsea Market. A bolded favorite to keep in your casual New York rotation.

Chelsea Market · 409 W 15th St

For seafood tacos during a Chelsea Market visit. An easy companion to a day exploring the west side.

West Village · 27 Bedford St

For a Mexican seafood meal in the West Village. Choose it when you want a smaller, more focused dinner.

Greenpoint, Brooklyn · 128 Greenpoint Ave

For a Mexican dinner in Greenpoint. Give yourself time to explore the neighborhood before settling in.

West Village · 230 W 4th St

For tacos, bar snacks, and margaritas on West 4th Street. A casual neighborhood option for a night with friends.

SoHo · 114 Kenmare St

For a downtown Mexican dinner with a social atmosphere. Pick the appropriate room when planning your visit.

Lower East Side · 253 Broome St

For a small, casual Lower East Side meal. A useful shortlist choice when you want Mexican food without a formal evening.

Tribeca · 114 Franklin St

For a seated Mexican dinner in Tribeca. The Franklin Street location is the one represented in this guide.

Lower East Side · 3 Allen St

For a Northern Mexican perspective near Chinatown and the Lower East Side. Check the current menus to choose the right format for you.