When it comes to eating in New York, you know my opinion: this city is a paradise and the options go beyond fast food and pizza, as many people (usually tourists lol) still insist on believing so. One of the things Thiago and I love to do the most is going out for lunch or dinner and, over the last few months, we’ve been to some amazing restaurants and as we really enjoyed the experience we had, I thought it would be great to talk about them on a post because they really are worth the visit.
ATTENTION: Check opening hours on Google!
Ainslie – Italian restaurant + Beer garden + an incredible location: this restaurant is located at an old warehouse in Williamsburg. The rustic decoration is beautiful and gives a special charm to the place. The Beer Garden at the back of the restaurant has a glass roof (which they open in summer) and many plants. The place has a very cool vibe and can be a good option for either friends or couples. On Saturday nights, it is usually very busy. Ainslie’s menu features Italian cuisine delights, including fresh pasta ($16 on average) and pizza ($14 on average), as well as side dishes such as Arancini and Burrata. In addition, Ainslie offers a variety of beers and wines. And from Monday to Friday, from 4 pm to 7 pm, there is a happy hour, with even more special prices: $7 pizzas, $6 wines and $5 beers. Important: Ainslie only accepts reservations for groups larger than 5 people.
Address: 76 Ainslie St.
Emily -a friend of mine who recommended me to this restaurant. She said the burger was the best – but she and her husband had seen the pizzas and they were very tempted to try as well. Just in case, she told me that we should try both. And in reality, the restaurant is famous for these two dishes. There is only one burger option on the menu. It costs $26 – worths every penny – and features a Pat LaFrieda patty, one of the best in the country (you’ll notice the difference), special sauce, and caramelized onion. It’s juicy, full of flavor! It also comes with super crispy curly chips. The pizzas are Detroit Style -squared shaped pizza with a crispy crust. There are several flavors of pizza and we chose Emily – $25 – with cheese, pistachios, truffles, and honey. I like to try not obvious flavors so I can say it was one of the best pizzas we have ever eaten here n NYC. There are other pizza flavor options on the menu and prices start at $17. You can make a reservation!
Two locations: 35 Downing St (West Village) / 919 Fulton Street (Brooklyn).
Boulud Sud –We discovered this restaurant looking for a place to have lunch in the Upper West Side area near the Lincoln Center. And what a pleasant surprise. With a refined atmosphere, it serves Mediterranean food. Everything we ate was so well prepared: from the presentation to the aroma to the taste of the dishes. We were impressed. The menu includes delights like hummus and lamb and fish dishes. We were there on a Saturday – brunch day – and got the price-fix deal (appetizer and main dish) for $29. Our starter choices were the pumpkin soup, plus the Mezze, with hummus and babaganoush. For the main course, we got a sort of Moroccan wrap, as well as grilled fish, with Patatas bravas. They also have a price-fix dinner menu from 5 pm to 7 pm for $ 65, including appetizer, main, and dessert – a very good price for the quality of the food and the environment of the restaurant. If you like Mediterranean food, be sure to try it. Address: 20 W 64th St.
Felice – another Italian restaurant – you can see that we are huge fans, right? Felice has some locations around the city and I consider it a great spot for a more romantic dinner. The place is so charming, perfect for a special occasion! Everything we ordered was simply fantastic. The burrata with asparagus and zucchini is a delight! I got a fish (Merluzzo al Limone and Capperi) with vegetables and the sauce was so unique and tasty I can’t even describe it. Thiago got a classic lasagna, with homemade flavor. For dessert, I have to highlight the Tiramisù – I love the fact that this dessert is not super sweet! For reference, pasta dishes start at $20. It is worth mentioning that Felice offers lunch with a fixed price of $ 26 (appetizer, main, and dessert) from Monday to Friday! There is also a Pasta Bar at Time Out Market. Felice at 56 is a great spot for dinner before or after a Broadway show.
Locations 1593 1st Avenue | 1166 1st Avenue | 15 W 56th St | 15 Gold Street at Gild Hall Hotel
The Fulton – restaurant located at the brand new Pier 17. Under the direction of the world-renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, it is the chef’s first restaurant focused on seafood. It has a super sophisticated atmosphere – plus the incredible view of the East River and the magnificent Brooklyn Bridge. The restaurant is open for lunch, dinner and brunch, and the menu includes various fish and seafood dishes. We were there for dinner and still arrived in time to catch Happy Hour, with oysters at $1.50. For the main course, we chose Fish & Crisp, a (delicious) new version of the classic Fish & Chips ($24), plus Fish Stew ($ 34), so delicious. As we always do, Thiago and I share everything. Seafood dishes are usually more expensive on average, and here they cost from $21 to $42. You can check all the options by clicking here.
Address: 89 South St.
Queensyard – I wanted to check out one of the Hudson Yards restaurants for a long time and nothing better than a restaurant overlooking The Vessel! Queensyard is a British-designed restaurant inspired by the rooms of an English country house. In fact, the decoration of the place is a dream and the view of the monument is a plus. The menu features modern British cuisine with influences on both sides of the Atlantic. We were there for lunch, which has a fixed price of $ 49 including an appetizer and main course. There are very diverse dishes and we chose the scallops and the burrata and also truffled risotto and pork chop, as well as a cocktail. Before the appetizers, they still serve a perfect warm bread. The food is very well prepared and the presentation of the dishes also deserves attention. Remember that Queensyard also has afternoon tea as well as dinner. You can check out all the menus on the website.
Also: I made our reservation using Resy and I asked for a table with a view.
Address: The Shops at Hudson Yards, Level 4.
What are the other restaurants that you recommend?
More tips?
I’m a curator on Seek, a new NYC-based app complete with recommendations and tips on where to eat, drink, and hang out. Their recommendations are brought by New Yorkers who have tried a huge amount of places in the city. Check out their website at seekrecs.com, as well as their app at Seek – NY City Recommendations to check out more of my recs – my profile is @lauraperuchi
Content creator and journalist in New York City. Here, I share lifestyle, beauty, NYC tips, thoughts, and the struggles about living in the most amazing city in the world! I’m not gonna pretend to be another person: I’m a Brazilian immigrant and I think this is my soul, it is part of who I am. I hope you enjoy my content! Follow me on Instagram!
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