Discover 9 of the best restaurants in New York

This SoHo institution is famed for its French cuisine, but the breakfast here is known for being as good as any in the city, and it’s probably the easiest time of the day to get a table.

When it comes to the best restaurants in New York, if you want a stomach-busting, calorie fuelled affair there are plenty of options.

However, you can’t miss grabbing a pastry from the attached bakery, which serves up a cornucopia of buttery delights.

Aside from offering one of the most famous breakfasts in New York City, it’s also a great spot for seeing some famous faces.

Whilst it may look like a bog-standard diner from the outside, La Bonbonniere is anything but that.

The West Village eatery is famed for its laid-back atmosphere, attentive servers, and wallet-friendly meals that don’t compromise on quality.

They’ve become a firm favourite of locals who consider it to be one of the best restaurants in New York.

You may have to queue, but the staff are incredibly efficient at getting bodies in and out.

The only thing to watch out for is that it’s cash only, but there are numerous ATMs in the area, so that shouldn’t be a problem.

Crossing over the East River, Pegasus is a breakfast/brunch specialist venue, and when you take that first bite of any delectable dish on the menu, you can tell.

There’s an excellent selection of meals to start your day and the relaxed atmosphere only adds to the experience.

Most importantly though, the coffee is to die for, and all of this combined means it’s quickly becoming one of the most famous breakfasts in New York City and one of the best restaurants in New York for brekkie too.

This eatery describes itself as hip and high-energy, and it’s easy to see why.

Serving up new takes on old American classics whilst using entirely locally sourced and seasonal ingredients, Atrium has dragged fine dining over the East River and shown Manhattanites just what can be done in Brooklyn.

It has cemented itself as one of the best restaurants in New York in this district.

The industrial chic surroundings are complemented by a veritable forest of greenery on the walls, and the wine and cocktail list is almost as exciting as the food. Almost.

Restaurants serving dishes from the Indian subcontinent are often considered unrefined in America due to cuisines from more established cultures (such as Korean or Mexican) having more cheerleaders, but if you only ate at Neerob, that story wouldn’t make sense to you.

A favourite of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Anthony Bourdain, this Bronx-based Bengali restaurant has a menu that includes several classics, all at a wallet-friendly price.

Be warned though, that the menu can change based on which ingredients are available, which is always a good sign of the quality of produce.

You can’t have a list of the best restaurants in New York for lunch and ignore Manhattan, and that’s because of places like Le Bernardin.

With an incredible three Michelin stars, the French spot has been around for almost four decades, and in that time, they’ve perfected what they do.

Whilst this amount of success might have made some restaurateurs lazy, the number of accolades this place has racked up shows Le Bernardin has, if anything, kept improving.

You will need a reservation, but it will be worth it.

Tucked away in the heart of the East Village, Madame Vo excels in a city packed to the brim with top-class Vietnamese joints.

Often on the best restaurants in New York hit list, it was founded by a husband and wife duo, the intimate restaurant brings home-cooked Vietnamese food to the masses (or, tries to; you may have to wait to be seated because of the cosy nature of the place).

Stylish without being pretentious and delicious in all ways, there’s a reason why this place (and sister restaurant Madame Vo Barbeque) have developed an almost cultish following.

The oldest restaurant on the best restaurants in New York list, L&B Spumoni Gardens serves up classic Sicilian fare and famous NYC slices the size of your head.

Everything is made on-site and with fresh ingredients, which is what gives it an edge over the abundant competition.

Brooklynites have been coming here for over 80 years to gorge on carbs and sweet goods, and it’s clear the original owner Ludovico Barbati wasn’t joking when he claimed that “Pizza is an art”.

It’s not all tomatoey, cheesey, doughy goodness, though: as the name implies, the spumoni is outstanding.

Whilst Corona in Queens is undoubtedly the spot for top-notch Mexican food, if you want top-notch flavours in a stylish setting instead of a wrapper that leaves you dropping half of your burrito on the floor, Cosme in the Flatiron District is the place to be.

Sleek surroundings, delicious, locally sourced ingredients and innovative chefs make this restaurant an unmissable stop on any food tour of the best restaurants in New York.

The beverage menu is as unique and inspiring as the food, and the house cocktails are as delicious as anything on your plate.

Almost as famous as the city itself, Zabar’s is a speciality food store located on the Upper West side and has been referenced so much in pop culture it’s got its own Wikipedia page.

Founded by Ukrainian immigrants, the produce on offer comes from all over the world, but what you really need to sample is the smoked salmon, cheese, and baked goods.

There are dozens of places in New York called Joe’s Pizza and many of which could garner inclusion in any local’s list of the best restaurants in New York.

However, if you ask any Downtown resident, there’s only one real Joe’s Pizza. This Greenwich institution was established in the 70s and offers the quintessential New York slice.

The original Joe still runs the Greenwich restaurant and forty years of passion shines through with every bite.

Now spread over three locations, this bagel specialist excels in a part of the world where holey, doughy magic is seen as a religion.

The original on Bergen Street in Brooklyn is almost always packed, and for good reason.

Fresh ingredients and innovative when it comes to toppings, if you only have one bagel in New York, it should be here.