On the Road: Top New York City Restaurants
The city that never sleeps is known for its melting-pot mix of global ingredients and cuisines. Sample the Big Apple's eclectic offerings of international eats, drinks, street food and more.
Artichoke Basille's Pizza
Bar Boulud
Daniel Boulud is known for haute French cuisine. But on The Best Thing I Ever Ate, former New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni praised Boulud’s homier menu and the classic croque monsieur sandwich. Gruyère and heritage ham meld perfectly, much like the foie gras favorite Pâté Grand-Père.
Clinton St. Baking Co. & Restaurant
Red Rooster
Wherever Chopped judge Marcus Samuelsson cooks, you can be sure his flavors will pull from his past and present. Red Rooster is no exception. Marcus serves modern Harlem comfort foods like Fried Yardbird, and Mac & Greens. As a nod to his Swedish roots, he's added Helga's Meatballs to the menu.
The Breslin Bar & Dining Room
When Bruni craves a burger — a chargrilled lamb burger, to be specific — he heads to The Breslin, a British gastropub helmed by Chef April Bloomfield. Located in the Ace Hotel, the popular spot boasts decadent comfort food and a fashionable clientele.
Employees Only
Chef Rocco DiSpirito called the Bacon-Wrapped Lamb Chops appetizer at Employees Only "the best one-bite wonder that you'll ever have." Swing by the charming speakeasy-style spot for top-notch artisanal cocktails and a mix of hearty entrees, like roast chicken and short ribs.
Parm
Lupa
When Rachael Ray craves a big old plate of pasta, she heads to Lupa, a Roman trattoria. The casual setting ties into its homey plates, including rustic Spaghetti alla Carbonara and the favorite Ricotta Gnocchi. Diners rave about the newest Roman-style late-night menu.
Baked
Before this hip Brooklyn bakery went head-to-head with Chef Bobby on Throwdown, it was Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito’s chance at perfecting dessert. Today Baked has become a sweet-tooth mecca with its favorites, which include red velvet cupcakes and the Sweet & Salty Brownie.
Balthazar
Barney Greengrass
Blue Smoke
As a pioneer of the urban barbecue scene, Chef Kenny Callaghan has created finger-licking barbecue right in a potato chip. On The Best Thing I Ever Ate, Susan Feniger raves about his chips, perfectly matched with blue cheese and bacon dip. It's a great start to scrumptious pit barbecue.
Caracas Arepa Bar
Lombardi’s
For true New York-style pizza, look no further than America’s first, and some say best, pizzeria in the U.S. Since 1897 Lombardi’s has been winning over New Yorkers like Rachael with a perfect balance of marinara and mozzarella, all atop a thin crust baked in a coal-fired oven.
The Bagel Store
The Lobster Place
Bobby loves picking up lobster from this Chelsea Market spot. In addition to lobster, it also sells 650 varieties of live, fresh and frozen seafood throughout the year. For a quick and delicious seafood-filled meal, try their lobster rolls, oysters on the half shell, or some of the handmade sushi.