23 Best Restaurants in Harlem, New York City

This family-friendly burger joint on the bustling, brownstone-lined corner of 124th Street and Malcolm X Boulevard has a retro malt-shop interior adorned with headshots of Black entertainers and vintage Jet magazine covers. The eatery's name is a clever take on the world-famous Harlem Shake dance made popular by Harlem resident Al B, and also gives a nod to its rich organic milkshakes—such as the decadent Red Velvet, locally made with real cake and Blue Marble ice cream. Creative burgers include the award-winning Hot Mess, which is topped with pickled cherry pepper and bacon relish, American cheese, and smoky chipotle mayo. Tasty nonbeef alternatives, like the house-made veggie burger, the Hot Honey Chick sandwich (dark meat fried chicken drizzled with Mike's Hot Honey), or the simple, yet satisfying cheese fries are staples of the reasonably priced menu. There's happy hour on beer and wine during the weekdays 4--8 pm or go booze-free with a myriad of old-fashioned soda options, like the cherry-flavored Cheerwine or Earp's Sarsaparilla. Find even more seating out on the covered patio and during the summer months expect live jazz on Sunday, adding to the energetic vibe.

When Harlem resident Susannah Koteen opened Lido in 2011, she became one of the pioneers of Restaurant Row, which blossomed along Frederick Douglass Boulevard. A laid-back, yet classy restaurant with boundless appeal, this authentic Italian eatery is a neighborhood go-to for a casual dinner and the perfect date spot. The restaurant prides itself on its locally sourced ingredients and has become one of the most popular brunch spots in Harlem. Try the tuscan crostini with burrata and poached pears drizzled with honey and topped with sage as a starter and wash it down with a truly spectacular cocktail known as the Kiwi Breeze, made with coconut rum, kiwi puree, brown cane sugar, and white grapefruit juice. For brunch, don’t skip the braised short rib hash or spaghetti with veal meatballs. And to top it off, add bottomless mimosas for $20.

Marcus Samuelsson, who earned his celebrity chefdom at Aquavit in Midtown for his take on Ethiopian-accented Scandinavian cuisine (fusing the food of his birthplace with that of where he grew up), moved to Harlem in 2010, creating a culinary hot spot in this casual, jazzy-looking space with wall murals, wooden tables, and bistro chairs. The comfort-food menu reflects the ethnic diversity of modern-day New York City, from spicy jerk salmon to the shrimp and grits with tomato-okra stew. It’s very crowded during weekend brunch hours, so expect a wait for Sunday brunch, with its gospel music, boozy cocktails, and modern takes on dishes like chicken and waffles.

Famous for their southern-style comfort food, Amy Ruth’s is all about “cooking with love” with shareable plates and heaping portions. The original owner (Carl S. Redding) learned to cook at his grandmother’s side during the summer months in Alabama, and he opened the Harlem restaurant on Mother’s Day in 1998. Chef Jannette Robinson has been serving up their famous chicken and waffles, cheesy grits, and fried fish ever since, keeping with the tradition of Amy Ruth Moore Bass.

Popular with the hip brunch crowd on weekends, this bustling, family-run restaurant and bar puts a modern spin on classic American dishes with Ecuadorian, Puerto Rican, and Bangladeshi influences. Try the roasted carrots with tamarind chutney or the bold chicken vindaloo arepas (stuffed cornmeal cakes) topped with cotija (an aged cow's milk Mexican cheese) and fresh cucumber raita (Indian yogurt sauce). Each multicultural dish is packed with flavor and spice, and the fancy cocktails (like their amaretto sour made with cardamom-infused gin) are also standout.

Chef Carlos Swepson puts a contemporary spin on classic American soul food, with down-home dishes like biscuits and sausage gravy, jumbo shrimp and grits, turkey meat loaf, seven-cheese macaroni, and fried-chicken sliders. Owned and operated by Swepson and his wife, Markisha, the casual yet smart eatery serves brunch all day, every day in a comfy space directly above the entrance to the B and C trains at 116th street. There's also a DJ spinning R&B, techno, and soul on the weekends during brunch and dinner. 

Big appetites will be happy with the huge platters of St. Louis–style ribs, Memphis-style ribs, and pulled pork and brisket here, as well as the fried chicken, corn bread, slaw, and barbecue baked beans. Smaller appetites can opt for burgers, sliders, sandwiches, and salads, plus some gluten-free selections. Nearly everything is smoked or homemade at this sprawling, two-story location tucked under the West Side Highway viaduct. There’s a smaller outpost in Brooklyn.

The mantra here is "rice is culture." Chef JJ Johnson founded this rice bowl shop in 2019 with a focus on heirloom grains and the countries and places from which they're harvested. Top bowls include crispy chicken with barbecue sauce over Carolina gold rice, sticky rice with shrimp in a green curry sauce, and an Indian-inspired veggie bowl with basmati rice. The crab pockets (Johnson's version of a crab rangoon with garlic herbed cream cheese) are a delicious snack or side. Wash it all down with a dragonfruit lemonade.

After doing some shopping at NiLu next door, stop into this spacious, rustic café with exposed brick that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Specializing in Italian-American cuisine with popular options like penne alla vodka, there are also Asian-inspired dishes (like the Korean BBQ lettuce wrap made with marinated beef rib eye and maple syrup) and Mexican-inspired cuisine (think: huevos rancheros for brunch). You might have a hard time deciding between the plentiful salad or panini options, but the friendly staff will help you pick. When the weather’s nice, there’s outdoor seating in the front or you can just grab a quick latte to-go before heading off to explore the area.

"Born, bred and buttered in Harlem" is how founder Melba Wilson describes herself. After working at New York City mainstays like Rosa Mexicano and the legendary Sylvia's, she decided to venture out on her own, opening Melba's in 2005. Here, she doesn't serve appetizers, but rather "comfortizers," like spring rolls stuffed with rice, black eyed peas, collard greens, and cheddar cheese. The portions tend to be large enough to almost spill over the edge of the plate, so feel free to go straight for entrées like barbecue turkey meat loaf, country-fried catfish, or the food-coma-inducing fried chicken and eggnog waffles with strawberry butter and maple syrup.

Plowshares has come a long way (albeit just a short distance) from its days as an emerging coffee wholesaler in Hillburn, New York, roughly 30 miles from Harlem. In 2014, it ventured onto the Upper West Side's coffeehouse scene with a small flagship café; in 2019, it opened this bright, state-of-the-art, 3,000-square-foot roasting facility and coffee shop, with plenty of seating for sipping lattes, e-mailing co-workers, or watching the team roast coffee on the fire engine–red, 1940s Probat roaster.

At Ponty Bistro, Franco-Senegalese cuisine reigns supreme. The sophisticated flavors and cooking traditions of Senegal and West Africa are combined with French and Mediterranean dishes. They are served alongside house cocktails in a warm, dark-wood bistro in this oft-neglected reach of Central Harlem. With the motto “good food, good friends,” guests often return because of the entire experience, whether for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Cisse’s Pancakes, named for the chef and owner, are a crowd favorite.

From tacos and wraps, to salads and smoothies, Presto Fresh is a modern Mexican restaurant full of healthy food made with the highest quality ingredients. With a daily lunch special for less than $10 and good proportions, you’ll get plenty of bang for your buck. If you’re really hungry, try the grilled chicken burrito. Or grab flautas on the go. 

Renaissance Harlem, the third restaurant venture for chefs Cisse Elhadji and Cheikh Ali, brings upscale American cuisine to the historic neighborhood. Named as a nod to the Harlem Renaissance, the restaurant’s feel is “just right,” with music varying from nostalgic ‘90s to Afrobeats at a volume that still allows for intimate conversation. The menu fuses traditional French, African, and American spices to capture the combination of cultures and foods found in Harlem, while blending fresh local ingredients and traditional French cooking methods. The contemporary rustic interior, attentive wait staff, and friendly bartenders make for a perfect mix of casual elegance. Expect healthy portions and even better presentation. 

At this vegan and raw eatery just a few blocks north of Central Park, you won't be tempted to ask "Where's the beef?" Mother-and-son team Brenda and Aaron Beener take tasty comfort food staples and "veganize" them. For example, the raw lasagna consists of raw zucchini, spinach, cashew cheese, and marinara sauce; the barbecue riblets are a blend of lotus root and fermented soy; and the po'boy sandwich is made with fried yam or burdock root protein that mimics shrimp or crawfish, respectively.

Painted portraits of neighborhood locals adorn the arched walls of this husband-and-wife-owned, small-batch scoop shop. The selection of about 10 ice-cream flavors rotates seasonally; if possible, though, order the blueberry cheesecake ice cream known as the Chairperson of the Board. In winter, try the vegan hot chocolate; for a special occasion, order a custom-made ice-cream cake. There are also two other locations in Harlem: one farther uptown on Broadway and another on Lexington Avenue on the east side.

A Harlem mainstay, Sylvia's has been serving soul-food favorites like smothered chicken, barbecue ribs, collard greens, and mashed potatoes to a dedicated crowd of locals, tourists, and college students since 1962. Owner Sylvia Woods may have passed on in 2012, but her restaurant and signature sauces, jarred and sold online and in the restaurant, are more popular than ever. Some say it's overly touristy—as the busloads attest—but it's still worth a visit. For the ultimate experience, come for Sunday gospel brunch; singing and eating were never a more delicious combination.

The Edge Harlem is housed in what was once a meeting place for key figures of the Harlem Renaissance like Zora Neal Hurston and Langston Hughes. Known for its cozy rustic decor and creative food, this quaint but upbeat eatery is brought to you by a family unit, including two sisters Juliet and Justine. With their British and Jamaican heritage driving the menu items, the shrimp and Parmesan grits are a standout, along with the jerk salmon. And the rum punch is a cocktail favorite.

Sisters Lanise and Janine first opened a plant-based ghost kitchen on 135th Street to help the community during the height of the pandemic, but their food quickly became so popular that they opened up a new restaurant in the heart of Restaurant Row. They put a vegan spin on classic soul food dishes with starters and entrées named after familiar NYC neighborhoods, like the Flatbush (a vegan oxtail dish doused in West Indian spices) or the Bed Stuy Shrimp Fry (crispy vegan prawns served with homemade tartar sauce). The snug, bright green interior, decked out with cascading faux-flowers and ferns, feels welcoming, but you can also opt to sit in the patio area in the front. Try the mami empanadas, made from scratch every day (they sell out quickly) or the Golden Oreo vegan pudding while you're there.

Proprietor Yvette Leeper Bueno offers a thoughtful menu of Spanish- and Italian-influenced seasonal dishes, along with a welcoming atmosphere and sustainable design. The Mediterranean-focused wine list contains some unique finds and is accessibly priced but carefully curated, complementing menu highlights including spicy veal meatballs, black spaghetti with octopus and scallops, and pan-seared scallops with butternut squash puree.

A destination for those who know and love food and celebrate diversity, Yatenga serves traditional French bistro fare. With menu items prepared by a star chef and served by genuinely welcoming wait staff, this rustic-chic eatery is perfect for happy hour or dinner. For your main, the chef Gambas special (made with creamy macaroni bechamel, garlic sauce, and large shrimp) or the steak sandwich are sure to delight. Pair either with the signature Yatenga cocktail. Then after your meal, head next door for live entertainment at Shrine.