65 Best Restaurants in New York City, New York

A.L.C. Italian Grocery

$ Fodor's choice

Modeled after an old-school salumeria, and run by the grandson of Bensonhurst’s beloved Italian food importing and distribution business, D. Coluccio & Sons, this specialty grocery stocks everything from cheese, chocolate, salami, imported pasta, sauces, bread, and pizza dough to prepared foods and salads. The memorable Italian heroes and sandwiches include the Pork Ridge (with homemade porchetta, Italian Crucolo cheese, and the spicy, spreadable salami called 'nduja) and the vegetable and ricotta sandwich. There are a few tables up front, but the prime picnic territory of Shore Park is just a short walk away.

Ample Hills Creamery

$ Fodor's choice

Among artisanal ice-cream fans, nobody has earned a more passionate following than Ample Hills, the Prospect Heights creamery started by screenwriter Brian Smith and his wife, Jackie Cuscuna. Their Gowanus branch churns with families and ice-cream aficionados, who pack the second-floor terrace and attend ice-cream-making classes. Favorite flavors are Mexican Hot Chocolate and Salted Crack Caramel.

Baked

$ | Red Hook Fodor's choice

Original creations like the Brookster (chocolate chip cookie dough baked inside a brownie) and delicious interpretations of whoopie pies, blondies, bars, and cookies keep this sleek bakery and café buzzing. There are breakfast items and a few lunchtime savory selections, too. Buy the cookbook so you can re-create the recipes at home.

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Blue Bottle Coffee

$ Fodor's choice

Self-described coffee aficionados line up for the espresso and pour-overs at Blue Bottle, which originated in Oakland but feels very much at home in Williamsburg. The former factory building has light streaming in through large windows so the La Marzocco espresso machine seems to shine, and a Kyoto-style iced-coffee dripper, which looks like it belongs in a science lab, is displayed opposite the coffee counter. There's not much seating, so it's best to get your coffee and snack (mmmm, s'mores) to go. Beans are roasted in a vintage Probat roaster in back.

Brooklyn Roasting Company

$ | DUMBO Fodor's choice

Artfully disheveled staffers brew coffee from fair-trade and rain-forest alliance–certified beans, while local gallerists and start-up techies flirt over perfectly poured cortados and other beverages at this East River--adjacent café. The loft-style industrial space is filled with antique roasting equipment and ample seating, and also serves pastries and sandwiches.

Búdin

$ | Greenpoint Fodor's choice

Coffee aficionados head to Greenpoint for Búdin’s $10 latte—it's pricey because it's made with Danish licorice syrup, topped with licorice powder, and served on a silver tray. Come during the day for coffee by the Oslo-based roaster Tim Wendelboe, whose beans are favored by top European chefs, or after hours for wine and Nordic craft beer. The back of the shop is stocked with a rotating selection of Scandinavian-design goods .

Cafe Regular

$ | Park Slope Fodor's choice

A charming European atmosphere and a focus on top-quality products like La Colombe coffee, Jacques Torres hot chocolate, and Dona chai (hand-brewed in Brooklyn) make the two tiny locations in Park Slope feel like a special-occasion getaway. Snacks are few but the relatively new red banquettes make it comfy to linger longer. The petite spot at 318a 11th Street is best visited solo.

Devoción

$ Fodor's choice

At this coffee shop with roots in Bogotá, the beauty of the space is matched by the quality of the coffee, which comes exclusively from small farms in Colombia. Fresh beans are brought directly to Brooklyn, where they're roasted on-site within a few days of arrival. Take a seat on one of the leather sofas under the skylight or at a table in front of the living wall, and enjoy a cappuccino with one of the homemade medialunas or croissants. The stylish space has books, magazines, and even dominoes—perfect for a relaxing Sunday afternoon.

Four & Twenty Blackbirds

$ Fodor's choice

Pie, ordered whole or by the slice, is why you come to this rustic flagship of the Elsen sisters' enterprise. The bakers are experts on the topic, having written a definitive book and appeared in basically every food magazine around. The café usually has five or six pies, plus a variety of baked goods.

Gorilla Coffee

$ | Park Slope Fodor's choice

This popular Brooklyn-based brand has fueled Park Slope since 2002 with its specially blended roasts and beans from direct-trade and family farms. There's a pour-over menu with the concise descriptions you'd expect on a fine-wine menu. Business is just as brisk as at the now closed original location, but the sleek interior is a 180-degree upgrade. Muffins from nearby Blue Sky Bakery and baked goods from Colson's Patisserie are in good supply. The window seats are prime spots to watch the steady stream of foot traffic. There's free Wi-Fi, but no outlet use.

La Cabra

$ | East Village Fodor's choice

Despite the name—"La Cabra" means "The Goat" in Spanish—this diminutive coffee place is a caffeinated Danish powerhouse that really packs a flavor punch. The coffee supplier for many of the Michelin-starred restaurants in Denmark, La Cabra is anchored in the East Village for extraordinary cumin buns and dazzlingly delicious high-quality coffee in form of espressos and pour-overs.

Little Skips

$ | Bushwick Fodor's choice

Artwork by local artists, some of them customers, hang on the wall at this popular hangout space that lures a large contingent of freelancers typing away on their laptops. The sandwiches are excellent, and gluten-free substitutes are available for an additional charge. Service can be slow, but there's plenty of people-watching while you wait.

Moss Café

$$ | Riverdale Fodor's choice

A quaint, whitewashed facade highlighted by a colorful vegetable mural gives a hint of what lies within at this sustainability-minded and kosher café: produce-forward dishes, including farm-sourced grain bowls, shakshuka (eggs in a spicy tomato sauce), salads, and sandwiches like the tasty tofu banh mi, plus homemade baked goods. Indoor seating is limited, but outdoor seating is on a relatively quiet and picturesque side street.

St. Jardim

$ | West Village Fodor's choice

Named for a neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, there really isn't anything particularly Brazilian about this diminutive, all-day corner café. In the morning and afternoon, perch yourself at the bar for superlative coffee, excellent egg-y dishes, sandwiches, and variations on the theme of toast. In the evening, the lights go down, the natural wine bottles get uncorked, and the kitchen churns out Mediterranean-leaning snacks to nibble on.

Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream

$ | Greenpoint Fodor's choice

Renowned for all-natural ice cream and exotic flavors like sorrel blackberry crumble and matcha green tea, Van Leeuwen has established a small ice-cream empire in New York City. Everything is made in-house from the highest-quality ingredients: special flavors like pumpkin are available seasonally, and vegan ice cream is especially popular. Greenpoint was the first brick-and-mortar shop, although its current location is down the street from the pint-size original. In warm weather, get a cone to go and stroll through nearby McCarren Park.

Abracadabra

This Turkish-owned bakery is a cozy stop for a quick breakfast, lunch, or afternoon snack. Grab a table in front of the street art--style mural and settle in with sandwiches and wraps, or vegan and gluten-free pastries like the coffee cake (served with berries in summer, pumpkin in fall). Chocoholics should try the intense Nutella pouf, a flaky confection filled with Nutella and served warm.

Almondine Bakery

$ | DUMBO

Jacques Torres's partner Herve Poussot bakes Gallic pastries (think fresh-baked fraisier with fresh strawberries and mousseline crème) and delectable quiches and croissants, and serves sandwiches on award-winning baguettes, in this spot across the street from Torres's chocolate shop. The petit storefront's interior is nothing special, but the staff are friendly and the seating is abundant.

Anopoli Family Restaurant

This Bay Ridge institution has been around for more than a hundred years, and the ice-cream sundaes are the stuff of childhood dreams—the banana split is fantastic. There's a full menu of typical diner fare that's decent, but the sundaes are the real attraction.

AP Café

$ | Bushwick

Conveniently located amid the street-art murals of the Bushwick Collective, this minimalist café has expansive windows perfect for art- and people-watching—though most of the crowd is busy staring at their laptops. Grab expertly pulled coffee on the go or stick around for Instagram-worthy healthy sandwiches, soups, and brunch dishes.

Archway Cafe

$ | DUMBO

Artwork by local artists lines the walls of this breezy café that serves soups, salads, and excellent sandwiches big enough to share. In warm weather, take your order to go, and enjoy an alfresco spread on nearby picnic tables beneath the Manhattan Bridge.

Birch Coffee

$ | Upper East Side

Grab a quick pick-me-up at either of Birch's two Upper East Side caffeine dealers (the other is at 171 E. 88th St.), but don't be fooled if you hear it called a chain—despite the company's now many locations, this is a local business that roasts all of its coffee beans in small batches just across the East River in Long Island City, Queens. Varieties of single-origin coffee and espresso change by the season, and as an added bonus they sell Dough Donuts, baked and delivered fresh daily.

Bittersweet

$ | Fort Greene

Tight on space but long on taste, this slim café is named for its two primary menu categories: coffee and desserts. Baristas know most customers both by sight and by their La Colombe coffee beverage of choice. Pair yours with pastries from the best of the local bakeries or opt for something savory like a salad or a sandwich on Balthazar bread.

Bouchon Bakery & Café

$$ | Upper West Side

Never mind that you're in the middle of a shopping mall—soups and sandwiches don't get much more luxurious than at acclaimed chef Thomas Keller's low-key lunch spot (one floor down from his extravagant flagship, Per Se). It draws long lines for good reason; fork-and-knife open-face tartines, like the tuna niçoise, are delicious. Share a mason jar of salmon rillettes—cooked and smoked salmon folded around crème fraîche and butter. For lunch fare with this much pedigree, the price is actually a bargain. Grab dessert, a fresh macaron or éclair, from the nearby bakery window.

Breads Bakery

$ | Union Square

Drop in for the famously decadent babka (a yeast bread with layers of chocolate or cinnamon), rugelach (flaky, crescent-shape cookies), or any of the other baked goods, but stay for a coffee and a light meal. The front counter is for breads, cakes, and cookies; the back counter turns out sandwiches, quiches, and salads.

Café Frederick

$ | Harlem

If you want to kick back in a comfortable environment with lots of natural light, try this laid-back neighborhood hangout. Its beans are sourced from the Brooklyn Roasting Company (one of the city's finest coffee emporiums), and, in addition to quality java, its menu features paninis, savory crepes, and other casual fare, as well as several wines by the glass and beers in the bottle.

Café Grumpy

$ | Greenpoint

Made famous by the HBO television show Girls—the character Ray works here—this indie coffee shop roasts its beans in the roastery next door and sends them to its other cafés around the city. Café Grumpy serves all the usual drip coffee and espresso drinks plus pastries, with gluten-free options. This location, opened in 2005, was the first.

Café Madeleine

In addition to excellent coffee, tea, and even kombucha (on tap), this bustling café near the Q train serves local farm-fresh and homemade fare from eggs and biscuits to veggie and poke bowls. Sandwiches come piled high with organic ingredients such as fresh avocado, leafy greens, and the "world's best" pastrami. You'll want to try all 10 grilled cheeses, be it classic cheddar, fig and apple, or another delectable variation. Though a tad cramped, the café's more than 30 tables are spread out in two rooms.

Café Pedlar

$ | Cobble Hill

The folks behind Frankie's 457 and Prime Meats in Carroll Gardens operate this bustling café whose limited seating only heightens its cachet. The expert staffers pull espresso drinks and pour-overs made with the latest and greatest roasts from nearby Stumptown. If you want to try something different, look for the output of "guest roasters" like Mad Cap from Grand Rapids, Michigan, or Anchored Coffee of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. At the pastry counter you can pick up cookies, croissants, quiches, or the toothsome soft pretzels.

Choice Market

If you're planning a picnic at the Pratt Institute Sculpture Park or looking for a low-key meal, this take-out counter and café will do you right. Prepared salads, sandwiches, and excellent pastries are pricier than your average corner deli, but then again, most bodegas don't have farro salad, salmon burgers, or pear brûlée cheesecake on the menu. Service can be slow.

Coffee Mob

Attentive baristas expertly prepare luscious lattes and single-origin cold-brewed coffee in this stylistically minimal corner coffee shop. Owner Buck Berk personally travels to farms around the world to find Coffee Mob's beans, which are roasted at Brooklyn's Pulley Collective. Enjoy your coffee with pastries or a bagel and feel revived with both caffeine and the shop's abundant natural light.

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