-
$$ | West Village |
The specialties at this beloved Brooklyn pizzeria and Italian-ish eatery, named for its proprietor and situated on a charming block, range from Detroit-style grandma pies (think square instead of round, thick instead of thin) to wood-fired pizzas with ingredients like clams, anchovies, and Calabrian chiles. One item that might convince you to forego pizza, though, is the signature burger, an American cheese and caramelized onion–topped beef patty on a pretzel bun.
35 Downing St., New York, New York, 10014, USA
Known For
- Different kinds of pizza
- Great signature burger
- Brooklyn favorite
-
$$ | West Village |
Not all the grappa in this charming, diminutive Italian restaurant will help you pronounce its name, but you won't care once you tuck into the fabulous pasta dishes made in the open kitchen. The menu's focus is on Tuscany with a few nods south to Rome. The pappardelle al ragù is rich and satisfying. Same for the tagliolini laced with sea urchin. But for first timers and twenty-first timers, it's impossible to pass up the cacio e pepe, a simple, gooey, cheesy Roman pasta dish that tastes like it just magically materialized from the Eternal City.
114 Christopher St., New York, New York, 10014, USA
Known For
- Long wait times
- Cacio e pepe
- Affordable carafes of house wine
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Reservations not accepted
-
$$ | West Village |
The New York outpost of the 134-year-old pizzeria in Naples that the travel memoir "Eat, Pray, Love" single-handedly turned into a must-visit stop on the tourist trail, this West Village pizzeria opened in late 2022 and has managed to quickly become one of the best Neapolitan-style pizzerias in the city. The menu here is much more expansive than the original, treading into all-encompassing trattoria fare, such as pastas and salads, but stick to the classic Margherita pie and you'll walk out of here a very happy eater.
81 Greenwich Ave., New York, New York, 10014, USA
Known For
- One of the best pizzerias in the city
- Open early for Italian-style breakfast
- "Eat, Pray, Love"
-
$$$ | West Village |
After the huge success of their other restaurants—Dhamaka on the Lower East Side and Adda in Long Island City—the owners gave an overhaul to their restaurant here, Rahi, changing the name and concept in late 2021. Semma serves Southern Indian fare to great glee from the hungry diners that pack this place on a nightly basis—and like its sibling Indian eateries, the focus here is on dishes that have not traveled much outside of India, plus nicely crafted cocktails using Indian spices and herbs.
60 Greenwich Ave., New York, New York, 10014, USA
Known For
- Lively atmosphere
- Creative Southern Indian fare
- Hard to get into
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch, Reservations essential
-
$ | West Village |
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.
183 W. 10th St., New York, New York, 10014, USA
Known For
- Excellent coffee
- An ideal neighborhood café
- Good corner spot for people-watching
-
Recommended Fodor’s Video
-
-
$$$ | West Village |
Set on the corner of Bleecker and Carmine Streets across from Father Demo Square, this American restaurant is as simple as its name. Try to nab a seat at the bar/chef's counter to get a front-row seat of the large hearth where chefs put fire to a vegetable-forward menu, plus one of the best roast chickens in the city. The wood-fired whole fish, doused with green curry, is also excellent, as is pretty much anything that comes from the hearth. The short but nicely curated wine list complements the food menu well.
232 Bleecker St., New York, New York, 10014, USA
Known For
- Chefs table
- Open view hearth
- Excellent roast anything
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No Lunch
-
$$ | West Village |
A throwback to old New York with European accents, Anton's kitchen is helmed by chef Nick Anderer who spent years cooking at the Roman-theme Maialino in Gramercy Park. Expect some old-school dishes like whitefish salad and chopped chicken liver, but also some excellent takes on pasta: the fettuccine with mutton ragù is superb. So is the bucatini Baczysnky, named for a long-time (and still existing) Ukrainian butcher shop in East Village where the chef sources his guanciale for the dish. It's really just a classic riff on Amatriciana. The casual atmosphere has an air of sophistication, perhaps thanks to the many spotlit paintings by Vitali Dvali, an artist from the Republic of Georgia.
570 Hudson St., New York, New York, 10014, USA
Known For
- Great wine list
- Excellent pasta dishes
- Attentive service
-
$$ | West Village |
Chef Jonathan Waxman had to shutter this beloved West Village Italian spot in 2019, but he fortunately found a new home for it around the corner the following year. Waxman hardly tinkered with the menu for the new location. And why would he when everything here works so well? The specialties here are rustic Italian preparations with bright flavors, like house-made gnocchi with tangy tomatoes, grilled striped bass, and pasta carbonara, though the menu changes daily, depending on what's available.
113 Horatio St., New York, New York, 10014, USA
Known For
- Succulent roasted chicken
- Rustic atmosphere
- Tasty pastas
-
$ | West Village |
Don't come here looking for the cronut, French baker Dominique Ansel's insanely popular Franken-pastry, because you won't find it (for that, head to his other bakery in SoHo). Instead, the cutting-edge baker-wizard conjures up other edible oddities such as garlic-bread croissants, a French toast–like croque monsieur, and beignets sprinkled and filled with matcha powder. In warmer months, the outdoor tables are much more pleasant than the uncomfortable stadiumlike seating setup on the inside. Nothing here will ever match the phenomenon of the cronut, but given the much shorter lines, that's a good thing.
137 7th Ave. S., New York, New York, 10014, USA
Known For
- Shorter lines than the SoHo cronut bakery
- Inventive baked goods
- Outdoor tables
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
-
$$ | West Village |
If you have a hankering for red sauce Italian–American fare, steer clear of Little Italy, and book yourself into Don Angie, a restaurant that took a staid cuisine, updated it, and made it wholly edible again: quite a task. Sit in the retro front room—featuring checkerboard floors and arched doorways—and chow down on sopressini pasta paired with mussels, garganelli noodles with meatballs and guanciale (cured pork jowl), or the excellent (and hugely portioned) lasagna for two, a spiral-shape reimagining of the classic dish.
103 Greenwich Ave., New York, New York, 10014, USA
Known For
- Making Italian-American cuisine good
- Lasagna for two
- Creative takes on pasta dishes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
-
-
$$ | West Village |
Alex Stupak worked as the pastry chef at the now-closed wd-50, New York's introduction to molecular gastronomy, so when he left to open a taqueria, many diners wondered if they'd be served deconstructed tacos. Instead, they got both straightforward options (fish tempura, lamb, steak) and surprising variations (like a taco with sweetbreads and a chorizo gravy)—all well executed and made using top-notch ingredients. There are also several variations on the margarita theme, including one using the Japanese citrus, yuzu. Empellón isn't really south-of-the-border authentic, but when it's this good, who cares? White walls, dark wood tables, and some Mexican-theme art set the mood. There's a second location on Madison Avenue and 53rd Street.
230 W. 4th St., New York, New York, 10014, USA
Known For
- Creative takes on tacos
- Noted chef
- Different kinds of margaritas
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
-
$$$ | West Village |
Subterranean Fedora was an ancient, little-patronized restaurant until 2011, when the old Italian owner left the building and restaurateur Gabe Stulman took over, revamping the place to attract a younger, hip crowd. The kitchen now churns out French Canadian–accented fare like garlic-cream-topped duck breast and scallops paired with bone marrow. Creative cocktails give the space a buzzy, almost clubby vibe. Fedora (the restaurant) will never be the same, and that might be a good thing.
239 W. 4th St., New York, New York, 10014, USA
Known For
- French-Canadian dishes
- Potent cocktails
- Narrow space
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
-
$$ | West Village |
This Philly import has been a huge hit with locals since it first traveled north and set up shop on Hudson Street in 2013. It has an intimate vibe, with low lights and bowls of pasta, seafood, and roasted chicken are on offer. Large windows allow for great West Village street viewing.
637 Hudson St., New York, New York, 10014, USA
Known For
- Intimate atmosphere
- Roasted turkey sandwich
- Weekend brunch
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
-
$$$ | West Village |
In a city where you can't throw a meatball without hitting an Italian restaurant, this minimalist-designed, Tuscan-focused eatery is a real find. Spiky-haired owner Rita Sodi, a Florentine who formerly worked in the fashion industry, ensures the traditional Italian fare coming from the kitchen is satisfying and seasonal. Expect a bevy of pasta dishes, topped with good stuff like duck ragù, as well as artichoke-laced lasagna and pancetta-wrapped pork and rabbit. Hoist a glass of grappa at the end of the meal, and be happy you're in the right place. Chef Sodi also runs the excellent Via Carota around the corner on Grove Street. Service can be frustratingly cantankerous at times.
105 Christopher St., New York, New York, 10014, USA
Known For
- High-quality, seasonal Tuscan fare
- Good pasta dishes
- Minimalist look
-
$$$ | West Village |
It would be understandable if, upon entering this dark-hued, dimly lit restaurant where patrons are ordering from the martini menu and tucking into large-portioned plates of red meat, you mistook the place for a classic old-school New York spot, a place that has been here since the 1950s. In fact, Jack & Charlie's, which opened in late 2021, only wants you to think that. The menu here is also a throwback with satisfying bone-in duck meat loaf and black–garlic–marinated strip steak, among other meaty delights.
118 Greenwich Ave., New York, New York, 10011, USA
Known For
- Retro, mid-century atmosphere
- Ambient, triangle-shape bar area
- Bone-in duck meat loaf
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
-
-
$ | West Village |
The very first location of what is now a mini chain in New York City, this jewel box of a coffeehouse only has four tables (and a bench outside), but if you're lucky enough to nab one, you'll feel cozy and comfortable among the West Village regulars who frequent the place. Oh yeah, the coffee is quite good, too.
138 W. 10th St., New York, New York, 10014, USA
Known For
- Strong coffee
- Friendly atmosphere
- Local hangout
-
$$ | West Village |
Many restaurants have come and gone from this corner location, but it seems this lauded Korean spot, with its tall windows, wood tables, and modern lighting, will be boiling noodles and simmering broths for a while. Specializing in Korean ramen, called ramyun, Jeju concocts spicy deliciousness in a bowl, producing cauldrons filled with smooth, rich veal broth bobbing with tender brisket and Wagyu, among other specialties. The chef worked in the kitchens of Bouley, Nobu, and Per Se; you can tell with the first slurp he has the skill to thrill.
679 Greenwich St., New York, New York, 10014, USA
Known For
- Korean-style ramen
- Pork-belly steamed buns
- Sake and soju lists
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
-
$ | West Village |
You might recognize this Village institution from its frequent cameos in TV and film (in Spider-Man, Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker was a Joe's delivery boy). But it's the classic, gooey, New York slice, dripping melted cheese onto paper plates, that really makes the place famous. And in a city brimming with by-the-slice spots, the crispy-bottomed offerings here are the best.
7 Carmine St., New York, New York, 10014, USA
Known For
- An excellent New York slice
- Cash only
- Gruff service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
-
$$ | West Village |
At the back of this long, narrow restaurant is a beautifully tiled, wood-fired oven that is used to cook (at 1,000º F) what might be Manhattan's most authentic Neapolitan pies. Blistered and chewy around the edges, the margherita pie gives way to a softer center pooled with San Marzano tomato sauce and house-made mozzarella. There are numerous pizza options, including white pies and gluten-free crusts. This is a definite contender for best pizza in New York. The dining room is casual, and the location means it's almost always busy.
271 Bleecker St., New York, New York, 10014, USA
Known For
- Varieties of authentic Neapolitan pizza
- Gluten-free option
- Always busy
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Reservations not accepted
-
$$$ | West Village |
Diners still line up down the street before the restaurant opens for dinner to get a table at this small but bustling seafood shack that is also an ideal West Village neighborhood restaurant. The menu changes with whatever is caught and in season but expect excellent fried oysters, chowders, and, of course, the famous lobster roll with crisp fries. All of this will have you licking your fingers, and the killer hot fudge sundae is worth saving room for. The staff here is warm and friendly, too. This is the kind of place everyone wishes was in their neighborhood.
64 Charles St., New York, New York, 10014, USA
Known For
- Lobster rolls
- Hot fudge sundae
- Friendly staff
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun., Reservations not accepted
