Among the gastronomic greatest hits worth checking out here: handmade mozzarella, oysters, veal and lamb stuffed ravioli, and gelato. And lots and lots of wine. Read more.
This relaxed Midtown spot lures locals and out-of-towners alike with a menu that supplements comfort food (pizzas, an eight-ounce burger) with adventurous fare like the Drunken Duck Quesadillas ($14). Read more.
Among the most popular items is the breakfast club sandwich with a fried egg, bacon, tomato, avocado and mayonnaise served with a side of fries. Read more.
Don't be intimidated by GQ magazine's labeling of The Smile as "The White-Hot Center of New York Cool." This basement cafe is welcoming and casual. Try the roast-beef sandwich ($11.50). Read more.
The $14 Jane Burger (with cheddar, double-smoked bacon and a special sauce) is a popular and juicy menu item. Read more.
You can't go wrong with mofongo, a dish of ground plantains mixed with pork and cheese and dripping in cheese sauce. Read more.
This is Foursquare co-founder Dennis Crowley's favorite bar, which he told us in a video tour of the East Village. Read more.
For first-timers, a safe bet is the lunch special offered Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. that includes an original bareburger (beef, turkey or veggie), fries and soda for $10.95. Read more.
Popular brunch options include the biscuits Benedict with house-smoked ham and poached eggs; buttermilk pancakes with marmalade and pecan butter; and the poached eggs with bacon cheddar grits. Read more.
The eggs Benedict and Florentine are poached to perfection, but the headliner is Eggs Bar Tabac: two over easy served atop a bowl of baked ratatouille. All egg dishes are $9.95. Read more.
Standouts include the chicken skin fried chicken ($9), a Cuban sandwich with cornichons ($7), and fantastic frozen banana custard ($4). Read more.
This decidedly old-school steakhouse is a rite of passage for Wall Street traders willing to shell out $88 for the signature porterhouse for two. Lunch reservations are doable, but bring cash. Read more.
In 2002, the restaurant added a three-course prix fixe to target "ladies who lunch" ($37). But the signature dish remains a Dover sole with champagne cream, served on a silver platter ($55). Read more.
The bagels here aren't merely Montreal style: They're baked in Montreal and trucked over the border each morning. Popular brunch items include the brisket hash and the house-cured lox. Read more.
Thirty-seven raw-oyster varieties, from Bluepoints to Beavertail, are the main attraction here, though the most popular dish is grilled swordfish over a frisse, mache and radicchio salad ($27.95). Read more.
The distinctively French brunches here feature croques madames and monsieurs and steak frites. After dining, check out the Manhattan skyline in Gantry State Park. Read more.
Is the Schnitzel truck a terrorist threat? Police used that excuse in booting the truck from its usual Friday spot at 54th & Lex. "I was stunned," said an owner. "I mean, I'm just selling schnitzel." Read more.
This 83-year-old landmark property's $200 million makeover is facing deep financial woes. Note the top-floor suites, which the hotel is struggling to convert into private residences. Read more.
After eating, buy some ingredients for a DIY paella: Bomba rice, olive oil, chorizo, pimentón, and saffron. Ask at the counter, and they'll cheerfully give instructions for cooking the rice. Read more.
