15 New York City bites I can't stop thinking about

If there’s one thing New York City knows how to do, it’s giving you options — a LOT of them. It’s a place of tradition and trend, where both viral obsessions and tried and true favorites coexist and contribute to the infinite variety found in every nook of the city. It’s this delicate balance of old and new that keeps the city alive and fresh while still paying homage to the previous generations that helped shape its story — and no where is this more apparent than in the food scene.

One of my favorite things about New York is that you never have to go to the same place twice. With over 8,000 restaurants across the five boroughs, you could have a meal at a different place once a day and it would still take you 23 years to dine at every single spot. Add to this the seemingly never-ending list of new places opening weekly and you’ve got yourself a real challenge (for both your stomach and your wallet).

I’ve lived in a few cities that have amazing food scenes (hello Melbourne & D.C.) and some that left much to be desired (sorry, Nashville), and I can confidently say New York is the best. Regardless of the cuisine, vibe, service, or price tag you’re looking for, the city won’t just give you one or two options. It’ll give you 100. And let’s face it — meals are one of few things we still have left that bring us together. There’s nothing better than an evening spent with good company, enjoying good conversation over good food.

When I moved to the city, my best friend put me on to Beli, a restaurant-based social media app where you can bookmark places you want to go, rank where you’ve been, and see where your friends are eating. A must-have for foodies and restaurant enthusiasts alike, Beli inspired me to track my favorite places across the city — and has more than once called me out on my love for dessert and French food.

As someone who loves to dine out at new places more often than I should (if you say trying new restaurants isn’t a hobby, you’re wrong!), it takes a lot for me to be a repeat customer — but it does happen. So here is a ranking of 15 of my favorite New York City bites, big and small, that I can’t stop thinking about and that I would absolutely go back for.

*This list doesn’t include sweet treats or desserts — those deserve their own rankings.

**Don’t read this hungry!

Middle Eastern dining meets hip, vibrant vibes at Shukette, a bustling restaurant bringing fresh and bold flavors to Chelsea. The menu is great, the playlist fire, and the atmosphere leans trendy and cool but still unpretentious. They’re known for their “rip and dip” philosophy of sharing breads and spreads, which are so rich and flavorful — and a great way to kick off my top 15 bites in the city.

The bite: Frena bread paired with any of their dips, but especially the hummus, labneh, and tzatziki

Reservation availability: Doable if you book right when they’re released

Italian restaurants are everywhere in New York, and a lot of them are really good. My favorites tend to be those that keep things simple and let the flavors of the dish do the talking. L’Artusi is a cozy, inviting place in the West Village that passes for both a local gem and a must-try visit for any Italian food lovers. The dishes are simple, the service attentive, and the vibes warm. The cacio e pepe is exquisite, and as someone who doesn’t usually gravitate towards pasta, a top bite in the city.

The bite: Pici ‘Cacio e Pepe’ made with black pepper, pecorino, and parmigiano

Reservation availability: Difficult, but not impossible. Check for cancellations throughout the week.

As someone who loves the old school, classic vibes of Monkey Bar, I’m glad to report it’s also an excellent destination for girl dinner: caesar salad, fries, and a martini.

I’ve written about Monkey Bar as one of the best places to go in New York when you want to feel classy and cool, so I love that they also have a great menu and a killer martini. Their take on the caesar salad is one of my favorites in the city.

The bite: Smoked white fish caesar with crispy potato chips and classic caesar dressing. (The truffle monkey bread is also delicious.)

Reservation availability: Difficult — these tend to go immediately. Bar seating is first come first served, so it can be a great option if you’re willing to go early.

This Michelin-star South Indian restaurant in the West Village is a vibe. The decor, the atmosphere, and the service are all upscale while still retaining the familiar comfort of a home-cooked meal. Their website describes the menu as “food drawn from memory, from farm life and family kitchens, from rituals rarely seen outside South India.” They ranked number 1 on the NYT’s best 100 restaurants in 2025. Bury me with this gunpowder dosa, pls.

The bite: Gunpowder Dosa with rice & lentil crepe, potato masala, sambar

Reservation availability: Difficult — check for cancellations or try walking in on a weekday.

I was hesitant to include pizza on this list since a classic New York slice is always the move, but this is probably the best pizza I’ve had in New York. The hype is unfortunately real and the lines unfortunately worth it. They have a great pizza menu, but their fig jam and bacon pizza is truly an unreal bite (the burrata is also delicious, and a customer favorite).

The bite: Fig jam and bacon pizza with mozzarella, fig jam, bacon, and ricotta

Reservation availability: No rezzies here, just really long lines (but these people are pizza pros so the line moves quickly)

BONDST is consistently a great spot for top-notch food and vibes. It has one of my top 10 martinis in the city (I’ve tried a LOT) and the menu has something for everyone. I have yet to go wrong with an order here, but a bite I keep coming back for: the tuna tarts. They’re so fresh, light, and delicious, easily a top 10 bite in the city (although the crispy tuna is a close second).

The bite: Big eye tuna tarts with micro shiso, micro cilantro, creamy ponzu, and white truffle oil.

Reservation availability: Easy if you plan ahead

I loove walking past this charming West Village restaurant in the summertime and seeing people sitting outside, eating great food, sipping spritzes, and just enjoying life. It’s in the Taylor Swift restaurant rotation so has become pretty popular, but it remains a warm, inviting place to have a solid meal. They do a lot of things really well, but their mixed greens salad is a favorite for good reason. It’s light, refreshing, and fresh, a perfect start or side to your meal. NYT Cooking even recreated the recipe — it’s that memorable.

The bite: Insalata Verde with leafy greens and a sherry vinaigrette

Reservation availability: Tough to make online — walking in and putting your name down is your best bet

I don’t have a specific bite from Dirt Candy, mostly because their vegetarian-based menu rotates seasonally and it’s hard to remember which bite was the best. Honestly, every dish and the whole experience was phenomenal. They offer a five-course tasting menu that changes seasonally and adds on little bites based on what’s available in the kitchen that night. It’s a great value for the amount of food you get, and I’m embarrassed to admit that I questioned for even a single second whether a vegetarian restaurant could actually be that good.

The bite: All of it. Their inventive menu is really a work of art every season.

Reservation availability: Doable if made in advance

The only Michelin guide Polish restaurant in America, Pierozek in Greenpoint is a casual spot that smells like cooking butter and bliss. It has the most authentic Polish food I’ve had at a restaurant, which I proudly have the authority to say as a first-generation American with Polish roots. I took my mom here when she was visiting and we both loved it. It’s as good as a home-cooked Polish meal without any of the work — and making pierogis is a labor of love.

The bite: Potato & cheese pierogis filled with potato & farmer cheese, topped with caramelized onions, served with sour cream and a garlic dill sour cream sauce

Reservation availability: None required, easy to walk in

A West Village staple, Don Angie is an intimate, supremely cozy Italian restaurant with probably the best lasagna you’ll ever have. My vegetarian friend only makes an exception for this lasagna — seriously, it’s that good. They also have an excellent martini if that happens to be your drink of choice.

The bite: Lasagna for Two with Italian sausage bolognese and whipped robiolina

Reservation availability: Difficult, nearly impossible to get a reservation. Walk in early and be prepared to wait.

This Vietnamese wine bar on the LES is SMALL. It feels like you’re cramped in someone’s living room at an intimate dinner party — and that’s what makes the good vibes all the more magical. A special spot with a unique menu, there’s something about being squeezed into a tiny space next to strangers and sharing in the experience of a well-cooked meal that makes you really appreciate the places like this that make New York, New York. I’ve had a lot of oysters at a lot of places — and I’ll never forget these.

The bite: Oysters with green chili

Reservations: Difficult, nearly impossible, but cancellations do happen and slots pop up if you’re lucky. Waiting before it opens and walking in is your best bet to snag a bar seat.

Casual diner vibes meet bold, sophisticated flavors at this Nolita gem. I’m not sure how I previously lived my life without Thai Diner. It’s excellent for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and everything is honestly so dang good, from the food itself, to the ambiance, to the service. It’s one of my favorite places to go in the city when you want a casual spot that serves amazing food. I can’t even describe how good the disco fries are in words, so I won’t. Just trust.

The bite: Thai disco fries with spicy Massaman curry, pickled green peppercorn, red onion, peanuts, and coconut cream

Reservation availability: Difficult to get online, but walking in is easy and the wait is usually under an hour.

Inventive, lavish, and super sceney, this Nolita restaurant embraces a white-glove experience from the moment you walk in. I lost five years off my life getting this reservation — and I hate to say it was absolutely worth it. The service is overwhelmingly warm and attentive without hovering or being annoying (and it’s a fine line). The tortellini lives rent-free in my mind.

The bite: Tortellini pomodoro

Reservation availability: Difficult, nearly impossible online. If you don’t mind waiting in line, you can go before it opens. May the Resy odds be ever in your favor.

Behind a random door on the UES is a cozy restaurant that immediately transports you to the heart of Paris with its warm interior, chic ambiance, and timeless feel. The decor, service, and food at Le Veau D’or are all phenomenal. The duck dish is completely unreal — peppery, tart, juicy, perfect, easily the best duck I’ve ever had. Le Veau D’or offers a tasting menu with a higher price tag, so save it for a special occasion and get the duck (or the chicken, if duck isn’t your thing).

The bite: Duck magret aux cerises, which translates to pan-seared duck breast with cherry sauce

Reservation availability: Difficult, but doable if made right when they open. Cancellations do pop up if you sign up for alerts.

My number one bite in New York City goes to this buttery, pillowy, feathery, heavenly pull-apart bread at Theodora, a Mediterranean spot in Fort Greene with an open-fire kitchen and a menu full of rich, flavorful dishes. With great food, a great ambiance, and great service, Theodora is a fun place with unique wood-fired bites that are all so so good. The bread with dipping sauces is the best bite I’ve had in New York (and probably anywhere).

The bite: Za’atar Kubaneh with schug, tomato aioli, and harissa

Reservations: Difficult, but doable if you make them right when they open.

If there’s anything I’ve learned from New York City restaurants, it’s that the best bites aren’t always the ones with a higher price tag. They’re the ones that are carefully crafted with a genuine love for the culture, communities, and ingredients they’re made from. The city’s food scene is itself an ode to the diversity that makes New York such a cool and interesting place to live. If you have any bites you can’t stop thinking about, let me know! I only have 8,000 restaurants left to try.