It's time to update the Eater 38, an elite collection of restaurants from across the city that will satisfy the restaurant needs for locals and visitors alike: Find an NYC classic as well as a top-notch neighborhood restaurant, a barbecue spot as well as a natural wine destination.
Every quarter, a few restaurants drop out of the list to make room for places that have stepped up their game or have increasing relevance. To warrant inclusion, a restaurant has to have been open for at least six months.
Rather than having a stage-four meltdown over the exclusion of a favorite restaurant from this list, wouldn't it be more productive to just nominate it for inclusion?
Added in January 2018: For the new year, the 38 is switching out nine restaurants. Upscale additions include The Grill (Major Food Group’s over-the-top Midcentury chophouse), Aldea (George Mendes’ upscale Portuguese in Flatiron), and Cote (a modern Korean steakhouse). Momofuku Ssäm Bar (David Chang’s meaty mainstay that now has a new chef), Prune (Gabrielle Hamilton’s East Village American stalwart), and Victor’s Cafe (colorful Midtown Cuban restaurant) also join the list. And finally, Charles Country Pan Fried Chicken (a Harlem destination for old-school fried chicken), Flaming Kitchen (a Sichuan standout on Bowery), and Dumpling Galaxy (Helen You’s Flushing dumpling emporium) are now on the 38.
To make room, Lure Fishbar, Mission Chinese, The Breslin, Momofuku Noodle Bar, Cosme, Gramercy Tavern, Patsy’s, Prime Meats, and The NoMad have all said goodbye for now.
1 - Spicy Village
This postage stamp-sized, low-fi, BYOB, cash-only restaurant punches far above its weight class, offering some of the city’s best noodles. The Chinatown restaurant is operated by the husband and wife team of Wendy Lian and Ren Fu Li and specializes in the cuisine of the Henan region. Order the big tray of chicken with noodles and several pork pancakes. For the less carnivorous, the sweet and tangy egg and tomato noodle is a good bet.
68B Forsyth St
New York, NY
(212) 625-8299
2 - Flaming Kitchen
New York’s a Sichuan Chinese-obsessed town, and bilevel Bowery restaurant Flaming Kitchen stands out from the rest with sharp takes on classics like pork dumplings in chili oil and mapo tofu. But the place on the menu to dive is the array of whole fish. Though flaky, tender bits of fish look doused in pools of chili, spice tends to be gentle rather than biting — while not sacrificing on flavor. The roomy, bright space makes it an ideal setting for large parties, families, or a date with a longterm spouse.
97 Bowery
New York, NY 10002
(212) 925-8083
3 - Le Coucou
Restaurateur Stephen Starr and chef Daniel Rose take cues from traditional French restaurants, transforming their place into one of the most exciting restaurants in New York. The dining room offers perfect light in a room adorned in stately yet stylish decor. The menu is obvious in its luxuries: Lobster, foie gras, and oysters all make appearances. Also look for dishes like the caviar course and the halibut beurre blanc. For dessert, do not miss the omelette Norvegienne, essentially a baked Alaska.
138 Lafayette St
New York, NY
(212) 271-4252
4 - Wildair
At Wildair, Jeremiah Stone and Fabian von Hauske — the chef-restaurateurs behind Contra down the block — serve inventive small plates that don't easily fit into any one culinary classification. A meal here might include Southern-style white shrimp, rich pork rillettes, crispy squid with green onions, bright scallop ceviche, and spicy chopped tuna on toast. To drink, this Lower East Side neo-bistro offers an exciting selection of natural wines, available by the bottle or by the glass. It’s minimalist decor and a tight squeeze, yet the vibe is super convivial.
142 Orchard St
New York, NY
(646) 964-5624
5 - Uncle Boons
Like a 1970s cocktail den, this Nolita lounge is still turning out some of the city’s most captivating Thai fare, courtesy of Per Se alums, Ann Redding and Matt Danzer. Look for dishes like green curry snails, wood-fired yellowtail collar, a spicy lamb laab, or a savory crab fried rice. The space is an eclectic way to start a night out; order an overflowing beer slushie to get in the mood.
7 Spring St
New York, NY
(646) 370-6650
6 - Balthazar
Restaurateur Keith McNally's enduring Soho brasserie is the best everyday restaurant in New York City. Period. The Balth is a terrific choice for a breakfast meeting, a steak frites lunch, or special-occasion dinner. For a splurge, get the Balthazar plateaux and the chicken for two.
80 Spring St
New York, NY
(212) 965-1414
7 - Katz's Delicatessen
In more than 125 years, little has changed at Katz's. It remains one of New York's — and the country's — essential Jewish delicatessens. Every inch of the massive Lower East Side space smells intensely of pastrami and rye loaves. The sandwiches are massive, so they are best when shared. Order at the counter, and don't forget to tip the slicer.
205 E Houston St
New York, NY
(800) 446-8364
8 - Prune
Chef Gabrielle Hamilton’s East Village mainstay, open since 1999, is the kind of restaurant that offers an idealized version of the American fare one might want to cook at home. Dishes like a whole grilled branzino in fennel oil or a homey soup topped with fried chicken skin turn classics into worthy restaurant fare. Brunch — and its Dutch pancakes — is the destination meal, but dinner, when co-chef Ashley Merriman is more likely to be spotted, is also worth the trip. Order dessert, like the creme de menthe parfait or flaming Turkish disco pistachios.
54 E 1st St # 1
New York, NY 10003
(212) 677-6221
9 - I Sodi
For the ideal neighborhood Italian restaurant, I Sodi is the answer. Open since 2008, I Sodi channels Tuscany, where chef-owner Rita Sodi grew up. Locals may recognize Sodi's name from her other venture — Via Carota with partner Jody Williams — but I Sodi is all her own, and that passion shows. The osteria-style menu is simple, letting ingredients shine in dishes like whole baked branzino and housemade pastas. It's a tiny West Village space, lending a cozy feel to the whole experience — though expect to wait in line for it.
105 Christopher St
New York, NY
(212) 414-5774
10 - Oiji
At this small East Village restaurant, chefs Tae Kyung Ku and Brian Kim serve traditional Korean dishes executed with a few modern touches. The ideal meal includes a truffle seafood broth, beef tartare, mushroom salad, and a particularly unique fried chicken with a flaky crust. End the meal with the honey butter chips with ice cream, and be sure to try a cocktail or two, all of which are just as creative as their food counterparts. Most of the shareable small plates are priced in the teens, and the menu also includes a $38 ssam platter for two.
119 1st Ave
New York, NY
(646) 767-9050
11 - Hanoi House
Hanoi House is decorated with tropical storm shutters, wooden lattice work, and potted foliage that give it a colonial vibe. Sitting there makes a diner feel like a spy in Graham Greene’s The Quiet American. One of the city’s first restaurants to specialize in the cuisine of the northern Vietnamese capital, Hanoi House offers a sublime version of pho, assertive with the flavor of onions and green onions and based on a particularly strong beef broth. The noodles are delicate, and the beef add-ins include a great brisket and a good filet.
119 St Marks Pl
New York, NY 10009
(212) 995-5010
12 - Superiority Burger
Brooks Headley’s tiny East Village cafe is so much more than a veggie burger spot — it's one of the best restaurants in Lower Manhattan — because he’s shopping for the finest ingredients and offering the same vegetables served at a fine-dining spot for a far more affordable price (most dishes are under $6). In addition to the must-get burger, go Mondays for the fried tofu, or other days for whatever seasonal vegetable dishes are on offer. Do not miss the spectacular gelato and sorbet.
430 E 9th St
New York, NY
(212) 256-1192
13 - Momofuku Ssäm Bar
Though superstar chef David Chang doesn’t spend much time in the kitchen at Ssäm anymore, newly promoted executive chef Max Ng has breathed new life into the menu at the East Village restaurant, adding addictive dishes like spicy shell-on shrimp with Sichuan garlic butter and skate roasted in banana leaf. The greatest hits — pork sausage rice cakes and pork buns — are still there by request, but the restaurant as a whole has grown up as Chang has, with soundproofing and more comfortable seating.
207 2nd Ave
New York, NY 10003
(212) 254-3500
14 - Shuko
Masa alums Nick Kim and Jimmy Lau, the proprietors of Shuko, will serve diners personally at the bar — and the fish is stunning. They’re not afraid to use heat to jolt the palate and take the edge off richness, such as the Thai bird chiles added to a torched tuna sinew. Take note it’s $135 for sushi-only, or $175 for a tasting of composed dishes plus nigiri.
47 E 12th St
New York, NY
(212) 228-6088
15 - Aldea
Quietly putting out top-notch Portuguese fare since 2009, chef-owner George Mendes’ food has not faltered. The Flatiron restaurant has had a Michelin star for most of its life, for dishes like mussel soup, suckling pig terrine, and the ever-popular duck rice, served in a comfortable room with a very open kitchen. It’s an upscale option with a price that’s comparatively low — it’s possible to get four courses for $89 — making it an accessible way to experience one of NYC’s top fine-dining restaurants.
Photo via Aldea
31 W 17th St
New York, NY 10011
(212) 675-7223
16 - Los Tacos No. 1
While this isn’t the most relaxing or comfortable place on the Eater 38 — it’s in Chelsea Market, with too few seats and long lines — there’s good reason to visit: It’s where you’ll find some of the city’s best tacos asada, adobado, pollo, or nopal. Don’t forget the chips and guacamole.
75 9th Ave
New York, NY
(212) 256-0343
17 - Cote Korean Steakhouse
One of New York’s most exciting debuts of 2017 was Cote, a Korean barbecue restaurant in Flatiron that takes inspiration from New York’s classic steakhouses. Owner Simon Kim and chef David Shim earned a Michelin star for their slightly sceney and upscale version of classic Korean barbecue using dry-aged meats. First-timers will want the Butcher’s Feast, a $45-per-person option with four cuts of beef, banchan, egg souffle, spicy kimchi stew, and a soft serve dessert. Repeat visitors will want to experiment with variations on funky beef, which are dry-aged in a room downstairs.
16 W 22nd St
New York, NY 10010
(212) 401-7986
18 - Sullivan Street Bakery
Jim Lahey’s pioneering breads make this a must-visit for a take-home loaf and a quick espresso. Or stay awhile and order a breakfast sandwich like the verdura with eggs and seasonal vegetables, or a ceci sandwich — chickpea fritters with cucumber, red pepper, onion, basil, and more. Don’t miss the bomboloni, the most underrated doughnuts in the city.
Sullivan Street Bakery
236 9th Ave
New York, NY 10011
(212) 929-5900
19 - Jongro BBQ
South Korean chain Jongro BBQ offers everything from pleasing lunch deals to a fun late-night scene. Try to go with a group of eight-plus for the group menu, which comes with three or four appetizers; among mains, get the beef platter with rib-eye, kalbi, skirt, and marinated beef cooked by servers on the tabletop and served with banchan. Don’t get confused by the unassuming office building entrance — head to the second floor for the rowdy scene.
Jongro BBQ
2
22 W 32nd St, New York, NY 10001
(212) 473-2233
20 - Sakagura
Tucked in a basement of a nondescript office building, the location may not seem like much, but here’s the kind of place one could eat every night, for dishes like tempura vegetables — starchy taro root, savory mushrooms, and soft eggplant in a salty-sweet, soy-based broth. Also try the udon or soba, or snacks like dango, the potato and rice flour fritter dusted with powdered sugar. There are no culinary pyrotechnics here, but it is a serious spot for sake drinking.
Sakagura
211 E 43rd St
B1, New York, NY 10017
(212) 953-7253
21 The Grill
Major Food Group’s revamp of the historic Four Seasons space — one of the few landmarked interiors in the city — will be worth visiting for the stunning room alone, but the group also makes a meal there feel like a lively, theatric, and delicious ode to Midcentury New York chophouses. Visit the Midtown bar for a drink just to check things out, and for a splurge dinner with a see-and-be-seen vibe, book a reservation well in advance. Chef Mario Carbone’s standouts include the prime rib, pheasant Claiborne, and pasta a la presse, a dish where the server first comes to the table to dramatically squeeze juice out of duck bones using an antique press.
Photo by Gary He
99 E 52nd St
New York, NY 10022
(212) 375-9001
22 - Victor's Cafe
This old-school Cuban restaurant first opened in 1963 and remains an elegant, multi-level destination for some of New York’s best Cuban fare. Now run by the founder’s daughter Sonia Zaldivar, Victor’s feels like nightclubs of the 1950s with its live music, tropical decor, and brightly colored art. It’s ideal for a celebratory family meal or a special date night, particularly before a nearby Broadway show. Try the ropa vieja, a Cuban national dish of shredded beef, or the lechon asado, roast pig with crackling skin.
236 W 52nd St
New York, NY 10019
(212) 586-7714
23 - Indian Accent
New Delhi import Indian Accent brings high-minded, upscale Indian cuisine to Midtown in an opulent, modern dining room accented with imported “Calcutta gold” white marble. The menu from the renowned Indian chef, Manish Mehrotra, is offered as a three- or four-course prix fixe, but is also available a la carte at the bar. Either way, enjoy such delicacies as blue cheese-stuffed mini naan bread, filet mignon kebabs with bone marrow sauce, and ghee-roasted lamb served with roti pancakes. There is also a full-blown, paycheck-busting tasting menu, replete with optional beverage pairing.
123 W 56th St
New York, NY
(212) 842-8070
24 Boulud Sud
Daniel Boulud's Mediterranean-inspired restaurant near Lincoln Center has a cushy, earth-toned dining room, and a menu that's got a little something for everyone, with an urbane vibe, lovely ingredients and fine-tuned skills in the kitchen. Make sure to explore the eclectic wine list, which is a hybrid of Old World classics and domestic newcomers.
20 W 64th St
New York, NY
(212) 595-1313
25 - Flora Bar
Estela duo Thomas Carter and Ignacio Mattos have created an elegant and stylish seafood- and vegetable-focused restaurant that’s a perfect fit for the Met Breuer on the Upper East Side. The space is split: Flora Bar offers a mighty wine list alongside dishes that include raw oysters with Sichuan mignonette, croquettes with potato and Raclette, and mussels bourride with toast. The more casual Flora Coffee is ideal for a mid-day coffee and an always-stellar, super nutty sticky bun.
945 Madison Ave
New York, NY
(646) 558-5383
26 - Charles Country Pan Fried Chicken
Chef Charles Gabriel started his Harlem soul food institution out of his house, moved onto a food truck, and then to a storefront. The latest rendition of the restaurant is in a more prominent location, though he’s still serving the same tender, crispy chicken cooked in a cast-iron pan that pushed him into the limelight. This new outpost is still humble, with a menu above the counter and cafeteria-style ordering, but also, thankfully, has more seating.
2841 Frederick Douglass Blvd
New York, NY 10039
27 - Mu Ramen
Joshua Smookler’s two-year-old utilitarian ramen shop serves one of the best tonkotsu broths around. Beyond ramen, Mu also offers some plates that dabble in fine-dining ingredients like foie gras-stuffed chicken wings, as well as dry-aged Japanese wagyu beef specials. Mu, located in Long Island City, is just 10 short minutes away from Midtown via the 7-train.
1209 Jackson Ave
Queens, NY
(917) 868-8903
28 - Cheburechnaya
Cheburechnaya is tucked in a no-frills dining room that offers Kosher Uzbek fare like chebureki, deep fried turnovers bursting with potatoes and meat, rice pilaf, and lamb kebabs grilled over a charcoal trough. Don’t miss the borscht as well as lagman with handmade, irregular-shaped noodles, beef, and plenty of dill.
9209 63rd Dr Ste A
Flushing, NY
(718) 897-9080
29 - Dumpling Galaxy
Inside a Flushing mall, chef Helen You delivers an expansive menu of dumplings — pan-fried, steamed, and boiled, with variations of seafood, lamb, pork, vegetable, and beef. Spicy beef dumplings with ginger, lamb and squash, and pork and chive are all solid orders, as are the har gau. Bring a big crew and try a bunch.
42-35 Main St
Flushing, NY 11355
(718) 461-0808
30 - Lilia
At this always-hip Williamsburg restaurant, chef Missy Robbins serves an inventive and highly-personal style of Italian cuisine. Standouts include the veal steak, the cacio e pepe fritters, and the mafaldine pasta with pink peppercorns. The dining room is a repurposed auto body shop with soaring ceilings that somehow manages to feel intimate. It’s an ideal date night restaurant.
567 Union Ave
Brooklyn, NY
(718) 576-3095
31 - St. Anselm
The tender, butter-drenched butcher's steak is a great slab of meat, but the pricier cuts at Joe Carroll's Williamsburg steakhouse are even better. The New York strip offers a lot of bang for your buck, and the ax handle rib-eye, which ranges from 35 to 60 ounces, has developed a loyal following.
355 Metropolitan Ave
Brooklyn, NY
(718) 384-5054
32 - Peter Luger Steak House
Peter Luger was founded in 1887 when Williamsburg was a city onto itself, and some say Luger is the greatest steakhouse in the world. Even if that’s an overstatement, the steaks are damn good, especially the signature dry-aged prime porterhouse, which flies from the kitchen sizzling and already sliced. Don’t miss the bacon appetizer or lunch-only hamburger either, in these bare-bones and charmingly antique premises."
178 Broadway
Brooklyn, NY
(718) 387-7400
33 - Marlow & Sons
Marlow & Sons has a lively dining room in the back and a sunny cafe in the front serving excellent pastries and great coffee. On the menu, there are oysters, cured meats, and the famous brick chicken, as well as rustic, seasonal specials. Like its next-door sibling Diner, Marlow & Sons has had an influence that extends far beyond its Williamsburg neighborhood.
81 Broadway
Brooklyn, NY
(718) 384-1441
34 - Roberta's
Roberta's is the epicenter of the modern Brooklyn food scene, with its rec room meets reclaimed wood vibe. The pizzas are great, but the Bushwick restaurant really flexes its muscles with the vegetable dishes. In addition to the pies, consider ordering the radishes, the romaine salad, the roasted beets, and some of the charcuterie. Brunch is also one of the neighborhood’s best.
261 Moore St
Brooklyn, NY
(718) 417-1118
35 - La Vara
At the Michelin-starred La Vara in Cobble Hill, chefs Alex Raij and Eder Montero are serving Spanish cuisine with Moorish and Jewish influences. Plates will please conservative and adventurous diners, which include lamb meatballs, paella-style fideúa, and chicken hearts.
268 Clinton St
Brooklyn, NY
(718) 422-0065
36 - Olmsted
Alinea, Blue Hill, and Per Se alum chef Greg Baxtrom has crafted the perfect 21st century neighborhood restaurant. This includes having a backyard garden that serves to both supply the Prospect Heights restaurant with fresh ingredients and provide a charming spot to wait for a table. The quirky and often earnest menu is constantly evolving. Must-orders do exist and have included a novel twist on crab rangoon, the carrot crepe, and watermelon sushi.
659 Vanderbilt Ave
Brooklyn, NY
(718) 552-2610
37 - El Atoradero Brooklyn
Chef Denisse Lina Chavez has returned to the kitchen of her low-key Prospect Heights restaurant El Atoradero, where she’s turning out some of the city’s best Mexican fare. Check in for a table and then go next door to check out the restaurant’s sibling Madre Mezcaleria, which has a generous selection of mezcal. Once back at El Atoradero, remember to try one of the specials, such as the albondigas enchipotladas.
708 Washington Ave
Brooklyn, NY
(718) 399-8226
38 - Hometown Bar-B-Que
Barbecue aficionados agree that Billy Durney is cooking up some of the best Texas-style barbecue in the city. Straightforward classics like smoked brisket and baby back ribs are always a strong choice, but there are also options like pork belly tacos and a lamb belly banh mi. The space is sprawling in a way that feels like the real deal, and Durney himself can usually be found working the room, and keeping a watchful eye on the smoking meats. It's counter service only, and there's often a line, but for the scene and certainly, for the meat, it's easily worth the trip to Red Hook.
454 Van Brunt St
Brooklyn, NY
(347) 294-4644
Note: Restaurants are listed based on geography, starting with lower Manhattan, then over to Queens, and down through Brooklyn.