40 mid-range rooms in New York City, editor-picked. the comfortable everyday-good rooms in New York City, with real cooking and no surprise on the bill. All New York City food.
Lucali ★ 4.9
carroll-gardens · 575 Henry Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231
Mark Iacono's candlelit Carroll Gardens pizzeria in New York City turns out a coal-fired Brooklyn pie and a calzone, cash only, BYOB, no reservations.
Tip: Walk-in only. Put your name down at 17:30, then come back at 19:30; the wait is the room's whole social fabric.
Katz's Delicatessen ★ 4.9
lower-east-side · 205 East Houston Street, New York, NY 10002
Katz's on East Houston has cured, smoked and hand-sliced pastrami in New York City since 1888. The corner-of-the-counter sandwich is the deli's whole point.
Tip: Tip the slicer a dollar when you get your ticket; a thick fatty slice samples your way and the sandwich comes built right.
Russ & Daughters ★ 4.9
lower-east-side · 179 East Houston Street, New York, NY 10002
Russ & Daughters has slung appetising on East Houston in New York City since 1914: hand-sliced smoked salmon, sturgeon, schmaltz herring and bagels to take.
Tip: The shop is for take-away. Sit down at Russ & Daughters Cafe around the corner on Orchard for table service.
Minetta Tavern ★ 4.8
greenwich-village · 113 MacDougal Street, New York, NY 10012
Minetta Tavern on MacDougal runs the kitchen until 02:00 in Greenwich Village New York City. The Black Label burger is on the late-night menu.
Tip: The kitchen serves the full menu until 02:00. The bar takes burgers and steak frites past midnight without a wait.
Sey Coffee ★ 4.7
bushwick · 18 Grattan St, Brooklyn, NY 11206
Sey roasts the cleanest filter coffee in New York City from a Bushwick warehouse since 2017. Open daily 08:00-18:00. At 18 Grattan St. Booking recommended.
Tip: The cafe runs filter only; espresso is sold whole-bean. Buy a 250g of the Kenyan Ndaroini for filter at home.
Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao ★ 4.6
flushing · 39-16 Prince Street #104, Flushing, NY 11354
Nan Xiang on Prince Street in Flushing pleats soup dumplings to 18 folds in New York City. Pork, pork-and-crab, and a green truffle-pork basket on weekends.
Tip: Take the 7 train to Flushing-Main Street; the room runs 60-minute waits at lunch. No reservations; expect a buzzer.
Veselka ★ 4.6
east-village · 144 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10003
Veselka on Second Avenue has served Ukrainian comfort food in the East Village New York City since 1954. 24-hour diner, pierogi, kasha varnishkes, borscht.
Tip: The fried pierogi at 03:00 is the institutional order. Cash and card both accepted; bar in the back pours kvas.
Tanoreen ★ 4.5
bay-ridge · 7523 3rd Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11209
Rawia Bishara's Palestinian kitchen in Bay Ridge has served the borough Levantine food in New York City since 1998. Lamb fatteh, fried cauliflower.
Tip: Sunday family-style menu at $58 a head is the deepest value. Bring the appetite of two people.
Parlor Coffee ★ 4.5
carroll-gardens · 11 Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205
Parlor Coffee roasts in a Brooklyn barbershop annexe in New York City since 2012. Direct-trade single-origin beans, four espresso machines on the bar.
Tip: The Saturday cupping session is open to walk-ins. Order beans the day they are roasted; the website ships Wednesdays.
Blue Ribbon Brasserie ★ 4.5
soho · 97 Sullivan Street, New York, NY 10012
Blue Ribbon Brasserie on Sullivan Street has poured drinks and raw oysters until the small hours in SoHo New York City since 1992. At 97 Sullivan Street.
Tip: Counter walks-in from 22:00. Industry crowd builds at midnight; the kitchen runs strong until close.
Court Street Grocers ★ 4.5
carroll-gardens · 485 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231
Court Street Grocers (Italian) in New York City: The Italian Combo with hot pepper relish is the signature. Order online to skip the lunch-hour line.
Tip: The Italian Combo with hot pepper relish is the signature. Order online to skip the lunch-hour line.
Ozakaya ★ 4.5
Prospect Heights · 635 Vanderbilt Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11238
Ozakaya in Prospect Heights is the Brooklyn Japanese room on Vanderbilt Avenue serving traditional Japanese cuisine with a focus on fresh seafood.
Tip: Book through OpenTable a week ahead; the sashimi flights are the reliable order
Sadelle's ★ 4.5
soho · 463 W. Broadway, New York, NY 10012
Sadelle's on West Broadway runs the city's most theatrical Jewish brunch in New York City. Located in Soho. Open daily 09:00-15:30. At 463 W. Broadway.
Tip: The Sunday booking is the hardest seat in SoHo. Weekday 11:30 walks in at the bar without waiting.
Minetta Tavern ★ 4.5
greenwich-village · 113 MacDougal Street, New York, NY 10012
Minetta Tavern on MacDougal has run Keith McNally's French bistro in Greenwich Village New York City since 2009. Order the black label burger or steak frites.
Tip: Reservations open 28 days ahead at midnight on Resy. The bar serves the full brunch menu for walk-ins.
Saigon Social ★ 4.4
lower-east-side · 172 Orchard St, New York, NY 10002
Chef Helen Nguyen's Orchard Street Vietnamese kitchen in New York City runs sharp central-Vietnamese cooking: bun bo Hue, com tam, banh khot in clay pots.
Tip: Lunch is the easy seat. Dinner books fast on weekends; Tuesday evenings are quiet and full menu still runs.
Wu's Wonton King ★ 4.4
chinatown · 165 E Broadway, New York, NY 10002
Wu's Wonton King on East Broadway carves a $58 Peking duck table-side in New York City. Big rooms, Lazy Susan service, two-bird minimum on busy nights.
Tip: Order the duck when you book; same-day requests are routinely refused. BYOB with a small corkage.
Stumptown Coffee Roasters ★ 4.4
nomad · 20 W 29th St, The Ace Hotel, New York, NY 10001
Stumptown roasts Portland coffees for two New York City cafes including the Ace Hotel counter in NoMad. Hairbender espresso since 1999, single-origin filters.
Tip: The Ace lobby seats are a working extension of the cafe; same wifi, same coffee, more room than the counter.
Other Half Brewing ★ 4.4
carroll-gardens · 195 Centre Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231
Other Half on Centre Street has pushed hazy IPAs out of Carroll Gardens Brooklyn New York City since 2014. At 195 Centre Street. Booking recommended.
Tip: Saturday can release day brings 90-minute lines. Wednesday afternoons are the easy walk-in for the taproom.
Wu's Wonton King ★ 4.4
chinatown · 165 E Broadway, New York, NY 10002
Wu's Wonton King in New York City: cantonese room. Locals book the back room for whole roast duck two days ahead; the front room counter draws.
Tip: Call to pre-order Peking duck; same-day requests are routinely refused. BYOB with a small corkage fee per bottle.
Lighthouse ★ 4.4
williamsburg · 145 Borinquen Place, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Lighthouse on Borinquen Place in Williamsburg is the unmarked-door Brooklyn room with a vegetable-forward menu locals send friends to before tourists arrive.
Tip: Brunch books a week out; weekday dinner walks in. The roasted carrots with date and labneh is the signature plate.
Buvette ★ 4.4
west-village · 42 Grove Street, New York, NY 10014
Jody Williams's Grove Street gastrotheque has poured espresso and steamed eggs in the West Village New York City since 2011. Open daily 08:00-23:30.
Tip: Weekday 09:30 is the fast seat; weekends run 60 minutes by 11:00. The tartine au jambon is the brunch order.
Clinton Street Baking Company ★ 4.4
lower-east-side · 4 Clinton Street, New York, NY 10002
Clinton Street Baking Company has slung blueberry pancakes in the Lower East Side, New York City since 2001. Open daily 09:00-16:00. At 4 Clinton Street.
Tip: Weekday brunch walks in. Weekend reservations are not taken; line up by 09:30 to get the first seating.
Shukette ★ 4.4
chelsea · 230 9th Ave, New York, NY 10001
Ayesha Nurdjaja's Chelsea Israeli room serves a saluf-and-eggs brunch in New York City. Order the saluf with sunny eggs and zhoug. Open sat-sun 11:00-15:00.
Tip: Brunch starts at 11:00 weekends; the first hour books up six weeks out. Walk in at 14:00 for an easy seat.
Frankies 457 Spuntino ★ 4.3
carroll-gardens · 457 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231
The two Franks have served Brooklyn-Italian on Court Street in New York City since 2004: handmade pastas, escarole salad, sausage cavatelli in a garden out.
Tip: Sit in the garden in warm weather. The meatballs over polenta is the second pick if cavatelli has sold out.
Pastrami Queen ★ 4.3
upper-east-side · 1125 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10075
Pastrami Queen on Lexington serves kosher pastrami sandwiches on the Upper East Side of New York City. Modest counter, oversized sandwiches since 1956.
Tip: Counter is tiny and seats fewer than a dozen; the takeaway line moves faster than the dine-in queue.
Kiki's ★ 4.3
lower-east-side · 130 Division Street, New York, NY 10002
Kiki's on Division Street has poured retsina and grilled lamb chops in the Lower East Side, New York City since 2014. Priced at $$. Kitchen leans greek.
Tip: Walk in at 17:30 or 22:00 for the only two short waits. The garden out back is the prize.
Mile End Deli ★ 4.3
boerum-hill · 97 Hoyt Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217
Mile End in Boerum Hill has served Montreal-style smoked meat and Canadian-Jewish comfort cooking in Brooklyn, New York City since 2010. Priced at $$.
Tip: The breakfast menu runs all day; weekday mornings are the calmest seats in the small room.
Threes Brewing ★ 4.3
gowanus · 333 Douglass Street, Brooklyn, New York 11217
Threes Brewing on Douglass Street has poured German-style pilsners in Gowanus Brooklyn, New York City since 2014. At 333 Douglass Street. Booking recommended.
Tip: The back patio fits 200 in summer. Rotating-chef pop-ups handle the food; the taproom does the beer pour.
Great N.Y. Noodletown ★ 4.3
chinatown · 28 Bowery Street, New York, NY 10013
Great N.Y. Noodletown on Bowery has poured roast-meat congee until 04:00 in Manhattan Chinatown New York City since 1981. Salt-baked shrimp, BBQ duck.
Tip: The duck noodle soup at 02:00 is the order. Cash speeds the bill; counter and floor service both move fast.
Milu ★ 4.3
flatiron · 333 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010
Milu is a chinese room in Flatiron. The mapo tofu and the spicy beef noodle soup are the two-order minimum. Walk-ins at the bar are easy after 14:00.
Tip: The mapo tofu and the spicy beef noodle soup are the two-order minimum. Walk-ins at the bar are easy after 14:00.
Five Leaves ★ 4.3
greenpoint · 18 Bedford Ave., Greenpoint, BK, 11222
Five Leaves on Bedford Avenue has run Greenpoint brunch in New York City since 2008. Antipodean-style all-day breakfast, ricotta pancakes, fish-shop ceilings.
Tip: Walk in at 10:30 to claim a sidewalk table; the wait runs 60 minutes after 11:30. Quieter on Mondays.
Joe's Shanghai ★ 4.2
chinatown · 46 Bowery Street, New York, NY 10013
Joe's Shanghai on Bowery has popularised the soup dumpling in Manhattan's Chinatown in New York City since 1997. Priced at $$. Kitchen leans chinese.
Tip: No reservations; expect 30 minutes at peak weekend lunch. Bring cash to speed up the tab.
Sylvia's Restaurant ★ 4.2
harlem · 328 Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY 10027
Sylvia Woods's Harlem soul-food restaurant has served fried chicken, collards and yams in New York City since 1962. Kitchen leans soul food.
Tip: Sunday brunch books up two weeks in advance. Weeknight dinner is the easy seat for the same menu.
Han Dynasty ★ 4.2
east-village · 90 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 10003
Han Dynasty's East Village outpost runs Chengdu-style numbing-spicy Sichuan in New York City. The dan dan and the dry pot are the room's calibration plates.
Tip: The spice scale runs 1 to 10; the menu says 7 is hot, the kitchen means it. Start at 5.
Joe Coffee Company ★ 4.2
greenwich-village · 141 Waverly Pl, New York, NY 10014
Joe Coffee has roasted in New York City since 2003 from a Red Hook warehouse. Eighteen cafes across the city, espresso pulled to West Coast specifications.
Tip: The Pro Shop on West 13th Street runs barista trainings open to the public Saturdays at 10:00.
Brooklyn Brewery ★ 4.2
williamsburg · 79 N 11th St, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Brooklyn Brewery on North 11th has anchored Williamsburg craft brewing in New York City since 1988. Booking recommended. Reservations advised.
Tip: Friday and Saturday tours are free; arrive by 17:00 to get on the list. The taproom pours every Brooklyn release in pint glasses.
Kings County Brewers Collective ★ 4.2
bushwick · 381 Troutman Street, Brooklyn, NY 11237
Kings County Brewers Collective in Bushwick Brooklyn has run an industrial-warehouse taproom in New York City since 2016. At 381 Troutman Street.
Tip: Saturday night runs DJ sets and food trucks.
Lucien ★ 4.2
east-village · 14 1st Ave, New York, NY 10009
Lucien on First Avenue has poured drinks and served bistro food until 02:00 in the East Village New York City since 1998. Booking recommended.
Tip: The bar runs walks-in for the full menu after 22:30. The frites with bearnaise and a glass of cotes du rhone is the order.
Thai Villa ★ 4.1
flatiron · 5 E 19th St, New York, NY 10003
Thai Villa near Union Square serves Bangkok and Chiang Mai cooking in Flatiron, New York City. Order the crab fried rice and the khao soi northern curry.
Tip: Two seatings on weekends: 18:30 and 21:00. The 21:00 service is quieter and easier to walk into without a wait.
Variety Coffee Roasters ★ 4.1
bushwick · 146 Wyckoff Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11237
Variety roasts in Bushwick and runs four cafes across New York City. Espresso pulled fast and short, drip coffee in mugs, all-day pastry, communal seating.
Tip: The Wythe Avenue cafe has the best working seats. The Greenpoint location closes earliest at 18:00.