November 22, 2008
Best New York City Restaurants: Our AMNY.com Picks
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NY's top scoops
As if you need an excuse to go out for ice cream in this weather, it's National Ice Cream Month. So step out of your air-conditioned cocoon and treat yourself to the scoop of your choice, whether a simple vanilla cone under the Brooklyn Bridge or an exotic cup of wasabi in Chinatown. There's no better relief from the heat.
Street food without the street
If you think the San Gennaro festival is your only shot at scoring delectable street foods--think again: upscale eateries are serving festival foods like cotton candy, zeppole, and corn dogs to comfort-food craving customers. Here's where you can find the tasty treats:
Berry refreshing drinks for summer
Summer is berry season, and what better way to enjoy the colorful, seasonal fruits than in cocktail form? Whether blended, mixed or muddled, fresh berry cocktails are sure to satisfy warm-weather drinkers.
Best beer gardens
Between 1820 and 1860, 1.5 million immigrants arrived in America from Germany, bringing with them their own cultural traditions -- among them outdoor beer gardens. Unlike the bars in Irish neighborhoods, the German beer gardens catered to whole families, and public drinking was just one of their attractions. Although many of New York¹s historic beer gardens have disappeared, this summer you can still enjoy a cold one at any of these authentic beer gardens around the city.
Mexican food to count on
There¹s no shortage of places to get Mexican food in these parts, but most of them are about as authentic as Sanjaya Malakar¹s take on Besame Mucho. If you're looking for U-shaped tacos with shredded Kraft cheese, you¹ll want to steer clear of these authentic Mexican places.
Red, white and BBQ
When New Yorkers do something, we do it right, and nowadays, the city is one of the country's best BBQ towns. You can find every style of pit-smoked pork and beef here, and it's all good.
Best NYC cheesesteaks
Philadelphians are just as particular about their cheesesteaks as New Yorkers are about their pizza. So, when someone claims to have an "authentic" version outside the City of Brotherly Love, it's usually met with scoffs.
Britain's best: Fish and chips
Despite what you may think about British food, this classic battered dish proves the English can make some delicious eats.
Eat cheap
Who doesn't like to save a buck? In a city where restaurant prices have hit the stratosphere -- $55 mac and cheese, anyone -- it's about time somebody scouted out the cheapskate's choice. Here -- from budget barbecue to tightwad Thai -- we offer 16 bargain restaurants where even a pennypincher can feel like a high-roller.
Mac and cheese, please
When it comes to macaroni & cheese, we're just kids at heart. This all-American dish is the ultimate comfort food: cheap, cheesy, and easy to love. Here's New York's finest mac & cheese, both takeout and dine-in.
Where to take a date
You just met, and you're nervous about where to go. Forget the flower-stuffed, super-expensive places; your restaurant has to be high-spirited and comfortable. Here are some fun first-date haunts with good food.
Diners get a facelift
Whether they conjure images of greasy fries and surly waiters or the convivial atmosphere of 90210's "The Peach Pit", the slim, chrome diner is an American classic.
Where to get great lasagna
When winter bites hard as it has the past few weeks there's nothing like lasagna for supper. Here's where to get it.
Dumplings for the New Year
With celebrations of the Asian New Year in full swing this week, what better way to get into the spirit of the holiday than by getting out and taste testing some delicious dumplings. Most New Yorkers have a favorite place they go to for their fix of these tasty meat- or vegetable-filled morsels. Here are a few of ours:
Oysters however you like them
Since oysters are supposed to be an aphrodisiac, what better time to indulge than on St. Valentine's Day? Here, some of our favorite place to get them.
Cupcakes and more cupcakes
Saying you don't like cupcakes is a little like saying you don't like Mom. Or the flag. The question, then becomes: who's got the best ones. Here, a sampling of some of our favorites all around town.
Great wings
Chicken wings are a guilty pleasure no longer reserved for Super Bowl parties or sports bar fare. Thought to originate at Anchor Bar in Buffalo, N.Y., in 1964, they are more popular now than ever. Here are some of the city's best spots to roll up your sleeves and dig into the spicy, messy treat.
New steakhouses in town
Steak is the new salmon, judging by the number of steakhouses that have opened in the past year or so. Herewith, a quick look at some of our favorites among the newcomers.
Dinner before the show
Dinner-and-a-show is a New York tradition, and many Big Apple restaurants cater to chowhounds with an 8 p.m. curtain. Theatergoers can expect fine food and a timely check at these dependable eateries near the city's stages.
Where to go for latkes
As they used to say, "You don't have to be Jewish to love Levy's." And you don't have to be Jewish to love latkes. This is the season to eat them, so we've listed seven restaurants where you can get them.
On a roll with sushi
New Yorkers are island folk, and we love fish. Here are some of the city's most popular sushi restaurants, both creative "fusion" style and traditional Japanese.
Great soup
Soup is the universal comfort food, and virtually every cuisine has its own take on this primordial favorite. These local soup specialists need just a New York minute to ladle up savory, satisfying meals-in-a-bowl.
Southern food in the city
In the mood for some good old Southern cooking? Here'are some great places to warm your heart and your tummy.
Great new restaurants
Looking for a new place to try? Here are eight that have opened recently, in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Great grilled cheese
As the cooler weather settles in, there's nothing more comforting at the table than a warm grilled cheese sandwich. Whether a classic American on white or a fancy raclette on baguette, here are some varieties that will keep you satisfied.
Where to get great coffee
Asking about where to get the best coffee is a little like asking about where to get the city's best pizza. Everybody's got an opinion. With a nod to our readers, who recommended coffee places from Brooklyn to Staten Island, here are some of our favorite places for a cup of coffee, a pot of tea, and a quick snack.
Best Bar Snacks
There's nothing better than a great drink after work. Unless, perhaps, you enjoy a great drink with fabulous and sometimes free bar snacks. If that's of interest to you, check out one of the following spots for tasty grub at your local pub.
Where to get a great fish
Where do you get a great fish? There are, of course, the iconic lobster roll places -- like Mary's or Pearl -- but there's a slew of other fish places. Here are some of our favorites.
Great salads
On a warm summer evening it's hard to beat a salad for a refreshing dinner. Here are some of our favorites.
Great Tacos
The burning question is: Can you get a decent taco in New York? The prevailing wisdom says no. Now, we know the BQE isn't the PCH and Woodside isn't Santa Monica. But, hey, sometimes a fish taco is just a fish taco. Here are some worth a try.
Dinner To Go
It will never live up to that other New York City institution, Order In. But it will do when you want something tasty but can't be bothered -- or don't have the time -- to linger over a restaurant table. Or if you're putting together a picnic or a casual cocktail party. Here are some terrific places to pick up dinner -- or breakfast or lunch -- to go.
Open all night
Where do you go when the clock says it's time to go home, but nobody feels like it? Here are eight places where you can hang all night long.
The best spaghetti in the city
Is there a soul who doesn't weaken at mention of the word: 'spaghetti'? Whether you're talking silky carbonara or rustic puttanesca, spaghetti with cream and mushrooms or spaghetti the way you loved it at seven--with meatballs and red sauce, here are amNew York's choices for best in show. For readers' picks, click here.
The best sandwiches in New York City
Some people call them sandwiches. Some people call them sangwiches. And some people even call them samiches. Whatever you call them, you've been eating them all your life.
Eat more fish
The city's chefs seem to be taking that advice to heart. When was the last time you ate out and someone didn't order the seared tuna? For that matter, when was the last time you went out and didn't find seared tuna on the menu?
All-American Burgers
What's more comforting than a classic burger -- thick, juicy, done to a T and capped with melted cheese.
Tap into American classics
When you want a casual meal, or a place to eat and hang out for the night afterward, there's no better place than a pub.
Where to take a first date
Finding a restaurant for a first date is no easy trick. It goes without saying that the food should be good -- or at least interesting. You want buzzy, but you don't want to have to scream at each other to be heard. You want classy, not cloying. You want fun, not silly. You want relaxed, not overpowering, stylish but not necessarily chic. Here are 10 picks, in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens
Where to go for great steak
Everybody likes steak - well, just about everybody. Whether you're looking for tradition or up-to-the minute, here are some of our favorite places to get a great piece of beef.
Where to feed a Soprano
Tony's a Jersey boy, but there are plenty of places in the city that serve up the kind of hearty Italian food he's partial to. Here are 10 of our favorites.
Where to take an afternoon break
Yes, yes, we know. Your mother told you to stick to three squares and never, ever, to eat between meals. So, maybe it's the thrill of the forbidden that makes an afternoon snack -- sweet or savory -- feel a tiny bit wicked. Here are some of our favorite places to indulge.
Mangia!
The city's favorite foods often come with an Italian accent. Whether you crave Northern Italian or Sicilian; homey pastas or sophisticated entrees, there's a restaurant for you. Here are 10 places we love.
Dinner by the fireside
'Tis the season to get cozy. Here are eight of our favorite places where you can snuggle up in front of a fire while you chow down on anything from a tasty burger in the Village to a family-style Italian feast in Queens.
Coming in from the cold
It's pretty chilly out there. How to warm up a cold and stormy night? Round up a bunch of friends and head out for stick-to-the-ribs comfort food. Here are 10 places to find it.
Late night
In the season that never sleeps, you need a restaurant that never sleeps. Or at least one that does with the least amount of shut-eye possible. Here, 10 of our favorite places that keep the kitchen open till all hours.
Bar Bites
It's beginning to be that time of year. Holiday party-givers always seem to feed you just enough to leave you feeling too full for dinner, and too hungry to ignore the fact. Here are ten swell places to assuage the post-party pangs.
Turkey with no trouble
You say you want tradition, but you don't want to bother cooking the dinner? Never mind, the city's top chefs will do it for you. All you have to do is make a reservation. Do it soon, though. Plenty of other people have got the same idea.
Where to eat in Chelsea
From old favorites to new arrivals, five places to get a bite in Chelsea
Eat cheap
Everybody has a favorite restaurant. But what everybody wants to know is: Where do you go for a meal on the cheap? Here are some of our favorite places where you can eat well, and not break the bank.
Lobster: on a roll
As the weather heats up, we go looking for that ultimate New England treat: lobster rolls. Here's where we found them.
Getting Gallic
So, you haven't gotten to France this summer. Make the best of things with a Gallic dinner -- or, for that matter, breakfast -- in the city. Here are some of our favorite Frenchified places, all over town
Thai to die for
Everybody has a favorite Thai place. Here are 10 whose cooking and style move them well above the neighborhood storefront.
Pasta, pasta, and more pasta
Spaghetti, tortellini, ziti. Fusili, lasagne, rigatoni. With meatballs, with anchovies, with lobster. With red sauce, with carbonara sauce, with clam sauce, with alfredo sauce. However you look at it, pasta is one of our favorite foods. Here's where to find it.
The New Classics
There are newer takes on old favorites all the time. Herewith, we present a guide to ten restaurants all over town who have put a new spin on tradition.
Healthy food for a healthy new year
Party's over, and it's time to get healthy. Herewith, a guide to 10 spots where you can eat a little better in the new year.
10 places to take a house guest
Everybody loves the city this season. So, if you have guests from out of town, here are a choice of places to take them.
Where to find holiday cheer
You deserve a little holiday cheer, whether you go out or stay home. Here, five places to imbibe a holiday cocktail. Plus, recipes for good cheer, just in case you'd rather snuggle up at home.
10 good reasons to celebrate the season
There are plenty of reasons to go out this season, whether you're looking for a romantic evening a deux or a little time with the kids. Here are some of our favorite places -- and some terrific excuses to stay out of the kitchen.
Where to get a glass of wine and a bite near MoMA
We know, we know. We know all about the Danny Meyer restaurants in the brand-new MoMA. But something tells us the place is going to be mobbed this weekend. And there's a good chance you'll wait forever for a shot at a table in any of them. So, we offer a choice of places right in the neighborhood to go for a drink and a bite after you've admired the art and the building.
Newcomers -- and old favorites -- on Park Slope's Restaurant Row
Fifth Avenue is food nirvana in the Slope, with a clutch of new restaurants taking their place among neighborhood favorites like Blue Ribbon and Al Di La. Here's a quick look at some of the places along the avenue that are worth a visit.
Halloween hot spots
So, where do you go after the parade? If you're looking for thrills and chills along with your dinner, you can try the following restaurants, where you'll find lots of costumes and plenty of holiday cheer.
New restaurants for the new season
As the fall season gets underway, the restaurant openings start heating up. Here is a selection of some of the most promising newcomers, all over town.
Where to grab a bite this week? Anywhere but Midtown
With all the hullabaloo at the Garden, you might as well avoid the area. Here are some suggestions from Brooklyn to the Upper East Side, Astoria to the Bronx that will keep you eating well away from MIdtown.
Bargain Bites
If there's anything better than eating well, it's eating well on the cheap. Here are some of our favorite places where you can get a deal on a meal.
Shore thing: 10 places to dine by the water
Here is a selection of places to eat -- or just sip a drink -- by the water's edge.
Lunch to go -- takeout to die for
Take-out places and food carts dot the city with everything from upscale hot dogs to barbecue.
New kids in town
Here are some promising new restaurants, which have opened just in time to take the blahs out of summer's dog days.
They're the tops
Even the most plebian of rooftop restaurants takes on a certain glamour based solely on its distance from street level. Here are some of our favorite places at the top of the town.
Where to have a summer brunch
Whether you're looking for pancakes or something a little more esoteric -- a big bowl of melie pap, say, or tea-smoked salmon -- here's where to go on a summery Sunday.
Where to get a bite uptown
Whether you're trekking Museum Mile or rambling around Central Park, here are choices for dinner, all above Columbus Circle.
