If you follow me on Instagram (which you should be doing!), chances are that you’ve seen my “Girls v. Food” adventures with new friends/acquaintances/old friends, where we (re)discover each other, talk about everything from mental health to NY real estate while eating some pretty good food. Between Girls v Food and my appreciation for the art of food (yes, it’s an art), I have received one too many requests asking for a list of places to eat in NYC. While this is not nearly an exhaustive list, these are my staple places for either good food or good vibes or both (and they’re all within the 2 dollar signs on Yelp!).
BRUNCH (because the corner store/bodega will make a good “baconeggandcheese” on a bagel for breakfast)
Brunching in NY is an olympic sport that requires purpose, thought, a team, and coins- which borough are you willing to commute to? How long are you willing to wait in line? Do you want good food or hip hop music or hipster vibes or Southern food (with nothing else on the menu)? What is your team’s tolerance level for bottomless brunch? I have done a fair share of “brunching in NY,” and I think I am qualified to give you the details
RANDOLPH (DUMBO): Graffiti, delicious breakfast sandwiches (read- jerk chicken and fried chicken sandwiches ), bottomless Beer ATM or actual cocktails (Mimosa, Bellini, and Tomato juice Bloody Mary don’t count), and no rush- that’s what you’re getting at Randolph. As with anywhere else on a peaceful Sunday morning in NY, the music is loud and the people are louder. While I am not a beer or cocktail connoisseur, I have brought my friends who are on both ends of the spectrum to Randolph and they fell in love with the options.
- TIP: Get a reservation.
SONS OF ESSEX: If you get here at the right time, you would walk into a fairly dimly lit space, start at the crowded bar while you wait for your table, begin to get your groove on at the bar area, maybe join in on the dance floor (yes, there is a small fully functional dance floor in the restaurant at 2 PM on a Sunday), walk into the restaurant area where people are either bumping in their seats or by their tables (including the waiters), eat or drink for a minimum of 2 hours (it’s bottomless, so take advantage reasonably). If you missed the Friday night out but you still want the Friday night fun on a Sunday/Saturday afternoon, you have a fun crew, and you are good with food that tastes edible and lightly seasoned, Sons of Essex is the spot.
- TIP: Get a reservation.
ROOT AND BONE: There is something about a place that does pink deviled eggs that actually taste great and a good fried chicken breakfast that doesn’t knock you into The Itis (meaning here). Owned by two Top Chef alumni, it is fairly obvious why this place knows what they’re doing when it comes to food. The thyme-topped biscuits taste like a slice of paradise, and the pink deviled eggs actually taste good (not like a fail at the colored food fad). The winning points – good food, lots of sunlight and an open kitchen!(if a restaurant has an open kitchen, it’s already winning in my book).
- TIP: Stay ahead of the waiting game and get a reservation.
LUNCH
For those “treat yo self” days when I happen to be free between 12PM and 4PM in NY. They rarely happen, but when they do happen, I love treating myself to a fairly empty restaurant with some good ambience and good food.
PALMA: Between the beautiful garden decor in Palma and the drop dead delicious pasta, Palma is always a winner for me. For the food, Palma gets an easy 7 out of 10 because the food is actually good (depending on what you order). For ambience, the stunning garden dining room with fresh flowers gives Palma an easy 10 out of 10. Consider going for lunch, because it is not as crowded as dinnertime and you will most likely get a table in the garden area.
GRAND BANKS: Once in a blue moon when the weather is nice in NY, I go to Grand Banks. A laid back boat that rocks on the Hudson with a stunning view of NYC and some pretty good oysters are all you need to live your best life at Grand Banks. Unless there is a party on the boat (which happens quite often), you will not be rushed if you come in the afternoon.
- TIP: Skip this spot, if you get seasick easily (seafood and a rocking boat don’t mix well).
DINNER
I love eating dinner alone, because I can always get a table in even the most popular restaurant when I’m alone. If you don’t like being alone (for whatever reason) and you want to eat (not Happy Hour, but actually great food) between 6 and 7:30PM , this is another Olympic Sport in NY, if you don’t have a reservation. 
L’ARTUSI: One of the four restaurants in the Equcirean Group by Chef Gabe Thompson, L’artusi still holds it down among the other three Italian restaurants because of the ambience. I genuinely love L’artusi, because it can be done in a tapas style for those of us who just can’t decide on what to order. The candle-lit stairwell and the private room all give the place an air of effortless beauty (you know those restaurants where you feel like you can’t breathe properly otherwise someone will tell you how to breathe in a “proper dining manner”). It also helps that the food is absolutely delicious. A mix of strong flavors and light textures (like olives and branzino) will actually make you wish you could set up your tent in the kitchen.
- TIP: Go with someone who LOVES food, so that you can order at least 2 dishes from each course. Also, order the roasted mushrooms and thank me later.
THURSDAY KITCHEN: Whenever people ask me what my favorite cuisine is, I always say “I don’t have one but if I had to choose one cuisine to eat for the rest of my life, it would be Korean.” So, when Chef Kyungmin Hyn (raised in Busan, trained in France, and has a knack for Spanish cuisine) teamed up with Chef Jeremy Seong (former chef at Kristalbelli- former star Korean restaurant) to create Thursday Kitchen, I knew it would be a hit. Thursday Kitchen cleverly puts a spin on Korean classics like the caramelized kimchi paella while introducing quirky things like the glow-in-the-dark adult caprisuns.
- TIP: Get there as soon as it opens. Order the steak with sautéed kale.
DESSERT
My skin hates it, but my tastebuds love it.
BONSAI KAKIGORI: Shaved ice, fruits, nut toppings, vegan options- it’s a win. While the idea is taken from the popular Japanese shaved ice desert- kakigōri- Bonsai’s kakigori has more of a shaved ice texture than a traditional kakigori texture. However, this place still gets a win in my book for its delicious toppings, vegan options, and location. Also, it’s inside the Canal food hall in Chinatown, so there’s always an option to eat something and have dessert all in the same place.
- TIP: If they are out of your favorite flavor (like the peanut butter and jelly), you can pretty much make up your own kakigori.
SPOT: If you watched Iron Chef around 2016, you probably remember the dessert king Chef Ian Kittichai from Thailand who now owns this dessert chain in NYC. If you’re a fan of dairy and instagrammable food, Spot is the spot for you (sorry not sorry for that corny line). For me, I just come to Spot for the bread box, because warm butter bread and vanilla ice cream is just the most delicious and simple dessert combination. I have brought quite a few dessert lovers to Spot to try their other innovative options like the Sesame Pudding or the Coconut Mousse or everything on the menu, and they also fell in love.
QUICK EATS (because no one has time to plan a meal everyday).
DEKALB MARKET HALL: Eat everything. If you can’t eat everything for whatever reason, get your first appetizer (arepa) at Arepa Lady, second appetizer (korean fried chicken bun) from Bunsmith, the main dish (seafood paella) at Paella Shack, and finish with dessert (either a sorbet or ice cream) from Ample Hills Creamery. On your way home, get a sandwich from Katz Deli (for lunch tomorrow).
CAFE HABANA: Elotes, Elotes, Elotes. That is all.
LET’S HEAR IT: WHERE ARE YOUR FAVORITE PLACES TO EAT IN NYC?
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