The best restaurants New York (Manhattan)

Orsay is a little corner of France in the heart of the Upper East Side... This Parisian-style brasserie offers all the classics of French gastronomy, and does it with love: escargots, onion soup, salade lyonnaise or liver pâté for starters; croque-monsieur, steak tartare, roast chicken, steak au poivre or beef bourguignon for the main course; and to end on a sweet note, a tarte Tatin served deliciously warm or an assortment of homemade macarons. Whatever the time of day, the huge restaurant room is always full.

For a taste of the Upper West Side atmosphere, there's nothing better than lunch at this diner filled with regulars and located one block from Central Park. Here, customers know the waiters by their first name and leave them generous tips. As far as the menu is concerned, nothing very surprising since we find the usual omelettes and other sandwiches so copious that we have trouble finishing our plate. Better to share the pancakes and French toasts. One rinses the whole with a good cup of filtered coffee, and the business is played.

The oldest restaurant in Chinatown, open continuously since 1920. The street where it is located, Doyers Street, is also unique, as it is curved, something very rare in Manhattan. But back to Nom Wah Tea Parlor: the restaurant serves dim sums, delicious steamed raviolis, among other specialties of the Cantonese cuisine. Nothing very luxurious or gastronomic, but Nom Wah Tea Parlor is one of those places that any New Yorker worth his salt should know. Dozens of movies and series have been filmed here and on Doyers Street.

Hector's has been a fixture in the Meatpacking District since the 1950s. With its old-fashioned decor and simple, hearty dishes, this diner is a world away from the places that have flourished in the neighborhood in recent years. The omelets, burgers, milkshakes and other pancakes do the job without being incredible, the setting is not trendy and the service is efficient and fast. The experience, on the other hand, is authentically New York and worth the detour. At night, this is where the hungry party people of the neighborhood meet.

Here is an Italian bar and café whose concept is simply to honor the " arte de bere ", or the art of drinking. When you walk through the door of Bar Pisellino, you have the feeling of entering a café in Rome or Florence, as the decor is so faithfully rendered. In the tiny interior there is an imposing bar, behind which espressos and cappuccinos are prepared, as well as excellent cocktails, including the inevitable spritz (served on draught!) or the espresso martini. To rub shoulders with the bourgeois clientele of Greenwich Village.

Genesis House is a sanctuary where Korean gastronomy and automobiles come together, for an incredibly designer result. You enter through a showroom displaying cars from the luxury Genesis brand. The restaurant, upstairs, is the New York version of Onjium, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Seoul. The dishes, based on royal recipes from the 1300s, are as delicious as they are unexpected. As for the service, it's attentive and very sharp. The manager is French and very welcoming. Best selection of Korean spirits in town.

A hawker is, in Singapore, a market that gathers all kinds of food stalls. The concept has been taken up quite effectively in this place which gathers about twenty vendors offering various Asian dishes and drinks, especially from South-East Asia: fried rice, dim sums, sate, nasi lemak or the famous Kopi (the Singapore version of coffee). Everyone can order his dish at the stand of his choice and then meet his friends at one of the tables of this covered market. Not bad to eat on the go during your discovery of Midtown.

Don't miss out on this restaurant run by a bunch of friendly French guys... First of all, make sure you choose where to sit depending on the weather: the terrace lets you enjoy the atmosphere of Greenwich, and the cosy interior will do just fine on winter evenings, but we opted for the quiet inner courtyard. As for the menu, we loved the tartare, scallops and aged duck breast. Opt for a wine pairing, which allows you to taste a different wine with each dish - in fact, the list of 300 natural wines is incredible!

This restaurant, opened in 2020 by Mark Strausman, a long-time chef, appears typical of New York with its menu that oscillates between Italian and Central European Jewish cuisines. Unfortunately, however, we weren't very convinced by the tasteless clam pasta or the so-called bouillabaisse, which was sorely lacking in fish, and even less so by the waiter who got the wrong dish but didn't make the exchange. We did, however, appreciate the terrace where you can enjoy the Manhattan atmosphere, just a stone's throw from Madison Square Park.

The story of Tacombi begins in 2006 on board a minivan on a beach in Yucatán. In 2010, the adventure continues in New York and Tacombi becomes a true international success story . The Big Apple already has a dozen restaurants, and this is just the beginning. On the menu, quesadillas, burritas and especially tacos, including the famous tacos al pastor. In fact, you can see the trumpet of meat that turns, as in the making of a kebab. Good, fast, cheap and at the foot of the Empire State Building... What more could you ask for?

It's not easy to find a place to eat for less than 15 US$ on the Upper East Side, but this one fits the bill perfectly... for those who like spicy food. This brand, which has several restaurants in New York, has appeared many times on the small screen and in the press. It features Western Chinese specialties, including the excellent homemade noodles (the technique is to pull the dough by hand) served with pork or beef stew. Some non-spicy dishes are on the menu.

A Miami-based brand offering Italian pastries and viennoiseries. You order at the counter before taking a seat in the dining room. The organization is a little chaotic, but the tiramisu and bomboloni, among others, are as good as they are pretty. You can also order sandwiches, slices of pizza and various types of focaccia (ham, cheese, vegetables, etc.). Not bad for a quick bite before a show at Lincoln Center, or for a coffee break while exploring the neighborhood.

This restaurant, which pays tribute to Josephine Baker, was founded by one of her twelve children, her adopted son Jean-Claude Baker. The place transports diners into another world, that of the Parisian Roaring Twenties, of which Josephine remains without doubt the most emblematic artist. Midnight blue ceiling, red velvet walls and vintage posters depicting the pantheonized star... Chez Josephine offers classic and well-made French cuisine, but one comes less for the food than for the atmosphere and the piano evenings.

While visiting the revitalized Seaport district, a gourmet stop at the Tin Building is a must. Once home to one of the country's largest fish markets, the building is now a culinary destination. Designed by star chef Jean-George Vongerichten, owner of multiple restaurants in the U.S. and around the world, this two-story temple of gastronomy features a dozen restaurants and booths, where you can eat pancakes, sushi, tacos, sandwiches or pastries, but also buy vintage candy or gourmet products.

Chef Daniel Boulud, a true star of the New York restaurant scene, has struck again! With Le Gratin, his restaurant inspired by the bouchons of Lyon, he pays a wonderful tribute to his roots. This is where you'll eat the best quenelles in the city. The gratin dauphinois, the poultry liver salad and the snail and pig's feet crisps have nothing to envy them... We are also conquered by the setting, which echoes the old French-style brasseries. We leave satisfied and full.

Japanese restaurant serving temaki, sushi made from dried seaweed leaves, rice and various ingredients, usually in the shape of a cone. Here, they're open and simply delicious. Several menus are available featuring five temaki (raw tuna and shallot, coconut shrimp and green curry, black sesame and cucumber, etc.). You can also choose them à la carte. The best way is to sit at the bar and enjoy them as they come. The chef places them in front of us one by one. It's fresh, surprising and spicy as can be.

For dining in the lively Midtown district, close to tourist favorites like Times Square, Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music-Hall, and if you're looking for the best steak house in New York City, New York's Benjamin Steak house, located near Grand Central Station in a century-old Chemist Club building, is a great place for meat. We listed it right behind the famous steak house in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, built in 1887. The Benjamin Steak house, has become over the years an old establishment, created more than 30 years ago by Benjamin Prelvukaj, from a family originating from the Balkans between Montenegro and Kosovo. The size of most of the waiters and waitresses is reminiscent of the DNA of the company's founders: big guys...

The house prides itself on offering you a quality dining experience in an elegant downtown setting. And because of their meat, using only the best USDA premium beef, is the "best of the best". Quality is the basis of all meat dishes: from Benjamin's famous extra-thick bacon, to entrecote steaks, to filet mignon. We also liked the veal chop "tomahawk" and the long bone "Wagyu". The Benjamin Steak house also offers a wine list of more than 1,200 selections in which we regretted not finding Château Auzias in the Languedoc, a Cabardès appellation, classified by the famous magazine Decanter as the best value for money to accompany and "food pairing" a red meat dish. When you go on a spree, make sure you get your money's worth by dining at this remarkable steak house in New York City. You'll also be amused to meet some celebrities like William Shatner and Kim Kardashian who come here regularly.

A French restaurant, you guessed it, that offers all the goodies you'd expect, from sausage and pâté sandwiches to tarte Tatin and beef bourguignon. Served Friday through Sunday, brunch is an opportunity to enjoy great pancakes served with fresh fruit or equally tasty French toast. Brunch formula with unlimited mimosas. The dishes are very copious, no risk to leave with hunger in the belly. As for the small garden, it is very pleasant during the beautiful days.

Walking along 6th Avenue, it's impossible to miss this large, flowery establishment located at the intersection with Greenwich Avenue. The Italian cuisine is here in all its forms, and we especially enjoy the homemade pasta dishes. The pizzas are cooked on a wood fire and the veal paupiettes seem to have been concocted by an Italian mamma. If the food is authentic, the atmosphere is also reminiscent of a real trattoria: friendly, lively, crowded! As for the rustic decoration, it is very pleasant.

A restaurant inspired by French-style brasseries, from the plate (steak tartare, roast chicken, foie gras, fried mussels, etc.) to the decor. In 2022, the place, which also offers a small bakery corner, launched the Supreme, a cream-filled pastry halfway between the croissant and the donut, which made a buzz on social networks. To taste it, you have to organize yourself because the Supreme is sold only three times a day at 8am, 12pm and 4pm, and in limited quantities.

Lucien is a good traditional French bistro. Here, everything smells French, starting with the décor: red skai benches, tables stuck together and covered with white tablecloths, vintage posters and advertising mirrors, etc. The menu is in line with the atmosphere, with Burgundy snails, onion soup and foie gras as starters, and traditional main courses: cassoulet, rack of lamb, pigeon, bouillabaisse and other delicacies. The only regret is that the wine list was a bit limited during our visit.

A great place to eat a burger after walking through Times Square or seeing a musical. The large restaurant room, decorated with street art, is always full, especially when the Broadway theatres are emptying of their spectators. Here, you don't have to look for noon to two o'clock: you opt for the burger... but you still have to know which one, since the menu offers a good dozen! Those with wagyu beef are particularly tasty, and the cooking is respected. A very good option in the neighbourhood.

Founded in 2009 by Bernard Bachère, in Provence, this true French bakery now has two locations in New York State, including this one ideally located in the West Village. Here's the deal: baguettes that you can choose how they're baked, sandwiches including the inevitable ham and butter, and good pastries, at prices that are still pretty reasonable. Buy three loaves of bread or pastries, and the fourth is free. We're fans of the mini doughnuts with a spread!

We love this bright and pleasantly decorated Australian café, which offers brunch specialties. There are no surprises on the menu, which focuses on eggs, served as an omelette, with bacon, or just as you like them. Australians eat them scrambled and then "folded": order the folded eggs for a taste. Sandwiches, salads and wraps are just as good, with a healthy twist (quinoa, avocado and kale salad galore). With sweet potato fries, of course.