The New York outpost of Seattle-born Beecher's Handmade Cheese does not disappoint. This large space on the corner of Broadway and 20th Street recently revamped its interior to focus on providing more seating for lunch and dinner service. Add that to the a hidden wine cellar that lives beneath the lactose-heavy troughs on the first floor and suddenly, Beecher's is even more in demand than ever before. The star of the menu (no surprise) revolves around cheese - the mac n' cheese variety, to be exact. Choose from six different options, all of which happen to pair perfectly with wine.
Grandeur is the word that comes to mind at this fine dining outpost on the border of Chelsea and the Flatiron District. The heavy-handled door and building exteriors are covered in hand-chiseled limestone, invoking a New Delhi palace. The expansive dining room contains reflecting pools filled with lotus flowers, dimly lit banquettes surrounded by white tablecloths, and no shortage of oversized, pink-hued limestone statues. None of this would matter, though, if the menu weren't so solid. Try the Goan shrimp, packing heat in a spicy piri-piri sauce, grilled monkfish in yogurt sauce with serrano chilies, and handi favorites like chicken Malvan. Junoon means "passion" and we can feel it.
Supplied with the freshest ingredients from nearby Union Square Farmer's Market, this wonderful American bakery specializes in all of the good stuff: scrumptious scones, marvelous muffins and an array of buttery baked goods. The loft-like, balconied dining room is a great place to watch people as they swarm the horseshoe-shaped bakery counter below. Chances are they're after one of two things: a chewy, salty and stretchy pretzel croissant, or a cup of thick, molten hot chocolate topped with an oversized marshmallow - City Bakery is known city-wide for these signature items. Ordering one, or both, is probably one of the best ways to start your morning off with a smile.
Burgers and custards and fries, oh my! Award-winning chef Danny Meyer created this homage to drive-throughs and burger joints in the southeast corner of the once-seedy Madison Square Park, and inadvertently started a citywide burger craze â" and a global phenomenon. Outposts of the quick service concept have spread everywhere from the streets of New Haven, CT to the malls of Dubai, UAE, and fans of the signature Shack Burger loudly debate its merits against competitors from In-N-Out and beyond. Don't believe the hype, though: come to the park-bound original to sample the juicy burgers, crisp fries and wide array of shakes and frozen custards that started it all.
The Middle East has taken over NY's dining scene and absolutely no one is upset about it. At Nur, the food mixes traditional Israeli and Jewish flavors with a modern flair for a fantastic results. Alongside seafood ceviche with white eggplant puree, Arabic salad and tomato gazpacho you'll find an oversized Jerusalem bagel topped with spiced lima bean messabaha (a fancier version of hummus) and calamari shakshuka with eggplant, poached egg, okra, spinach, chickpeas and tahini. The food here will set you back a pretty penny, but portion sizes are plentiful and there's an inventive Middle Eastern wine list to make you forget all about the bill.
Known for his acclaimed restaurant, Pujol, in Mexico City, Cosme is chef Enrique Olvera's first foray into the U.S. His intention: to subvert everything you thought you knew about Mexican cuisine. Ever since the high-ceilinged Cosme opened in the Flatiron space that once housed a strip joint, it has been one of the hottest restaurants in town with the incredible 28-year-old chef-partner Daniela Soto-Innes overseeing the kitchen.
While the menus are rooted in Mexican flavors and traditions peppered with corn, beans and chile, the products come straight from the local Hudson Valley. Try the mushroom-and-potato barbacoa and a mezcal-spiked, cactus-studded rendition of Manhattan clam chowder or the duck carnitas. Cosme's beverages feature artisanal spirits matched with its cuisine, letting the ingredients truly shine.
This impossibly elegant restaurant is attached to the flagship ABC Carpet & Home store, which could have something to do with the fact that it's drop dead gorgeous. The restaurant is outfitted in sustainably created furniture, twinkling lighting and stunning antiques from the globe-trotting store, and the rear dining room connects right to the first floor of the six-story emporium. The locally sourced, seasonal menu does farm-to-table like none other, serving housemade pastas, fresh-from-the-sea tuna sashimi, killer vegetable sides and show-stopping main courses like wood-oven roasted Maine lobster and suckling pig served with braised winter turnips and bacon marmalade. This is one not to be missed.
As the winner of the renowned World's 50 Best Restaurants list in 2017, Eleven Madison Park is now a once-in-a-lifetime dining experience. Though you'll likely have an (even more) hellish time landing a reservation, those who are able to secure a spot won't be disappointed. Though the restaurant is closing to undergo renovations in the summer of '17, the team says they'll keep many of the signature touches while updating the kitchen and giving the dining room a modest face lift. Those who aren't able to snag a table will be happy to hear that the bar will also receive an upgrade, making it a "more inviting place for people to visit more often, without sitting down for a tasting menu meal."
Reserve well in advance to get a table in the central atrium, which has plush velvet chairs and polished tables beneath a vaulted ceiling that lets in scores of natural light two stories up. The side room, or parlour, is no less dramatic, with rosy tones, candlelit tables seating up to eight, and rows upon rows of framed line drawings. The top-notch kitchen produces an array of seasonally inspired plates, including an impossibly elegant hamachi crudo, perfectly seared duck and house-made tagliatelle made with Meyer lemon and tender lump crab. And stay thirsty, my friends â" the stellar cocktails are complemented by an impressive, international wine list that includes a crisp, dry rose on tap.
Have you ever visited Los Angeles and thought, "Man, I wish we had food like this on the east coast?" With the arrival of Upland to the neighborhood, that dream is now a reality. Centered around California-inspired fare with an Italian lean, Upland's menu takes its cue from the seasons with dishes that celebrate the abundance of locally well-raised meats. For non-carnivores, the cacio e pepe with bucatini is another fave amongst regulars, as is the whole crispy mushroom topped with fresh, creamy cheese and herbs. While over 500+ bottles make an appearance on the wine list, it's still approachable (if not a little pricy) with by the glass pours in the $13 - $19 range.
