It's the Best of the Very Best: The Top 25 Restaurants in New York City (Revised & Updated)

 

By James V. Ruocco 

New York is brimming with restaurants - from elegant to classic, and everything in between - each deserving a special place in your culinary black book of great eats.
So why scour the streets? Jump start a "search mode" on your computer? Or spend ten to twenty minutes looking to book a last-minute table on a Thursday or Saturday night for dinner with a friend, a loved one, a family member or that special someone.

Like most people, it's hard to know where to begin.
What in? What's not?
What's new? What's hot?
What's mind-blowing? What's making waves?

No worries.
Let me be your guide.
I've lived in New York.
I went to school there. I worked there.
I travel there on business.
I've dined there.
I've been to the best - and not so best - places.

So, setting the criteria for the very best places to dine is hardly daunting.
No long think fests.
No deliberation about prices, locations, menus or cuisine.
No trends. No pressure.
Just fine dining from A to Z.

One slight catch, though.
To be acknowledged, each restaurant - 25 in all - had to stand out from all the others in terms of food, menus, wine, liquor, ambience, décor, history, clientele, service and more importantly, who's who in the kitchen.

That said, let the games begin.

The top 25 restaurants in New York are:

The Palm Court at the Plaza Hotel
Fifth Avenue at Central Park South
New York, N.Y. 10019
(212) 546-5300 

Daniel

60 E. 65th Street,

New York, N.Y. 10065
(212) 288-0033

Aquavit
65 E. 55th Street
New York, N.Y. 10022
(212) 307-7311 

Eleven Madison Park

11 Madison Avenue
New York, N.Y. 10010
(212) 889-0905

The Rose Club at the Plaza Hotel

768 Fifth Avenue

New York, N.Y. 10019 

(212) 546-5311

The Loeb Boathouse at Central Park

East 72nd Street & Park Dr North
New York, N.Y. 10021
(212) 517-2233 

Balthazar
80 Spring Street
New York, N.Y. 10012
(212) 965-1414

Cafe Chelsea

The Hotel Chelsea
218 W. 23rd Street
New York, N.Y. 10011
(212) 483-1010

Petit Boucherie

14 Christopher St.

New York, N.Y. 10014

(646) 756-4145

Shuka
38 MacDougal Street
New York, N.Y. 10012
(212) 475-7500

Per Se

10 Columbus Circle

4th Floor
New York, N.Y. 10019
(212) 823-9335

Le Coucou

138 Lafayette Street
New York, N.Y. 10013
(212) 271-4252

Sylvia's
328 Malcolm X Blvd.
New York, N.Y. 10027
(212) 996-0660

Jean-Georges

1 Central Park West
New York, N.Y. 10023
(212) 299-3900 

Delmonico's
56 Beaver Street
New York, N.Y. 10004
(212) 381-1237

Le Bernardin
155 W. 51st St.
New York, N.Y. 10019
(212) 554-1515

The Grand Tier Restaurant
Metropolitan Opera House Lincoln Center
30 Lincoln Center Plaza
New York, N.Y. 10023
(212) 799-3400

Blue Bar Restaurant and Lounge
The Algonquin Hotel
59 W. 44th Street
New York, N.Y. 10036
(212) 840-6800

Joe Allen
326 W 46th St.
New York, NY. 10036
(212) 581-6464

Cafe Luce

235 E. 53rd Street

New York, N.Y. 10022
(646) 590-2777

Amelie
22 W. 8th Street
New York, N. Y. 10011
(212) 533-2962

The Polo Bar
1 E 55th St.
New York, N.Y. 10022

(212) 207-8562

Smith & Wollensky
797 Third Avenue
New, York, N.Y. 10022
(212) 753-1530

Sadelle's New York

463 W. Broadway
New York, N.Y. 10012

(212) 254-3000

Blue Ribbon Brasserie
Soho Building
97 Sullivan Street
New York, N.Y. 10012
(212) 274-0404

A few parting words...

Enjoy.
Indulge.

Discover.
Have fun.
Spice things up.
Heighten your senses of taste and smell.

PS: Don't forget your cash, your credit cards and more importantly, that special someone to share your dinner à deux.

Bon appétit.