Restaurants*

Upper East Side

• NR: Ramen speakeasy with eye-opening broth and cocktails.

• Up Thai: My favorite Thai in the city. I get the pad krapaw with squid or tofu.

• Mission Ceviche: Not cheap, but the best ceviche ($22+) and paella  ($55+) I've had in the city.

• Calexico: Solid texmex play. I get the vegan beet burrito. Runner up is Javelina for their frozen margaritas.

• AOC: Good, reasonably priced French food.

• Bemelman's Bar: The spot to drink a $26 martini. 

• Two Wheels: Always fresh counter-service Vietnamese. The worth-trying crepes are served like tacos.

East Village

• Haile: Ethiopian with two friendly sister waitresses and a fantastic veggie platter.

• Ama Raw Bar: Shelfish abound.

• Westville East: Solid spot for a dinner of only vegetables.

• Van Da: Elevated Vietnamese. One of my best meals in nyc.

• Mala Project: Chinese dry pot. I'm not a hot pot fan, but dry pot? Giddyup.

• Souen: What this food lacks in taste (a lot), it makes up in healthiness. Truly unrivaled in being good for you.

• Book Club: My favorite coffee shop / bar  in the area. 

• Yuca Bar: Fun South American.

• Smor: I hate brunch, but for Smor I'll make an exception. Breads, soups,  bowls, and smoked fish bursting with flavor.

• Don Ceviche: Perfect saltado and ceviche mixto.

• Superiority Burger: They branched out from veggie burgers to brunch and pulled it off.

• Apollo Bagels: Tough to beat.

Lower West Side

• Cuba: I keep coming back. It's got a great vibe and food.

• Sushi on Jones: Omakase with a 45 minute time limit. 

• The Warren: I'm generally not a new-American fan, but this place checks all the boxes.

• Los Mariscos: Bustling, fun counter ceviche spot on the perimeter of Chelsea Market.

• Chama Mama: This is my go to spot with visitors. The back patio is nice. No matter who you are, you need to get the Lobiani as an app.

• Jajaja: Vegan Mexican. Another go-to spot for guests.

• Taboonette: Affordable counter-service Mediterranean. The most sensible casual bite near Union Square. 

• La Nacional: Sweet-spot tapas.

• The Stone: $20 (cash only) experiemental music concerts at The New School. Great way to explore the outer limits of music.

Midtown

• Lamalo: $35 for unlimited breads and spreads. Dip away while you debate whether it's an incredibly good or bad deal.

• Tomi Jazz: My favorite jazz bar. They serve Japanese late night food. Like seafood spaghetti. Get there by 4:50pm if you don't want to wait hours.

• Kazu Nori: Quick $25ish spot for hand rolls. Warm rice + crispy seaweed + fresh cuts = euphoria. 

• Koba: Quick, casual, delicious Korean themed rice bowls.

• Lucky Cat: Quirky and fun Japanese place with lots to offer beyond Sushi and Ramen.

• Haandi: Cheap and authentic Indian counter serve spot oft frequented by cab drivers.

Upper West Side

• Red Farm: Modern Chinese with enticing flavors. I get the green beans with brussels and a shrimp curry.

• Playa Betty: Normalish Mexican food, but it's a solid happy hour and an acceptable mediocre hang spot among the vast UWS sea of mediocre.

Lower Manhattan

• Gotan: My favorite coffee/lunch spot for working at. Lot's of table space and the hummus salad is top notch.

• Nom Wah Tea Parlor: Best diner-style dim sum. All standards, but everything is fresh.

• Royal Seafood: Best cart-style dim sum. This place is packed on weekends, but worth the wait.

• House of Joy: Close second to Royal Seafood. Someone from Hong Kong told me this was their favorite.

• Downtown Music Gallery: The free Tuesday concerts will challenge your ears and blow your mind. Or maybe the other way around... (earplugs suggested).

Brooklyn/Queens

• Nura: Both the name and the food reminded me of Ottolenghi's Nopi. 

• Annabelle Basin Sailing: Normal drinks and food for an abnormally good view of the East Side. 

• Ornithology Jazz Club: It's a trek (Bushwick), but cheap happy hour and top notch jazz with no cover.

• Panorama Room: Is the only reason to ever go to Roosevelt Island. Huge views.

• Laser Wolf: Unlimited Israeli pita, spreads, and salads with a tasty grilled main. Good luck getting a table.

• Joe's Steam Rice Rolls: Impossibly smooth shrimp rolls. One of my lifetime top ten best bites.

• Arepas Cafe: Somehow corn flour becomes a pita like vessel of taste.

*I am a seagan (vegan who eats seafood). But all will rejoice at these locales.