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 tex-mex play. I get the vegan beet burrito. Runner up is Javelina for their frozen margaritas.
AOC: Is good, reasonably priced French food.
Bemelman's Bar: The spot to drink a $26 martini.
Two Wheels: Always fresh counter-service Vietnamese. The worht-trying crepes are served like tacos.
East Village
Haile: Ethiopian with two friendly sister waitresses and a fantastic veggie platter.
Ama Raw Bar: $1 happy hour oysters and mussels galore.
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 for being good for you.
Book Club: My favorite coffee shop / bar in the area.
Yuca Bar: Good and fun South American.
Smor: I hate brunch food, 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've branched out from veggie burgers to brunch and pulled it off.
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 Smile: 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.
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 bomb 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 a good hang spot among the sea of mediocre UWS establishments.
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 place.
Brooklyn/Queens
Nura: Both the spelling 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.
*I am a seagan (vegan who eats seafood). But all will rejoice at these locales.