
Kiki's
Kiki’s is a Greek restaurant in the LES that has incredibly delicious food, unmatched cozy atmosphere, and is home to some of the most enjoyable dinners and conversations I’ve had in NYC. There’s almost always a 30+ minutes wait, so make sure you head there earlier than you intend to eat, so that you can put your name on the list.

Alta
This is a tapas-styled Spanish restaurant that's below ground-level and dimly lit. That said, I went late on a Friday night and it was still bustling. There's quite a bit of noise, not disturbing at all, but rather quite lively. The waiters are extremely friendly (ours was particularly entertaining), and all of the dishes taste great. Their sangrias are huge, so keep that in mind while ordering if you intend to drink.
Some tasty dishes off the dinner menu are the almonds, bacon wrapped dates with olives, fried goat cheese with lavender honey, beef tartare, gnocchi, and the sticky toffee pudding.

Cervo's
Cervo’s is a little gem located on the border of Chinatown and the Lower East Side. It’s great for a small, intimate dinner as the restaurant is quite small. Dining at the bar is a great option, as is sitting right in front of the open kitchen and stove oven.

Freemans
Freemans is one of those places that have been put on my radar thanks to Instagram. It's at the end of a narrow alley in Nolita, with string lights hung outside it's painted blue doors. It's a very adorable little place, on the inside and out, but the food isn't anything mind-blowing. If you're the type of person who's OK with eating some good (not great) food because of a great atmosphere, then you should definitely check this place out. Make sure you make a reservation before you go because if you're seated in the back, it's really dark, you're out of sight of the waiters, and don't get to really enjoy the adorable setting.
I tried the grilled trout with sea salt & lemon (make sure you ask them to remove the head if you're like me and can't eat the fish if you see it as a whole), and it was just fine. My friend had the cheeseburger, which looked great, but the fries on the side were really greasy.

Mercer Kitchen
Mercer Kitchen is located at the Mercer Hotel in SoHo. It's kind of an upscale venue, but you don't need to dress up or anything if you're going there during the day on weekdays, or for brunch/lunch on the weekends. The crowd is usually international, but not touristy. I'm honestly not a big fan of the crowd here, but the food is great. If you can sit at the library inside the hotel lobby, it's perfect because the ambiance is much warmer and cozier. The turkey burger with gluten free bread is delicious, as are the Mercer burger, shrimp & avocado arugula salad, butterscotch pudding, and cheesecake.

Obica
I walked into Obica with a friend on a windy Sunday evening because (1) we were really hungry, (2) it said "Pizza" on the windows, (3) it looked cozy, (4) it was right in front of us. In other words, we had no expectations walking in. Let me tell you that this place looks tiny from the outside, but actually extends like 200 blocks inwards when you walk in. It's all black interiors with warm yellow lighting. There were a lot of families with kids dining, and the whole place smelled of truffles. I didn't get to try their pizzas because they don't have gluten-free options, but every table had a pizza on it, and every single one looked great. All the dishes we tried (squash soup, insalate Soncino, parmigiani di melanzane, and branzino) were amazingly tasty too, and the staff are Italian from Italy. Very friendly, warm, and helpful. Overall, great experience. Definitely going back here.
PS: They have a mozzarella bar so you can try some of the different types of mozarella that they have to offer.

Red Farm
I'll start by saying that what RedFarm looks like on the outside has nothing to do with what it is on the inside. Staring in from the street, me and my friend were under the impression that it was a farm-to-table restaurant with organic foods and items like avocado toast or scrambled eggs on their brunch menu. Turns out, it's an Asian restaurant known for their dumplings.
There's a large communal table in the center of the room so you get to sit pretty snugly with the people next you. There are exposed brick walls and small flower pots hanging from the ceiling above the table, so it's a cute little space.
The mango & arugula salad, BBQ’d duck omelette with tomato rice & mushrooms, steamed lobster dumplings (gluten free), and chicken dumpling with truffle oil are worth trying. That said, the omelette takes some time to make and is HUGE, so I wouldn't suggest placing another order if you're giving that one a try. The couple next to us were trying some other items on the menu and EVERYTHING looked amazing so, by all means, eat as your heart desires:)

Ruby's Cafe
Ruby's is a small, cozy, but bustling Italian restaurant run by Aussies (as are a few other venues in Nolita). The wait can be long on the weekends, and it doesn't look like much from the outside, but every single dish I tried was salivatingly amazing. They are famous for the Whaleys burger, which has pineapples, beets, and a fried egg in it, as well as their Tuscan kale salad (pictured here).
The mushroom Fusilli is gluten free and I think they change the flavors each season. The Brussel sprouts have a very acidic (in the best way possible) dressing made of balsamic, lemon, and thyme.
Anyways, these are all the dishes I tried, but do yourself a favor and visit Ruby's. You won't regret it.

Rosa Mexicano
Rosa Mexicano is an amazingly delicious and underrated restaurant. I honestly don't think you can go wrong with anything off the menu, but some dishes are tastier than others. You must try the table-side guacamole and chips because that's what they are famous for. The fish tacos with corn on the cob are delicious as well. I went in on a Sunday evening, and it was still pretty packed, so I would suggest making reservations before going in.

Tacombi
Tacombi is an extremely adorable, very casual, but cozy and warm restaurant in the heart of Nolita. There's a small Volkswagen food truck right inside the restaurant, and the entire interior is lit with small string lights. The walls and floors are bare cement, which adds to the casual, industrial feel of the place. It actually reminded me a lot of the movie "Chef" :) The food is pretty yummy, and all their tacos are gluten-free, which made me especially happy. Good vibes all around, definitely worth a visit.

Tiny's
This is, as the name suggests, a tiny restaurant in Tribeca. It has a dark and cozy interior, and even though the service was a little slow on a Friday, the food was very delicious. I personally didn't try the burger, but the girl sitting next to me was eating it and I almost drooled all over it because it looked SO amazing. From the dishes I did try, I can recommend the kale salad, burrata, and the gnocchi.

Taverna Kyclades
One of the things that I miss most about home is the food. There are a lot of Turkish restaurants in the city, but none of them come even close to what I'm used to eating when I'm home. That's why I was so happy to find out about Taverna Kyclades in the East Village. Upon walking in, I felt like I was at a seafood restaurant back home with the fish that were displayed on ice, the hospitality of the restaurant staff, and all the items on the menu. One thing you must do is not order everything at once. The great thing about eating mezze is ordering a couple at a time, taking it slow, and enjoying every bite. I would also highly recommend accompanying your food with raki (or Uzo, as it's called in Greek), the traditional Turkish drink. Some items I would certainly vouch for are the vegetarian chips, piperies (roasted peppers), saganaki, Greek salad, beet salad, eggplant salad, and the grilled octopus.

Tipsy Parson
I've been meaning to try Tipsy Parson ever since I saw the documentary "Seymour: An Introduction". It's a warm, cute little spot in Meatpacking with small plates hung on the walls and dim lighting. The staff is very friendly and accommodating, which fits in perfectly with the overall atmosphere of the venue. When I told them I was vegetarian, they were very sweet as the chef offered to make a vegetarian entree for me, which tasted delicious! Since my first visit, I've been back twice more to try as many items off the menu as possible and I'd recommend the charred Brussel sprouts, gluten-free/vegan biscuits, and the mint & chocolate gelato.

Rosemary's
Rosemary’s is a place that took me a while to try after having heard of it for the first time, due to the long wait times I was faced with each time I attempted to walk in. So, when I saw no one waiting outside at 10pm on a Saturday a few months ago, I decided to give it a try. I'm a sucker for design when it comes to restaurants, and believe that a restaurant with beautiful interiors is also likely to serve beautiful food. This is certainly true for Rosemary's; an Italian eatery with exposed brick walls, string lights, an open kitchen, and a rooftop garden used to grow vegetables and plants--a true urban “farm”-to-table experience. I'll admit that even though the food was delicious, it was not extremely memorable. That said, I would return here just for the experience of dining at such a beautiful and pleasant restaurant.

Lighthouse
Lighthouse isn't the first place you'd think of eating in Williamsburg. It's located slightly awkwardly next to the highway and doesn't have much going on immediately around it. However, the large windows that open up during the summer to let a nice and cool afternoon breeze in, the friendly staff, and the delicious food definitely make it one of the best I've been to in Williamsburg. Their ceviche is one of the most delicious I've had in a while, and most of the dishes are for sharing, which is great if you're indecisive and hungry for e v e r y t h i n g just like me. You won't regret trying the masabacha, grilled octopus, the ceviche (one of the best I've had in the city), cracked potato, and roasted heirloom carrots.

Little Beet Table
Little Beet Table is located less than a block from my office and that's why I haven't eaten there until now; I didn't want to be reminded of work during my time off. However, I'm very glad that I decided to give it a try. First thing you should know about Little Beet is that every item on the menu is gluten-free, which is great if you're intolerant like me (or just health conscious). All of the ingredients are fresh, organic, and treated with respect. They taste exactly like they're supposed to, and all of the items on the menu do justice to the ingredients. Nothing is overdone and everything is on the plate for a reason. It kind of reminded me of the episode of the Netflix documentary series "Chef's Table" with Argentinian chef Francis Mallmann. The atmosphere is very warm, as are the staff. Overall, very highly recommended!
A few recommendations from the menu:
Roasted Carrots, whipped ricotta, sumac & pistachios
Roasted Sweet Potatoes, smoked sea salt & olive oil
Grilled Beets, greek yogurt & pumpkin seed-almond granola
Organic Almonds, roasted & spiced
Slow Cooked Salmon, avocado caponata, pistachio & black olive oil

Santina
The first time I tried Santina, it served as the most beautiful hanger solution after a few hours of walking around at the new Whitney Museum. In fact, I can go so far as to say that this may be my new favorite restaurant in New York. Every single dish was exploding with flavour; I could taste each ingredient separately, yet they all worked perfectly together. Everything on the plate was put there for a reason and I was extremely happy, perfectly full, and in high spirits after our meal was over. The Southern Italian Mediterranean culture is visible not just in the dishes themselves, but also in the way in which they are presented; colourful plates that mix and match and a colorful decoration to complete the picture.
Some must-try dishes are the avocado trapanese Cecina, artichoke & grapes, kale sunchoke salad, spicy potatoes, and grilled mushrooms.
PS: If it's your cup of tea, make sure you try all of their hot sauces too.

The Place
I've been meaning to try The Place since last summer, when I walked past it on my way to meeting a friend. It's an extremely adorable little spot with outdoor seating just below ground level right next to the sidewalk on W 4th Street. To be completely honest, I felt that the dishes were good but not great, but the atmosphere was well worth the experience of eating there, not to mention the great service provided both by the maitre d, as well as our lovely server.

Cafe Clover
Ever since I saw a photo of Cafe Clover's Quinoa Tagliatelle on Instagram, I'd been meaning to eat there. When I finally got a chance to try it, I was happy to say that it met my expectations. Everything we ordered (including cocktails) was delicious, but nothing stood out enough for me to want to go back as soon as possible. That said, it's definitely worth trying for someone who hasn't dined there at all. Ask to be seated outside if/when the weather is nice as the ambiance on the street is quite pleasant.
I'd recommend trying the tomato heirloom, organic Scottish salmon, poached halibut, steamed broccoli, blistered shishitos from the dinner menu, and anything with eggs and the waffles from the brunch menu.

Rosarito Fish Shack
I've been here at least 10 times in the last year. This is a very casual, summery seafood spot on Wythe, just a block away from the water, which adds to the beachy vibes that I assume they're shooting for. Every single dish I've had here has been absolutely delicious every single time, and the service is always great too (very friendly and helpful servers!). I'll admit that I had 5 of their margaritas in one sitting because they were SO incredibly delicious (this is coming from a very picky drinker and a huge margarita fan). 2 different experiences if you sit outside versus inside; both really enjoyable because they usually have good music playing indoors. Everything on the menu is delicious, but I'd especially recommend the pescado, langosta, sake, huitlacoche tacos, as well as the Peruvian ceviche. Not to mention that you should start the meal with guac & chips.

Sobaya
This Japanese restaurant is pretty tightly packed, but not claustrophobic. Service is great, staff very friendly. The dishes are pretty small (unless you get one of the rice bowls) and everything tastes delicious. I'd especially suggest trying the kabocha to shiitake, shrimp shumai, sake yuan yaki, and the tuna avocado don.

Craftbar
This is a huge restaurant near Union Square. I went on a Thursday and it was packed. Plating was beautifully executed and all of the dishes tasted great. The portions are on the European side, so you don't feel like going to sleep after your meal, which is always great.

Palma
This is by far the most authentic, adorable restaurant I've been to lately. For a few hours, I felt like I was back home somewhere along the Mediterranean, in my grandmother's backyard (with tens of other people also there), enjoying a delicious, homemade meal. I had the zuppa di pesce and would've licked the bowl if there weren't people around me. The cocktails were also delicious. This is a great place to take your parents, someone on a date, or just a couple of good friends. (PS It's not ideal for large groups)
A few dishes worth trying are the Cavolfiore Palma, Orecchiette alla Checca, and the Zuppa di Pesce.

Westville
Westville as like a healthy fast-food restaurant. It's the kind of place you can just go by yourself, order takeout from, or grab a quick bite with your friend while also sticking to your diet. They have lots of vegetarian options and even though it's the most mind blowingly delicious meal of your life, it's quite tasty, very affordable, and quick.

Cafe Cluny
I'd been meaning to try Cafe Cluny for a long time now as it's on one of my favorite streets in the city. It's located on a corner and is elegant in the way that it doesn't try to stand out from the crowd. That said, if you're from here, there's no way you haven't heard of it. Inside, it's dimly lit and tables are cozily placed right next to one another. Everything we tried was delicious; our waiter was very helpful and sweet. All in all, great experience.

Seamore's
Seamore's was all the haze last summer when it first opened its doors at its fancy corner spot in Nolita. Especially on the weekends, there was always a wait at the door, which made me curious as to what all the fuss was about in regards to a casual seafood restaurant. So I finally decide to meet a friend over an early dinner on a Tuesday, where there were more than enough empty tables. Even though my dish was quite tasty, I will say that social media certainly had a lot to do with its success. That is not to say that I won't eat there again, but I'd rather go to a proper taco place rather than Seamore's for my shrimp or lobster tacos and chips & guac in the future.

Cookshop
Cookshop is a trendy, "hip", and buzzing spot that's very "in" nowadays. It's in the heart of Chelsea and on the weekends, is packed with people who look like they would hang out in Chelsea. It's a pretty large restaurant that has less and less lighting as you move further away from the entrance. That said, all of the items on the menu are delicious, and you can't really go wrong with your order, regardless of what you decide to get. I'd especially recommend the almond toast, the breakfast bowl, and the shakshuka.

Ramen Yebisu
This is a sneaky place in Williamsburg that's easy to walk past if you're not paying attention. The menu is highly extensive, but if you're vegetarian, limits things quite significantly (and that's not a bad thing as it makes it easier to make up your mind). The lemongrass soup was absolutely delicious and comes highly recommended!



























