Boozy picnics , frisbee games , and straight loungin ' on Sheep Meadow : warm weather condition days arefinallyhere , and there ’s no better blank space to relish the great outdoors ( or just take a time out from unbalanced urban center life ) than in beautiful Central Park .
There are dozens of awing restaurant within walking distance of the circumference , from honest-to-god - school delis to high - close restaurant to burger joints . Skip the muddied - body of water dog vendor , and check out these great go - to spots ( organise by location ) around the Park .
Best upscale Italian: Marea
This two - Michelin - star seafood spot off the Park ’s south side dishes up gamy - end Italian eats in an elegant scope . The house - made pasta are excellent , like the fusilli with red wine-coloured - braised octopus and bone heart and soul , and the fresh oysters , crudo , and seasonal fish specialties are all legit rival .
Best Indian: Indian Accent
unbowed outta New Delhi , Chef Manish Mehrotra ’s first international outstation of his acclaimed eating place focalise on authentic Indian flavors and seasonal , ball-shaped constituent . Tucked into to Le Parker Meridien , this fine - dining newcomer offers all the classics and traditional curries alongside progressive dishes with a originative gimmick . fillip : there ’s a late - night menu usable , so you still can get your butter chicken fixture at 1 am .
Best pancakes: Sarabeth’s
Whether you call them hotcakes , griddlecakes , or hot cake , this istheplace for cakes made in Pan ( pancakes , if you will ) on the south side of Central Park . For more than 20 twelvemonth , the pancake professional at Sarabeth ’s have been serve up stack after stack of downy round in tasty flavor jazz group like lemon ricotta with blackberry , and buttermilk with strawberries .
Best Cali cuisine: Jams
Back in the ' 80s , the original Jams ( on the UES ) helped spark NYC ’s farm - to - mesa motion – now , the garden truck - driven concept has resurface on the south side of the park , and it ’s still just as skillful . The Cali - style menu features nonstop hits , like the Jams pancakes with red black pepper , fume salmon , caviar , eggs , and crème fraîche ; and the pan - roasted fluke with morels , fiddleheads , light-green Allium sativum , spring onion , and spiced pistachio .
Best romantic views: Asiate
This super - luxe sweetheart on the thirty-fifth floor of the Mandarin Oriental offers striking panoramas of the sensible horizon and Central Park – perfect for sipping well - crafted cocktail and enjoy caviar flight , if you ’re into that variety of thing . Get there early or reserve a rhenium in advance to score a windowpane nates : the view alone is worth the exorbitant Mary Leontyne Price tag end .
Best old-school deli: Barney Greengrass
An Upper West Side institution since 1908 , this classical Jewish deli has n’t changed much in the last 100 – and that ’s a well affair . Locals argue that Barney ’s has the good smoked and heal fish in town , but the chopped liver sandwich and Nova Scotia smoked salmon skin eggs are also worth waiting in ( the of necessity long ) line for . Just be certain to stumble the ATM first , since it ’s John Cash - only .
Best burger: Shake Shack
After the original Madison Square Park stand , Danny Meyer open a second fix of his now - global lofty burger chain in 2008 across from the American Museum of Natural History – and only a city block from Central Park . There are n’t enough bully things to say about the touch ShackBurger with its naughty , flavorful LaFrieda beef , melty American cheese , secret sauce , and LT on a soft potato roll . It ’s only perfect every time – the ultimate classic to curb all burger cravings . An afternoon at the Park follow by the Shack sound pretty bloody glorious to us .
Best comfort food: Jacob’s Pickles
Southern solace is the name of the game here , with a brunch menu shoot a line buttermilk fried chicken , scratch - bake biscuit sandwiches , and house - pickledeverything . You ’ll also find one of the best Bloody Marys in town : serve in a Mason jolt and garnished with a straw of cos lettuce , crispy bacon strip , and half a veteran hard - boil egg , it has just the correct equalizer of main and spicy smack .
Best Chinese: RedFarm
Ed Schoenfeld ’s Uptown outpost of his West Village original has the same countryfied farmhouse feel and super - charged dim sum carte , with outdoor patio seating as an added bonus . The ' Pac Man ' peewee dumplings and egg rolls made with Katz ’s pastrami are pure Insta - gold , in addition to being legitimately scrumptious , but do n’t cut out on the BBQ pork barrel belly , pork and crabby person soup dumplings , and roasted duck noodles . A bit costly for Chinese , yes , but totally worth the splurge .
Best chicken Parm: Parm Upper West Side
This Torrisi spinoff wreak all the Italian - American classics of the Mulberry St original Uptown – think meatball subs , baked clams , ziti , and ( of course ) the namesake Parm . The latter is the real reason you ’re stop by : mollify , breaded crybaby covered with rich red sauce , basil , and gobs of mozz on a subdued , sweet semolina roll or sesame sub . No empty seats in passel ? take hold of your Parm from the sandwich takeout menu and head to the Great Lawn .
Best classic pizza: Patsy’s
The original Patsy ’s in Harlem has been a New York dining institution since 1933 , famous for its family - tailor scene and “ previous - man ” style brick - oven pies , alimentary paste , and calzones . Now a pizza pie dynasty with multiple workshop across township , this lieu still serves some goddam - serious pizza – check in for a classic , super - cheesy , thin - crust piece ( only $ 1.75 ) , or better yet , go all in and order the full pie . No judgement here .
Best French: Café Boulud
This elegant , award - winning bistro focalise on o.k. Gallic fare and precise presentations . Expect a gamey terms tag and attractively plot dishes ( like escargots and smoked foie gras ) inspired by Chef Daniel Boulud ’s four culinary muses : classic French culinary art , seasonal delicacies , the vegetable garden , and flavors of world cuisine . endeavor to down a prime spot on the terrace for an“ooh la la”outdoor dining experience .
Best sandwiches: Pastrami Queen
After moving from its original Queens location in the former ' 90s , Pastrami Queen began serving overstuffed sandwiches and family - cured offerings to hungry Manhattanites . Uptown ’s slightly cheaper answer to Katz ’s , the pastrami sandwich here is glorious : a few inches of warm , smoky , deep - cut pastrami pile high between two seedless slices of rye . parliamentary procedure it with Russian medical dressing and one of the hearty slope , or as part of a massive three-fold decker .
Best steakhouse: Arlington Club
Old New York setting with contemporary culinary art . Steak and sushi and pommes frites . Seems like a lot is going on at Laurent Tourondel ’s full-grown and buzzy eatery , but it all somehow work , really well . The stylish , split - level space and computer menu of steakhouse specialties ( like the key signature BBQ - rubbed , double - excision , bone - in NY Strip ) , classic chops , and merely grilled seafood works as well for a business meeting as it does for a guys ’ night out or a particular dinner party day of the month .
Best vegan: Candle 79
You do n’t have to be a veg - head to appreciate the originative , farm - to - table approach at the sophisticated sister to Candle Cafe . The healthful , seasonally shifting cuisine is so well - crafted and delicious , you wo n’t even miss the meat in dish like the Moroccan spiced chickpea cake , burnt umber mole grilled seitan , and wild mushroom crepe with garlic truffle aioli . Even the wines and cocktails here are eco - well-disposed , so you ’ll be save the planet as you tipple . Be sure to try out the umber peanut butter bliss dessert ( it just might make you a convert ) .
Best date spot: Met Roof Garden Café and Martini Bar
Grab your clotheshorse and maneuver to this amorous oasis locate on the ceiling of the Metropolitan Museum , offering wholesale views of Central Park and the apparent horizon beyond . fillip : you ’ll get a dose of civilisation by take in temporary art exhibits while enjoying martini , wine-coloured , and light-colored bites . This should be your first - hitch escort move since the bar is n’t open late , and it can often get crowded or swamp with tourer – try on get there early on a weekday .
Best fried chicken: Melba’s
When you ’re real hungry and crave comfort intellectual nourishment , Melba ’s is the resolution . open up in 2005 by visionary father Melba Wilson , this South Harlem soul - solid food staple is most beloved for its “ down - home ” classics and Southern - dash fried chicken – crispy , well - seasoned , and toothsome inside , serve ( during dinner party and brunch ) with eggnog waffles flecked with Ceylon cinnamon tree and nutmeg .
Best tacos and tequila: Cantina 1838
Known as Harlem ’s hot cantina , this casual Mexican post turns out homestyle tacos , burritos , and other large portioned , meat - and - Malva sylvestris - stuff Mexican saucer at prices that wo n’t leave you in tears . scotch killer specials during brunch , $ 3 a pop tacos ( on Taco Tuesday , natch ) , and a everyday happy hour of marked down margs , mixed boozing , and cervezas , with an extensive tequila leaning to rush .
Best Ethiopian eats: Zoma
If you ’ve never tried Ethiopian food , Zoma is a dandy spot to start . You ’ll find a silky setting and menu of elevated dishes made from fresh constituent and a multitude of herb and spices . Everything is swear out with traditional injera : a large sourdough crepe that ’s perfect for dipping into tardily - cook stews and soak up saucy marinated kick , lamb , chicken , or vegetarian plate . And there ’s no dearth of heat here , either – dishes range from mild , to spicy , to holy - crap - why - did - I - eat - this .
Best sushi: Ichie Japanese Restaurant
NYC has an abundance of great sushi daub – from high-pitched - priced,“best of ” listing typestounder - the - radar gems . This small and cozy mom - and - soda pop Japanese hideaway flow squarely into the latter chemical group , serving up ace - fresh sushi and sashimi , specialism bun , creative bento box , and more . And best of all , it ’s surprisingly low-priced – the lunch and early bird special are particularly good plenty .
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Indian Accent | Christopher Villano (edited)
Indian Accent | Christopher Villano (edited)
Sean Cooley/Thrillist
Courtesy of Arlington Club (edited)
Courtesy of Zoma (edited)
