Let ’s set the scene : your parents are in town and/or you finally adjudicate to take advantage of living in NYC ( aside from just the saloon ) , and hit a museum . Afterwards , you ’re feeling honest about your newly cultured self , but now you ’re starving . Everyone is relying on you to pick the place “ because you go in New York , so youobviouslyknow every restaurant ! ” Except you do n’t , and you ’re really never in this area . You straight off get out your phone and start to frantically Google . Well , stop freaking out , because we have you cover with the best restaurant near every major museum in New York . Now get after some Matisse . And then some burgers .

American Museum of Natural History 

Shake Shack

Upper West SideJust steps from all the dinosaur is this ultimate win - winnings : an “ NYC spot ” for tourists that locals actually screw , too . Word to the wise : order a double ShackBurger , a Smoke Shack , and the more or less newer Chick’n Shack to hear a slight of everything . And do n’t you dare not get one of the concretes .

Brooklyn Museum

Barboncino

Crown HeightsWarning : it ’ll be tough to concentrate on the third largest museum in New York when you know crispy , thin slices cover with poppycock like sopressata picante , pancetta , and beloved are in subdivision ’s reach . Remember , we did tell you it ’s one of the beneficial pizza post in Brooklyn .

Cooper Hewitt

Sarabeth’s

Upper East SideThe move here is to hit this slur up for breakfast / brunch to ensure you score the buttermilk pancakes and short rib hash . It ’s just the fuel you ’ll necessitate to stroll a few more blocks to the museum itself to count at some cool intent . And then take a nice short sleep afterwards .

The Frick Collection 

J.G. Melon

Upper East SideJust a distich avenue down from this fancy sometime hall - turned - museum full of sculpture , porcelain , and picture from the 18th and 19th C , is J.G. Melon – a classic UES pub that ’s been offering one of the urban center ’s best ( and most classic)cheeseburgersand cottage chips ( fundamentally Ruffles , but nipper ! ) for over 30 long time .

Metropolitan Museum of Art 

Cafe Sabarsky

Upper East SideYou wo n’t require to walk too far after operate to the MET , return that just wait around that humongous space pick out old age off your life , so fortunately , this Vienna - inspired cafe is only two blocking away . Discuss the antiquities wing over authentic goulash , Bavarian sausages , German lagers , and a slice of Sachertorte ( that ’s Viennese dark chocolate patty ) .

Morgan Library and Museum

Penelope 

Midtown EastHead here forone of the New York ’s most essential breakfasts(Punkin ’ Waffles ! ) or for a post - mediaeval manuscript snack of polenta minor . It ’s worth the five pulley down and one boulevard over for both .

Museum of the City of New York

Earl’s Beer and Cheese

East HarlemEverything on the computer menu at this comforter food spot has either beer or tall mallow in it . Orbeer cheese . sure as shooting , learn the history of this city is incredibly cool , but it maaay be outshine by beer high mallow .

Museum of Modern Art 

The Monkey Bar

Midtown EastNo count how many times you say you ’re going to inspect the MOMA , you credibly onlyactuallygo when a supporter or a relation ’s in townsfolk , so why not   go the full touristy path and make this swanky eatery for a smoked scollop spaghetti , a Moscow Mule , and if you ’re sassy , the cookie photographic plate .

Museum of the Moving Image

The Astor Room

AstoriaThis is as about as close to eating in the museum as you may get without in reality eat in the museum . ( Plus , museum typically lower on that . ) Just cross the street from the museum dedicate to all things media is this famed eating house with a rich story ( it was a moving-picture show studio commissary in the 1920s ) . Be sure to start with the grill oysters .

New Museum of Contemporary Art  

Cafe Habana 

NolitaTrue tarradiddle : I once literally ran into Alexander Skarsgård at this museum while acquire in a contemporary exhibit that featured ‘ XC trolling dame . Afterwards I remove in quite possibly the good Cuban sandwich ( and I ’m from Florida ! ) at Cafe Habana . The 2nd part could totally happen to you .

New York Public Library 

Keens Steakhouse

Midtown WestAfter you take your parents to see some very famous books , cruise a distich blocks over to one of the posh steak joint in the urban center . Dad will like the classic NY Strip . Mom will like blase atmosphere reach via antique pipes dangling from the cap . You will like the complimentary repast .

New York Transit Museum

Pok Pok Ny

Columbia Street WaterfrontWhether you down authentic Thai fare at this waterfront eatery before or after the museum ( place just a five   minute cab drive forth ) , it ’s potential you block to go / forget what you even understand there ( and you ’re going to see some middling cool old trains ) . That ’s how good the fish sauce - coated chicken wing at Pok Pok are .

New York Historical Society

Caffè Storico

Upper West SideThis restaurantisactually inside the museum , but somehow that does n’t equal awful or over - price . Plus , the “ late - afternoon menu ” coincides dead with the precise time you ’re undoubtedly going to require burrata and Bolognese   in place of more diachronic culture .

Queens Museum

White Bear

FlushingYou’re die to ask to get over to Flushing , otherwise your closest alternative is fairly much the concession stand in the neighboring CitiField . But after just a short train drive , the world will literally be your dumpling – and the chilly oil - covered spicy wontons from White Bear just bump be some of the better ace in the city .

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum 

Via Quadronno

Upper East SideJust a few steps from the museum entrance , you ’ll find this magic   Italian panini fleck offering traditional   Milanese sandwich in a smorgasbord of options ( get the open - confront salmon tartine ) in summation to other classic Italian antipasti , pastas , and large Pisces and essence dishes .

Tenement Museum

Katz’s

Lower East SideAfter visiting a museum so racy in New York City history , it   only makes sense to eat somewhere that is as well , especially when it ’s just a few blocks away . Plus , whether or not you ’ve got visitors with you , it ’s never a spoilt time to indulge in the city’sbest pastrami .

Whitney Museum of American Art 

Untitled at the Whitney

Meatpacking DistrictAnother exception to the rule of never dininginsidea museum , Danny Meyer ’s   advanced American   restaurant inside the new Whitney offers a high - quality ( but moderately price )   seasonally - motor menu with a direction on vegetables and seafood . It ’s on the small grade , so you ’ll have to head into the actual museum for those sweeping   metropolis views , but the modern decor and attractively plated food are sights in their own right .

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met museum

Nick Krueck & Jennifer Bui/Thrillist

shake shack

Flickr/Shinya Suzuki

pancakes at sarabeth’s

Flickr/Shinya Suzuki

chocolate cake

Flickr/Jocelyn & Cathy .

breakfast nutella french toast

Lukus Hasenstab/Penelope

Oysters at the astor room

Courtesy of The Astor Room

Keen’s Steakhouse steak entree

Flickr/Edsel Little

Pok Pok NY chicken

Flickr/Premshree Pillai

Caffe Storico

Caffe Storico

Katz' Delicatessen

Sarah Anderson/Thrillist