Upper West Side

Note: Restaurants are categorized by cuisine and listed in alphabetical order and not in order of preference.

Chinese

  • RedFarm – Modern Chinese restaurant serving dim sum, Peking duck, cocktails and more
    • Location: West Village, Upper West Side
    • Atmosphere: Farmhouse, rustic; note that seating at the West Village location is “family style,” meaning there are two large tables, so you will be sitting next to and near strangers 
    • Suggestions: Chicken salad, Kowloon filet mignon tarts, five flavor chicken dumplings 
    • Reservations: Suggested; can be made through their website or by calling them
    • A Good Place For: Dinner with friends, small group dinner (1-4 people)

Fine Dining 

  • Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi – Opened by Chef Kwame Onwuachi, Tatiana is a fine dining restaurant that serves food inspired by Kwame’s Afro-Caribbean-by-way-of-the-Bronx heritage (i.e., Afro Caribbean-inspired dining). Tatiana topped Pete Well’s “The 100 Best Restaurants in NYC 2023” list. You can read the restaurant review posted in the New York Times, HERE.
    • Location: Upper West Side (Lincoln Center)
    • Atmosphere: High-end, modern, fancy 
    • Suggestions: Black bean hummus, honeynut piri piri salad, shawarma roasted chicken, bodega special; if you’re getting a drink, it’s worth trying their “boozy jellies” 
    • Reservations: Required; Reservations are available 28 days in advance at 12pm. Their full-service bar does have 6 seats, which are used to accommodate walk-ins. I would suggest getting there at 5pm sharp to get a walk-in seating
    • A Good Place For: A special occasion, a celebration, a pre-show (ballet, opera) dinner 

Italian

  • Bad Roman – A playful, maximalist Italian restaurant in The Shops at Columbus Circle
    • Location: Upper West Side
    • Atmosphere: Fun, lively, over-the-top, Instragramable
    • Suggestions: All the “for the table” menu items are great (i.e., roasted garlic babka, black truffle honey whipped ricotta and roni cups), spicy gem caesar, filet mignon (the popular thing to do is add the cacio e pepe raviolo; it’s worth it for the picture but I found the raviolo to be very underwhelming) 
    • Reservations: Required; reservations are released online three weeks in advance. The bar area is reserved for walk-ins, and it has 20 bar seats in addition to some high-tops
    • A Good Place For: Dinner with friends when friends are in town 
    • Note: The Infatuation says it best: “A gimmicky Italian-ish restaurant in Columbus Circle. The food is hit-or-miss, but it’s a reliably good time” 

  • La Pecora Bianca – A stylish and bright all-day dining restaurant featuring market-driven Italian cuisine, regional wines & apéritifs
    • Location: Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Meatpacking, Soho, Bryant Park, Midtown, Noho
    • Atmosphere: Cutte, vibrant, lively 
    • Suggestions: Einkorn gramigna
    • Reservations: Suggested but not difficult to get; easy to get a last minute reservation 
    • A Good Place For: Large group dinners, tourists, drinks after work  
    • Note: La Pecora Bianca is what I refer to as The Smith of Italian food. The food is average and there are locations all over the city. It’s fine but if you actually spend 5 minutes researching NYC Italian food, you’ll find some place 10x better at a similar price point

  • Parm – Since the original location of Parm opened in New York City’s Little Italy in 2011, the restaurant’s takes on Italian-American soul food have reached iconic status. The menu is inspired by the cooking Michelin-Starred chefs Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi
    • Location: Upper West Side, Soho, Battery Park City 
    • Atmosphere: Casual, unassuming 
    • Suggestions: Chicken parm, meatballs, spicy rigatoni 
    • Reservations: Strongly suggested at the Soho location 
    • A Good Place For: A casual dinner, a solo dinner, takeout 
    • Note: If you want to experience the spicy rigatoni at Carbone but can’t get a reservation, order it at Parm. It’s almost identical and cheaper! 
    • Sister Restaurants: Sadelle’s, Torrisi, HaSalon, Carbone, The Grill, The Lobster Club, The Pool, Dirty French, ZZ’s Clam Bar, Crown Club

Mexican

  • Rosa Mexicano – Rosa Mexicano offers a fresh take on authentic Mexican cuisine, serving both beloved classic dishes in a stylish and sophisticated atmosphere
    • Location: Flatiron, Upper West Side, Midtown East 
    • Atmosphere: Vibrant, colorful
    • Suggestions: I don’t think there are any standouts on the menu
    • Reservations: Not required 
    • A Good Place For: Dinner before going out, a last minute big group dinner 
    • Note: I find the food here to be subpar at best. But, the drinks are decent and affordable so it’s a good last minute dinner spot before going out