Where I Eat on the Upper West Side

When it comes to restaurants, the Upper West Side is famously casual and family-friendly…and a little slim on destination spots, but that does not mean we haven’t found our go-tos since we moved to the neighborhood from the suburbs last year. Here’s a run-down of places we patronize regularly for coffee, specialty shopping, casual breakfasts and lunches, takeout, pre-theater, cocktails, and, of course, dinner. If you live in the neighborhood (or even if you don’t!), particularly in the west 90s or 100s, please feel free to add your own recommendations in the comments. I’m still new here and learning everyday! P.S. Similar to my Where I Eat in Westchester List, this will be a post I plan to regularly update, so feel free to keep checking in.

Shown above, clockwise from top left: Orwashers, Dagon, Mast Market, Sugarfish, Barney Greengrass, Pastrami Queen, Owl’s Tail, Sal & Carmine, me at Cafe Luxembourg.

Barney Greengrass (Amsterdam/87th) I’ll start with the destination spots right up top, like this legendary Jewish Deli known for its iconic smoked fish (“The Sturgeon King”), bagels, and old-school New York deli atmosphere, including the old grumpy waiters who emerge from the back room asking if anyone wants one of the freshly fried latkes he’s carrying. I take out-of-towners here, I meet my brother for French toast here, I take my daughter here when she comes home from college, I pick up a bagel with lox and walk to park from here. I am so grateful to be within walking distance. Cash only, of course.
Good for: Destination dining, out-of-towners, breakfast, lunch, old-New York lovers, takeout for Central Park picnics

Cafe Luxembourg (70th/Bway) To me, it’s the quintessential Upper West Side restaurant with its idyllic honey-golden light, its distinct New York energy that’s somehow both neighborhoody and special occasion-y, and its perfectly executed crowdpleaser menu. (Think: Shrimp Cocktail, Burgers, Profiteroles, Sticky Toffee Pudding.) The place is an institution and we’ve been there many times over the decades, as longtime readers surely know already. Also, ideally situated for a pre-show meal if you’re heading to Lincoln Center or the Beacon, and even Broadway.
Good for: Destination dining, celebrations, regulars, out-of-towners, brunch, dinner, pre-theater

Shinbashi (72nd/Bway) We rely on this tiny bustling market on West 72nd street for its classic Japanese comfort foods — like katsu, ramen, and made-fresh onigiri — but I also appreciate their well-curated market when I’m in search of specialty Japanese staples and snacks. Think: soy sauce, rice, miso paste, Pocky sticks, shrimp chips, wasabi peas. No sit-down, just takeaway. (Photo credit: Beyond My Door.)
Good for: Speciality shopping, takeout, no dining in

Kossar’s (72nd/ West End) The legendary Lower East Side bagel and bialy shop opened up this UWS branch less than a year ago, and yet already I have no idea how we lived without it. Their bagels are my ideal: crispy, compact (i.e. not huge, the worst!), just the tiniest bit sweet, and — thanks to a steady stream of traffic — usually warm. My go-to order is changing all the time but currently it’s a plain bagel with horseradish-pickle cream cheese or egg-and-cheese on a toasted buttered onion bialy. I always grab a chocolate babka, too, especially if I’m visiting friends or family or going to someone’s house for dinner, or thanking the dog-walker, or….you get the idea.
Good for: Destination eating, authentic New York bagels, breakfast, lunch, coffee

Sal & Carmine (101st/Bway) It’s true that in New York, the best slice of pizza is most often the one at your corner pizzeria. We are so spoiled with how many options abound for world-class pizza! But when it’s time to order in a classic cheese pie — with just the right ratio of sturdy crust, melty cheese, and a slightly-sweet tomato sauce — it’s usually from this no-frills classic New York-style spot on Broadway.
Good for: Authentic New York pizza, dinner takeout, super casual pizzeria lunch or dinner

Taralucci e Vino (Columbus/83rd) A pressed-tin ceiling, a marble espresso bar, gorgeous charcuterie plates, the occasional Kyra Sedgwick-Kevin Bacon sighting, I love this place for a latte on a Sunday morning or Cacio e Pepe on a Friday night. On a spring or summer night, it’s a charming place to eat outside. Bonus: Nine times out of ten you can snag a same-day dinner reservation.
Good for: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and meeting friends for drinks or dinner

Pappardella (Columbus/75th) Is their pasta Misi or Via Carota level? No. But with its murals of the Ponte Vecchio on the wall, a seriously red-sauce Italian-American menu dripping with cheese, and waiters who pronounce prosciutto “pro-ZHOO,” there’s a comfort level that we appreciate as old-schoolers. I always order their Eggplant Parm, Phoebe goes for the Chicken Milanese, and Andy likes the Brick oven pizzas.
Good for: Casual dinner, kids

Daily Provisions (Amsterdam/78th) Even though there are many of these throughout the city now, they still somehow manage to feel neighborhoody and intimate. (Turns out Danny Meyer knows what he is doing.) Everything on the casual salad/soup/sandwich menu is solid, but to me, the stand-outs are the egg-and-cheese (perfect egg-to-bread ratio), the custardy crullers (maple or cinnamon), and the baked-fresh caramel chocolate chunk cookie.
Good for: Breakfast, lunch, and/or takeout for Central Park picnic, meeting someone for coffee or lunch

Miriam (Amsterdam/73rd) There are a few of these Mediterranean spots in New York — the original is in Park Slope — and if you order correctly (the chicken shawarma, the dipping plates, the pomegranate glazed meatballs when they’re on the menu), it’s a solid option for meeting a friend for casual dinner. Would I get on a subway to get myself here? I don’t think so. But the dining room is well designed, the lighting golden and soft, and it is always always busy, which is not nothing. PS: We are not brunch people, but word on the street is that they have a great one.
Good for: Dinner, brunch, meeting friends

Mast Market (Columbus/77th) I love its calming, white-oak aesthetic and especially love their provisions fridge in the back which is packed with farm-market meat and produce and, importantly, Yellow Bell Farm eggs.(So it feels like I have a mini-farmer’s market every day of the week.) They also sell pre-made salads and artisanal local pantry items like jams, vinegar, honey, olive oils, heirloom grains, etc. This is where I often meet people for work meetings or take out-of-town friends for coffee and a pastry or an afternoon hot chocolate with the girls.
Good for: Coffee and pastries, meeting friends for breakfast or lunch, bougie provisions shopping

Rosetta There are a few of them in New York (and Miami, where I first discovered it ages ago) but the one across from Lincoln Center is my go-to for excellent (if slightly overpriced) Italian sandwiches and pastries. It’s a good place to meet someone for a casual breakfast or lunch — it’s counter service with a very large sit-down area that usually feels like a giant party. It’s loud and high-ceilinged and you can almost always find a table.
Good for: Breakfast, lunch, coffee, takeout for a Central Park picnic, quick sandwich or bite before Lincoln Center

Bar Boulud Yes, the interior could use an update — it feels a bit stuck in the early aughts — but the French bistro menu is very Boulud, which is to say dependably excellent. Eating at the bar is a good 11th-hour move if you haven’t thought ahead concert at Lincoln Center. So is the grapefruit Negroni.
Good for: Dinner, drinks, pre-theater

Sushi Yasaka We’ve probably been here more than any other restaurant on this list and though I wouldn’t call it a destination restaurant, it’s a longtime favorite among locals (including Ruth Reichl), beloved for its reasonably priced, high-quality sushi. I’m also a fan of their agedashi tofu, spinach goma-ae, and fried oyster appetizer.
Good for: Lunch, dinner, takeout

The Hoptimist We love this brewery for its devotion to New York State-made beers and ciders (Flagship, Doc’s, Equilibrium), but also because you can cozy up in the winter and sit outside in the summer. Plus, it’s super dog-friendly — there’s an entire wall devoted to polaroids of its canine customers, including Bean. They don’t serve food, but on the weekends they let you order from the 7th Street Burger next door.
Good for: Neighborhood vibes, lunch, dinner, outdoor drinks, meeting friends for drink, or for a post-Central Park beer on a nice night

Two Wheels When the Bánh Mì craving hits, you’ll find us here. (It’s a door or two away from The Hoptimist.) It’s counter-service casual with a tight menu of pho, bánh mì, and (my favorite) the coconut and rice flour crepes you can order with pork, shrimp, tofu, or chicken.
Good for: Lunch, dinner takeout, casual counter-service dining

Dagon Like many restaurants on the UWS, this place is ginormous — which usually turns me off — but it’s always filled and hoppin’ probably because the Middle Eastern fare they serve here is excellent. The mezze sampler with the chicken liver mousse is worth the price of admission alone. Also has a great bar.
Good for: Destination dining, meeting friends, lunch, dinner, drinks

Elea Greek. This place feels a little like the restaurant you’d take your parents if they were visiting a twenty-something you in the city. It’s expensive, but you’re paying for the vibes which The Infatuation describes the decor as “Mediterranean coastal.” The very large space is loud and energetic, but in a distinctly uptown way.
Good for: Dinner

New Cottage Chinese In the former space of beloved Le Caridad (RIP), this Szechuan spot appeared on my radar when Alex Delaney (who has excellent taste in all things New York food) posted about how much he loved their dumplings. We’ve since hit them up for every kind of dumpling as well as some pretty excellent moo shu chicken and sesame noodles.
Good for: Takeout, super casual dining (atmosphere is hilariously nonexistent)

Lilly’s A string-lighted, exposed-brick cozy little spot, half a block from Central Park. The food is aggressively mediocre, but it’s got good neighborhood-spot energy and a small, intimate space (something of a rarity on the UWS), making it ideal for a glass of wine or cocktail with friends.
Good for: Drinks and light bites, especially on a cold night

Zabar’s Do you need me to tell you to go to Zabar’s? Probably not. But I’m doing it anyway. It’s the original gourmet market — with its bagels-and-babka bakery, prepared foods, absurdly bountiful cheese and “appetizers” selection, plus of course the legendary smoked fish, and if you’re swinging through town as a visitor, this is the place to grab New York food souvenirs for friends at home. P.S. Don’t forget to go to the kitchen and supply market upstairs. It’s one of those dusty mash-mash situations where you can find pots, pans, cake sprinkles, Mason Jars, cookie sheets, aprons, dish towels, you get the idea. I’ll say it again: Legendary!
Good for: Destination shopping, market shopping, authentic old-school New York, takeout bagels, coffee, baked goods

Hudson & Charles Meats (Butcher, market, takeout sandwiches) We go here when we want high-quality pork chops, sausages or steak. There’s a provisions shelf and fridge, too, packed with things like bone broths and Rancho Gordo beans and artisanal pickles. Apparently they have an amazing roast beef sandwich with warm au jus for dipping — my brother, a fan, has been trying to get me there for lunch to see for myself.
Good for: Market shopping, sandwiches/lunch

Orwashers A cozy, artisanal bakery known for its fresh, hand-crafted breads and pastries. The space has a warm, rustic feel and it always feels a bit chaotic on the (usually long) line. Their breakfast sandwiches are great, as are the signature sourdough and babka, and I beg you not to leave with out a piped-to-order jelly-stuffed donut, specifically the sour cherry.
Good for: Takeout breakfast or lunch

Old John’s Diner A reliable spot that feels neighborhoody and serves no-frills diner food — pancakes, waffles, burgers, BLTs, tuna melts. It’s a good place to know about if you want to grab something before Lincoln Center with kids. It’s always crowded, so try to make reservations.
Good for: Kids, diner-casual breakfast, lunch, dinner

Thai Market (107th) Packed with Columbia students (and everyone else), my daughters like to take friends to this bustling authentic spot when they visit New York. Definitely get reservations. P.S. Love the pad see ew and larb gai.
Good for: Students, cheap eats, casual lunch and dinner

Pastrami Queen (72nd) Go for real roast turkey sandwiches and matzoh ball soup and a bountiful menu of every possible pastrami or corned beef sandwich variety you can imagine — sit in the diner-like sit-down area in the back or get it to go and have a park for a picnic. No school like the old school.
Good for: Casual lunch

Charles Pan-Fried (72nd) For take-out barbecue when I don’t feel like cooking for people (hey, it happens!) I love their pulled pork on sandwiches, their barbecue chicken for an easy take-out dinner, and classic sides: Mac & Cheese, slaw, potato salad, collards, etc.
Good for: Lunch, dinner, takeout only

Sugarfish (75th Amsterdam/Bway) I keep waiting for my obsession with this place to fade away, but five years after I first ordered from their “Trust Me” menu, the fire still burns hot. There is a lot of extraordinary Japanese food in New York, but I simply cannot imagine any of them having better sushi and hand rolls than Sugarfish. Warm rice, the freshest fish, flaky nori, every component is perfect times a million. It’s the kind of food where your mouth is still kind of remembering and enjoying it an hour later, I”m not kidding. I dream about the crab roll. There are multiple locations in New York and LA, and when one opened up last spring three blocks away from my apartment I nearly fainted with excitement. Bonus: Warm, elegant ambiance.
Good for: Lunch or dinner

Owl’s Tail (75th Amsterdam/Bway) We like it for small plates and cocktails and pretty much only go when we’re meeting people before a show at the Beacon.
Good for: Dinner or drinks, pre-theater

QUICK COFFEE TO GO ROUND UP: Black Press (73rd/Columbus), Joe (two locations, 68th/Columbus and 85th/Columbus), Solid State (71st/Columbus), Mast (77th/Columbus), Sote Roasters (75th/Amsterdam)

What am I missing? Please share your own local favorites!

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