24 NYC Food Spots That People In The BuzzFeed NY Office Are Obsessed With
The employees at BuzzFeed NY have spoken.

New York City is home to an overwhelming amount of restaurants, which is not ideal for the indecisive eater who doesn't feel like devoting hours of their time to Yelp.
So if you're planning a trip to NYC or just moved here and don't know where to go, then here it is — all of the food spots that BuzzFeed NY swears by.
1. Maiella LIC
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"My boyfriend and I come here for every single special occasion because the food is truly *chef's kiss* delicious and fresh. My usual go-to is the fettuccine Maiella, which is prepared table-side with cheese freshly melted from a very large CHEESE WHEEL, although every single thing I've ever tried on their menu has been nothing short of perfection. Even my dad loves this place, which is especially impressive considering he hates almost every other restaurant he's ever dined at." —AnaMaria Glavan
Menu highlights: Gnocchi al tartufo, fettuccine Maiella, branzino
Address: 4610 Center Blvd Long Island City, NY 11109
2. B&H Dairy
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"B&H Dairy is a simple and small old-fashioned diner. It’s been open in the East Village since 1938 and it's quick and affordable. There is no meat served there (besides fish) and everything is still amazing. Every time I’m there I get a whitefish melt on their homemade challah bread, coffee, and breakfast potatoes. Their omelettes and borscht are also very popular. Customers will be told to leave the restaurant if they are talking on their phone inside. It’s the kind of place that you wouldn’t look at twice when walking by — but that's the best part about it." —Derek Gardner
Menu highlights: Matzo ball soup, hot borscht, challah French toast
Address: 127 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003
3. Xi’an Famous Foods

"I am a brute who generally doesn't care about food and will eat literally anything/the same thing for days in a row...but I go to Xi’an Famous Foods for their spicy and tingly beef hand-ripped noodles when I want to treat myself (the one in East Village specifically, just because it's closest). The flavor is bold, the texture of the noodles is magnificent, and the chili oil is genuinely spicy but still manageable. The portions are also pretty generous for just around $10." —Caleb Chin
Menu highlights: Spicy cumin lamb burger, lamb pao-mo soup, spicy and tingly beef hand-ripped noodles
Browse all of their locations here.
4. Sugar Freak
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"I love this quirky little New Orleans–style restaurant in Queens. Whether you go for fried chicken at dinnertime or beignet sliders at brunch, you will not be disappointed. I have gone back again and again because I will literally crave their food. They have a great drink menu too (although I tend to favor the Bloody Mary). Plus, their atmosphere is cute and unique with old chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and antique plates on the walls. If you want some satisfying (and filling) Southern soul food, check out Sugar Freak right away." —Kayla Boyd
Menu highlights: Mac 'n' cheese, fried chicken po'boys, seafood jambalaya
Address: 37–11 30th Ave Astoria, NY 11103
5. Tofu Tofu
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"Tofu Tofu has the most delicious Korean food, the prices are great, and the service is SO good! They’re so attentive and you get a steamed egg with your meal on the house and also just...the food. Is. SO. Good." —Nusrat Sultana
Menu highlights: Kimchi jun, dduk bokki, beef ramen
Address: 96 Bowery, New York, NY 10013
6. My Cuban Spot

"My Cuban Spot is the best hole-in-the-wall I’ve found on my many aimless walks through the streets of Brooklyn. If you blink you’d miss it, if it weren’t for the fantastic smell of pulled pork and plantains coming through the small counter. There are dozens of menu items like the This Little Piggy Needs Bread sandwich and the I’m Broke Bitch bowl that’ll fill you up for the rest of the day without sacrificing your paycheck, and their desserts are dreadfully drool-worthy (flan, Nutella empanadas, and tres leches). Do yourself a favor and book a trip to Brooklyn just to hit up this perfect snack spot." —Mallory Mower
Menu highlights: Guava and cheese empanada, El Cubano, I'm Broke Bitch (rice with three fried eggs)
Address: 488 Carroll St, Brooklyn, NY 11215
7. D'Antan
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"I mean Italian food is ok, but when the restaurant is small and decides to specialize in vermouth and makes their pasta from scratch on a prominently displayed pasta maker...it's a whole different ball game. Each dish, each drink is a personalized mouthwatering experience and the service levels are out of this world. The waitstaff make you feel as if you're a best friend just stopping by. You feel as if you've stepped into someone's backyard and they decided to pull out the stops, serve you their best dishes, and turn out the best meals they've learned from family tradition. If you eat inside, you're transported to another old-school world with a kitschy, down to earth, swanky feel with all details considered. This place is pricy, but so worth it." —Karl Stewart
Menu highlights: "Crostino" artichokes, lamb chops with fondue and polenta, chocolate soufflé with Bonet gelato
Address: 858 Bergen St, Brooklyn, NY 11238
8. Taverna Kyclades
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"If you're looking for some amazing, authentic Greek food then this is the place for you. Fresh seafood, great wine selection, and incredibly nice staff. The wait is usually pretty long but it's absolutely worth it. The octopus is the opposite of chewy — I've tried a bunch of the different seafood dishes but can't pick a favorite. They're all so damn good/fresh it's hard to choose a favorite, and I usually end up trying something different from the last time I was there." —Jonathan Ginter
*I absolutely love this place and while there's typically a bit of a wait, they give you complimentary house wine to ease your sorrows.
Menu highlights: Traditional Greek salad, chicken souvlaki, branzini
Browse all of their locations here.
9. Watawa Sushi
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"For the love of fresh sushi, please go here immediately. I have been a Watawa frequenter for over five years now and I have not once left feeling dissatisfied. I am boring and order spicy salmon and California rolls every single single time I go, but their rock shrimp? Probably the most perfect appetizer on planet Earth and I will fight anyone who says otherwise." —AnaMaria Glavan
Menu highlights: Rock shrimp salad, spicy salmon roll, sweet heart roll (shrimp tempura with eel and avocado)
Address: 33–10 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105
10. Lido Harlem
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"Lido has the most amazing garlic cheesy bread that I could eat ALONE for a meal. And nothing I've had there has been bad! One time three friends and I ordered six orders of the bread because we are carb animals. I have no regrets." —Elizabeth Lilly
Menu highlights: Creamy garlic parmesan bread, salt cod fritters, fresh squid ink linguini
Address: 2168 Frederick Douglass Blvd, New York, NY 10026
11. Five Senses
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"I absolutely LOVE Five Senses in Koreatown. The food is so fresh and delicious and reasonably priced. My favorite dishes are the kimchi fried rice and the army stew! The kimchi fried rice is served in a skillet with egg and mozzarella cheese poured on top of it...so good! —Alissa Foti
Menu highlights: Kimchi fried rice, steamed snow crab, braised boneless prime short ribs
Address: 9 W 32nd St, New York, NY 10001
12. Cornerstone Cafe
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"I love this place in the LES called Cornerstone Cafe. The pancakes and baked eggs are to die for, and I'm very picky about both those things. But TBH, everything I've ever tried there has been tasty. It gets pretty packed during prime brunch time, but it's not overly crowded (or expensive) like most of the more ~trendy~ spots are. The manager and wait staff are super nice, too, which is so rare for NYC. If you're looking for good food and a low-key good time, this is the spot for you. Not pretentious at all, very chill, and the neighborhood is great for walking around after brunch. They also have a dinner menu!" —Yi Yang
Menu highlights: Buttermilk pancakes, eggs benedict, chicken cutlet parmigiano
Address: 17 Avenue B, New York, NY 10009
13. Jeepney
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"This is a great tiki cocktail bar and also a great gastropub for Filipino food!" —Caroline Amaba
Menu highlights: Balut (fertilized duck egg), ube pancakes, banana ketchup ribs
Address: 201 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10003
14. ATOBOY
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"I always bring visitors to this place if they want something 'new' but delicious. All the plates are shareable, and the prix fixe situation is three dishes for $46 per person, which ends up being a great deal and leaves everyone satisfied. The fried chicken here is to die for." —Allison Kim
Menu highlights: Fried chicken, pork belly, lobster
Address: 43 E 28th St, New York, NY 10016
15. Daily Provisions
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"Daily Provisions is a really great spot close to the BF office! It's on the more expensive side BUT the food is always quality, the staff is SO nice. And for every holiday they even have a staff night and craft together for in-store decorations!! And last but not least, the crullers. Like, need I say more?" —Jennifer Tonti
Menu highlights: Kabocha squash soup, crispy Brussel sprouts, seasonal crullers
Browse all of their locations here.
16. The Commodore
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"The Commodore in Williamsburg is hands down my favorite place on Earth. From the New Orleans dive-bar vibe to their giant piña coladas, you cannot have a bad time here. Coupled with the BEST nachos in Brooklyn, and some of the best fried chicken sandwiches on earth...I can't quit going, even after moving out of the neighborhood." —Jenna Sumberg
Menu highlights: Hot breast sandwich, Cadillac nachos, Mexican chicken soup
Address: 366 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211
17. Barbounia
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"Barbounia is one of my first picks for brunch because it has an incredibly generous mimosa bottomless brunch, it's prime for people watching (there are always lots of gorgeous people there when I go), and if you're day drinking...it's by Union Square and within walking distance of lots of bars or by the train to travel elsewhere. Oh, and the food? Really excellent and substantial enough that you won't be falling on the floor when you leave your bottomless brunch." —Elizabeth Lilly
Menu highlights: Falafel, grilled salmon shish-kabob, crescent farm duck shawarma
Address: 250 Park Ave S, New York, NY 10003
18. Lilia
"As someone who has a very low bar for the types of carbs I will put in my body, it seems silly that I would line up outside an Italian restaurant 45 minutes before it opens when I could just boil a pot of water at home. But the pasta at Lilia — and, more importantly, the focaccia — is worth waiting for. And even after you've eaten enough pasta (and fried cacio e pepe balls) to the point of feeling like you're about to burst, I suggest ordering the chocolate torta, which you will 100% not want to share with your dinner date." —Melanie Aman
Menu highlights: Ricotta gnocchi, grilled veal flank steak, chocolate torta
Address: 567 Union Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222
19. Sunday in Brooklyn

"Okay, so admittedly...I didn't want to like this place because everyone and their Instagram-having mother seems to have been here. Call me pretentious! Maybe I am! But I fell in love the moment I bit into the above pancakes, which were drizzled with brown butter and hazelnut maple praline. I didn't understand the true meaning of 'melts in your mouth' until my love affair with the above brunch dish began." —AnaMaria Glavan
Menu highlights: Sunday Pancakes, warm brown rice bowl, s'mores soft serve
Address: 348 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249
20. Saraghina
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"This is a cozy Italian restaurant that's great for groups. They have their own tasty take on an Aperol Spritz, a killer meat and cheese board, and some of the best wood-fired pizza EVER. Also on Valentine's Day, all their pizzas are heart-shaped, which is a very Instagrammable excuse to go there year after year." —Hallie Steiner
Menu highlights: Clam pizza, marinara pizza, prosciutto and funghi pizza
Address: 435 Halsey St, Brooklyn, NY 11233
21. Claro
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"A Michelin star-rating plus a reasonably priced menu (for that rating) makes Claro a go-to for dinner (date night!) and brunch on weekends. The Oaxacan menu is shareable and everything is made by hand, including some delicious Mezcal cocktails." —John Mihaly
Menu highlights: Roasted beets and avocado tostada, tacos, pork memela
Address: 284 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215
22. The Fat Radish

"I LOOOVE the Fat Radish; it’s a cute little spot in the Lower East Side with incredible cocktails and delicious and creative seasonal dishes! Supposedly it’s British-ish but I haven’t found anything that didn’t make me exclaim something like 'this is SO GOOD' out loud. I don’t go there all that often — it’s a little pricey for me — but it’s one of my frequent choices for special occasions." —Natalie Brown
Menu highlights: Housemade donuts, grilled cheese, crispy trout
Address: 17 Orchard St, New York, NY 10002
23. Treadwell Park
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"If you're looking for a great biergarten, head to the Upper East Side location of Treadwell Park! It has two floors and is plenty big for large parties and, most importantly, it's got excellent bar food. My favorite is their giant soft pretzel — it's HUGE! And steaming hot when it comes out! It's so delicious, my mouth is watering just thinking about it. They've also got a wide variety of beer on tap so this is the perfect place to catch a sports game, play ping pong, and grab a couple of snacks." —Alexandra Napoli
Menu highlights: Lobster roll, bratwurst, giant soft pretzel
Browse all of their locations here.
24. Westville
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"This small Manhattan chain is always busy, but I am still probably their biggest customer. I get it delivered to both home and work...so I order from there at least twice a week. It's the best comfort food you could imagine: Think grilled salmon, macaroni and cheese, loaded baked potatoes, and awesome veggies. I'm kind of a picky eater and there are very few places where I'll like more than one or two things on the menu, but that's not the case here!" —Katy Herman
Menu highlights: Roasted artichokes, truffle parm fries, Beyond Burger
Browse all of their locations here.
Me, telling anyone and everyone about how good the sushi at Watawa is:
The reviews in this post have been edited for length and/or clarity.
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