Estela
At their buzzy downtown hotspot, chef Ignacio Mattos and partner Thomas Carter pack the house for their subversively understated small plates. (In 2014, traffic was brought to a slow creep on busy Houston Street when President Obama dined at the restaurant.) The tartare—hand-cut beef folded with pickled elderberries and fried sunchoke shards—is the best in town. And Mattos’s rendition of mussels escabeche proffers the plump shellfish perched on aioli-slathered toasts in a vinegary, bright green broth. If you don’t have a reservation, go early or be prepared to dance around servers by the crammed marble bar; order their take on a Negroni, made with mezcal, Cynar, sweet vermouth, and thyme, and the wait won't feel so bad.
More Restaurants in New York (City)
Cosme
Superstar chef Enrique Olvera negotiates the pull between tradition and modernity at his first international outpost.
Le Bernardin
The 30-year-old fish-forward Michelin three-star restaurant is as delicious, opulent, and modern as ever.
Eleven Madison Park
This haute cuisine powerhouse features dramatic soaring ceilings, two-story windows overlooking Madison Square Park, and ingredient-focused dishes.
Momofuku Ko
The crown jewel of chef/restaurateur David Chang’s New York empire set off the city’s counter tasting-menu craze when it opened in 2008, but its newer space has more panache.
Sushi Yasuda
While flashier temples of raw fish have opened in New York, Sushi Yasuda still maintains its status at the top of the list.
Blue Hill at Stone Barns
One New York City's hardest reservations to score may be a ways outside Manhattan—but an evening spent at this working farm is worth the trek.
Russ & Daughters Cafe
Just around the corner from Russ & Daughter’s, the beloved century-old specialty foods shop, this full-service offshoot reimagines the Jewish appetizing tradition.
Il Posto Accanto
Tucked into a cozy, brick-walled space with low-slung ceilings, this under-the-radar enoteca is a favorite among in-the-know locals.
Bâtard
Chef Marcus Glocker, along with restaurateurs Drew Nieporent and John Winterman, racked up accolades right out of the gate for this Tribeca spot.
