The Best Manhattan Neighborhoods for Foodies (and Where to Eat in Each One)

Everyone knows New York City is one of the best in the world for foodies. It’s an ever-changing, competitive food scene in the Big Apple, with lots of new restaurants popping up all the time. In just a little over 22 square miles, Manhattan has managed to reign as one of the finest spots in the world to eat. Here are the Manhattan neighborhoods every foodie should explore, and where to go once you’re there.

Lower East Side

The Lower East Side has historically been known for its Jewish-American roots and gritty streets. While you can still go to the original Katz’s Deli, the food scene has grown in the past decade to include a wide range of cuisines, making it the perfect place to go to explore Manhattan’s multidimensional food scene. Hit up these spots first:

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Caracas Arepas Bar — This place is “not a fast-food” joint, as the sign hanging above its kitchen will tell you, and their handmade arepas have become a local favorite since opening in 2003. Caracas has expanded to include two additional locations–one in Williamsburg and one in Rockaway Beach–and they all bring the Venezuelan flavors to New York. Head to the original LES location and (after you wait in an inevitable line) get the La Del Gato–an arepa stuffed with fried plantains, avocado, and melted guayanés cheese.

Mission Chinese — Don’t be fooled by the name, this San Francisco transplant is anything but your average Chinese restaurant. Although it got off to a rough start, Mission Chinese is making up for it with unique dishes and elevated Szechuan classics. Definitely try the fried rice, thrice cooked bacon, and the drunken whole fish. If you’re going with a group, try the Quick Mission Dinner (Chongqing chicken wings, noodles, salt cod fried rice, mouth-numbing mapo tofu, broccoli beef brisket, and vegetables), which will feed everyone for just $45/person.

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The Boil — Get your seafood fix at The Boil, a unique spot that lets you pick your seafood, sauce, and the amount of spice. For every 2 lbs. of seafood ordered, you’ll get one corn and one potato side, so team up with some friends and get a few different items. Between the shrimp, lobster, king crab legs, crawfish, and Dungeness crab, you can’t go wrong with your seafood choice. Get the Boil Special Sauce–a combination of their garlic butter sauce, o’ bay sauce, and ragin’ lemon pepper sauce–and choose medium level of spice. Put your bib on and dig into the bag; you’ll quickly realize why it’s one of the most popular spots for seafood in the LES.

Nolita

Next door to Little Italy (and once considered part of it) is where you’ll find another Italian food-mecca, Nolita. You can eat at other trendy spots here, like Cava and The Musket Room, but this Manhattan neighborhood is known for its pizza, pasta, and all things Italian.

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Rubirosa Ristorante — This place has been around for over 60 years, and their family recipe pizza sauce has been a major reason why. Rubirosa’s authentic, thin crust pizza comes in 10 different varieties; the Tie Dye–made with vodka sauce, tomato, pesto, and fresh mozzarella–is a crowd pleaser, along with the truly unique “Old School” Clam Pie–littleneck clams, oregano, pecorino, chili, and mozzarella. Get a side of meatballs in marinara while you’re at it, you’ll be glad you did.

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Prince Street Pizza — If you’ve never heard of Prince Street Pizza, you might be the only one. Its “Spicy Spring” pizza is a fan favorite. Made with Fra diavolo sauce, spicy pepperoni cups, and fresh mozzarella and baked on a thick, square pizza slice, it’s one of their most-ordered slices. Just be sure to go on the earlier side or you’ll have a massive line of bar-stumblers to get through before you see your slice.

estela — Estela is owned and operated by Ignacio Mattos who studied under legendary chefs like Judy Rogers and Alice Waters before opening his first restaurant in 2011. He’s been nominated four times for Best Chef: New York by the James Beard Foundation. What we’re saying is, make a reservation at his Nolita spot and get ready to enjoy his creative take on beef tartare, ricotta dumplings, and burrata toast.

Flatiron/Union Square

While it’s not a lightly trafficked area by any means, it’s still one of the best Manhattan neighborhoods to try celebrity chef restaurants. Try these ones before any of the others.

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Gramercy Tavern — This Michelin-starred restaurant has also earned its share of James Beard Awards–9 and counting. To eat in the main dining area, you’ll want to book a month or so in advance, as reservations fill up quickly. You’ll find a different, but just as delicious, menu in the tavern area, where it’s a bit easier to grab a table without months-long reservations.  

Upland — Chef Justin Smillie brings his California roots to the kitchen at his rustic, inviting restaurant. It’s named after Justin’s hometown in California (before he moved to New Jersey where he was raised), and the cuisine here showcases it. Try the burger, which has already received rave reviews from Jimmy Fallon and Gigi Hadid, and the kale sausage pizza.

East Harlem

From old-school Italian institutions to Latin and Caribbean-inspired spots, East Harlem is a foodie destination that’s unassumingly filled with gems.

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Rao’s — Imagine eating your Italian grandmother’s cooking in an intimate, 10-table, hyper-exclusive restaurant. That’s Rao’s in a nutshell. It’s a place where Southern Neapolitan cooking has been done to perfection since 1896, and tables have been reserved for regulars for over 100 years. If you’re lucky enough to know someone with table rights to Rao’s, you’ll get to experience one of the most iconic and famous Italian restaurants in the country.

Lechonera La Isla — This Puerto Rican mom and pop spot has been here for years, and, like Rao’s, it’s also a place where the food does all the talking. Get the chicharrón with rice and beans, which is covered with plantains and garlic sauce, and top it off with housemade flan. Come early, though, this place usually sells out.

Sisters Carribbean Cuisine — Looking for the best jerk chicken in the city? Look no further than Sisters’. Their curry chicken isn’t bad either (and by not bad we mean divine), and their oxtail stew–topped with candied yams, coconut rice, and callaloo–is a great choice, too.

Can’t wait to try these spots? Find your next apartment on Zumper and, before you know it, you’ll be eating jerk chicken for lunch, going to The Boil for dinner, and grabbing a late-night slice at Prince Street Pizza.