It’s the simplest and most difficult question to answer, whether it’s coming from a lifelong New Yorker or a first-time visitor: “Where should I eat in New York City?” The type of food, price, neighborhood, and occasion are just a few factors to consider, but those only go so far in a city of more than 25,000 restaurants. Enter the Eater 38.
This guide is our shortlist of the city’s must-hit restaurants, updated quarterly to reflect changing tastes and trends.
For winter 2026, we’ve added: Caribbean prix fixe party Kabawa, sensational Cambodian restaurant Bong, Harlem stalwart Charles Pan-Fried Chicken, and Brooklyn Heights Al Badawi. For now, we’ve removed Sylvia’s, Cha Long, 2nd Ave Deli, and Ayat.
We’ve also fine-tuned each entry by spotlighting when it’s open, the cost — whether most dishes are under $10 ($), under $20 ($$), under $30 ($$$), or $30 and above ($$$$) — as well as an insider tip.
All of the restaurants on this list have been open for at least six months. For guides to the hottest new openings in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens, see our Heatmaps for those boroughs. And for an insider’s perspective on how to eat well no matter where you are in NYC, pick up our book: The Eater Guide to New York City.
