Explore Best Manhattan Lunch Spots: Delight & Savor!
Nestled among the skyscrapers and the hustle of New York City, Manhattan boasts a vibrant tapestry of lunch spots that cater to every palate and preference. From quaint bistros offering serene escapes to bustling delis that have mastered the art of the quick bite, the island is a treasure trove for food enthusiasts. Whether it's the timeless allure of a classic New York slice or the innovative twists on culinary classics found in trendy eateries, Manhattan's lunch scene is a dynamic showcase of flavor and culture. Join us as we explore the must-visit niches where midday meals become memorable experiences.
Café sabarsky
4.3
(813)
Sweet-toothed art lovers pause for Viennese pastries & savory dishes at the Neue Galerie's cafe.
Reviews:
Entering the restaurant requires a security check. It starts with a tough guard outside. We were seated by seven guests at a small table that fits a maximum of two people. After a larger table became vacant, we were barely able to get in because it was very crowded and we couldn't get our feet under the table. In a few minutes a nice and polite waitress arrived who asked what we would like to drink and from here we already forgot the beginning about the food. I can say that it was not tasty for me and neither for my friends, but the desserts were delicious and reminded me a little of Austria, but not all of my guests liked the desserts
יפרח אליהו
This is an amazing place if you're looking to find a bit of Europe in NYC! Sometimes, you might get lucky and secure a table without a reservation or a long line, but I recommend booking in advance. The food here is incredible - from sausages and soup to desserts, everything is so delicious!
Kseniia Dubovitskaia Dubovitz
Visited the museum which was just one floor of art not very spectacular and decided to try the cafe on the ground floor as well. The veal schnitzel was average it was on the outside but flavorless in the inside. The potato salad was pretty good. The cake was okay and the elderflower sparkling water was flat and there were no elderflower taste in fast it smell bad. Please don’t order this item. Service was okay they also give us bread upon request- we tried this out of curiosity and will not recommend if you are curious as well 😅.
ff
I absolutely love Cafe Sabarsky. The atmosphere is cozy and elegant and the servers are very attentive. Really liked their klimt-inspired cake, but definetly is an expensive spot worth coming to for the vibes over the food. They had some great pianist playing last time I was there. My favorite plan is grabbing a hot chocolate here, heading to the Neue and walking to Central Park. Will be coming again!
PM
The best Viennese cafe you can find in New York, located just in the corner of the Neue Galerie. When you enter in, right away you can feel the old time atmosphere. Food is delicious, my favorite is trout, and then of course the excellent Austria coffee and superb Apple strudel and Sachetorte. Only problem is the restaurant always has a long line, so plan ahead.
J.Y
1048 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028, USA
Margon
4.6
(1082)
Small Latin counter-service spot serving Cuban sandwiches, American breakfasts & salads.
Reviews:
All I can say is the taste was outta this world 🌎!! Best Cuban restaurant food I've ever tried. I had the pork chop with beans & rice. My daughter enjoyed the Cuban sandwich. The flavors were spectacular!!! I went in early July & it was very hot inside, so not conducive to eating a hot meal in there. But I went to Bryant park instead to eat it. My food was still warm & very delicious!
Suzy Renee aka NinjaCatt
Probably the most popular Cuban restaurant in the Times Square area. They only serve sandwiches in the morning till around 1045-11am. The cooked food is really good and the oxtail and chicken thigh are quite popular with quite a few diners ordering it. Staff are also helpful and always have a smile on their face.
Teck Boon
I'm a little jealous that NY has this style of restaurant! Perfect for a quick lunch. The staff made you feel like family and this was the home cooked feeling meal I needed to round out my time in New York! I ordered online, but honestly, it's probably best just to go in and do the line. So many great entrees to choose from! I got the chicken, and it came with rice, beans, plantains, and a salad. Those plantains!!! I'm coming back to new York and stopping here again. The portion to price ratio is amazing!
T Lucas
We enjoyed our meals (plural, cause we came back) a lot. The food was amazing, the pricing very good, and it's a stone's throw from Times Square! Highly recommend it to anyone! Nothing fancy, just good food.
Claudiu S
5/5 doesn’t tell the whole experience of this place. Owner was at the door befriending all customers, and was extremely kind and respectful to employees, not something you see everyday. We ordered the Cubanos and it was the best sandwich I’ve had in my entire life. Small and intimate place, you walk in and your smell is overwhelmed with spice and flavor. So many options of fresh cooked Cuban meats, vegetables, and sides. I wish my stomach was bigger and that I was in the city longer to enjoy this place. Must visit.
Joshua Joseph
136 W 46th St, New York, NY 10036, USA
Nice matin
4.2
(1038)
Bustling, French-inspired brasserie with a Riviera vibe, outdoor seating & a curated wine list.
Reviews:
It was the perfect ending to a beautiful day. We had soup, a hummus platter, branzino and fresh berries. It was all incredible. Our server Caitlin was so attentive and personable. & the young guy who cleaned off our table had such a great smile. So nice to see! Thank you!!
Dawn Stanin
This restaurant is trés magnifique! It's French and Mediterranean fusion, and everything I had was delicious! There was so much flavor. The drinks were also very good, and the server was amazing!
Deb Hawkins
When our girls were little, we used to come here all the time and loved it. We just came back after a 15-year hiatus and it blew away our very high expectations and fond memories. Everything from the food and drinks, to the service, to the ambiance, A++ We started with the aubergine (eggplant ratatouille with grilled bread) then the agnolotti pasta, hangar steak perfectly cooked with a super creamy potato purée, branzino, Poulet roti with polenta and mushrooms and a summer pasta with zucchini. Everything was seasoned/sauced with amazing flavors. We also shared an order of crispy fries and ended with a homemade peach tart with French vanilla ice cream and a creme brûlée with fresh berries and two tiny but powerful espressos. They have a great wine selection including several from Corsica and great mixed drinks. The spicy margarita is not too spicy and the cucumber cooler (alcohol free) was as refreshing as it was beautiful and delicious. We’ll done!
Deb Mignucci
Food was tasty. Enjoyed the prix fixe menu for $60 (three course). Especially enjoyed the salade été with fresh melon as it was light and refreshing. Cod was a touch undercooked. Baba au Rhum was a bit dry but meshed well with the crème diplomate creating a nice balance. Overall, would recommend.
Jeff W
Eddie the server, Lisa and Vincent the managers were helpful regarding a small issue. Kudos to them. This place is a landmark glad its been in the UWS for this long!
NYC Guide
201 W 79th St, New York, NY 10024, USA
5 napkin burger
4.3
(1673)
Modern bistro chain serving gourmet meat & veggie burgers.
Reviews:
The service was very good, the ambience was also nice, a little noisy. My burger was delicious, I could choose how the patty should be. As a vegetarian, my wife also found a delicious salad. Overall, one of the better burger restaurants in the mid-price segment.
Matthias S.
Gorgeous restaurant in Upper East side neighborhood. During Sunday lunch hours, we were able to get a table without waiting. There are both indoor and outdoor seating, and a very beautiful large bar area. We got pancakes, wings and Patty melt. Pancakes were little dry, wouldn’t have nice if they were moist and softer. The wings were on the decent, would have liked that to me moist as well, but the salad and garlic parmesan sauce were good. The Patty melt was the best item. Really nice toast, with lots of paddy and cheese. We ordered the blueberry mint lemonade and strawberry milkshake as well. Both were excellent. Throughout the dining, we had a tough time finding our server, but thankfully other servers were around to help us.
Nehal Ahmed
Best meal out we’ve had in awhile!! Incredible food and excellent service!! Definitely will be back. Started with the avocado tomato and feta salad. Delish and fresh. Each got Bacon Cheeseburger with side of fries. Regular and truffle fries. Burger was very juicy and tasty. You can tell the meat was good and fresh. Good size, not too big. Everything was perfect. The service was also great. First time in months we’ve had good service from the moment we walked into the door. Looking forward to returning and trying more items on the menu.
A H
I love coming to this restaurant! Everything from the service- to the food is excellent! And it’s funny, every time we go, we end up sitting in the same booth. So we have a “special spot” at one of our favorite places. The food is soooo good! I can’t emphasize that enough. You will not be disappointed.
Esther P
Fav place in the city! I never had chicken fall off the chicken bone until eating here. The blue cheese was fresh and the fries were perfect. The drinks were amazing and the service was great.
Morgan
2315 Broadway, New York, NY 10024, USA
Friedman’s
4.4
(655)
Easygoing outlet serving elevated diner & deli offerings in a woodsy venue with outdoor seating.
Reviews:
Great restaurant. Nice atmosphere. Very busy and loud though but otherwise it was nice. It would be good if it wasn't raining and we could have sat outside but felt very good in the service was kind. The food was great. Better than I expected. The menu though made it look like it was average. Would love to see a fancier world design menu
Cameron Wasilewsky
A cool place for brunch but difficult to get a seat! So quite popular! If you’re used to cortado or good Aussie coffee then get an espresso with milk on the side. The shakshuka was phenomenal with the garlic bread so recommend that!! The nova salmon dish was average, bit small
Caitlin Wasilewsky
Outstanding ambience , food and service. The moment you walk in one receives a warm welcome and escorted to the table. Water simultaneously follows. Julia, our hostess comes in to take our order. Her cheerful attitude is an early morning food uplifter . Tried their french toast. highly recommended and delicious. all good including fruits, berries all tasted fresh. Even a simple egg dish with toasts and hash brown was very well presented. Only area of improvement could be the coffee, which was mediocre. Otherwise a great place for breakfast
Anand Pande
They almost forgot we were there. Had to leave my seat and remind them that we've been sitting there for nearly 15 minutes and haven't even got menus. Granted, we were the only table outdoors, but still. Everything was extremely slow and we felt kind of neglected. Food was alright. Nothing to write home about. Waiter was nice. A little too friendly, if anything. At least they gave water to our dog.
Keno Ken
We stumbled upon Friedman’s on 72nd after we had walked around Central Park for a few hours and were really hungry. Great place with a great atmosphere! And the food was excellent. I ate the best grilled cheese sandwich 🤩 The fries were to die for. We also had Avocado toast, a BLAT and the Friedman’s burger. All excellent. The waitress was super friendly and the service impeccable. We will be back on our next visit!
Sidsel Linden
50 W 72nd St, New York, NY 10023, USA
Jacob's pickles
4.6
(5637)
Southern bar & eatery focused on fried chicken biscuit sandwiches, housemade pickles & beers.
Reviews:
Busy place, but it's obvious why. The food was amazing. The service was prompt and attentive. The atmosphere was amazing. Loud, but energetic. I'd definitely recommend and go back if I'm in the city again. I definitely suggest getting a pickle sampler if you love pickles. All of them were delicious.
Taylor Martinez
Good food, great service and awesome atmosphere. Upon arrival I didn’t think we would be seated because it was busy but even during a crowded holiday, we were accommodated right away. The venue is so cute, well decorated and the music stood out the most, very enjoyable. The server recommended we try the blueberry lemon biscuit and it did not disappoint! The food was so good, it made my shoulders dance. Kudos to the chef and the foot they have in those recipes. I would definitely come back here to enjoy more of this comfort delicious food. Thank you!
Aminah Imani
My girlfriend and I were in town visiting the American Museum of Natural History. In advance of the visit we mapped out several potential lunch spots and Jacob's Pickles seemed like the most interesting of them all. I mean, you really can't go wrong with comfort food. We had a reservation for 12:30 p.m. and upon arrival, we were taken to our table in the back room. There's a schoolyard basketball court that surrounds the back of the eatery and we enjoyed watching the kids playing ball. I ordered the Jacob's Patty Melt which was outstanding. I wish the dish involved biscuits as that is what I came here to try. However, the portion was huge and it came with an abundant amount of fries on the side. In addition, we appreciated that since it was a hot day, our table was given a complimentary pitcher of water (that was refilled for us). The only negative is that our waitress wasn't very personable. However, polite enough that I can still say great service was provided. Prices are reasonable for the huge amount of food that you get Really enjoyed this place and I want to come back to try their other food items.
Ron Epstein
Fell in love with this place initially, chicken sandwiches were amazing along as you got the sauce and pickles on the side, Caesar salad is fresh and the fries were piping hot but as of late the food has been sub par. Sadly looks like they had a change up of staff, food takes a bit longer and that wouldn’t be an issue if it was still hot and delicious, which it is not. Sadly tastes as if some of the food especially the fries are under a heating element, dried out and room temp when you get it. Tonight was their third strike, especially after raving to my fellow employees about how great they were.
Crunchydeadfrogsinchocolate
Fantastic place and location. Walked in around 5 PM on a summer Friday without a reservation along with my wife and three kids after visiting the nearby American Museum of Natural History. Very accommodating staff got us a table right away and sat towards the back of the restaurant. It was both a very kid friendly and group friendly place judging by the clientele that sat around us. Ordered a good Maine beer, wife had the Jam Jar, Fried Pickle appetizer, along with the Sour Pickle sampler. All were outstanding. For mains, we ordered the Honey Chicken and Pickle sandwich, Chicken and Pancakes, and Mac and Cheese. As a side, my wife ordered the Collard Greens and Black Eyed Peas. All the food was great and the portions were huge!!! Kids split the chicken/pancakes and Mac and Cheese. I had the Chicken and Pickle sandwich, and my wife had a little bit of everything. I'd say that for an NYC restaurant, this is a good bang for the buck considering the amount of food we ate as well as what the people around us got! Very affordable for families since you can share food and appetizers (next time I want to get the gigantic poutine platter that I saw a neighboring table get!).
Evan Oftedal
509 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024, USA
The ribbon
4.2
(871)
American cooking, a raw bar & creative cocktails offered in polished surrounds with retro touches.
Reviews:
New York neighborhood upper westside go to. Super attentive staff, well rounded brunch menu, full bar. Scrumptious eggs Benedict, on a homemade super thin English muffin, perfectly cooked potatoes and a cute side salad. Sports on the TVs and smiles on faces.
jillian b
last night: I arrived at about 545. the bar was packed. All the high top seating was empty but with Reserved signs on the tables. I asked if there was someplace else I could sit and still have happy hour. They said no. I said when are all these tables reserved for? They said they're not available. We went back and forth a little bit, but ultimately I stood by the bar. (The bartender was great.) And from there I had an excellent view of all those high tops being empty for 45 minutes, except for one group of three men who clearly had no reservation based on the conversation I watched between them and the host staff. Still almost entirely empty when I left. Not really in the happy hour spirit. first review, 2019: very good. a tiny bit noisy and there's only a brunch menu until 3 pm weekends, but useful and spacious and a really good staff.
j monaco
The place is quite spacious, with nice private rooms. Good for large groups and families. The food was not as nice. The buffalo cauliflower was a sad dish from the looks to the taste. The hot chicken was good, but the cheddar chive pancake was salty, made slightly better by syrup.
Kimberly Peng
Food was great. Everything was loaded with flavor. Id recommend the full booth in the back if you can get it. Seats about 6 with 1 chair at the end. Went for my sons birthday dinner since we happened to be on the west side and we were happy with our choice. The front is nice but the back has a completely different feel to it.
Anderson Brandao
This place was amazing. The vibes, the food, the service. Although I know they forgot to add my main entree they did a fantastic job making us feel as if it wasn’t forgotten lol. They where very accommodating and the food comes out fast, fresh and delicious. Mac and cheese is basic, I would pass, besides that our group ordered a wide verity of items and it was Fantastic.
Frank
20 W 72nd St, New York, NY 10023, USA