In a city full of culinary adventures, NYC Restaurant Week® showcases the most exciting bites from every borough with special prix-fixe menus, deals and wine pairings. Launched in 1992, NYC Restaurant Week is a tradition that happens twice a year, offering diners an affordable way to discover the City’s diverse array of cuisines. Whether you’re a veteran gourmand or an NYC newbie, you can find a memorable meal to match every whim, craving and occasion.
During NYC Restaurant Week, diners can also savor some of the City’s classic dishes that have tantalized taste buds for decades, even centuries. We’ve pulled together culinary landmarks that every New Yorker and visitor must check off their dining bucket list. For NYC Restaurant Week Winter 2025, explore these renowned spots promising unforgettable feasts. But don’t sleep on snagging reservations—these tables go quick.
Delmonico’s. Photo: Lanna Apisukh
Delmonico’s
56 Beaver St., Lower Manhattan
Before the Statue of Liberty came to town, Delmonico’s was here. If New Yorkers were competitive, we’d remind you that this pioneering restaurant, which opened in 1837, was the nation’s first so-called fine dining establishment, first to launch a cookbook and first to serve women at their own table. The grand entrance is marked by two marble columns that were said to be shipped from Pompeii; while the menu reads like it’s from another era (like the Gilded Age or more modern times of generous expense accounts), diners can discover surprising updates to steakhouse classics. During NYC Restaurant Week, score a table for a deluxe weekday lunch, or enjoy dinner on a weekday or Sunday. Both menus feature Delmonico’s Caesar salad, which ups the umami with a powerful punch of aged Parmesan, anchovy and myung ran (a Korean fish roe). At lunch, treat yourself to steak frites with spicy mustard aioli, or upgrade to the signature rib eye popularly called the Delmonico steak, which appears on the dinner menu as well. But don’t worry if beef isn’t your favorite because the other options are far from afterthoughts—the risotto with cauliflower, brown butter and Parmesan is a true cold-weather comfort dish. There’s also a dessert menu that features their famous baked Alaska. Some credit Delmonico’s as the innovator of the torched frozen dessert, but again, New Yorkers are not competitive at all.
The Dining Room at Gramercy Tavern. Photo: Francesco Sapienza
The Dining Room at Gramercy Tavern
42 E. 20th St., Flatiron District, Manhattan
Following his success with Union Square Café (see below), Danny Meyer captivated the City with an elevated and sumptuous interpretation of an American tavern. Since 1994, a table in the Dining Room at Gramercy Tavern, the elegant inner sanctum of this restaurant, has been one of the most sought-after reservations, especially during NYC Restaurant Week. Lunch features a three-course prix fixe menu of innovative seasonal dishes. No matter what you order, it’s executed with Michelin-star-worthy detail. Fingers crossed you’ll find a way into this restaurant for a delicious sense of luxury.
Courtesy, Gage & Tollner
Gage & Tollner
372 Fulton St., Downtown Brooklyn
New York City loves a revival, and the venerable Gage & Tollner had a recent one, getting a restoration and reopening in 2021. The culinary landmark first opened its doors in 1879, a few years before the Brooklyn Bridge was completed. It became an even bigger dining destination when Southern cooking legend chef Edna Lewis led its kitchen from 1988 until 1992. The acclaimed oyster and chop house, which shuttered in 2004, was forgotten until a trio of visionary restaurateurs took over the storied space and its vintage Victorian-era detailing. Since reopening, it has delighted diners with its bountiful raw bar, sizzling steaks, pillowy Parker House rolls and old-school cocktails. NYC Restaurant Week diners can enjoy a two-course prix fixe lunch featuring a selection of Gage & Tollner’s inspired dishes—including local raw oysters and a hamburger with gouda, red onion and pickles on a seeded brioche bun—amid its brass chandeliers and sumptuous brocade walls.
Lorenzo’s Restaurant, Bar & Cabaret. Photo: Lanna Apisukh
Lorenzo’s Restaurant, Bar & Cabaret
1100 South Ave., Bloomfield, Staten Island
Lorenzo’s NYC Restaurant Week menu is a great way to sample its fare while singing along to songbook standards. This Staten Island mainstay has been serving both neighborhood regulars and out-of-town visitors (thanks to its location in the Hilton Garden Inn) since 2001. Along with menu favorites like garlicky mussels in a roasted tomato broth, rigatoni with sausage and peas in a light cream sauce and breaded, fried veal cutlets stuffed with prosciutto and fontina, the locale’s major draw is its weekly slate of performers. With live piano on Friday and Saturday nights, as well as its popular cabarets, there’s always music in the air, so if you like your classic Italian fare with a side of jazz and other genres, look no further.
Neir’s Tavern. Photo: Simbarashe Cha
Neir’s Tavern
87-48 78th St., Woodhaven, Queens
Journey to the residential neighborhood of Woodhaven in Queens for a trip to one of NYC’s oldest taverns. You may not think you’re familiar with Neir’s, but if you’ve ever watched the classic films Goodfellas or Tower Heist, you know it well. The historic locale has been serving its community since it first opened its doors in 1829. Part of Neir’s lore includes being the first venue where Mae West, one of Hollywood’s original sex symbols, performed. A beloved neighborhood fixture, Neir’s still has its 19th-century mahogany bar and original beer tap system. During NYC Restaurant Week, several favorites are sure to appear, including the Goodfella burger, which keeps it spicy with melted pepper jack cheese. There’s also a portobello burger topped with Swiss cheese and sautéed onions.
Courtesy, Pete’s Tavern
Pete’s Tavern
129 E. 18th St., Gramercy, Manhattan
Like many New Yorkers, Pete’s Tavern has seen it all. Established in 1864, this endearing restaurant has weathered many economic and cultural shifts, even outlasting Prohibition by pretending to be a flower shop. Longtime general manager Gary Egan says everyone has a story about Pete’s, noting that it’s “more than a restaurant; it’s a piece of the community.” Set in a picturesque neighborhood near leafy Gramercy Park, Pete’s boasts cozy booths and a massive bar. Order the Gramercy burger, which is made with a juicy short-rib blend by celebrated butcher Pat LaFrieda and topped with crispy onions and Pete’s own “speakeasy sauce.” The burger and the chicken parmigiana, Pete’s most popular dish, are just two of the signature items on its NYC Restaurant Week dinner menu. The separate lunch menu also includes its crowd-pleasing fish and chips. But no matter when you go, there is a bevy of drink specials, including $30 bottles of wine.
The Russian Tea Room. Photo: Amy Lombard
The Russian Tea Room
150 W. 57th St., Midtown West, Manhattan
For a theatrical NYC Restaurant Week experience, the Russian Tea Room is your royal ticket to a jewel-toned wonderland. The Russian Imperial Ballet opened this spot as a store and café next to Carnegie Hall in 1927. Today, the restaurant serves up a dreamy spread of caviar, ice-cold vodka and European delicacies. For a grand meal amid opulent art deco decor, the Russian Tea Room offers some of its most beloved dishes for a good value during NYC Restaurant Week. Start with a bowl of borscht, made with pickled red beets, dill and a short rib and bacon broth, or try the blinchik, a crepe stuffed with tender beef, cabbage and onion with a zingy side of pickled veggies. From there, move on to fennel lamb chops with stewed eggplant, peppers and onions, or a luscious wild mushroom stroganoff. These entrées are available on both the $45 lunch menu and the $60 dinner menu. Finish your feast—there’s always room for dessert—with triple-layer chocolate mousse cake or honey cake.
Photo: Tagger Yancey IV
Tavern on the Green
West 67th Street and Central Park West, Central Park, Manhattan
The soft glow of twinkling lights at Tavern on the Green will make you fall deeper in love with New York City. At the edge of Central Park, this historic restaurant once housed a pen for the 700 sheep that grazed in the park’s meadow. Over the years, Tavern on the Green has hosted fairy-tale weddings and made appearances in Hollywood classics, including Ghostbusters and Beaches. John Lennon and Robert De Niro are among the celebrities who have dined at this scenic institution. If you swing by during NYC Restaurant Week, you can taste some of its famed dishes. Warm up beside the fireplace, and then dine near the rounded, window-lined bar area—you’ll feel like you’re in a snow globe.
Union Square Café. Photo: Peter Garritano
Union Square Café
101 E. 19th St., Gramercy, Manhattan
Most New Yorkers who have been to Union Square Café light up when they talk about the restaurant, which has been celebrating the freshest flavors of New York City’s best known greenmarket for more than 30 years. This award-winning restaurant launched Danny Meyer’s dining empire, thanks to its attentive hospitality and locally sourced ingredients. Even though the restaurant moved from its original location, it’s still a favorite spot for special occasions and convivial meals that often become core memories. A two-course prix fixe menu with à la carte dessert will be available during NYC Restaurant Week on weekdays and for weekend brunch.
Courtesy, Veselka
Veselka
144 Second Ave., East Village, Manhattan
The Ukrainian word for “rainbow” is veselka, which happens to be the name of one of NYC’s beloved dining establishments, faithfully serving Ukrainian comfort food since 1954. Founded by refugees and now owned and operated by their grandson, this historic pillar of the Ukrainian community is a frequent site for late-night meals for artists and students. Hollywood hits such as Ocean’s 8 and Juno were filmed at Veselka, which sells thousands of hand-made pierogi each day. Its East Village location (the original) offers a NYC Restaurant Week menu for both lunch and dinner. Diners can choose from a variety of soups, including its famous borscht, along with a hearty plate of beef and pork meatballs served with mashed potatoes and either tomato sauce or mushroom gravy. A visit to Veselka isn’t complete without sampling the mouthwatering potato pancakes, and—lucky you—a vegetarian Reuben version with Swiss cheese and house-made sauerkraut is among its NYC Restaurant Week offerings.
