12 Neighborhood Restaurants That Will Make You Feel Like a True New Yorker
Somewhere between the hotspot du jour and the uninspired hole-in-the-wall is the kind of restaurant that makes you feel like a true New Yorker—where tourists are nowhere to be seen, where the servers know your name, and where the food may not be buzzworthy but is always reliably delicious. It's the kind of place you want to introduce to your parents, that will be there for you at the end of a long day, that you want to covetously keep from the outside world—and yet, being the generous souls we are, we've decided to share them anyway. These are our favorite neighborhood joints. Stop in and say hello sometime!
Photo courtesy of Roman's1/12Roman's, Fort Greene
I have no idea how I got the privilege of writing up this BA staff fave, considering that my colleague Carla Lalli Music (food director) has been going there for much longer than I have, and my other colleague Matt Duckor (executive producer) I think actually lives there, but here goes. Chef/restaurateur Andrew Tarlow's Fort Greene storefront is the emblematic Brooklyn neighborhood restaurant. It's a place where, most weeknights, I can find a spot at the bar and nestle in with the New Yorker in one hand and a glass of wine in the other. I can eat a big crostini spread with fava-bean puree for dinner, or I can have a bowl of rustic tagliatelle in bolognese, or my husband can meet me and we can share a grass-fed ribeye and a few salads. The prices are, I'll admit, high for a restaurant in the "neighborhood" category, but so is the quality of the ingredients. —Julia Kramer, senior projects editor
Photograph Courtesy of Red Cat2/12The Red Cat, West Chelsea
If you’re out and about in West Chelsea doing the art galleries or the Highline, odds are you’re going to end up at the Red Cat. It’s always bustling, the food is consistently delicious, from the bar burger to the seasonal pressed chicken entrée, and it’s not like you’ve gotta call two weeks in advance. It always achieves exactly what it sets out to achieve and never over-aims. The seasonal margaritas are always a good option. It’s been a great neighborhood option ever since it opened 15 years ago. —Adam Rapoport, editor in chief
Photo by Aaron Hutcherson3/12Fancy Nancy, Bed-Stuy
When in Bed-Stuy, there's no better place to gather friends for a casual weeknight catch-up than Fancy Nancy. It's a comfort food joint (hello, chicken biscuits) where you can also eat wholesome and healthy (don't mind if I do, farro and kale salad). The brightly-hued space is quirky without being kitschy. (Wait... does the vintage Barack Obama lightbox hanging on the wall count as kitschy? Whatever, it's awesome.) And the vibes are unfailingly warm and welcoming. Top all that off with a killer natural wine and cocktail selection, and you've got yourself as good a reason as any to move to the neighborhood. —Julia Black, associate web editor
Photograph by Myisha Fujii4/12Rue Dix, Crown Heights
You can go on a first date to Rue Dix, you can go on a 17th date to Rue Dix; you can take your mom there for brunch or your best friend there for lady drinks. Every time, the space will be cozy and candle-lit. The staff will be cooler than you but genuinely kind. The yassa guninar—similar to a chicken tagine—will fall off the bone. The Balthazar bread will be fresh. The tuna tartare will come with avocado and plantain chips, and you’ll never want to eat it any other way. —Amanda Shapiro, Healthyish editor
Photo by Al Rodriguez5/12Long Island Bar, Cobble Hill
Go for the cocktails (in this case, the sbagliato with white vermouth, suze, and prosecco) and stay for the poorly named, medium rare masterpiece that is the Ladies' Burger. That, or the crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside panisse. What's a neighborhood bar doing making chickpea cakes? That's part of The Long Island Bar's allure; it far over-delivers what you'd expect from an unassuming bar on an intersection on Atlantic Avenue and Henry Street close to the BQE. There's really something special going on inside. —Carey Polis, site director
Photograph by Ned and Aya Rosen6/12El Quinto Pino, Chelsea
I'd argue Chelsea is one of the worst restaurant neighborhoods in New York City. I know, bold statement. But having lived there for two years, I've struggled to find go-to spots that I'd actually want to return to again and again. Luckily, there's El Quinto Pino, a small Spanish tapas bar from the same crew behind Txikito, La Vara, and Tekoá. The front area is an always-packed wine bar, and the back (or side, technically) is a small, dimly-lit dining room. Of course, you're going to order the nuestras bravas (potatoes in a borderline-drinkable spicy aioli) and pan amb tomaca (garlic and tomato rubbed bread). But the real star is the uni panini (yes, for dinner). Warm toasty bread, an egregious amount of uni, and a hit of Korean mustard oil. It rules. And it might just be worth a trip to Chelsea for dinner, even if you don't live there. —Rachel Karten, social media manager
Photograph Courtesy of Prune7/12Prune, East Village
Prune, chef-slash-writer Gabrielle Hamilton’s 18-year-old East Village stalwart, is maybe the only place at which it is even more pleasurable to dine after reading the restaurant’s eponymous cookbook. No doubt: The food, always confidently idiosyncratic and expertly prepared, is delicious without liner notes. But taking a sip of a perfect “Ice Cold Martini” ordered off of the restaurant’s menu of no-nonsense cocktails, or a bite of a blue cheese toast piled high with assertively-dressed shavings of celery and fennel, each proffered to you by a supremely competent member of the pink-clad waitstaff, you will feel like you are in on some little secret—and reading Hamilton’s prose will only confirm it. —Amiel Stanek, Basically editor
Photo by Daniel Krieger Photography8/12Rucola, Boerum Hill
I've gone to Rucola for a catch-up dinner with a group of girlfriends, for work breakfasts, for date nights with my husband, for solo glass-of-wine-and-a-book nights. It's the restaurant equivalent of that magical pair of jeans: appropriate for pretty much any scenario. My most frequent routine is sitting at the bar and ordering salad, charcuterie, and cheese (the focaccia served alongside is magical) on those nights when I don't want to do anything, but I want to do something. It's comfy and cozy and even if it's not your neighborhood joint, you'll feel like it is the very first time you walk in. —Meryl Rothstein, senior editor
Photograph Courtesy of Enid's9/12Enid's, Greenpoint
When I first moved to Greenpoint, I immediately aspired to become a regular at this unassuming corner joint. It's the only place I can think of where I’m equally excited to go for brunch, afternoon drinks, dinner, or late-night dancing. My order, almost inevitably, is a juicy cheeseburger topped with a homemade pickled green tomato and a frozen Harrison to drink—yes, even in December weather. After a year and a half in the neighborhood, the waiters are finally starting to recognize me. Baby steps. —Julia Black, associate web editor
10/12Raku, East Village
Raku is one of those hidden-in-plain-sight restaurants, its entrance marked only by a thick wooden door. It's the perfect place if you're craving soup that's substantial enough for dinner, but not as heavy as ramen. I like to start with the daikon or hijiki appetizer then get udon with tempura. It looks more exclusive than it is, though the small space has been packed every time I’ve been there, often with solo diners savoring their meals without the distraction of company. —Elaheh Nozari, e-commerce editor
Courtesy of Zizi Limona11/12Zizi Limona, Williamsburg
Never in a million years would I have thought I could fall in love with a cauliflower dish, but here we are. Zizi’s is a cozy all-day café serving up some of my favorite Mediterranean food in the city. The warm, freshly made pita is perfect for a cold winter Saturday, and the hummus is the ideal dip for some Healthyish veggies. The eclectic seating, kind wait staff, and unpretentiously good challahs, dips, and soups make this perfect for any mood, any time of day. —Emily Schultz, associate social media manager
Photo by Helena Picone12/12Gennaro, Upper West Side
For an area with such a surplus of cultural savvy and disposable income, the Upper West Side is mysteriously devoid of reliable neighborhood restaurants. Gennaro is one shining exception: a classic and classy Italian mainstay where families can gather over simple, pitch-perfect pastas. An influencer with no need for Instagram, chef Gennaro Picone's recipes often pop up in neighborhood kitchens (I'll never forget the summer his watermelon and feta salad swept the Upper West Side dinner party scene) and he always treats his clientele like family. The restaurant is rich in the Upper West Side's most rapidly disappearing commodity: character. In the battle for the heart and soul of the neighborhood, the Duane Reades and the Chase Banks don't stand a chance. —Julia Black, associate web editor
