Upper West Side Restaurants
You might find yourself on the Upper West Side after a stroll through Central Park, a visit to the Museum of Folk Art or the Museum of Natural History, or before or after a Lincoln Center or Carnegie Hall performance.
Note: These restaurants are particularly convenient to Lincoln Center: Café Luxembourg, Café Fiorello, La Boite en Bois, O’Neals, Rosa Mexicano, and Shun Lee.
** Indicates my personal favorites
Barney Greengrass ($ - $$) Jewish Deli, Smoked Fish
541 Amsterdam Ave. (betw. 86th and 87th Sts)
212-724-4707
Subway: 1,9 to 86th St.
Open Tue-Fri 8:30 – 4, Sa-Su 8:30 – 5, Closed Mon.
“The Sturgeon King,” Old New York Jewish landmark deli. Smoked fish, chopped liver, cheese blintzes – you get the idea. Quality of the smoked fish is top-notch.
** Café Luxembourg ($$) American, French, near Lincoln Center
200 W.70th, (betw. Amsterdam & West End)
212-873-7411
Subway: 1,2,3,9 to 72nd St.
Open Mon-Fri 8am-midnight, Sat-Sun 9am-midnight.
Classic French bistro menu, great friendly service, casual, lively atmosphere. Lots of celebrity sightings. My friend Julie and I enjoyed Cafe Luxemboug before the ballet at Lincoln Center. We arrived without a reservation (not a good idea) but sat at the bar, had a glass of wine, an appetizer, a salad, and coffee. Perfect!
Café Fiorello ($$ - $$$$) Italian, near Lincoln Center
1900 Broadway (betw. 63rd & 64th Sts.)
212-595-5330
Subway: 1 to 66th St.
Open Mon-Fri 11;30am-1am, Sat 8am-1am, Sun 8am-11;30pm.
Longtime convenient Italian right across from Lincoln Center; stick with the “Skinny” gourmet pizzas which are very good. Other menu options are less reliable.
Josie’s Restaurant ($$) Eclectic, Upscale Health Food
300 Amsterdam Ave. @74th St.
212-769-1212
Subway: 1,2,3 to 72nd. St.
Opens Mon-Wed 11:30am-11pm, Thu-Fri 11:3-am-midngiht, Sat 4pm-midnight, Sun 4pm-11pm.
Not your typical health-food restaurant. Interesting, eclectic vegetarian and non-vegetarian offerings, nice atmosphere, serves wine and spirits. Second location in Midtown East.
La Boite en Bois ($$ - $$$) French, near Lincoln Center
75 W. 68th St (betw. Columbus Ave & CPW)
212-874-2705
Subway: 1 to 66th St.
Open Tue-Sun 11:30am-3pm and 5-10pm, Mon 5pm-10pm.
Note: CASH ONLY. Reservations required.
Cozy (some would say ‘cramped’), rustic, excellent French bistro classics, offers a $40 (last I checked) pre-theater prix fixe dinner, as well as a la carte lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch.
La Vela ($$) Italian (Tuscan)
373 Amsterdam Ave (@78th)
212-877-7818
Subway: 1 to 79th St.-Broadway, A,B,C to 81st. St-Central Park West.
Open 7 days, noon-11pm.
Friendly, homey, cheerful, reasonably priced. Specializes in seafood, house-made pasta.
Outdoor (sidewalk) dining.
Ocean Grill ($$ - $$$) Seafood
384 Columbus Ave (78th/79th)
212-579-2300
Subway: B,C to 81st St.
Open 7 days for lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch.
Impeccably fresh seafood, extensive raw bar, friendly service, reasonable prices, outdoor dining. Very popular. Sister restaurant of Blue Water Grill and Atlantic Grill.
O’Neals ($$ - $$$) American, near Lincoln Center
49 W. 64th St (@B’way, directly across from Lincoln Center)
212-787-4663
Open Mon-Fri 11:30am-midnight, Sat 11am-midnight, Sun 10am-10:30pm
Subway: 1 to 66th St.-Lincoln Ctr.
A reliable favorite since 1964. American bistro menu, nice atmosphere (renovated in 2002) and skilled service.
**Rosa Mexicano ($$ - $$$) Upscale Mexican, near Lincoln Center
61 Columbus Ave. (@62nd St.)
212-977-7700
Subway: 1,9 to 66th, A,B,C,D to 59th St.
Open Mon-Fri noon-3pm and 5-11:30pm, Sat 11:30am-2:30pm and 5-11:30pm, Sun 11:30am-2:30pm and 4pm-10pm.
Eye-popping design, new branch of this popular upscale Mexican restaurant (see other location in Midtown East) known for pomegranate margaritas and guacamole prepared tableside. Interesting entrees as well. Fun bar scene.
**Sarabeth’s Kitchen ($$-$$$) American
423 Amsterdam Ave (@ 80th St)
212-496-6280
Subway 1,9 to 79th St.
Open Mon-Sat 8am-11pm, Sun 8am-10pm. Serves breakfast until 3:30pm.
Other locations on Upper East Side, The Whitney Museum, and Midtown West. Bakery in Chelsea.
Longtime neighborhood favorite, known especially for scrumptious homemade baked goods, breakfast, and brunch but every bit as good for lunch and dinner. Inventive American casual menu; pretty, charming, “girly” atmosphere; friendly service. Highly recommended.
Savann ($$) French, Mediterranean
414 Amsterdam Ave (79th/80th)
212-580-0202
Subway: B,C to 81st St.
Open 7 days for lunch, dinner, weekend brunch.
Creative French-Mediterranean, comfortable atmosphere, pleasant staff, outdoor seating. Offers an early prix fixe menu for $20.95. (Note: not sure if they still offer the prix fixe; I could not find it on their current website.)
Shun Lee Café and Shun Lee West ($$ - $$$$) Chinese, near Lincoln Center
43 W. 65th St. (betw. Columbus Ave and CPW)
212-769-3888 (Café) 212-595-8895 (Restaurant)
Subway: 1 to 66th St, 1,A,B,C,D to Columbus Circle-59th St.
Mon-Sat noon-midnight Sun noon-10:30.
www.shunleewest.com
The café serves excellent dim sum for a quick meal; the so very cool, so very chic restaurant behind serves inventive (and expensive) gourmet Chinese; efficient service.
Time Warner Center
The new Time Warner Center at 10 Columbus Circle is also fairly close to Lincoln Center, and contains several high-end restaurants (among them Per Se, Asiate, Masa, and Café Gray). They are very expensive (some outrageously so); I can’t see hurrying through a meal like that before curtain time. However, for a drink-with-a-view, check out the Lobby Lounge of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, on the 35th floor.
