Where to Eat in New York City – Lower Manhattan
In Lower Manhattan, you’ll find countless amazing restaurants and bars, especially with Chinatown & Little Italy located there! As with any trip, I think food is one of the most important and exciting things to plan. From authentic Italian spots serving up the perfect Carbonara to the best chocolate cake in the US to one of the world’s best bars, here is my list of the best things to eat in New York City – Lower Manhattan edition!
If you’re looking for recommendations on things to do in NYC, check out this 3 day itinerary! I’ve also created a similar food guide for Midtown if you’re looking for ideas on where to eat & drink in that area!
Restaurants
Olio e Più
Here you’ll find classic Italian dishes served in a space filled with flowers & greenery. Their carbonara is a must try! The pasta itself has the perfect texture, the sauce is creamy, the pancetta adds a nice crispy & salty bite, and it’s all topped with a runny egg yolk. I think prices here are on par with other Italian spots in the city. You can book a table here.
- Address: 3 Greenwich Ave, New York, NY 10014
Tompkins Square Bagels
Tompkin Square’s bagels are super fresh and one of the most popular places in the city for bagels! They have over 15 cream cheese flavors, with some unique ones including peanut butter nutella and wasabi! If you’re looking for the perfect spot to stop and eat your bagel, head over to Tompkins Square Park just down the street!
- Address: 165 Avenue A New York, NY 10009
Laut
I absolutely loved this upscale Singaporean restaurant. They serve authentic Southeast Asian foods with a fancy twist. Everything was super flavorful and reminded me of all my favorite dishes I had in Singapore.
- Address: 31 E 20th St, New York, NY 10003
Prince Street Pizza
I had heard a lot of good reviews of Prince Street, so I had to give it a try! Waiting time is usually around 20-30 minutes, but it is well worth it and it moves pretty fast! They offer square pizzas with the fluffiest pizza dough I’ve ever had and the sauce is incredible. I also loved how the mini pepperonis had crunchy edges. If you go, try their pepperoni or spicy vodka pizzas!
- Address: 27 Prince St A, New York, NY 10012
Raku
Raku serves authentic udon over in the East Village & SoHo. The noodles have great texture, and the broth is really rich and flavorful. They are cash only, but if you forget, they have an ATM on site. Try and get a reservation ahead of time at their SoHo location!
- Address: 342 E 6th St, New York, NY, 10003 or 48 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012
Citizens of SoHo
Citizens brings Australian café culture to New York with their classic Australian dishes that have an American twist. They have many healthy options to choose from and use fresh, local ingredients.
- Address: Multiple locations
Desserts/ Bakeries
The Doughnut Project
Doughnut Project turns out small-batch donuts in some unique flavors! Some of those flavors include “Those Beetz Are Dope” – beet glaze with ricotta filling, and The Everything Donut. Yes, you read that right. Sweet cream cheese glaze all topped with the famous Everything bagel seasoning. Their donuts are super fluffy and really hold up to their innovative toppings.
- Address: 10 Morton St, New York, NY 10014
Little Cupcake Bakeshop
Little Cupcake Bakeshop has some of the BEST cake in the city. When you walk into this shop, you’re instantly greeted with retro decor, friendly staff, and the most delicious looking pastry case! They were even voted the “Best Chocolate Cake in the U.S.” by Food & Wine! If that doesn’t tell you how good their cakes are, I don’t know what will. Their cakes are all super moist with rich fillings and frostings. You really can’t go wrong with anything from here!
- Address: 30 Prince Street New York, NY 10012 and 2 Brooklyn Locations
Dominique Ansel Bakery
Home of the famous cronut – If you want to wait in line to try one of their cronuts, I recommend getting there early! Every month they have a new cronut flavor, so check out their instagram to see what the current flavor is! If you can’t get your hands on one, all their other pastries are just as delicious! Try their cookie shots or DKA (Dominique’s Kouign-amann).
- Address: 189 Spring St, New York, NY 10012
Taiyaki NYC
In the heart of Chinatown, you can find Taiyaki NYC which is famous for their fish-shaped waffles cones. The matcha and black sesame ice cream flavors are a must try but they also have other inventive flavors as well! They also had Rilakkuma cones when I went last time, and it was so cute!!
- Address: 119 Baxter St, New York, NY 10013
Coffee/ Boba/ Cafés
Davelle NYC
Davelle is a cute traditional Japanese Cafe that serves set breakfasts & lunches. They also have a great selection of coffee, tea, and matcha lattes! There’s sometimes a bit of a wait due to the limited seating inside so you may have to put your name down on the waitlist, but they will text you when your table is ready. They are most well known for their toasts and curries! The inside also has a really lovely ambiance from how the food is presented, great service, and aesthetic interior.
- Address: 102 Suffolk St, New York, NY 10002
Maman
I think Maman is one of the most beautiful coffee shops in the city. They have several locations, but if you are nearby, checkout Maman King for the beautiful decor and the delicious lavender latte!
- Address: Multiple locations
Urban Backyard
This place is another one of the cute coffee shops you’ll find all over instagram. They serve some pretty unique house special drinks like their floral matcha latte, ube latte, and seasonal specials! Urban Backyard is also known for their botanical cupcakes that have little buttercream succulents piped on top.
- Address: 180 Mulberry St, New York, NY 10012
Saltwater Coffee
Saltwater is an Australian-style coffeeshop. They have excellent coffee and an amazingly smooth flat white. The baristas are fun to talk to and the prices aren’t too expensive for NYC. I personally love their maple latte!
- Address: 345 E 12th St, New York, NY 10003
Bars
Death & Co
Death and Company’s dimly lit and mysterious interior created this lovely ambiance that makes you want to stay. They have an extensive drink menu and very personable servers that are eager to help you find a drink that matches your preferences! They don’t take reservations, so try to get here early to put your name down on the waitlist. This NYC institution is definitely worth a trip and check out their bestselling cocktail book as well!
- Address: 433 E 6th St, New York, NY 10009
Reception NYC
I think Reception is a hidden gem in the Lower East Side and it became a weekly spot for my friends and I. The vibes are great and it’s really lively! It’s a Korean cocktail bar with many great drink options featuring Asian flavors you don’t see at many other places. Drinks are about $14 which is pretty good for NYC, but there aren’t really many food options. My favorites were the Lotus Breeze and Matcha Meadow!
- Address: 45 Orchard St New York, NY 10002
Attaboy
Attaboy is #34 on the List of the World’s 50 Best Bars. And let me tell you, it was SO difficult to get in here. This speakeasy is a little hard to find. It’s just a small unassuming door, but once you see people gathered around on the sidewalk, you’ll know you found it. After trying multiple times, my friend and I were finally able to make it in after a 2 hr wait on a rainy Wednesday night. There are no reservations, so it is first come first serve. It’s very small, and people usually hang around for quite a while. Once you enter, the interior is really dark and the vibes are great.
There aren’t any menus but the bartenders will ask you for your spirit and flavor preferences (fruity, strong, etc) and whip up something good for you! Prices came out to about $19 per drink which is on par with many other NYC bars. If you’re willing to wait, Attaboy is worth the experience!
- Address: 134 Eldridge St, New York, NY 10002
