Unearth The Voyage
New York City has earned its reputation as one of the world’s greatest food capitals, and it’s not hard to see why. From Michelin-starred Korean tasting menus to family-run Ethiopian spots, the city offers flavors from every corner of the globe. Whether you’re craving South Indian dosas, Persian rice dishes, or French seafood, NYC delivers authentic experiences that transport you thousands of miles away without ever leaving the five boroughs.
1. Semma (South Indian, Greenwich Village)
Critics are calling this NYC’s South Indian moment, and Semma sits right at the heart of it. Chef Vijay Kumar brings unapologetically regional flavors from Tamil Nadu to Greenwich Village, earning a Michelin star along the way.
The menu showcases dishes you won’t find at typical Indian restaurants. Sprouted mung bean specialties share space with the famous Gunpowder Dosa, a rice-and-lentil crepe stuffed with spiced potato masala that appears on nearly every table.
The New York Times named Semma the number one restaurant in New York City for 2025, marking the first time an Indian restaurant has topped that prestigious list.
2. Jungsik (Contemporary Korean, Tribeca)
Modern Korean cuisine reaches its highest expression at Jungsik, where chef Jungsik Yim has created something he calls New Korean. His Tribeca flagship blends traditional flavors with fine-dining techniques, resulting in a highly polished tasting menu experience.
In 2024, Jungsik made history as New York City’s first new three-Michelin-star restaurant in 12 years. Even more impressive, it became the first Korean restaurant in the United States to earn that top rating.
Precise, artful plates arrive alongside a deep wine list and service that transforms dinner into a quiet celebration of Korean culinary heritage reimagined.
3. Kochi (Korean Skewer Tasting Menu, Hell’s Kitchen)
Street food meets high-end technique at this Michelin-starred gem in Hell’s Kitchen. Chef Sungchul Shim builds his nine-course tasting menu around kochi, the Korean word for skewer, creating playful dishes meant to be eaten with your hands.
Grilled Iberico pork bites appear alongside finely diced raw steelhead trout topped with tomatoes and basil foam. Each course delivers bold flavors without the stuffiness of traditional fine dining.
The room stays small and the energy runs high, making Kochi one of the best ways to experience modern Korean cooking without committing to a three-star price tag.
4. Cosme (Contemporary Mexican, Flatiron)
World-renowned chef Enrique Olvera redefined modern Mexican cooking in NYC when he opened Cosme in the Flatiron District. His team creates contemporary dishes rooted in Mexican tradition while showcasing seasonal ingredients from the Hudson Valley.
This Michelin-listed restaurant regularly appears on global best-of lists. Duck carnitas for two and the iconic Cornhusk Meringue dessert have become so famous that they’ve inspired spinoffs across the city.
The sleek, low-lit space feels special enough for celebrations yet relaxed enough for cocktails and snacks at the bar.
5. Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi (Afro-Caribbean & NYC Mash-Up, Lincoln Center)
Chef Kwame Onwuachi’s menu reads like a love letter to his Afro-Caribbean roots and New York upbringing. At Lincoln Center, Tatiana weaves together flavors from West Africa, the Caribbean, and the Bronx into unforgettable dishes.
Curried goat patties, egusi dumplings, and short rib pastrami suya showcase this unique culinary mash-up. Food & Wine and other major outlets have praised Tatiana as both a cultural and culinary landmark, matching the gravitas of the surrounding performance halls.
The energy runs high and reservations fill fast, especially before shows.
6. Sripraphai (Thai, Woodside, Queens)
Owner Sripraphai Tipmanee has been serving deeply flavored, regionally diverse Thai food since the 1990s, turning her Woodside restaurant into a pilgrimage site for Thai food fans. The menu stretches impressively long and takes heat seriously.
Fiery pork larb, papaya salads, curries, and an impressive variety of vegetarian and seafood options fill the pages. Recent reviews continue calling it one of the best Thai restaurants in New York, consistently ranking near the top of Queens restaurant lists.
If you want to understand why locals swear by Queens for food, this makes a perfect starting point.
7. Café China (Sichuan Chinese, Midtown)
Old Shanghai glamour meets tongue-tingling Sichuan spice at this Midtown destination. Café China spreads across three floors at 59 West 37th Street, creating a 1940s-style teahouse atmosphere with serious commitment to heat.
The restaurant previously held a Michelin star and was among the first Chinese restaurants in NYC to receive that recognition. This achievement helped pave the way for a new wave of Sichuan spots across the city.
Classic mapo tofu, cold appetizers, and dry-fried dishes demonstrate precise execution, while more adventurous plates push boundaries for curious diners.
8. Awash Ethiopian (Ethiopian, Upper West Side & East Village)
Since the 1990s, Awash has been introducing New Yorkers to Ethiopian food through several locations across the city. The Amsterdam Avenue spot on the Upper West Side earns frequent praise as a hidden gem, offering a cozy, unpretentious setting for authentic dishes.
Injera platters arrive piled high with lentil stews, sautéed greens, and spiced meats. The owners emphasize traditional cooking techniques, viewing the restaurant as a showcase for Ethiopia’s rich culinary history.
Groups especially love this place since shared platters and hands-on eating create one of the most convivial dining experiences in the city.
9. Sofreh (Persian, Park Slope, Brooklyn)
Chef and owner Nasim Alikhani, who immigrated from Iran, has created one of the most important Persian restaurants in the United States. Sofreh serves dishes that honor tradition while looking visually polished and modern.
Jewel-toned rice, lamb shank in dill and dried lime broth, and eggplant dips topped with crispy onions and mint oil showcase the depth of Persian cooking. The minimalist, calm space evokes the warmth of a Persian home while giving the colorful food room to shine.
With a Michelin listing and lots of media attention, Sofreh is essential for anyone curious about Persian flavors beyond kebab shops.
10. Tanoreen (Palestinian & Middle Eastern, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn)
Chef Rawia Bishara started Tanoreen as a way to cook for guests the way she did for family, serving generous portions with bold flavors and plenty of olive oil, herbs, and spices. Her long-running Bay Ridge restaurant celebrates Palestinian and broader Middle Eastern home cooking.
Today, this Michelin-listed destination draws crowds for dishes like mansaf, featuring braised lamb with yogurt over rice, and harissa-brightened salads. A large mezze selection rounds out the menu.
This is the kind of place where you should plan to over-order and share everything at the table.
11. Dept of Culture (Nigerian Tasting Menu, Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn)
Chef Ayo Balogun seats guests around a communal table and serves a fixed tasting menu inspired by north-central Nigerian cooking from his home state. This Bed-Stuy spot feels more like an intimate dinner party than a typical restaurant.
Resy describes the experience as a critically acclaimed Nigerian dining home, with courses that often include pepper soup and jollof rice. Balogun shares stories about the dishes and the culture behind them throughout the meal.
This ranks among the most personal, transportive dining experiences in NYC, highlighting how diverse the city’s West African food scene has become.
12. Mercado Little Spain (Spanish, Hudson Yards)
Chef José Andrés and the Adrià brothers essentially dropped a mini-Madrid into Hudson Yards. This all-day market and food hall dedicates its entire 35,000-square-foot space to Spanish food, from churros and patatas bravas to cured meats, paella, and regional wines.
Multiple full-service restaurants, tapas bars, and kiosks fill the space. Recent updates added Txula, a Basque-style steakhouse focused on grilled txuletón rib-eye and other asador classics, showing how seriously this project takes Spanish regional traditions.
If you want to eat Spain in a single afternoon, this is your destination.
13. Le Bernardin (French Seafood, Midtown)
No list of international heavyweights in NYC would be complete without this Midtown temple to French seafood. Chef Eric Ripert has maintained three Michelin stars since the guide first came to New York, plus a four-star New York Times rating for decades.
La Liste recently named Le Bernardin the top U.S. restaurant, tied, for the third year in a row based on aggregated global reviews. Meticulously executed dishes showcase fish as the unquestioned star, like barely cooked salmon in coconut curry sauce.
This represents white-tablecloth, special-occasion dining at its most classic and refined.
