When Are We Going to Eat?

— by Frances Page

Black & White cookies are a special New York City treat, Christmastime In Collection.

Introducing New York City to your children is fun. You may be an overnight visitor with a young family in tow or a parent from nearby who worked in the city in your innocent and childless 20’s. Either way, you will need to feed the masses you have brought with you and we can help. There are good choices for all types near the most fun holiday sites. The trick is to jot down a few ideas before you head out so you won’t be searching for something suitable on an empty stomach.

Lots of our recommendations have kids menus and even cater to them especially. In this category, more theme restaurants have opened and several have passed the parent test. We also review places that are more grown up but have choices for young children. If you brood is used to better fare, there could be no better restaurant city than New York. We’ll show you how to introduce your family to the wonders of this foodie hot spot including New York classics like cheesecake and knishes. Last, with the revival of Times Square, New York has seen the arrival of more fast food and national chain restaurants. We include a few of these with a heavy heart since families relegated here are missing out on one of the city’s best features, its extraordinary access to great food. Still, if you are in a bit of a pickle with a finicky eater, we would not want you to despair. New York City has just about everything. And to make it easier to find, we have a handy reference by neighborhood area/major sites at the end of this article to pack along listing the restaurants mentioned here plus a few others you’ll like.

Restaurants that Make Parents and Children Happy

These are the adult choices where children can explore and feel grown up. If your family enjoys food, this is the most fun alternative. Remember that the holidays are an exciting time for children so sometimes only a few things get sampled. One meal that does not include all the necessary parts among the many well-balanced ones you serve will not derail their nutritional needs for the year. If they are trying new things, allow them a little leeway.

At Italian restaurants, order a half plate of pasta and for really picky eaters the kitchen can make it without the sauce (a.k.a. gravy to some New Yorkers). Carmine’s is famous for their family-style service and is very accustomed to serving children with a smile. The food is more “red sauce” than trendier northern Italian cuisine, and very homey. Patsy’s Pizzeria has several locations near holiday events and is known for their coal-oven pizza and the ability to serve large groups. (There is another unrelated Patsy’s Italian Restaurant that is more adult and upscale near Broadway on 56th. They do not serve pizza.) Look for the green awning at Patsy’s Pizzerias. The menu features lots of salads, soups and pasta will keep everyone satisfied. This is a good place for a child to try a cannoli, NYC’s favorite pastry.

Speaking of pizza, our favorite spot and one of the few authentic Neapolitan wood-oven pizza makers in the city is Naples 45 located in the MetLife building (adjoining the northern side of Grand Central Station). Your children can see the pizzas being prepared at the hearth and check out their certificate from Naples. They also have a large pasta and salad menu if some of your group are not mad for thin crust pizza and fresh buffalo mozzarella (though I have never taken anyone here who did not become a convert).

A French Bistro on 9th Avenue and 44th Street, ChristmastimeIn Collection

French bistros abound in New York City and most do burgers and frites (fries) very well and will remove exotic toppings like caramelized onions if you request. Other menu items on French brasserie menus are familiar enough to introduce to sophisticated but childlike palettes. You can always order an omelet even if you don’t see it on the menu. A simple cheese crepe, roasted chicken or chicken paillard (breast, pounded thin) are also good choices. Many people find ordering poultry a rather plain choice but good chefs make extraordinarily good chicken and source their meats from the best purveyors. You will be impressed. For children, ask for most dishes with sauce on the side and let them sample the more intense flavors by dipping. If all else fails, order a little one a plate of French fries and let them sample more substantial items from your meal. Desserts will be first rate and everyone will enjoy a little chocolate. A nice spot near Broadway shows and not far from Rockefeller Center to try is Maison at the corner of 7th Avenue and 53rd Street.

Chinese and other Asian cuisines are based in cultures that really know kids and often serve family style. Chinese restaurants in the US can be very sugar-laden and you probably already know what you like to steer your kids toward. On the go in NYC, consider sharing a light meal of appetizers that allow little ones to pick up things with their fingers and try just a little bit of something new.   Egg rolls, spare ribs, chicken wings, scallion pancake (or savory turnip cake) followed by an order of lo mein for the table or wonton soup make a nice mid-day break. There will be a wonderful choice every few feet in Manhattan’s Chinatown on Mott Street. Elsewhere Ollie’s is reliable and has good service. One of their branches is very close to Lincoln Center.

Manhattan has a terrific Korean neighborhood right around the corner from the Empire State Building where you can feast on yummy dumplings and noodle dishes.   These are hard to beat for any age group. Mandoo Bar on 32nd off Fifth is friendly and you can watch the cooks make the dumplings in the front window.

There are over 500 sushi places in New York City. They range from the small cafeteria style like the Go Sushi chain to upscale fusion numbers like SushiSamba7 in the Village and beyond to glitterati spots like Nobu and Tao.   Sushi is nice finger food and there are several types to order with cooked fish including shrimp as well as good vegetable sushi and rolls with cucumber, carrots and avocados to dip in soy sauce. Be sure to ask the waiter to omit the spicy horseradish called wasabi from sushi and rolls for little mouths. (To order raw shrimp ask for “sweet shrimp,” otherwise it will be assumed you are asking for cooked shrimp.)

If your kids don’t eat sushi yet, they can get a tempura, shrimp and vegetables, battered and fried crisp, or chicken or pork teriyaki. If your children are enthusiastic sushi eaters, a special treat is Haru’s location in Times Square for a pre-theater or post-matinee meal.

Other kid-friendly cuisines include Greek places where you can make a meal of the dips and pita bread. (In Astoria, Queens try Omonia, which has a great bakery.) Mexican & Latin American places offer many less spicy choices. The city is not known for this cuisine but a few places have emerged over the years. Rosa Mexicana, specifically the downtown one at 9 East 18th St between 5th Avenue & Broadway will get you south of the border comfortably. There are two other locations but this one is more open and informal so kids can get up and move around between dipping chips into guacamole made tableside and chicken and cheese quesadillas.

New York’s Irish roots still show prominently at midtown favorites like Rosie O’Grady’s, Playwright and Connolly’s where pub style selections provide a big meal. Children will find something from the appetizer menu if the large sandwiches and chicken potpies are too overwhelming.

Middle Eastern restaurants are perfect for young vegetarians and also do a mean grilled chicken. Pita Grill’s is a good moderately priced chain in many areas of the city.

If you family likes seafood it is easy to get a good, uncomplicated meal.   The Grand Central Oyster Bar is pricey but has great atmosphere, very old New York. Seafood places offer child-friendly items like shrimp cocktail, clam chowder, and even chicken and veggie plates for non-fish eaters.

Hot dogs and hamburgers get a gourmet twist in New York City but never stray too far from the source. Kids will like Better Burger, Five Guys, and POP Burger (which has a location near FAO Schwarz). New Yorkers are gaga for Shake Shack, the burger place with lines around the corner in Madison Square Park near 23rd and Madison (this is not Madison Square Garden which is on the west side of town). Shake Shack has just opened up a new uptown location at Columbus and 77th, not far from the American Museum of Natural History. That probably won’t shorten the lines at Madison Square Park but it does spread the goodness.

Gray’s Papaya and Papaya King are New York institutions where most patrons stand to eat their hot dog and papaya juice. No one really understands it but this is a great combination.

Many of New York’s small delis have transformed themselves into salad and hot food bars and most have seating (usually upstairs). Prices are relatively good and you can create a healthy or unhealthy meal to your liking quite easily. Since they serve so many people in a day, choices tend to be wider than the salad bars at suburban grocery stores so have fun and let your kids pick out a few things they don’t see often.

Sandwich shops and soup places have also sprung up where Horn & Hardart automats used to serve office workers. Frequently these places have only small seating areas but are pretty empty on weekends. So empty in fact, that if you find yourself on a midtown office block without many tourist sites nearby, these shops will be closed. If this happens to you, simply steer towards a tourist center like Times Square, 42nd Street or Columbus Circle to improve your odds.

Mendy's Brooklyn location adjoins the Jewish Children's Museum, ChristmastimeIn Collection

Of the sandwich shops, our favorite is the Lenny’s chain that is opening locations in many locations. They have freshly made sandwiches, a nice staff and good seating. Other sandwich places that do a good job are Café Metro, Pret A Manger, Pax Wholesome Foods, ‘wichcraft, Bread Factory Café, Cosi, Europa Café, Le Pain Quotidien, Mendy’s (Grand Central Station, Rockefeller Center, Brooklyn's Jewish Children’s Museum) and Au Bon Pain. For soup try Soup Man, Hale & Hearty Soups, or Devon & Blakely though seating is not generous in these places.

Columbus Circle street cart, ChristmastimeIn Collection

Don’t reject street food as a real kid possibility that can get you out of a jam. Hot dogs, pretzels and roasted nuts are good quick eats that are familiar but have a New York flair. Many visitors are uncertain about street food but did you know that the NY health inspectors are more likely to have checked a street cart than a 5-star restaurants in the past month? The key (direct from a health inspector’s mouth to my ear) is to eat the food right away—don’t carry it around with you all afternoon. If your child is the type that nurses lunch for hours, go with their grazing tendencies and get them something small to eat and toss what they don’t finish. Then get them something else later at another cart.

And how about a bagel?—easy to grab and go and very New York. Daniel’s Bagels, Esse-A-Bagel, Hot & Crusty and H&H Bagel are names to know. If you want just a little bit of cream cheese rather than a slab, ask for your bagel with "just a schmear."

Sullivan Street near NYU, ChristmastimeIn Collection

We also like Peanut Butter & Co in Greenwich Village, which offers a full range of adult and kid peanut butter related menu items plus grilled cheese and tuna salad sandwiches. (Note—this is not the place for children with nut allergies!)

The owners of Pinch & S’Mac were inspired by Peanut Butter & Co. There are now two locations, one very close to the American Museum of Natural History. This is a great parent-child favorite. Adults will enjoy savory, grown-up combinations like the mac n’ cheese made with figs and brie while toddlers dig into classic mac n’ cheese plus pizza and salads. The prices get good marks too.

Theme Restaurants

Call for a reservation, even an hour ahead can help. The important thing to realize about the really splashy themed restaurants is that you will rarely see a New Yorker there unless they have young relatives visiting. You can spot them by their slightly pained expression mixed with some surprise that they are in one of the tourist spots that they pass by all the time. The other important information is that many are in mid-town and are really not about the food and that often equates to high prices. There seems to be an inverse relationship between food quality/prices and extravagance of floorshow. Forewarned here is a sampling:

The most fun part of Mars2012 is the spacey trip upstairs. After that it's chicken fingers, burgers and grilled cheese. The food does not get high marks from gourmand adults but it is entertaining and a short walk from Radio City Music Hall and the upper portion of Times Square.

Like Mars2012, Jeckyll & Hyde is not about the food. Ghoulishly costumed waiters and other staff entertain diners while hurling mild abuse and playing out kitschy routines alongside the masks and props that come to life. Young teens really respond, especially if singled out by the African Mask/MC. Kids can get up and wander around to check out the “set” so lots of energy can be consumed here. Alcohol can also be consumed here which can help wash down the pasta, salads and chicken options that are meant to appeal to adults. There are a couple of locations, in the Village on 7th Avenue and on 6th near 57th Street and Carnegie Hall.

Dylan's Candy Bar has expanded its sweet-tooth menu to include some actual nourishment in the form of PB&J's and other simple fare. They are really nice there and somehow manage to handle the onslaught of elfin customers. Founder Dylan Lauren is designer Ralph Lauren’s daughter. Is it any wonder that the shop is just behind Bloomingdales?

Serendipity 3, around the corner from Dylan’s, is a New York favorite that is small so the line can be long. If you hit it at the right moment, there is a wide selection of burgers, pasta, fish, soups and sandwiches available though pricey. Face it—you are all for dessert anyway so pick an ice cream sundae or the peanut butter pie as your protein and Strawberries and Cream or Celestial Carrot Cake as a side and sink in.

American Girl Place on Fifth Avenue serves lunch, brunch, afternoon tea and dinner and really requires a reservation. Call today if you are the parent of an American Girl fan. Seriously right now. They are already taking Late December and early January reservations.

If you like American Girl Place, check out Alice’s Tea Cup – a winner with adults thanks to a good chef and a favorite of children who find the kid’s menu both appealing and healthy. They do birthday parties and serve afternoon tea as well as breakfast. One of their three locations is not far from Museum Mile on the Upper East Side.

Hard Rock in Times Square, ChristmastimeIn Collection

Hard Rock Café in the midst of Times Square attracts older children and their rocker parents. Not as big as its sibling at Universal Studios in Orlando, this one has Times Square and NYC rock n’ roll chops to back it up. The displays are fun if music is your family’s thing. The food is not special but got the thumbs up from our informal parent poll. It’s pretty basic American fare from burgers to quesadillas.

Also in Times Sqaure, you know Planet Hollywood is not about the food when you go on their website and there is more talk of celebrity events than menu. Think of this as the Hard Rock for movies (in fact Planet Hollywood was founded by one of the Hard Rock partners and used the same formula.) Nothing new here that you haven’t seen at the Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas but you can be assured that you will know what you are getting.

Large portions and a very accessible menu have made Cowgirl a family favorite in downtown Manhattan. So much so that this place is often full of kids (and the accompanying noise). But can you blame them? Frito Pie, Big Ol’ Burger, Corn Dogs, Chuckwagon Chili and other down-home menu items with colorful names will make you smile too. There are also enough great sides for a vegetarian to put together a meal including a veggie chili.

Back in Times Square, fans of the movie won’t be disappointed at Bubba Gump’s Shrimp Company where the wait staff knows their movie trivia and is happy to banter. They do get busy though so order up to enjoy a pretty spicy bayou po’ boy for adults and a nice kids menu for wee ones.

Ellen’s Stardust Diner is my favorite place to send budding Broadway stars even though there is often a line. They are very good at estimating the wait and once seated it really is fun to watch the talented singing waiters and waitresses while devouring some diner classics. If you are planning a Broadway matinee or evening, check out nearby Ellen’s to make the trip even more musical.

Mickey Mantle’s on Central Park South is for the sports fan replete with large screen TVs with the day’s major sports broadcast continuously. There is no “floor show” but lots of memorabilia. The menu is wide so there are good kid’s choices liked pigs in a blanket or chicken fingers from the appetizers section. Main courses are a bit pricey but older children will easily find something. They are known for their ribs and also have “spring training” choices with a healthier twist.

ESPN Zone's corner spot, ChristmastimeIn Collection

Still hugely crowded after all these years, partially due to its prime location anchoring Times Square to 42nd Street, ESPNZone is not hurt by its decent food. Giant TVs, nice staff and a no-surprises menu make this a great family choice. Reservations are accepted for groups of 8 or more only. For smaller groups at busy times, the wait can be over an hour so do not make this a pre-theater choice.

Classic New York

Diners are not very cheap in New York City but they do provide a culinary tour of old New York and the atmosphere is easy on children and families. This is where you and your kids will get to order cheese blintzes, matzoh ball soup, potato pancakes, knishes, chopped chicken liver, brisket, corned beef and pastrami or a nova bagel followed by an egg cream, cheesecake, some rugelach or a black&white cookie. Less adventurous souls will find the huge menus also include things like chicken wings, burgers and meat loaf and plain vanilla ice cream.

The quintessential New York diner, Junior’s, was born in Brooklyn and now has locations on Broadway and in Grand Central in Manhattan. Many New Yorkers base their idea of what cole slaw should taste like on Junior’s recipe and the cheesecake is iconic. Try one plain and one Devil’s Food cheesecake for the table. Junior’s “Junior” menu makes ordering for children easy.

Brooklyn Diner on 57th is close to Carnegie Hall and serves enormous portions. Split things—you will be shocked at the huge portions. Artie’s Deli on the Upper West Side is a local favorite that will make you feel at home. Also on the Upper West Side, Zabar’s Cafe makes a nice quick stop for bagels, lox, egg salad and tuna salad sandwiches, vegetable soup, rice pudding, and holiday petit fours.

Bubby’s downtown and in Brooklyn is New York with BBQ and soul food items. Their range makes it a good family choice. Try matzoh ball soup on a cold day accompanied by an egg cream.

Familiar Chains

Maybe food is not your thing. Maybe you got saddled for the day with a cousin or godchild raised at a mall. Maybe you are late for the theater and did not make a reservation anywhere ahead. Here are the places where you will not have to urge little Johnny to “just try it”…. They are fine places to get a bite but it seems sad to come to one of the world's great food cities and settle for something you can get at home.

In most boroughs and near the Times Square area...
Red Lobster
Applebee's
TGI Friday's
KFC
Dunkin Donuts
Pizza Hut
McDonald's
Burger King
Wendy’s
Chipotle

ChristmastimeIn Collection

If your kids are not really adventurous, a good area to be around mealtime is between Rockefeller Center and Times Square. There you will find a large swath of restaurant types from chain, theme and even upscale so you can make an event of the meal or grab and go in this area pretty easily. At Rockefeller Center, you have over 40 places to eat and a nice food court style seating including ‘wichcraft, Cucina & Co., Hale & Hearty and Mendy’s all serving sandwishes plus their own little twist. Along 50th Street from 6th Avenue walking west to the northern part of Times Square is 2-3 blocks worth of varied choices. Pret A Manger is a favorite sandwich spot with interesting gourmet selections and good soups. Applebee’s, KFC, Dunkin Donuts, Pizza Hut and Burger King are all here to deal with a complete meltdown. Closer to Times Square you will find Mars2012, S’barro, a casual spot for pizza and Italian specialties (a bit food-court reminiscent) and Maison, one of our favorite French spots that older children like. Ruby Foos and Hawaiian Tropic Zone both provide a great backdrop to a meal. Both are expensive and more for adults but they are eye appealing. Don’t expect any actual Hawaiian food at Hawaiian Tropic Zone but young eaters will go for the Margherita pizza, corn dogs and shrimp cocktail. Ruby Foos fusion cuisine is a bit more authentic, has a really good children’s menu and great sharable desserts. Ruby Foos also has a gluten free menu.

Budgeting meals is one of the scarier parts of a trip to the city for visitors. Out-of-towners always tell me they think the prices are shocking. When I find that they are in midtown at a theme restaurant, I am not surprised. True, city prices are higher than elsewhere and sandwiches around town tend to start at $6 and run steeply up from there. The outer boroughs have more mid-priced restaurants and student neighborhoods like NYU in the Village also serve up moderately priced choices. A great site to check for menu items and pricing is Menu Pages. By having a few pre-selected choices you will know what to expect and have a good feel for prices before you sit down. New York City is one of the world’s best places to eat and New Yorkers make a habit of trying something new whenever possible. They love to find great values, just like you. Join them at their favorite tables.

Kid-Friendly Dining Recommendations

Manhattan

Radio City and Rockefeller Center west to Times Square’s Northern Tip

Several sandwich and soup shops along 50th Street plus…

Mendy’s, Rockefeller Center concourse level

Pret a Manger, 135 W 50th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, 212-489-6458

Connolly's, 43 West 54th St between 5th & 6th Avenues,

Applebee’s, 205 W 50th Street at Broadway, 212-262-2400

Heartland Brewery, 1285 Avenue of the Americas at 52nd Street, 212-582-8244

Playwright, 202 W 49th Street between 7th and Broadway, 212-262-9229

Ruby Foo’s, 1626 Broadway at 49th Street, 212-489-5600

Mars 2112, 1633 Broadway at 51st Street, 212-489-2112

Maison, 1700 Broadway at 53rd St & 7th Avenue, 212-757-2233

Rosie O’Grady’s, 800 7th Avenue at 52nd Street, 212-582-2975

Ellen’s Stardust Diner 1650 Broadway at 51st Street, 212-956-5151

Times Square

Full of choices, mostly theme and familiar….

ESPNZone 1472 Broadway at 42nd Street, (212) 921-3776

Hard Rock Café, 1501 Broadway at 44th Street, (212) 343-3355

Virgil’s Barbecue, 152 West 44th St between 6th and Broadway,(212) 921-9494

Bubba Gump’s Shrimp Company 1501 Broadway at 44th Street, 212-391-7100

Dallas BBQ, 241 W 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues, 212-221-9000

Rosie O’Grady’s 149 West 46th Street between Broadway and 6th Avenue, 212-869-0600

Teriyaki Boy, 106 W 43rd Street between 6th and Broadway, 212-764-0200

Planet Hollywood 1540 Broadway between 45th and 46th Streets, (212) 333-7827

Connolly's, 121 West 45th St between Broadway & 6th Avenue, (212) 597-5126

Junior’s Restaurant, 1515 Broadway between 44th and 45th Streets , 212-302-2000

Brooklyn Diner 155 West 43rd off Broadway, 212-265-5400

Haru, 205 W 43rd St between Broadway & 8th Ave, 212 398-9810

Carmine’s, 200 W 44th Street between 7th & 8th Avenue, 212-221-3800

Lenny’s, 613 9th Ave between 43rd and 44th Streets, 212-957-7800

Red Lobster, 7th Avenue and 41st Street, (212) 730-6706

Ruby Tuesday, 585 7th Avenue at 42nd Street, (212) 382-3898

Applebee’s, 234 West 42nd St between 7th and 8Th Avenues, (212) 391-7414

Olive Garden, Broadway between 47th and 48th, 212-333-3254

Burger King, McDonalds are also here

Fifth Avenue/FAO Schwartz area

Swankier but some good finds…..

Mickey Mantle’s 42 Central Park South between 5th and 6th, 212-688-7777

The Plaza Hotel, 768 5th Avenue between 58th and 59th Streets, 212-759-3000

Sarabeths, 40 Central Park South between 5th and 6th, 212-826-5959

POP Burger 14 E 58th Street between 5th and Madison, 212-991-6644

American Girl Place, 609 5th Avenue at 49th Street, 212-644-1145

Empire State Building area
Heartland Brewery, 350 5th Ave at 34th Street, 212-563-3433

Mandoo Bar, 2 West 32nd Street between Broadway & 5th Avenue, 212 279-3075

Grand Central area and Midtown East

Naples 45, 200 Park Ave on 45th Street between Madison and Lexington Avenues, 212-972-7001

Grand Central Food Hall (downstairs): Juniors, Hale & Hearty, Hot & Crusty Bagels, Mendy’s, Zocola, plus more from pizza to gelato. Be prepared to share a table especially if you are there during lunch on a weekday when office workers make this their cafeteria. The natives are friendly and the tables have all kinds of transportation memorabilia to peruse under thick plastic coating.
Grand Central Oyster Bar, Grand Central Station, 9 East 42nd Street, 212-490-6650

Pershing Square, 90 East 42nd Street across from the entrance to Grand Central Station, (212) 286-9600.

Daniel’s 569 3rd Avenue between 37th & 38th Street, 212-972-9733

Esse-A-Bagel, 831 3rd Avenue at 51st Street, 212- 980-1010

Dylan’s Candy Bar Third and 60th Street, 212-620-2700

Serendipity 3, 225 E 60th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues, 212-838-3531

Connolly's, 14 E 47th Street between 5th & Madison Ave, 212- 867-3767

Connolly's, 150 E 47th Street at 3rd Ave, 212- 692-9342

Upper East Side's Museum Mile and Environs

Don’t forget museum dining—most have improved in recent years….

Alice’s Tea Cup, 220 E 81st Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues,212-734-4832

Patsy’s Pizzeria, 206 E 60th Street at 3rd Avenue, 212) 688-9707

The Met’s cafeteria, 1000 5th Avenue at 82nd Street, 212-535-7710

The Jewish Museum has a great café, 1109 5th Avenue between 92nd and 93rd Streets,
212-423-3200

Sarabeth’s Kitchen at the Whitney, 945 Madison Avenue between 74th and 75th Streets, 212-570-3670

Sarabeth’s Kitchen, 1295 Madison Avenue at 92nd Street, 212-410-7335

Near Columbus Circle and Central Park South

Not far from Carnegie Hall and the soon to be opening Holiday Market at Columbus Circle…

Jeckyll & Hyde, 1409 6th Avenue between 57th and 58th Streets, 212- 541-9517

Brooklyn Diner 212 West 57th between 7th and 8th, near Carnegie Hall 212-977-1957

Whole Foods food market downstairs at Time-Warner Center, Columbus Circle

Upper West Side

A few nice choices near the American Museum of Natural History, Lincoln Center and Central Park…

Pinch & S’Mac, 474 Columbus Avenue between 82nd and 83rd Streets, 646-438-9494

Sarabeth’s Kitchen, 423 Amsterdam Ave between 80th and 81st Streets, (212) 496-6280

Popover Café, 551 Amsterdam Avenue between 86th and 87th Streets, 212-595-8555

Artie’s Delicatessen, 2290 Broadway between 82nd and 83rd Streets, 212-579-5959

Carmine’s, 2450 Broadway between 90th & 91st Streets, 212 362-2200

Ollie's, 1991 Broadway between 67th & 68th Streets, 212-595-8181

H&H Bagels 2239 Broadway at 80th Street, 212-595-8000

Patsy’s Pizzeria, 61 West 74th Street between Central Park West & Columbus Ave , 212-
579-3000

Dallas BBQ, 27 W 72nd Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue, 212-873-2004

Fairway Café, 2127 Broadway between 74th St & 75th Street, 212-595-1888

Zabar’s Café, 2245 Broadway at 80th Street, 212-787-2000

Shake Shack, 366 Columbus Avenue at 77th Street

Greenwich Village/Chelsea area

More one of a kind places and less expensive student-supported eateries around NYU….

Max Brenner, the Chocolate Man, 841 Broadway just south of Union Square/14th Street, 212-388-0030

Peanut Butter & Co., 240 Sullivan Street at West 3rd Street, 212-677-3995

Rosa Mexican- 9 E 18th Street between 5th Ave & Broadway, 212-533-3350

Pita Grill on 8th Avenue between 14th and 15th Streets, 212-337-0300

S’mac, 345 E 12th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues, (212) 358-7912

Cowgirl 519 Hudson Street at West 10th St, 212-633-1133

Risotteria, 70 Bleecker St between 6th and 7th Streets, 212-924-6664

Jeckyll & Hyde, 91 7th Avenue South, 212-989-7285

Downtown, below Houston Street

South Street Seaport, Fulton & South Streets, Pier 17, Heartland Brewery and more
Bubby’s Restaurant and Bakery, 120 Hudson Street at N. Moore Street, 212-219-0666

Brooklyn

In addition to the restaurants below, the Court and Smith Street areas in downtown Brooklyn offer good reasonably priced places…

Junior’s Restaurant 386 Flatbush Avenue, 718-852-5257 (close to BAM)

Grimaldi’s Pizzaria, 9 Old Fulton Street, 718-858-4300 (near Bargemusic)

Bubby’s, 1 Main Street between Water & Washington Street, 718-222-0666 (in DUMBO)

Mendy’s, 792 Eastern Parkway at Kingston Avenue, 718-907-8877 (next to The Jewish Children’s Museum)

Queens

The melting pot is alive and well in Queens. Go to Astoria for Greek and Flushing for Asian.
Omania, 3220 Broadway at 32nd Street, Astoria, 718-274-6650

Staten Island

The most suburban of the boroughs has plenty of family dining. Near the ferry try…

Ruddy & Dean’s, 44 Richmond Terrace, 718-816-4400 (near the ferry in St. George)

R.H. Tugs Restaurant & Bar, 1115 Richmond Terrace, 718-447-6369 (close to Snug Harbor and a good choice while their café is being renovated)

The Bronx

You won’t go wrong in Little Italy with any age.
Little Italy restaurants run along Arthur Avenue below 188th Street and children will find welcoming menu items at both the Bronx Zoo and the New York Botanical Garden.

East Bronx (includes Little Italy)West Bronx (includes Riverdale)Downtown Bronx (Yankee Stadium/Courthouse area)Other

Downtown Brooklyn (Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill)Prospect Park Area (Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Crown Heights)Williamsburg area (includes Greenpoint)Fort Greene/Clinton HillBay Ridge, Dyker HeightsDUMBOOther

Midtown (30th to 59th, east and west sides including Murray Hill)Upper West Side (60th to 114th, Central Park West to Hudson River)Upper East Side (60th-96th, Fifth to East River)Harlem & Uptown (north of 96th on east side, and 115th on west side)Greenwich Village/Chelsea , between 30th and Houston St. (Greenwich Village, East Village, West Village, NoHo, Chelsea, Gramercy, Union Square, Flatiron)Downtown, below Houston Street (SoHo, Tribeca, Chinatown, Little Italy, Lower East Side, Wall St/Financial DistrictOther

Astoria/RavenswoodLong Island City area (includes Sunnyside)FlushingFlushing Meadows Corona Park areaJamaica, Queens area (Rego Park, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens)Other

St. George (ferry landing)RichmondtownTottenvilleOther

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