Most “best of” restaurant lists cover dinner and brunch, but ignore what we believe is actually the most important meal of the day: lunch. We’ve compiled this list of the 25 best lunch spots in NYC to help you quickly find the perfect midday meal, no matter what you’re craving. Whether you’re a tourist seeking an Instagrammable restaurant in Manhattan, a busy professional craving a quick bite and an escape from your office in Queens, or a local looking for hidden gems in Staten Island, we’ve got you covered.
Keep reading to uncover:
- Spots for the best lunch in Manhattan
- The best lunch spots in Brooklyn
- Where to get the best lunch in Queens
- Hidden lunch spots in the Bronx
- Staten Island’s best lunch spots
The 25 Best Lunch Spots in NYC
We’ve searched all five boroughs to bring you this list of the best lunch spots in NYC. To make it on the list, these restaurants have to serve lunch during the week and have rave reviews from customers or the press. Because some days you need a quick takeout lunch and other days you need a multi-course meal, our selections include a diversity of prices, service styles, and cuisines. Bon appetit!
Top 5 Lunch Spots in Manhattan
Looking for the best lunch in Manhattan? Your search stops here.
1. Oda House
Oda House is on this list because it serves some of the most authentic Georgian food in New York City. While the restaurant has a dedicated lunch menu, you can also order from the dinner menu any time of day.
If you’ve never had the pleasure of trying Georgian cuisine, you can’t miss the khachapuri adjaruli: yeasty dough shaped like a boat and filled with cheese. The server cracks and mixes an egg into the piping hot cheese until it cooks and creates a gooey topping.
With a location on Manhattan’s Upper East Side and a waterfront location in Brooklyn’s Sheepshead Bay, this cheesy goodness is just a subway ride away, no matter where you are.
2. Balthazar
This power lunch institution is a place to network, gossip, and spot celebrities, making it one of the best lunch spots in SoHo, NYC. Exactly who might you bump into at Balthazar? Owner Keith McNally often writes about his famous clientele on Instagram. Recently, he reported that George Clooney, Francis Ford Coppola, Sofia Coppola, and Charlotte Gainsbourg all dined there on the same day.
What should you be eating when you bump into said celebrities? The menu (and decor) is that of a classic French bistro. If you’re feeling spendy, go all out with a platter from the raw bar. For your entree, order the omelette, moules frites, or steak frites. For a sweet ending (or a light lunch to go), grab a baked good or pastry next door at Balthazar’s bakery.
3. Banter
Is there anything more indulgent than having brunch on a weekday? Banter is an employee-owned, “health-conscious” Australian restaurant that serves brunch dishes every day and includes them on the lunch menu. No one does brunch better than Aussies.
The golden folded eggs dish consists of the most beautifully prepared eggs you’ve ever seen, served with bacon, mushrooms, greens, and an avocado slice. If you’re skipping the eggs and want a true lunch, get the Thai Salad with chicken: a spicy, crunchy, and colorful cabbage, carrot, and radish combo.
Three Manhattan locations make Banter highly accessible, whether you’re a tourist or a local working from home or the office. A meticulously labeled menu also makes the restaurant accessible to customers with various dietary restrictions.
4. Black Seed Bagels
New York isn’t New York without bagels. What’s not to love about this quick, delicious meal? Wherever you’re craving bagels, Black Seed Bagels has you covered with seven Manhattan locations and three Brooklyn locations, making it one of the best lunch spots in NYC.
While Black Seed offers all of the classic bagel toppings and schmears, we recommend trying options you can’t easily get elsewhere, like the creative sandwiches, pizza bagels, and grilled cheese made with an inside-out bagel. If none of those strike your fancy, indulge in a breakfast sandwich.
5. Great N.Y. Noodletown
Great N.Y. Noodletown is a Chinatown institution and an excellent spot for lunch in Manhattan. The New York Times has called it “the vanguard of the Hong Kong-style restaurants sweeping across Chinatown and Chinese communities all over the United States.”
This cash-only establishment is known for its barbecue. In fact, you’ll know you’ve arrived at the right place when you see roasted chickens, pigs, and ducks hanging in the front window. Get the combo of three items on rice and sample the roast pork, roast pig, chicken, or roast duck. Eater recommends trying the roast baby pig, which runs out early in the day, making it a good choice for lunch rather than dinner.
Top 5 Lunch Spots in Brooklyn
Whether you want a quick meal or an hours-long feast, these places serve the best lunch in Brooklyn.
1. El Santo Taqueria
El Santo Taqueria is one of the best lunch spots in Brooklyn because it offers lunch specials every weekday, as well as a Taco Tuesday that gets you two tacos and a margarita for $16. While these deals will draw you in, the fun vibe and foosball table will keep you ordering more.
This Bushwick taqueria offers all of the classic taco toppings you could ever want. The restaurant also serves vegan cheese, vegan sour cream, and beyond meat options, which can be difficult to find at most taquerias. If you’re a very hungry omnivore, get the fajita mixta (steak, chicken, and shrimp with sauteed veggies, rice, and beans), which will definitely leave you with leftovers for dinner. Don’t forget to bring cash, as this establishment doesn’t accept cards.
2. OKONOMI
OKONOMI is the daytime venue that makes up half of OKONOMI YUJI Ramen and serves a prix fixe Japanese Ichiju Sansai menu for lunch. This type of meal traditionally consists of soup, rice, and three sides. OKONOMI follows suit and offers four entree options: yakizakana (roasted fish), kamayaki (roasted dry-aged fish collar), chirashi (raw fish), or unaju (eel BBQ). We recommend coming back to try them all.
Lunch at this Williamsburg restaurant starts at $30, which is a great value for prix fixe. With a near-perfect five star rating on Google after 1,200+ reviews, OKONOMI is one of the best lunch spots in NYC.
Pro tip: The restaurant only has 12 seats, so make a reservation in advance!
3. Guevara’s
This self-described “plant palace” with pink walls will transport you to a tropical locale without leaving Brooklyn. Guevara’s is known for its entirely vegan menu of Latin American dishes and doughnuts, making it one of the most unique restaurants in NYC.
Vegans and omnivores alike love Guevara’s bestselling torta milanesa: eggplant cutlet, refried beans, and purple cabbage slaw. For a sweet treat, end your meal with a vegan guava cream cheese doughnut or the vegan babka.
4. K’Far Brooklyn
Located in Williamsburg’s trendy Hoxton Hotel, K’Far is a go-to lunch spot for hotel guests, tourists, and locals alike. The sister restaurant to Philadelphia’s K’Far serves Israeli food for lunch every weekday, as well as brunch on weekends.
With shakshuka and Jerusalem bagels on the menu, there are no bad choices. For something you may have not had before, try the kubaneh, Yemeni Jeiwsh pull-apart bread rolls served with avocado, smoked trout, or ricotta.
5. Fini Pizza
Last but not least on our list of best lunch spots in Brooklyn is Fini Pizza. Just like bagels are synonymous with New York City, you can’t compile a list of the top NYC lunch spots without mentioning pizza. Fini is home to some of the best lunch in Brooklyn because pizza is the ultimate lunch food. You can walk into a pizza place, walk out with a slice, devour it, and get back to your day in a matter of minutes.
While you can’t go wrong with a classic cheese slice from Fini, you can alternatively try a thicker, rectangular slice of Sicilian pizza if you want to spice things up. Don’t miss Fini’s Italian ice (a sorbet-like frozen treat), which comes in lemon, strawberry, and nectarine flavors for dessert.
You can satisfy your pizza craving at Fini’s two Brooklyn locations: in Williamsburg and at the Barclays Center.
Top 5 Lunch Spots in Queens
Getting hunger pangs in the largest borough in New York? Here’s the scoop on the best lunch in Queens.
1. Bajeko Sekuwa The Himalayan Grill
Located in Sunnyside, Bajeko Sekuwa The Himalayan Grill is an authentic Nepalese restaurant that serves lunch every single day and is best known for its barbecue dishes.
Order the restaurant’s namesake dish, the bajeko sekuwa: juicy meat cubes marinated and chargrilled in signature herbs and spices. Follow that up with momos – quintessential Nepalese dumplings stuffed with chicken, veggies, and goat meat – for the perfect midday meal.
2. Paratha Wala
This new South Asian Indian fusion restaurant in Forest Hills is known as one of the best lunch spots in NYC thanks to its delicious Indian street food and paratha rolls. The namesake paratha roll is a must-try. This wrap is made with paratha flatbread and stuffed with one of many protein options, like butter chicken, paneer, or tofu, making it accessible for all kinds of diets.
If you prefer eating your lunch with a fork, Paratha Wala’s bowls are also a good choice. You can choose your favorite protein served on cilantro rice with chutneys and herbs.
3. Xi’an Famous Foods
What started out as a bubble tea shop is now a New York institution known for its hand pulled noodles and 30+ ingredient chili oil. According to Forbes, Xi’An Famous Foods appeals to locals, tourists of Chinese descent, and people who have “absolutely no Chinese heritage.” In other words, these noodles are a hit with everyone. With five locations in Queens – all of which are open for lunch every day – spicy noodles are never far away.
As for what you should order, the stir-fried liang pi “cold-skin noodles” are a must. “Cold-skinned” refers to Xi’an’s chilled wheat noodles that are topped with spongy seitan (which soaks up the sauce), bean sprouts, cucumber, cilantro. Chili oil is always recommended.
4. Tacombi
Each Tacombi location (including two in Queens and more in other boroughs) is festive and tastefully tropical, transporting you from the concrete jungle to the sandy shores of the Yucatan. It’s an apt choice for a quick taco lunch in a full-service setting. You can order quickly by noting on your menu how many of each appetizer, taco, or quesadilla your party wants. For a good deal, come on Tuesdays for BOGO free tacos.
Not sure which tacos to try? Tacombi has incredible fish and seafood tacos, from baja crispy fish to sinaloa shrimp and seared shrimp. The local chain also serves viral birria tacos. Plus, you can’t miss the fruity aguas frescas or horchata for a refreshing drink. If you’re in town for vacation or are calling it quits on work at lunch, order a margarita or a paloma.
5. JACX&CO
We’re cheating a little bit because this isn’t one lunch spot; it’s a food hall in trendy Long Island City with numerous lunch spots. JACX&CO offers some of the best lunch in Queens because it has something for everyone and is open from morning to night, so you can actually get all of your meals there.
The food hall’s venues include sandwich shop Alidoro, Taim Mediterranean kitchen, Cantonese BBQ at Lotus + Cleaver, and more. For a midday meal, nothing beats a lunch special. Le Thai has a $15 lunch combo that includes one entree with a side of spring rolls or shumai. That’s an excellent deal for NYC lunch spots!
Top 5 Lunch Spots in the Bronx
If you want to know where to eat in the Bronx, you’ve come to the right place. Check out these best lunch spots in NYC.
1. Made In Puerto Rico
The Bronx is a majority-Hispanic borough with strong Puerto Rican roots, so you can’t talk about NYC lunch spots in the Bronx without mentioning a Puerto Rican restaurant. Made in Puerto Rico is open for lunch every day and offers 25% off during this meal.
The trifongo is a must-try. This signature dish is the restaurant’s take on mofongo (mashed plantains) and is made of mashed green plantains, sweet plantains, and yucca topped with protein of choice. Come back to Throgs Neck on the weekend for one of the most fun ways to experience brunch in NYC: with salsa dancing and live music.
2. The Way Cafe
Located in Unionport, the Way Cafe serves classic cafe fare and all-day breakfast and lunch. You can choose from paninis, pancakes, omelets, salads, acai bowls, and breakfast sandwiches. The cafe offers counter service, making it a solid choice for when you’re in a rush. With a near-perfect 4.9 star rating after nearly 300 reviews on Google, the Way Cafe knows how to keep customers coming back for more.
According to the menu, the loaded avocado toast is a guest favorite. It’s toast topped with avocado, red onions, feta cheese, bacon bits, and everything bagel seasoning. Yum!
3. Cakor
Fusion is the name of the game at Cakor, an Albanian-Italian restaurant run by a Montenegrin chef serving authentic Balkan dishes you can’t get anywhere else. You’ll find it in the heart of Little Albania, close to the Bronx Zoo and Fordham University.
For lunch at this niche restaurant, try the cevapa: a dish consisting of unencased veal, lamb, and pork sausages that are popular throughout the Balkans. If you’re feeling very hungry, or have come with company, get the mixed grill dish, which comes with a little bit of everything: cevapa, kidney, liver, baby lamb, chicken, and more.
4. Enzo’s of Williamsbridge
If you want to know where to eat in the Bronx while getting a Michelin experience, go to Enzo’s of Williamsbridge. Locals love this classic Italian restaurant, which has earned a spot on the Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand list. Enzo’s serves lunch every day that they’re open, and all dishes cost less than $20, which is a significant cost saving compared to the dinner menu.
The lunch menu is well-curated (no decision fatigue here) and contains lots of paninis. Get a chicken parmigiana panini, just make sure you don’t leave with any tomato sauce on your shirt!
5. Claudy’s Kitchen
If you find yourself craving empanadas and barbecue chicken in the Bronx, Claudy’s Kitchen is for you. This Peruvian fast casual restaurant is located near Manhattan College and serves lunch every day that it’s open, making it a great option for students and locals alike.
For lunch you have to try the lomo saltado, a classic chifa (Peruvian-Chinese fusion) dish of steak stir fried with onions, tomatoes, and fries, served with rice. Or, get the pollo a la brasa – blackened rotisserie chicken – with sides like yucca fries or salchipapa (fries with sausage).
Top 5 Lunch Spots in Staten Island
We’ve researched where to eat in Staten Island for lunch so you can just show up hungry and enjoy a satisfying meal. These are our top picks for the best lunch spots in NYC’s southernmost borough.
1. Denino’s
Denino’s is an iconic pizza spot that’s been serving Staten Islanders for nearly nine decades. In 1937, Denino’s opened as a tavern, and in 1951, pizza was added to the menu. Today, it’s open for lunch every day and is the perfect place to bring coworkers, friends, or family to split a signature 16” pizza.
A pizza place should always be judged by its simplest offering – a cheese pizza – so that’s what we recommend trying here. But, if you want to be more adventurous, get the eggplant pie or broccoli rabe pie.
2. Lakruwana
If you’ve never had Sri Lankan cuisine before, you have to go to Lakruwana. This flavorful cuisine is influenced by local spices and colonizers like the Dutch, Portuguese, and British, making for an intensely flavorful meal.
Start with the assorted Sri Lankan appetizer for a sampling of spring rolls, fish cutlets, and veggie cutlets. Then order the lamprais, which consists of rice, cashew curry, egg, eggplant, fish, and more wrapped and baked in a banana leaf.
Lakruwana is open for lunch Tuesday through Friday, but if that’s not enough to satisfy your cravings, come back over the weekend for an all-you-can-eat buffet for just $21.
3. Chang Noi Thai
Want to know where to eat in Staten Island near the Staten Island Ferry? Chang Noi Thai is conveniently located near the Staten Island Ferry, plus it has 4.9 stars after 2,500+ ratings on GrubHub, so you know it’s good.
We love a Thai restaurant that offers a lunch special, because you can get more delicious food for your buck. At Chang Noi Thai, you’ll get an entree, appetizer, and soft drink for just $13 at lunch. Try one of the customer favorites: drunken noodles or pad thai with your protein of choice. The restaurant stands out for offering proteins not usually found at other Thai places, like squid, duck, and mock duck.
4. Beso
Beso is a Spanish tapas bar that serves lunch every day. While in Spain tapas are cheap, small plates, in Staten Island they’re entree-sized and entree-priced, so set your expectations and come hungry.
Bring a friend and get the tapas for two for less than $30 and sample the best of what the restaurant has to offer. Your first option is the tierra y mar (land and sea), which comes with lamb chops, shrimp, scallops, and calamari with vinaigrette. Alternatively, you can order the charcuteria, which comes with jamon, chorizo, salami, manchego cheese, bread, fig jam, and more.
5. Taqueria El Gallo Azteca
Who doesn’t want a quick taco meal for lunch? Taqueria El Gallo Azteca is located half a mile from the Staten Island Ferry and is worth making a pilgrimage to from Manhattan for its authentic Mexican cuisine.
Come hungry, bring cash, and brush up on your Spanish. Actually, the only word you’ll need to know is “lengua” (tongue) referring to the beef tongue tacos you have to try. This dish is perfect for you if you love fatty meats. Of course, there’s also steak, al pastor, and chicken taco options if that’s more up your alley.
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New York City is one of the greatest melting pots in the world, and the diversity of its restaurants exemplifies that. If you didn’t see your restaurant on our list of best lunch spots in NYC, let us know. For more on the top food in the Big Apple, check out our list of the 10 best restaurants in NYC.
Katherine is the Content Marketing Manager at TouchBistro, where she writes about trending topics in food and restaurants. The opposite of a picky eater, she’ll try (almost) anything at least once. Whether it’s chowing down on camel burgers in Morocco or snacking on octopus dumplings in Japan, she’s always up for new food experiences.
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