By Gus Saltonstall
West Side Rag keeps a watchful eye for new rankings of the best restaurants on the Upper West Side, and a few days ago, The Infatuation published its list of the 23 best eateries in the neighborhood.
“The Upper West Side doesn’t always get the restaurant credit it deserves, but there’s never been a better time to eat in the neighborhood,” an introduction to the ranking reads.
The four authors who put together the ranking grouped the restaurants in three geographical categories: 59th to 72nd streets, 72nd to 96th streets, and 96th to 110th streets.
Without further ado, here are the Upper West Side eateries that earned a spot on the list.
59th Street – 72nd Street
- Tatiana: 10 Lincoln Center Plaza
- Cafe Luxembourg: 200 West 70th Street
- Parm: 235 Columbus Avenue
- El Fish Marisqueria: 155 Amsterdam Avenue
- Old John’s Diner: 148 West 67th Street
72nd Street – 96th Street
- Sushi Kaito: 244 West 72nd Street
- La Dinastia: 145 West 72nd Street
- Charles Pan-Fried Chicken: 146 West 72nd Street
- Gray’s Papaya: 2090 Broadway
- Sempre Ogge: 164 West 75th Street
- Miriam: 300 Amsterdam Avenue
- Zabar’s: 2245 Broadway
- Barney Greengrass: 541 Amsterdam Avenue
- Pig & Khao: 433 Amsterdam Avenue
- Chick Chick: 618 Amsterdam Avenue
- Sala Thai: 307 Amsterdam Avenue
- Elea: 217 West 85th Street
- Dagon: 2454 Broadway
96th Street – 110th Street
- Mama’s Too: 2750 Broadway
- Banh: 942 Amsterdam Avenue
- Saiguette: 935 Columbus Avenue
- Malecon Restaurant II: 764 Amsterdam Avenue
- Sal & Carmine Pizza: 2671 Broadway
You can check out the full ranking — HERE.
Let us know in the comment section which Upper West Side restaurants The Infatuation might have missed.
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The true best restaurants of the Upper West Side were not mentioned…and let’s keep it that way. This is (mostly) a pedestrian list for tourists and families. IYKYK.
Ditto
I knew it when Rudraks wasn’t on the list. I absolutely love them. Shhhhh
Just because it isn’t YOUR list doesn’t mean it isn’t a good list!
Yawn. Same old lists repeated everywhere.
Cue the “Mama’s Pizza is the best vs Mama’s Pizza is always burnt” debate.
Mama’s only burns it when they know it’s for you!
Gray’s Papaya is extremely overrated, it has the nostalgia factor going for it but that’s about it.
Parla is excellent and should be included on this list, but it’s hard enough to get a table there as it is, so maybe it’s for the best!
The first two are good. You lost me at Parm.
I wondered about Parm being on the list too.
Sala Thia is certainly good, but the energy in the dining room is all messed up.
Oops, Thai.
Osteria Accademia is better.
Accademia couldn’t hold a candle to cibo&vino (rip)
What was the criteria for making the list? If it’s a list of the best restaurants in our neighborhood, how can Tasca be left off the list? And what about Essential by Christophe? There’s enormous subjectively in compiling any such list, but those two are obvious slam dunks.
The criteria is…opinion, and everyone has one. Didn’t see my favorites either. Oh well, no wait time for me at my next night out.
Seriously, how much does a nod in Westside Rag impact the traffic in your favorite feed trough? People seem overly concerned about their ‘secrets’ being revealed.
Super Nice Pizza 108 & Amsterdam!
Parm? Blech. If something as mediocre as Parm can make this list, but not a restaurant like The Consulate, it kind of says a lot.
Shhh, don’t tell anyone about The Consulate!
I hate to be a buzz kill but Zabar’s isn’t a restaurant!
And the cafe has gone down hill significantly in the last 4 years, the baked goods are mostly a joke.
True — what’s with Zabar’s Cafe nowadays? I know the owners don’t want customers staying for hours, but they could still furnish the place with more chairs; there are probably six in all!
Song’e Napule should be added to the list, as should La Sirene.
Tried and true Upper West Sider here. Prefer to live here for a million reasons – but our restaurants? Nah. Just isn’t one of the reasons. That said – this list is truly depressing. except for a few very good ones (Luxembourg, Sempre Oggi, maybe a couple others).
I would add Red Farm and Momofuku Noodle Bar.
Sushi Koya on 71st is arguably equal/better than Kaito in terms of omikase.
The best restaurant on the UWS is Nai Brothers Sauerkraut Fish on Bway between 108 & 109. Fantastically flavorful Sichuan fish soups with pickled mustard greens. Authentic, unusual, beautiful, well priced. We are lucky to have this restaurant here, no doubt thanks to the many Chinese students at Columbia. Try it!!
I don’t live in the city anymore but my favorites were Han Dynasty, Celeste, Gennaro and Hi-Life (for burgers). I hope they’re still there…
All 4 are still there!
I recently discovered Charles Pan Fried Chicken and like it very much. I LOVE El Fish Marisqueria (on the site of the sainted Pat’s Bar). I do not like Old John’s at all, though I did like the original John’s, when it was on the East Side of Broadway, counter service only. Cafe Lux is OK, kind of boring at this point, though.
When was “the sainted Pat’s Bar” at 67th and Amsterdam? I’ve lived in the neighborhood for 20 years and remember that spot being a convenience store.
I like El Fish but I would love a good old fashioned corner bar.
Pat’s Bar (and restaurant) closed around 1987, I worked at Lincoln Center. Pat’s was frequented by all the LC constituent employees and more. They had the best hamburgers and the best waitresses, particularly Mary and Jenny. Pat (short for Patalano) retired when the rent was raised too high. A Korean deli-type place rented the space, which we refused to go to.
If you google Pat’s Bar Patoalano Amsterdam Avenue, you’ll find some stories about “the sainted Pat’s Bar.”
And always bone-rattling noisy.
Parm, no I would say it’s mediocre at best. You can get better parm at Milano market or most of the other Italian spots on the UWS. There’s a few I would add and I’m pretty sure many locals would agree though its probably best to keep that to ourselves.
Simply noodles on Amsterdam between 72nd and 73rd is yummy and easy on the wallet
Can’t believe they didn’t include essential by Christoph! They just recently earned their first Michelin star, and I’d pick Pomodoro Rosso over Sempre Oggi.
Didn’t include Jean-Georges either.
Nice Matin is better than Cafe Luxembourg
Wow, i’m suruprised Nice Matin and Crave Fish Bar were not included. I’ve been enjoying both!
Above 96th 2 of the top 6 are pizzerias. This is a sad commentary on the fact that the 90s-low 100s are a food desert….why?!!? Our rents can’t be that much higher (or even as high) as Columbus in the 80s. I don’t get it.
Nobody mentions Baazi any more.
I agree. I think the clientele between 90’s-low 100’s just doesn’t want to pay for good quality restaurants, and would rather have fast food and pizzerias. I live there and am surprised how few people are in the ‘better’ restaurants and they eventually close 🙁
Interesting that in the 72nd-96th street list, there is no mention of the wonderful restaurants on Columbus Avenue such as one of the neighborhood favorites, Bella Luna on West 88th Street. Their food, their service and their ambience are what make it so popular.
Completely agree. I’ve gone off-piste several times to enjoy their menu.
One Bite Omakase and Haven should have made the cut for sure
Haven is confused about what it wants to be
How so? Just curious.
Restaurants missed: Tasca, La Sirene and Essential by Christophe.
Sad that La Piccola Cucina closed.
Everything handmade to perfection. Order in and it came piping hot. Every time. Spaghetti sauce made with all fresh ingredients everyday — none of the canned junk or bottled sauce covered over with an impossible load of garlic. They tried so hard to stay open but the pandemic did them in. Really a shame because it was authentically good food. They were located 1009 & Amsterdam or Columbus I forget which. Alfonso was terrific. When I had company, he wants sent over a bottle of wine to go with our dinner.
By the way I much prefer cheesy pizza on Broadway and 100th Street (99th St?)
The best part of this list is the great (and more accurate) recommendations in the comments. Thanks, fellow NY ers!
Agree!
Zabars, Charles , manas grays are not restaurants on this extremely flawed post
Genarro’s @ Amsterdam between 92-93rd. Truly excellent and creative Italian food, served by wonderful wait staff. A great place to enjoy delicious food and to feel truly welcome.
Granted, their food is good, but it’s traditional, not creative. That’s the point of a true osteria.
Buceo95 – serves terrific tapas. Saves you a trip to Barcelona
+1
Yeah, the UWS doesn’t have much in the way of Spain. We need this place.
Gennaro’s omitted?! The best Italian in the hood for decades
El Pico de Gallo
Fantastic Mexican food / Columbus Avenue between 97 and 98th St.
Plus, they have a patio in the back for nice weather
Felice
Shell
Fried.an’s
Would be interesting to post the City’s restaurant grades along with the names. At least one of your choices had a ‘C’rating recently , now a ‘Grade Pending’. People have a right to know if live vermin are walking through their food. The city requires the grades be posted in the front window, but half of them now don’t display it.
If you eat out, you consume some degree of rodent feces, no matter the grade. Accept reality and move on.
Is Zabar’s a restaurant? And what criteria put “Old John’s Diner” on this list? It’s convenient to Lincoln Center which is great, but it’s generic diner food, albeit the most expensive diner food you’ll ever order. What criteria did you use to put it on this list?
Ashford & Simpson’s Sugar Bar should be on the list.
Manny’s! Manny’s! Manny’s!
Tessa
Bustan didn’t make the list?
I’m surprised Haven UWS didn’t make the list over some of these other ones. It’s so good, it’s friendly, yummy, and under the radar. Some of the places on your list J wouldn’t consider “restaurants” vs take-out options.
This isn’t anything like a critical selection, it’s just a telephone directory of almost every food venue in the area. Banh is terrible, and so is Saiguette. .Chick Chick is less quality than a food truck. Gray’s Papaya isn’t a restaurant. You omitted the one truly great restaurant, Robert, at Columbus Circle.
Ridiculous to group Tatiana and Gray’s Papaya together. Also the restaurants that were missed are too numerous to name. Any list of best UWS restaurants that doesn’t include Salumeria Rosi just shouldn’t be published.
Add Tessa, Bin 71 and Amalie. Take off Grays Papaya, Zabars and Parm
This could not possibly be written by someone who really knows the best restaurants on the UWS. Thankfully some of the best have been left off the list so they can be kept OUR best-kept secrets!