6 New York City Restaurants Worth Writing Home About

As one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, it's no surprise that New York City is home to many lauded restaurants. There are numerous eateries to discover, some cooking up fresh takes on vegan dishes, and others reinventing prime rib. This list, in no particular order, shares some dining establishments making a splash in the Big Apple.

The #1 entry is Philippe, an upscale Chinese restaurant with two locations in the city, one uptown on the East Side, the other in the Meatpacking District. The eatery's Beijing-style cuisine, served family-style, has won many awards, including “Best in Chinese” by Zagat and “Best Peking Duck” from New York Observer.

Menu selections include salt and pepper eggplant, filet mignon with oyster sauce, and chicken satay. Executive Chef Philippe Chow started cooking as a teenager, working in Hong Kong kitchens. Both restaurant locations are available to book for private engagements and have six dining rooms and event spaces. Among the spaces is a wine cellar, which features speakeasy-style decor with exposed brick and leather seating.

Next up, at #2, we have the Beatrice Inn, a traditional chophouse in the West Village neighborhood. Chef Angie Mar is a native of Seattle, Washington; her menu pairs big cuts of meat with fragrant herbs and fruits. She dry-ages all her proteins and serves burgers as well as wine and cocktails.

Chef Mar and the Beatrice Inn have received plenty of attention from the press, from outlets such as Food and Wine and Bon Appetit. In 2016, Pete Wells awarded the restaurant two stars for the New York Times. Mar also released a cookbook, Butcher and Beast, that features some of the eatery's most popular dishes, such as milk-braised pork shoulder, duck and foie gras pie, and venison cassoulet.

Coming in at #3, we find Esca, a restaurant in the city's Theatre District that serves contemporary Italian-inspired cuisine from Chef David Pasternack. Dishes utilize seasonal ingredients from the Tri-State region, as Esca's philosophy is to allow local, fresh food to shine. The menu changes daily to reflect this.

Esca's beverage program focuses on artisanal spirits and cocktails and a curated wine list. Menu items include tagliatelle with fresh shrimp, tomatoes, and pesto, as well as rigatoni with clams, mussels, conch, Calabrian sausage, and broccolini. The restaurant is available for booking private events.

At #4, we present The Butcher's Daughter, a plant-based restaurant, cafe, juice bar, and "vegetable slaughterhouse." It treats fruits and vegetables as a butcher would treat meat: chopping, filleting, and carving produce into vegetarian dishes and fresh-pressed beverages.

The Butcher's Daughter has five locations in neighborhoods such as Nolita and the West Village. It serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. The menu, prepared by Executive Chef Richard Rea, changes daily and features produce from local and organic farms. The restaurant has been featured in Forbes, L.A. Weekly, and Goop.

For #5, we get Craft, created by celebrity chef Tom Colicchio. Located in the Flatiron District, it offers guests simply-prepared dishes emphasizing high-quality, seasonal ingredients. Craft received three stars from the New York Times in 2001 and 2011, and won the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant nationwide in 2002.

Menu items at Craft include gnocchi, arugula salad, and veal ricotta meatballs. Diners can order freshly shucked oysters as an appetizer, and enjoy various beverages, including cocktails and wine. To finish the meal, there are several dessert options, such as apple tarte tatin.

Last but not least, at #6, we present Estela. This restaurant, located in downtown Manhattan, was created by Chef Ignacio Mattos. Set one floor above Houston Street, its menu is akin to that of a bistro's, with dishes like tartare, ricotta dumplings, burrata on toast, fried rice, pasta, and steak.

Estela has earned numerous accolades, including a place on the World's 50 Best Restaurants List, one Michelin Star, and two stars from both New York Magazine and the New York Times. Founder Mattos was born in Uruguay and has been mentored by well-known chefs Alice Waters, Francis Mallmann, and Judy Rodgers. In 2017, Esquire named him America's Chef of the Year.