Best Upscale Restaurants in NYC

Arguably, NYC has some of the best restaurants in the entire world. And though you can get amazing food at more casual restaurants, we all want a fancy night out every now and then. Yes, you deserve it. Use this map to explore my favorite upscale dining in the City - I love going to all of these places for special date nights, birthday celebrations, and sometimes, just for fun. Most of these recommendations are in Manhattan, but there are a couple in other boroughs. The types of food range from Mediterranean cuisine, to Asian fusion, to the classic upscale steakhouse, to Italian, and more. If you are looking for options to go on a nice date have a birthday or other celebratory dinner, or just like upscale restaurants, this map is for you. This is a living map of all of my top recommendations for upscale restaurants in New York City. By living, I mean that I will continue adding more places to this map when I come across them & you'll automatically get the updates!

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Manhattan

📍Chelsea

Pergola

@meko

$$$ | Pergola is a cute hookah lounge. It's one of my favorite places, I love it. You can often spot celebrities, they sometimes go after games at Madison Square Garden which is nearby. This is my number one top pick when people ask me where they should go when they visit New York. They also have really good food. Even if you don't smoke hookah, I still think you should go.

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Jue Lan Club

@meko

$$$ | This is one of my favorite places. It's expensive but I love it. It's really great for birthday parties or a date night. The menu is asian fusion.

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Philippe Chow

@meko

$$$ | This is one of my favorite upscale restaurants. They have the best Chinese food. It's kind of a similar vibe to Jue Lan Club. I highly recommend the crispy beef, it's super good.

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Catch NYC

@meko

$$$$ | This restaurant is really good, especially the steak. I think it's the best steak in New York. It's really expensive though, I think the cheapest thing on the menu is between $50-$70. So you're definitely going to spend a lot of money, but it's literally the best steak.

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📍Lincoln Square

Joanne Trattoria

@meko

$$ | This restaurant is actually owned by Lady Gaga. Her pictures are all over the wall. Her family actually still works here, so you might even be able to see her. The food is really good too.

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📍Little Italy

Pietro Nolita

@meko

$$ | Everything is pink in this restaurant. It's super cute, and the Italian food is really good. Literally, the chairs are pink, everything is pink.

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📍Lower Manhattan

Black Tap

@meko

$$ | Ahh this place is so good. They're famous for their burgers and their crazy LARGE milkshakes. I love their milkshakes so much. They put ice cream & big chocolate chip cookies, or cotton candy on top. They're crazy.

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Buddha-Bar Restaurant New York

@meko

$$$ | This is another asian-fusion place in the city. They have phenomenal drinks & a big buddha that everyone takes pictures in front of. It's great for birthdays - people go here to party.

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📍Gramercy Park

Rolf's

@meko

$$$ | Rolf's is a famous German restaurant. It's decked out in holiday decor all year round. It's pretty cool, it looks like Christmas all year round. The food is really good too. I definitely recommend making reservations here, especially closer to the holidays. They tend to book out.

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Brooklyn

📍Williamsburg

Westlight

@meko

$$ | This spot is located in The Willian Vale Hotel in Brooklyn. It's on the more upscale side. They also have a rooftop you can go up to.

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📍DUMBO

1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge

@meko

$$$ | I really love this one. If you can't stay at the 1 Hotel in Brooklyn, because it's really expensive, I think like $600/night, you definitely should go to the rooftop. The drinks are really good and the food is really good. They also have a pool on the roof that you can swim in during the day. You have to spend a $100 minimum per person, but that's probably what you'd spend anyway if you're spending the day there.

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Cipriani Downtown NYC

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L’Avenue at Saks

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The Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare

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Mastro's Steakhouse

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The Capital Grille

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The View Restaurant & Lounge

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Buddakan

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Prime Catch

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Ocean Prime

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Catch Steak New York

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Meko Rooks

Motherhood With No Limits🤱🏽 🛫 Hi! I'm a lifestyle blogger and social influencer. Being a native New Yorker has given me the ability to transition from the fast-paced city life to balancing a family while continuing to travel & explore. I have a passion for trying new foods, discovering underwater life, learning new cultures, and exploring different countries. I'm born and raised in New York & have lived there for over 20 years now! I love traveling abroad with my kids (and without them), but when I'm home, I love exploring my City. My favorite things to do in NY are to look for new pop up activities. Depending on what season or holiday is happening, there's always a fun event going on. I also love rooftop bars & enjoying the city views. I'm a foodie at heart so that's the number one thing I get asked for recommendations. Food & nightlife in the City. I also love to find a lot of fun unique activities for the kids because I love getting my kids out of the house to explore parks & indoor activities. I've been featured in publications such as HuffPost, SkyScanner, Travel Noire, The Points Guy, & Seeker for my NYC & other travel expertise.

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