When it comes to dining out in New York City, the possibilities are just about endless—after all, NYC has more than 25,000 bars and restaurants, according to the mayor's office. Narrow down the options for a special occasion or date night by choosing from a more exclusive list of restaurants: the coveted Michelin Guide star designation.
Just 72 restaurants in the Big Apple currently claim that honor of Michelin star status (with only five scoring the maximum three-stars). Each is unique in its own way—from the cuisine and the atmosphere to the neighborhood and the price point. And while we'd happily dine at any of the Michelin-starred restaurants in New York City—who wouldn't?—we've rounded up some of our favorites across boroughs, price points, and cuisines that have held the distinction for multiple years, including the five that have scored three-star status.
Our picks for the best Michelin-starred restaurants in New York City include elite, once-in-a-lifetime dining experiences ($950 per person for sushi, anyone?) to relatively more down-to-earth eateries (like a cozy Italian red-sauce spot where you can take the kids). Restaurants on our list draw culinary inspiration from countries around the globe, with highly acclaimed chefs serving up some of the world's best fare from the Americas, Asia, Europe, and beyond. So whether you visit for the food, the atmosphere, or the bragging rights, there's certainly something for you among these 40 of NYC's Michelin-starred restaurants.
1
Eleven Madison Park
Eleven Madison Park has received a three-star rating since 2012—and in October 2022, after going vegan, it became the first and only vegan restaurant in the history of the Michelin Guide to receive the distinction. Chef Daniel Humm is at the helm of the elegant space situated in an iconic Art Deco building, filled with original artwork by Rita Ackermann, Olympia Scarry, and Daniel Turner—all of whom created pieces for the venue's 2017 restoration. Come for the entirely plant-based tasting menu or visit the bar for a more abbreviated version of the menu, light snacks, or a drink.
11 Madison Avenue
2
Tsukimi
In Japanese, "tsukimi" means moon viewing, referring to the harvest festival that honors the full moon. The 12-seat East Village restaurant of the same name plays on the moon aesthetic, with mirrors and illuminated shelves that underscore the notion of brightness. At Tsukimi, Chef Takanori Akiyama offers a 12-course Japanese menu (for $265 per person) that follows a traditional flow, but the dishes are unique and surprising.
228 East 10th Street
3
Le Bernardin
The accolades for Le Bernardin are endless: It received its four-star review from The New York Times only three months after opening and is the only restaurant to have maintained that status for three decades. The Michelin Guide honored Chef Eric Ripert and Le Bernardin with its highest rating of three stars in 2005—and every year since. Seafood is the showpiece here, but the vegetarian options are masterful too.
155 West 51st Street
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4
Per Se
Per Se is Thomas Keller's widely celebrated follow-up to The French Laundry in the Deutsche Bank Center at Columbus Circle. Designed by Adam D. Tihany, the venue is intimate and tranquil, with views of Central Park and Columbus Circle. The three-Michelin-starred restaurant offers Keller's daily nine-course tasting menu and a nine-course vegetable tasting menu using classic French technique—with no ingredient repeated throughout the meal. Plus, the wine list offers more than 2,000 bottles.
10 Columbus Circle
5
Clover Hill
The intimate 30-seat restaurant Clover Hill is situated on a leafy cobblestone block in Brooklyn Heights, from partners Clay Castillo and Gabriel Merino and executive chef Charlie Mitchell (of Eleven Madison Park, Jônt, Bresca, and One White Street). Chef Mitchell received his first Michelin star in 2022, making him the first Black Michelin-starred chef in New York City and only the second in America.
20 Columbia Place
6
Aska
Swedish-born Chef Fredrik Berselius earned Aska (Swedish for ashes) a Michelin star within a year of opening in 2012. Several years later, the Brooklyn restaurant reopened in a restored 1860s warehouse building in a new, two-level space, with a main dining room, garden, and cellar bar. Months later, Aska earned a second star. The emphasis here is on regional Northeastern U.S. cuisine influenced by Scandinavia, with dishes served from an open kitchen to guests of only 10 tables nightly.
47 South 5th Street
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7
Daniel
For three decades, Daniel Boulud's Daniel has been a pillar of the New York fine dining scene. Helmed by Executive Chef Eddy LeRoux, Chef de Cuisine Joshua Capone, and Executive Pastry Chef Shaun Velez, the restaurant offers a seasonal menu driven by the best meats, wild game, seafood, and produce from around the world. A notable wine and Champagne program contributes to the restaurant's many standout features. In 2021, the venue debuted a fine art program to further elevate the dining experience.
60 East 65th Street
8
Jungsik
Jungsik comes from Chef Jungsik Yim, but it also translates to "formal dinner" in Korean. The Tribeca venue offers modern Korean cuisine in a fine-dining environment with a signature menu and wine pairings available, as well as an a la carte menu.
2 Harrison Street
9
Aquavit
The two-Michelin-starred restaurant Aquavit offers high-end seasonal Nordic cuisine in the elegant Park Avenue Tower. Chef Emma Bengtsson runs the chic open kitchen, and the venue also has a sleek bar. There's a tasting menu (for $175 per person) or a more elevated chef's tasting menu (for $275 per person) with optional pairings, as well as more casual lunch and bar room menus.
65 East 55th Street
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10
Icca
At Chef Kazushige Suzuki's omakase counter at Icca, come for fresh fish shipped directly from Toyosu and Kyushu and for Tokachi herb beef raised right on the restaurant's own farm. The counter is tucked away past the co*cktail bar—with a long walnut counter and eye-catching wall that resembles lumps of mud—and offers a wide array of Japanese whiskey and sake.
20 Warren Street
11
Masa
Chef Masa Takayama's omakase at Masa earns three Michelin star—one of just five New York City restaurants to share the distinction (with Eleven Madison Park, Per Se, Le Bernardin, and Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare). This is bucket-list sushi on a whole other level—and so is the price point. Omakase is $750 per person, before drinks or tax—and that's just in the dining room. It's $950 per person at the Hinoki counter. But the lifetime of bragging rights? That's priceless.
10 Columbus Circle
12
Sushi Nakazawa
Sushi Nakazawa serves an all-nigiri omakaze menu of approximately 20 pieces total. Fish and shellfish comes from around the world, with a focus on Japan. Pay slightly more for the menu at the sushi counter and lounge counter—a next-level experience—compared to the dining room.
23 Commerce Street
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13
Gramercy Tavern
Opened in 1994 by restaurateur Danny Meyer in a historic landmark building above Union Square, Gramercy Tavern has racked up countless accolades (including Outstanding Restaurant and Outstanding Chef in America by the James Beard Foundation), in addition to its Michelin star. The venue offers American cuisine, with Chef Michael Anthony's continually evolving local and seasonal menu, as well as top-end hospitality.
42 East 20th Street
14
Le Pavillon
Located in the One Vanderbilt skyscraper, chef Daniel Boloud's Le Pavillon feels like a verdant garden oasis in the center of Midtown. With greenery all around, the dining room at Le Pavillon offers a menu that emphasizes seasonality and locally sourced ingredients from the land and sea. A semi-private garden table is tucked into greenery, which includes olive trees.
One Vanderbilt Avenue
15
Le Jardinier
Le Jardinier, named for the French word for gardener, is meant to evoke the vibe of an airy, light-filled greenhouse. The Midtown eatery's vegetable-driven menu from Executive Chef Andrew Ayala, along with Pastry Chef Salvatore Martone and Culinary Director Alain Verzeroli, emphasizes top-quality seasonal ingredients.
610 Lexington Avenue
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16
63 Clinton
An intimate tasting menu restaurant on the Lower East Side, 63 Clinton comes from longtime friends Chefs Samuel Clonts and Raymond Trinh. It serves American dishes with global (often Japanese) influences. In the cozy front bar room, Clonts cooks everything over the wood-fired grill, while Trinh oversees the bar and beverage program—with an emphasis on natural and biodynamic wines.
63 Clinton Street
17
Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare
Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare in Brooklyn is one of only five three-Michelin-starred restaurants in the city. The restaurant is located in the back of the Hudson Yards grocery market, where Chef César Ramirez whips up fare inspired by Japanese cuisine and French technique. The multi-course tasting menu is focused on fish and shellfish, with one or two meat courses and a range of desserts.
431 West 37th Street
18
Le Coucou
Le Coucou is Chef Daniel Rose's New York City collaboration with restaurateur Stephen Starr. The Roman and Williams-designed space harkens to elevated European dining, with clean linens, ambient candlelight, and whitewashed brick as the elegant backdrop for classical French cuisine with modern updates. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner.
138 Lafayette Street
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19
Al Coro
Al Coro from Chef Melissa Rodriguez earns two Michelin stars for lively Italian fine dining, reinvented. Expect an elevated tasting menu dining experience in a fun and exuberant atmosphere, with live R&B music every night and a large bar in the center of the space. The menu rotates regularly to highlight cuisines from various regions throughout Italy.
85 10th Avenue
20
Cote
COTE Korean Steakhouse is the first—and only—Korean steakhouse with a Michelin star. The Flatiron eatery is social and interactive, as is the tradition with Korean barbecue, and it also incorporates the refined eating experience of an American chophouse. It's easy on the wallet too: The signature "Butchers Feast" is $68.
16 West 22nd Street
Alesandra Dubin
Contributing Writer
Alesandra is a digital travel and lifestyle journalist based in Los Angeles whose work has appeared in Good Housekeeping, Woman’s Day, Prevention, Insider, Glamour, Shondaland, AFAR, Parents, TODAY and countless other online and print outlets. Alesandra has a masters degree in journalism with an emphasis on cultural reporting and criticism from NYU, and a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley. An avid traveler, she trots the globe with her husband and their twins.
