I spent three years working near Wall Street, which meant eating lunch in the Financial District five days a week. I tried everything from the sad desk salad to the $47 steak on someone else’s tab. The restaurants in the Financial District have come a long way since the neighborhood was just suits and Sweetgreen, and these are the spots that actually made me look forward to my lunch break.
Exploring the neighborhood? You might enjoy my guide on.15 Best Things to Do in the Financial District.
Quick Summary. Looking for restaurants in Financial District? Here are my top picks. Financial District Cheap Eats, Los Tacos No. 1, Nish Nush, and more.
Best Restaurants in the Financial District
Table of Contents. Best Financial District Restaurants
Where to Eat in the Financial District (Table of Contents)
Visiting New York City? If you haven’t decided where to stay (yet) check out my helpful guide on Where to Stay in New York City (The best neighborhoods for first timers +3 to avoid). Don’t have time? Here’s my favorite hotel in NYC, hands down.
Financial District Cheap Eats
Los Tacos No. 1
The Financial District outpost of Xi’an Famous Foods is a lifesaver when you need something bold and filling. Their spicy cumin lamb hand-pulled noodles pack serious heat and the portions are generous enough that you won’t need that 3pm snack run.
Los Tacos No. 1 makes the best tacos in the city and the neighborhood is lucky to have an outpost. The simple menu pays homage to authentic Mexican street food. All tacos are wrapped in homemade tortillas (choose between flour and corn) and topped with onion, cilantro, salsa and guacamole.
My favorite taco is the adobada (marinated pork), an order of 2-3 tacos typically tides me over until dinner. The guacamole and chips is a. If you’re looking for cheap eats in the Financial District, Los Tacos gets my vote.
Nish Nush
Nish Nush is one of those places that looks unassuming from the outside but absolutely delivers on flavor. Their falafel is shatteringly crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, and the shawarma platter with their house-made hummus is the kind of lunch that makes you forget you’re eating at your desk.
Serving vegetarian cuisine exclusively, Nish Nush is a casual Mediterranean restaurant ideal for a quick lunch at a reasonable price. At less than $12 a pop, the falafel sandwiches have no business being this good. Better still, they’re massive and I usually end up with leftovers.
My favorite dish is a toss up between the deluxe falafel sandwich (falafel, hummus, israeli salad, white. And red cabbage, pickles, eggplant, tahini and tirishi) and the massive falafel trio platter (falafel, hummus, Israeli salad, olives and pickles). Both are excellent, you can tell the folks running the joint take great pride in the quality of the food.
Good to know. The Tribeca location looks more presentable than the Financial District outpost. When I first visited the FiDi restaurant I was a little put off by the shop’s tired appearance, but the food was so good I overlook it. Don’t sleep on this joint.
Xi’an Famous Foods
Website. Xi’an Famous Foods
Address— 8 Liberty Pl, New York, NY
Xi’an Famous Foods is named after the easternmost city in China (the last stop on the Silk Road). The restaurant dishes out traditional Xi’an street foods like hand-pulled noodles and large dumplings swimming in glorious spicy-sour sauce.
Full of fiery spices and aromatic seasonings, the menu doesn’t pander to amateur palates (the motto says it all “not spicy = not as good”). Surprisingly, most dishes are less than $15, earning this no-frills establishment a spot on our list of the best cheap eats in the Financial District.
My husband I visit Xi’an’s often and our order is almost always the same. spicy hot-oil seared hand-ripped noodles and spicy & sour lamb dumplings. This restaurant is a personal favorite, I’m not saying I’m on a first-name basis with the staff, but they’re on my Christmas card list.
Best Lunch Restaurants in the Financial District
P.J. Clarke’s
Coined the “Cadillac of Hamburgers” by Nat King Cole, P.J. Clarke’s dishes out some of the best burgers in NYC (averaging 400 burgers a day). There are four burgers on the menu, but the one that takes the cake is the signature Cadillac.
Crafted from freshly ground beef, cooked to perfection and topped with double-smoked country bacon, American cheese, lettuce, onions & tomato. This simply burger earns P.J. Clarke’s a spot on my list of the best lunch restaurants in the Financial District.
Local tip. Between you and me, the seasonal menu is always better than the regular one. Ask what’s fresh today.
Da Claudio
Website. Da Claudio
Address— 21 Ann St, New York, NY
If you’re trying to figure out where to eat in the Financial District with a large group of coworkers, Da Caludio delivers.
Emphasizing seasonal market-driven produce and fine Italian imports, the restaurant serves comforting Italian classics like rigatoni all’amatrician (all pastas and sauces are homemade) and pollo alla Milanese.
Beyond the cuisine, the ambiance is perfect for sophisticated business lunches and romantic evenings on the town. The modern design gives the restaurant a polished vibe and the service couldn’t be better.
Unpopular opinion. Hot take. this one of those NYC food experiences that tourists overlook but locals swear by.
The Malt House
Website. The Malt House
Address— 9 Maiden Ln, New York, NY
The Malt House is known for a put together selection of 250 American whiskies and impressive lineup of drafts. Inviting and polished, this my top recommendation when people ask where to grab lunch in the Financial District with coworkers. Salads, tacos, burgers and tartar, the menu is replete with step up pub fare.
But it’s the American Tavern Burger that takes center stage (cheddar, bacon, onion jam, garlic aioli, lettuce and pickles served on brioche bun). If you’re letting your hair down, opt for the showstopping El Capitan burger instead (two prime dry aged 4oz patties, smoked bacon bites, cheese, charred red onions, garlic aioli).
O’Hara’s Restaurant & Pub
Address— 120 Cedar St, New York, NY
Dating back to 1983, O’Hara’s is an essential local hangout that became a haven for Ground Zero workers during the September 11th terrorist attacks. Every inch adorned with first responder patches, the pub was severely damaged during the wreckage of 9/11 and took more than a year to rebuild.
Not surprisingly, O’Hara’s is treated reverence to this day, especially by first responders. But don’t make the mistake of. The pub swells with chipper locals during lunch and the Irish stew and shepherd’s pie are largely to thank.
Kuu Ramen
Website. Kuu Ramen
Address— 20 John St, New York, NY
If we’re going off name along, it’s easy to assume Kuu serves ramen exclusively, but that’s not the case. Kuu is a Japanese restaurant dolling out curry, karaage (Japanese fried chicken), dumplings, rice bowls and ramen.
Tiny but mighty, authentic Japanese cuisine coupled with swift service makes this one of the best lunch restaurants in the Financial District. Come winter, the place bulges with stalwart locals during the lunch hour, everyone eager to get their hands on piping-hot curries and ramen, textbook dishes for rainy days.
I’m a big fan of the Kuu chili ramen (spicy ground chicken, kakuni pork, marinated egg) and pork katsu curry rice (10-hour beef-based curry with hand-breaded pork loin over rice and pickled ginger).
Upscale Restaurants in the Financial District
Manhatta
Website. Manhatta
Address— 28 Liberty St 60th floor, New York
They say you can only have two. good views, good quality, or good prices, but at Manhatta you can have it all. Located on the 60th floor at 28 Liberty Street, the panoramic views are unparalleled, matched only by impeccable service and stunning modern American cuisine.
Which is precisely why Manhatta is one of the best restaurants in the Financial District for a date you’re keen to impress. A splurge-worthy experience, the kitchen is helmed by Chef Justin Bogle of Le Coucou renown, the youngest American chef to earn two Michelin stars (at the age of 28).
No detail overlooked, Manhatta’s inspired menu keeps the focus on modern American cuisine heightened by seasonal ingredients. Luxury takes center stage, with ?step up twists breathing new life into time-tested dishes. The chef’s dry-aged duck with pistachio, fava bean, candied black olive, strawberry is a dish I can’t get out of my mind month’s later.
Local’s Recommendation. If scoring a reservation proves tricky, you can still enjoy the ambiance by hitting the bar an hour before the restaurant opens. It’s a savvy way to soak in the views with knock-out cocktails before grabbing dinner elsewhere.
Crown Shy
Website. Crown Shy
Address— 70 Pine Street Ground Floor, New York
Chefs James Kent (veteran of Eleven Madison Park) and Jeff Katz (of Del Posto fame) bring innovation to the dinning table at Crown Shy, a Michelin-starred restaurant in the Financial District. Soaring ceilings, colossal windows and an open kitchen concept immerses the senses fully.
Billed as new American cuisine executed with European technique, the menu spans the gamut. From weighty roasted short rib and tender quail to delicate striped bass and pillowy ricotta gnocchi, you’ll be spoiled for choice.
Don’t sleep on the desserts. The outcome of Pastry Chef Renata Ameni’s (who spent half a decade at Eleven Madison Park) skilled mind, the nuanced dessert menu is half the draw. Ameni’s baklava cheesecake (with strawberries and pistachio) is stunning.
Temple Court
Website. Temple Court
Address— 5 Beekman St, New York, NY
Temple Court at the Beekman Hotel is the epitome of elegance. The imposing architecture with stunning stained glass windows and chandeliers ensures this fine-dining restaurant is fit for special occasions.
Run by eight-time James Beard Award-winning chef Tom Colicchio (celebrity judge on Top Chef ), the kitchen moves like clockwork, promising a memorable food experience tailored around step up American cuisine.
Flirt with some appetizers like the Spanish octopus and goat cheese agnolotti before committing to an entree. I’m a fan of Colicchio’s roasted. But you know the drill. excellence is top of mind, everything on the menu is bound to impress.
Best Restaurants in the Financial District NYC (Post Summary)
- Temple Court
- Manhatta
- Crown Shy
- Kuu Ramen
- Xi’an Famous Food
- O’Hara’s Restaurant & Pub
- The Malt House
- P.J. Clarke’s
- Da Claudio
- Los Tacos No. 1
- Pisillo Italian Panini
- Nish Nush
Financial District Guides.
- 10 Best Coffee Shops in the Financial District (Local’s Guide)
- 10 Fantastic Bars in the Financial District You Can’t Miss
- 10 Best Financial District Happy Hour Spots (Local’s Guide)
- 10 Best Brunch Spots in the Financial District (Hungry Foodie)
FiDi Restaurants (Map)
Based on our extensive local experience, we cover the top picks for restaurants in the Financial District in this guide. Each spot has been personally visited and reviewed.
And there you have it, the best restaurants in FiDi according to yours truly. If you think we missed a spot, leave a comment and we’ll make sure to check it out.
Can’t get enough NYC food content? Head over to my 17 Best New York City Cafes (Serving Great Coffee in NYC). it’s packed with hidden gems.
I want to hear from you. What’s the most underrated food spot in NYC that you think more people need to know about?
You May Also Enjoy
- 10 Best Financial District Happy Hour Spots (Local's Guide)
- 10 Best Coffee Shops in the Financial District (Local's Guide)
- 10 Best Christmas-Decorated Restaurants in New York City (Local's Guide)
- 10 Best Brunch Spots in the Financial District (Hungry Foodie)
- 15 Best Restaurants on the Upper East Side (Local's Guide)
Final Thoughts
My personal go-tos from this list are Financial District Cheap Eats and Los Tacos No. 1, but each spot here brings. Financial District really is one of the best areas in the city for this. Let me know your favorites in the comments. I’m always updating this list based on reader tips.
What would you add to this list?
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