I’ve spent more time than I’d like to admit exploring every corner of Upper West Side in search of the best Upper West Side restaurants. After years of living in the city and countless Upper West Side restaurants later, I’ve narrowed it down to the spots that genuinely deserve your time. Here’s my honest rundown.
Quick Summary. Looking for upper west side restaurants in Upper West Side? Here are my top picks. Bánh, Amelie, Chick Chick, and more.
Best Restaurants Upper West Side
Table of Contents. Where to Eat in the Upper West Side
Visiting New York City? If you haven’t decided where to stay (yet) check out our helpful guide on Where to Stay in New York City (10 best neighborhoods for first timers +3 to avoid). Don’t have time? Here’s my favorite hotel in NYC, hands down.
Bánh
Website. Banh
Address.942 Amsterdam Ave, New York
Upper West Side’s Bánh is dishing out some of the most popular bánh mì sandwiches in town. Opened by John Nguyen and Nhu To (veterans of Hanoi House), Bánh originally started as a pop up. But the constant stream of return customers prompted them to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant on the Upper West Side in 2021.
Aptly named, the bành mi (Vietnamese sandwich) is non-negotiable. There’s five varieties on offer, but. Combo (made with sliced Vietnamese ham, sausage, chicken liver patê and soy sauce). Another heavy-hitter is the Pho Dac Biet (beef pho with sliced rare beef, hand pulled brisket, beef tendon and tripe).
Bánh is the type of place I return to often. I’m slowly making my way through the menu and have yet to be disappointed, which is why I recommend this local gem.
Good to know — Hanoi House is mentioned on my list of the best restaurants in the East Village.
Amelie
Website. Amelie
Address.566 Amsterdam Ave, New York
Affectionately known as “La Petite Amélie,” this Upper West Side restaurant is more intimate than the flagship in the West Village. Offering French-inspired fare in a cozy setting, the restaurant has a Bib Gourmand Michelin rating (prestigious award given to good-value restaurants).
The menu is full of tantalizing brasserie classics at affordable prices (for the neighborhood). Start the meal with wine-steamed mussels. I’m a big fan of the house burger and seared black sea bass.
Amelie is one of my favorite restaurants on the Upper West Side for happy hour as well. The draw is the $14 wine flight, which gives you the opportunity to sample three wines from different regions (choose from a selection of rosé, white or red flights).
Better still, Monday is moules-frites day! You can score steamed mussels, french fries and a glass of wine for $31 all night long.
Chick Chick
The brainchild of Chef Jun Park, Chick Chick made headlines when it opened on the Upper West Side in 2021, bagging a Michelin Bib Gourmand rating (good quality, good value cooking) shortly thereafter. The culprit? Crispy Nashville fried chicken sandwiches with a Korean twist.
Fried chicken thighs are dipped in clarified butter (not oil) and sprinkled with a potent mix of ichimi pepper, cayenne, paprika and gochugaru before being sandwiched into a doughy bun and topped with chilled pickles and lettuce.
Excellence is top of mind at this casual restaurant on the Upper West Side, nothing on the menu is an afterthought. Take the dirty truffle fried rice, for example, made with truffle, lemongrass, egg and mushroom, it’s as much a draw as the famed chicken sandwich.
Local tip. Pro tip that most travel blogs won’t tell you. visit on a weekday afternoon for the most authentic experience.
Jin Ramen
Website. Jin Ramen
Address.462 Amsterdam Ave, New York
The Upper West Side is a ramen desert, which is why Jin Ramen is on constant rotation in our household. Serving Hakata-style ramen (known for pungent tonkotsu broth), the combination of thin chewy noodles and hand-crafted broth keeps us coming back on a monthly basis during the winter months.
Standout dishes include the Tonkotsu Ramen, a house favorite made with a creamy broth created from slow cooked pork bones topped with braised pork belly. If you’d like to try a signature dish, opt for the spicy version of the tonkotsu (my husband’s favorite dish).
Maison Pickle
Website. Maison Pickle
Address.2315 Broadway, New York, NY
Upbeat and fun, Maison Pickle is my go-to recommendation for out-of-town visitors on the hunt for the best brunch in the neighborhood. In my opinion, it’s one of the few Upper West Side restaurants worth traveling for (I say this as someone who loves the area).
And travel they do, Maison Pickle is famous with locals thanks to generous portions and exciting brunch staples, namely the challah French toast and toothsome French dips. Whatever you do, make sure the pull apart bread opens the meal.
This some of the best brunch on the Upper West Side for large groups, especially if the crew likes to kick off the weekend with a round of cocktails (the libation lineup is impressive), but make reservations in advance.
Unpopular opinion. I’ll say it. Best UWS Restaurants (Table of Contents) deserves way more recognition than it gets.
Eléa
If you’re on the lookout for a polished restaurant on the Upper West Side, Elea gets my vote. The menu is replete with step up Greek fare like grilled Octopus with roasted pearl onions and short rib youvetsi.
Creamy hummus and piping hot pita is the only proper way to start the meal, but throw in the Horiatiki Salad (tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, peppers, olives, Arahova feta) for good measure.
As for the mains, the moussaka (traditional Greek casserole layered with beef, potato, eggplant, bechamel sauce) is my favorite item on the menu.
Miriam
Miriam is a relaxed Israeli restaurant on the Upper West Side. Focusing on seasonal cuisine, most of the ingredients are sourced directly from Israel. I think this place serves a great brunch, but the dinner menu is nothing to scoff at either.
If you’re visiting for brunch, I recommend ordering the Shakshuka (two poached eggs in rich and tangy tomato and bell pepper sauce) and Malawach Quesadilla (buttery, thin and flaky pastry style quesadilla with two eggs & cheese).
For dinner service, start with the fresh baked focaccia and spring salad (tomato, cucumber, chickpea, eggplant, radish, sunflower seed, feta, lemon herb vinaigrette). Then, mosey over to the meze platter and falafel before flirting with the main course (lamb Shawarma is my tried-and-true).
Charles Pan Fried Chicken
Website. Charles Pan Fried Chicken
Address.46 W 72nd St, New York
Born into a family of 21 kids, Charles Gabriel grew up picking cotton near Charlotte, North Carolina before moving to New York City at 17 to peruse a career in cooking. He worked at Copeland’s for two decades before venturing off on his own, selling expertly-executed fried chicken in Harlem.
In 2022, he decided to relocate and opened a restaurant on the Upper West Side, where he serves some of the juiciest fired chicken you’ll find in NY. What makes Charles Pan Fried Chicken is the cooking method, each piece is cooked individually in cast iron pans (not deep fried).
The meticulous process pays off, thick and crispy skin gives way to succulent meat you have to experience for yourself. Order a handful of sides like baked mac & cheese and collared greens and cap the meal with the creamy banana pudding.
The Consulate
Website. The Consulate
Address.519 Columbus Ave, New York
The Consulate is a swanky bar moonlighting as a restaurant. Jack of all trades, the neighborhood haunt is home to a great happy hour and brunch. Should you prefer a dimly-lit locale for an evening drink, the Consulate checks that box too (with elegant servers donning vests).
When it comes to dinning options, the variety spans the gamut. Start the morning with cast iron pancakes (fluffy blueberry pancakes, maple syrup, whipped cream), nibble your way through the french. Onion soup at lunch and end the evening with short rib cavatelli and a night cap (the cocktails are excellent).
Sala Thai
Website. Sala Thai
Address.307 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY
For most locals, Sala Thai is the go-to neighborhood Thai restaurant on the Upper West Side. Punchy flavors take center stage shining through in stunning curries and traditional dishes like pad se-ew. The Panang Curry (sweet potatoes, kaffir lime leaves, string beans, coconut milk) is my tried-and-true staple, but my husband is partial to the pad thai.
Best Restaurants on the Upper West Side (Post Summary)
- Banh
- Amelie
- Sala Thai
- Chick Chick
- Eléa
- The Consulate
- Miriam
- Maison Pickle
- Jin Ramen
- Charles Pan Fried Chicken
Upper West Side Guides
- Things to Do. 20 Fun Things to Do in the Upper West Side (Local’s Guide)
- Best Brunch. 10+ Toothsome Upper West Side Brunch Spots (Worth the Wait)
- Best Bars. 12+ Wonderful Upper West Side Bars (Perfect for a Tipsy Night Out)
- Where to Get Coffee. 10 Charming Upper West Side Cafes (Local’s Guide)
Map of the Best UWS Restaurants
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“},{“id”:”1c9e8a07-7537-4ab8-92c5-83ff2a19677c”,”jsonQuestion”:”How were these spots chosen?”,”question”:”How were these spots chosen?”,”jsonAnswer”:”Every spot on this list was personally visited and reviewed by our team of NYC locals. “,”answer”:””}]} –>Based on our experience as NYC locals, Best UWS Restaurants (Table of Contents) tops our list. See our full ranked list above for all 10 recommendations.
Every spot on this list was personally visited and reviewed by our team of NYC locals. We evaluate based on quality, atmosphere, and value.
And there you have it, a list of the best restaurants on the Upper West Side. Let me know if I missed any of your favorites in the comments below.
Hungry for more? Take a look at my Here’s the Best Coffee on the Upper West Side. trust me on this one.
I want to hear from you. What’s your favorite spot that I missed?
Final Thoughts
Out of everything on this list, Bánh and Amelie hold a special place in my rotation.
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It would have been nice if you had included links to these restaurants.