The New York Restaurants Where We Want to Be Regulars

There are a lot of reasons to go to Leitao. For one, it’s supremely cozy and cute inside, with low amber lighting and wooden tables, as well as on the small front patio lined with greenery. They’ve also got an incredibly wide range of drinks, from cocktails like spicy margaritas and Campari spritzes to beers, wines, and mocktails. But really, the main reason, and the only one we’d ever need, is the chicken. The Portuguese roasted chicken gets served with fries to sop up all that delicious sauce. We’d come back again and again for that alone, but it also helps that the service is so friendly and accommodating, and the rest of the menu more than lives up to that chicken, too.

Greenpoint may take the title for neighborhood we’d most like to be a regular in, if that we’re a thing. Since it’s not, we’re giving you Achilles Heel, a quintessentially Brooklyn bar with truly supreme fare from Banchan by Sunny chef Sunny Lee. Probably, one of your friends with a job title like “creative director” has already taken you here, but if not, do try to become a regular on your own for the kind staff, the rotating wine list, and the craveable trout dip and must-order sesame mochi cake.

Essex Pearl is one of our favorite spots to go when you want to eat really well by yourself. Take a seat at the counter, order some chrabroiled oysters, prawn skewers, and lobster garlic noodles (you’ll have leftovers), and spend the evening people watching. There’ll be no lack of things to observe — Essex Pearl is housed inside the Essex Street Market — and it’s sure to be bustling no matter when you go.

Is it too cheesy if we say that all’s well at Endswell? This is the kind of spot where you’ll see the same people again and again, being greeted by the owner, the bartenders, and even the chef through his little window into the kitchen at the back. The vibe here is just good. Maybe it’s the smoked trout deviled eggs or the coq au vin, or maybe it’s the cocktail menu with fresh spins with notes in parentheses (for margarita drinkers). Either way, when we’re here, we’re happy.

Is there anything more aesthetically pleasing than sitting at the wide and open window of a small, neighborhood café, and being served wine at that window? We’re not sure. Della’s nails that small, charming bistro feel in a neighborhood where that’s not easily found, with a menu of truffled egg toast, shrimp and asparagus risotto, and giardiniera. It’s only wine and beer here, but you certainly won’t even notice once you take a peek at their list.

Kafana feels like eating at your grandmother’s house, if your grandmother were a Serbian badass with a taste for supremely good natural wine, and a cook with equally enviable chops. The walls are lined with photos, knick-knacks, and bottles, and don’t be surprised if your server has worked there for the entire time that the restaurant has been open on that lively stretch of Avenue C. We’d have to go with the cevapi, the cheese pie, and whatever else the server says is good.

The sprawling, three-story Chinatown space at Hwa Yuan Szechuan may seem counterintuitive to the notion of a neighborhood regular spot, but hear us out. To start, the food is incredible: Peking duck, cold sesame noodles (this is, believe it or not, the place that invented them), xiaolongbao, and pretty much any other delicacy you can imagine. Do not, we repeat, do not sleep on the dry sautéed tangy crispy beef. It’s family-owned and was reopened by the original 1968 owner’s son in 2017. It’s the kind of spot you can go to one, two, three, four times, or more, and still have just barely cracked the surface on all of the dishes you want to try. Thus, like we told you, it’s a perfect regular spot.

P.S. Looking for more Chinatown recs? We have you covered here.

Santa Fe feels like a slightly fancier version of the Tex-Mex spot your small-town family might have gone to while you were growing up. It’s usually full of locals, including kids, and the easy, comfortable menu makes you feel right at home. Go for the tortilla soup, overflowing with avocado and grilled chicken, the inside-out quesadilla with its crispy cheese crust, or the house enchiladas served with beans, rice, and pico de gallo. We’d also say a margarita is in order.

You may worry that Bua Thai is too Instagrammable for its own good. You may see the flowers on the walls and the drinks in whole pineapples and run, worried that you’ll end up in the background of some influencer’s video. You’d regret it. Sure, some of the dishes are made-for-the-camera, but that doesn’t make them any less superb, especially the Thai ramen Bua noodle soup and the robata grilled chicken buns. It’s worth coming here regularly just to get your hands on those broths.

You know what they say, “When in Rome …” So, when at Txikito, do as the Spaniards would, and order everything on the menu. It’s our go-to for later dinners, brimming with shareable snacks and loud conversation. Get the croquette of the day, potato salad with flaked bonito, and the beef cheek and jowl and boom: You’re (figuratively) in the Basque region of Spain, laughing with your friends, feeling carefree, knowing your responsibilities are at least a thousand miles away.

Lagano is bright and airy, with tiled floors and plush teal banquettes that just put us in a good mood. If you’re wary of tapas bars, don’t fret: The portions here are reasonable, and we actually like being able to try so many of the things on the menu. Go here more than once, and try things like the crackling calamari, truffle mac and cheese, pan-roasted mushrooms, and baby lamb chops. Even then, you’ve barely scratched the surface.

If you want to eat on the waterfront in New York City without being swarmed with tourists or paying hundreds for dinner, you go to Long Island City. And us? We like go to American Brass. It’s a great spot to be a regular for the simple fact that the food is great and the service matches it. While it’s a little nicer than you might usually choose for a weeknight, the chickpea fries, charred carrot salad, and wagyu burger with bacon jam are all things we could eat every night of the week.

What’s in a name? At Angel, it’s a pretty apt description. This spot from an Adda veteran is definitely heaven-sent, with its soulful biryani, vindaloos, samosa chaat, and Punjabi lassis. It’s casual inside, understated with laminate flooring and chairs that remind us a little bit of school, but don’t let that fool you, because the food is top-tier. It’s worth coming here often to make friends with the staff; do let them guide you beyond your usual butter chicken and garlic naan order.

Victor is cool. We’re not sure how else to put it, other than adding that, in addition, it knows it. The walls are pink in a way that works much better than you’d think, and the chairs, glasses, and cutlery scream “this place knows what it’s doing.” Then there’s the matter of the food. We love Victor because you can come here and get their (famously Sunday-only) burger, and call it a night. Or, you could go for fried dates, house-cured anchovies, and branzino. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure, in a neighborhood that needs just that.

Who doesn’t want to be a regular at a restaurant lovingly known as a “ham bar?” Obviously, you’ve got to get the ham. But also, get the Chickadee sourdough with cultured butter, eggs with hollandaise and country ham (duh), and the cucumber with hazelnut and Asian pear. There are enough hams here to keep you occupied for months if you pace yourself (which may be difficult).

P.S. If you’re in the neighborhood and want to explore even more incredible Brooklyn restaurants, we’ve got you covered here.

Barano is classic. Its wood-fired pizzas, like the ‘nduja with ricotta and spicy pork salumi are superb, and the pastas, like the saffron gigli, range from classic to inventive, all in perfect harmony. There’s plenty of room to spread out, and in the summer, their patio is among the nicest around.

We could write soliloquies about Franks. We could send Franks flowers and chocolates, or play songs from a boombox outside its window. It’s our platonic ideal of a neighborhood Italian restaurant, with supremely good pastas, an incredibly delicious chicken liver with warm guanciale on toast, and, as of April, pizzas made to order from their renowned slice shop, F&F. It has the advantage of being less crowded than its sister and neighbor, Frankies 457, and the cocktails, in our minds take the cake, particularly the olive oil martini. Pro tip: You can order the famous sausage, brown butter, and sage cavatelli form next door here if you ask nicely, another perk of being a regular.

P.S. Here’s a guide to where to eat in Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill, too.

This bistro and lounge is everything we love about Harlem. It’s friendly, it’s comfortable, and the food is really, really good (as the name implies). Go for the roasted yams with peri peri drizzle, the coconut fish sandwich, the Pat LaFrieda Good Good cheeseburger, and the hot honey fried chicken.

Patricia’s is a classic of a past era, one with white tablecloths at every Italian restaurant, regular family Sunday dinners, and chefs who come out to speak to every table. The menu reflects this classic feel, with warm tomato sauce and tripe, minestrone, homemade gnocchi, and veal osso bucco. Wear your best sensible heels.

Tanoreen is a classic for a reason. They’ve been open for more than a decade, serving up some of the best Mediterranean food in a borough with no lack of excellent Mediterranean food. We like going here for the dips, like the baba, hummus, labneh, and tabouleh, alongside their falafel and kibbeh. Don’t forget the semolina coconut cake soaked in rose water. Swoon.

If you live in Red Hook, or even if you just know somebody who knows somebody who lives in Red Hook, you’ve probably heard of Fort Defiance. It spent years as the neighborhood’s go-to bar, headed by St. John Frizell (now also of Gage & Tollner), and then pivoted to becoming a general store during the pandemic. Now, it’s both, and it’s also slightly down the street, with a big patio next to a school yard, very low mood lighting, and of course, excellent cocktails. The humble Tom Collins here becomes one of the best drinks we’ve ever tasted. Did we mention the burger? Welcome back, Fort.

This is not your average taco bar. We come here for the ceviche, like the diver scallop and fluke, and the lamb shank birria. It’s the kind of place you can relax into, while still feeling like you’re a part of the hustle and bustle. So, FOMO-havers, this one’s for you.

LumLum feels a bit like a tiki bar with exceptionally excellent Thai food to boot. The walls are covered in bamboo, and the lamps look like hats that Jimmy Buffet might wear. Even so, the moo krob (fried pork belly with tamarind sauce), the goong karee (sautéed shrimp with egg and curry powder), and the kai jeaw poo (crispy crab omelet) are anything but kitschy — they’re the real deal.

There are a lot of perks to becoming a regular at Winona’s, not least of all because it’s an all-day spot, giving you that many more chances to slide yourself in. In addition to hours and convenience, there’s also tortilla española, Scotch egg, and an apéro hour with cocktail and snack deals. See you there?

Take31 is a perfectly casual, classic Korean sool jib with top-tier vibes. Being a regular here means enjoying soju slushies, makgeolli, and Sapporo until 2:30 a.m. on weekends. We’d also recommend grabbing an order of cold kimchi noodles, wasabi cream fried chicken, and spicy short rib lasagna. P.S. The trio from C as in Charlie agrees with us, too.

We wish our home was as nice as Tobalá — maybe then we’d want to spend more time there. Instead, you can find us parked in a wooden chair in this sun-filled Riverdale spot, sipping on our mole negroni or carajillo much more often than we’d like to admit. The food here ranges from classic (guacamole, esquites) to creative (nopal salad, cornish hen), so being a regular here means never getting bored and always having something perfectly fit the mood you’re in.

It’s always a good idea to have a regular Italian spot that won’t let you down, and Pisticci fits that bill. Come here for the Tuscan bean ravioli, the meatballs and polenta with housemade tomato sauce, and the roasted garlic bread with whole cloves.

From a duo with experience at Ops and Roberta’s, both of whom we would follow to the ends of the earth, there’s Decades, one of our favorite pizza spots in Queens. Perfectly crisp, bubbled crust topped with whatever they have on special that night (think summer squash, mozzarella, chives, garlic, and onion), plus an ice-cold draft, and we’re set.

We’d be at Haenyeo for their grilled oysters everyday, if only cost and time were no object. Those alone are worth becoming a regular here for, but luckily there’s much more here to love. The rice cake fundido, bibimbap, and bulgogi are all worth writing home about, washed down with your usual. P.S. we suggest the NY Sleepover, a chamomile whiskey sour with a lovely chianti float.

You don’t have to be a vegan to appreciate that the food at Ras Plant Based is seriously good, whatever your dining preferences. It has the advantage of being a restaurant that is both very delicious and very fun, with a great playlist, a stylish crowd, and a menu for the ages. Become a regular here for the mushroom tibs, gomen, and sambusas, and be sure to thank us later.

P.S. Check out our guide to A Perfect Day of Eating in Black-Owned Brooklyn here.

If you’re going to be a regular somewhere, you might as well make it a place with a petrified, perpetually in bloom cherry tree in the middle of their dining room. Kaizen also boasts a huge (and very good) menu, with handrolls, a wagyu katsu sandwich, and even omakase tastings, making it great for virtually any occasion you have coming up, including a weeknight dinner.

Hudson Yards can be a tough neighborhood to find your regular spot in, but Naked Tomato has you covered. Their chicken, duck, or lamb skewers and, of course, the complimentary meze that comes with them, are supreme. Wash it all down with a pitcher of mint lemonade.

It takes a lot to stand out in this part of Queens as a Thai restaurant, but Zaab Zaab makes it look easy. We want to be regulars at this Isan spot for the hor mok with pork belly and bamboo, and for the signature larb ped udon with crispy duck. The brightly colored, rainbow interior never fails to make us smile, as a bonus.