35 Of The Best Restaurants On The Upper West Side: Eater

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — The Upper West Side is not historically known for its restaurants, but a food critic from Eater NY claims that the neighborhood deserves more respect when it comes to finding a good place to chow.

Critic Robert Sietsema just published "35 New Restaurants and Classics to Try on the Upper West Side."

"At the start of this century, it was commonplace to say there were no good restaurants on the Upper West Side," Sietsema wrote. "It was wrong then and is even more wrong now, as new places open up."

The list focuses on new eateries in the neighborhood and longtime favorites.

The restaurants featured on the best of the neighborhood list include Chinese, Mexican, Vietnamese, Indian, Turkish, and Chilean spots.

Here are the 35 restaurants that Sietsema says give you a reason to dine on the Upper West Side. If you don't see your favorite local spot, let us know in the comment section.

• Atlas Kitchen: 258 West 109th Street
• 108 Food: 2794 Broadway
• Bombay Frankie Roti Roll: 994 Amsterdam Avenue
• Happy Hot Hunan: 969 Amsterdam Avenue
• Thai Market: 960 Amsterdam Avenue
• Banh Vietnamese Shop House: 942 Amsterdam Avenue
• Makana: 161 West 106th Street
• Jerusalem: 2715 Broadway
• Curry King: 942 Columbus Avenue
• Doaba Deli: 945 Columbus Avenue
• Broadway Diner: 2664 Broadway
• Malecon: 764 Amsterdam Avenue
• Taqueria 86: 210 West 94th Street
• Izzy's Smokehouse: 660 Amsterdam Avenue
• Holy Schnitzel: 654 Amsterdam Avenue
• Chick Chick: 618 Amsterdam Avenue
• Barney Greengrass: 541 Amsterdam Avenue
• Jacob's Pickles: 509 Amsterdam Avenue
• Jin Ramen: 462 Amsterdam Avenue
• Two Wheels: 426 Amsterdam Avenue
• Nice Matin: 201 West 79th Street
• Jing Fong: 380 Amsterdam Avenue
• Red Farm: 2170 Broadway
• Chirping Chicken: 355 Amsterdam Avenue
• Miriam: 300 Amsterdam Avenue
• Freddie & Pepper's: 303 Amsterdam Avenue
• Gray's Papaya: 2090 Broadway
• Seven Hills Mediterranean Grill: 158 West 72nd Street
• Alice's Tea Cup: 10 West 73rd Street
• Charles Pan-Fried Chicken: 146 West 72nd Street
• Pastrami Queen: 138 West 72nd Street
• Sido Falafel: 267 Columbus Avenue
• El Mitote: 208 Columbus Avenue
• Epicerie Boulud: 1900 Broadway
• Rosa Mexicano: 61 Columbus Avenue

Almost half of the UWS restaurants featured on the list are on Amsterdam Avenue.

Most notably on the list are long-time neighborhood classics such as Alice's Tea Cup, Jing Fong, Barney's Greengrass, and Broadway Diner.

However, there's also a strong group of relatively new restaurants that found immediate popularity in the neighborhood such as Banh Vietnamese Shop House, Charles Pan-Fried Chicken, Pastrami Queen, and Miriam.

Freddie & Pepper's was the lone pizza spot to make the list, with neighborhood favorites like Mamas TOO!, Patsy's, V & T Pizzeria, and Sal & Carmine's not earning a spot on the ranking.

Other notable ommissions are Dagon, a popular Israeli restaurant that recently opened in the neighborhood with major fanfare, Carmine's, a popular family-style Italian joint, and beloved diners such as City Diner, Manhattan Diner, Metro Diner, and Cafe Eighty Two.

There is also a collection of more affordable restaurants on the list, such as Chirping Chicken, Gray's Papaya, Bombay Frankie Roti Roll, and 108 Food.

The most obvious fine dining destination on the list is the French-bistro Nice Matin, which was ranked as having one of the best wine cellars in the world in 2020.

You can check out what Eater NY has to say about each of the Upper West Side restaurants on its website.