THE FORBES 2023 ALL-STAR EATERIES IN NEW YORK
“The best things in life are free,” an old song proclaims. However, that has never been true of fine food, as the pressure on prices has made all too painfully plain throughout this year. Diners at New York City’s outstanding eateries could only choke when some Washington politicians and central bankers proclaimed that inflation was abating. Free bread might be going the way of the phone booth. Certain restaurants are taking up the bad habits of hotels and tacking on all sorts of charges—even a fee for using credit cards. What’s next: a table-and-chair leasing fee? Nonetheless, the Big Apple still offers the best gastronomical experiences in the world.
Our stellar team of ever-discerning tasters—Forbes’ chief content officer, Randall Lane; Forbes contributor Richard Nalley; preeminent media maven Monie Begley; and brothers Bob, Kip and Tim—herewith unveil their list of where you can enjoy the city’s most savory comestibles.
★★★★
Aquavit
Aska
Atera
Daniel
Gabriel Kreuther
Gramercy Tavern
Jean-Georges
Le B
Le Bernardin
Le Pavillon
The Modern
Per Se
The contemporary style of fusing culinary tastes and cultures often suffers from ill-conceived recipes cooked up in chemistry-class-like kitchens. Two very happy exceptions are Aska and Atera. Aska’s 12-course tasting menu, which changes daily, is deeply influenced by the chef ’s Nordic roots; the freshest seasonal ingredients are combined to conjure frequently magical dishes. Atera treats you to an immersive experience of successive gastronomic delights. Dishes are uniformly subtle with ingenious and often surprising combinations. Diners at Le B leave in a state of epicurean euphoria. Euphoric is the perfect word for the way you’ll feel after dining on the offerings at Gabriel Kreuther. The nuanced fare at The Modern is, in spirit, more than a match for many of the alleged masterpieces at the MoMA. Le Pavillon’s high ceilings reflect its high culinary standards.