Where to Eat and Drink on the Upper West Side

NOTE: This page was last updated in May 2021 with a few new finds; sadly, I also had to remove several places that closed recently. If something’s missing or you happen to know that a certain restaurant has since closed, drop me a line to let me know! I can’t keep this 100% up to date, but I’ll do my best.

There are few things I love more than my (now former) beloved, charming, tree-lined neighborhood here in New York City. Aka the Upper West Side.

*cue choir of angels*

This probably doesn’t come as a surprise to you guys. I mean, I wax poetic about the Upper West all the time on Instagram, I share photos of its coffee shops and sidewalks and pigeons, and…I generally just gush about it the whole day through.

But what you might know a little less about are the actual bakeries, wine bars, cafés, street corners, park benches, and flowery stoops I frequent within this gloriously romantic part of town. That’s what this page is for. Well, it’s a start, anyway: Here, I’m sharing many of my favorite dining and drinking establishments on the Upper West Side. Should you be so lucky as to find yourself wandering down one of the streets up here, you’ll want to pay a visit (or several) to at least one of these spots.

All-Time Favorites

Bustan (between 83rd & 84th on Amsterdam; exceptional Israeli food; get the cabbage and never look back; get the taboon bread, the cabbage, and, well, everything else)
Sala Thai (between 74th & 75th on Amsterdam; we order from here all the time and the interiors are gorgeous as well)
Silver Moon Bakery (105th & Broadway; emphasis on *Upper* West, but so worth the schlep; such a hidden gem)
Café Lalo (83rd & Amsterdam; the cutest little spot with You’ve Got Mail vibes)
Dagon (91st & Broadway; Mediterranean perfection; this place has a lot of hype and it’s just as good as they say it is)
Hungarian Pastry Shop (111th & Amsterdam; more about the atmosphere than the food/drink; this place is legendary among Columbia students and writers; be sure to go across the street and tour St. John the Divine; it’s the second-largest Anglican cathedral in the world and the architecture will move you to tears, no matter your faith)
Polpette 71 (71st & Columbus; just trust me and walk all the way through to the garden in the back)
Aangan (103rd & Broadway; give me all the naan!)
Café Fiorello (between 63rd & 64th on Broadway; the pre-theatre spot that’s still wonderful in Covid times)
The Consulate (between 85th & 86th on Columbus; the Three Shades of Green is one of the best cocktails I’ve ever had and I love the presentation of all the food; neighborhood-y, down-to-earth vibes)
Zabar’s (80th & Broadway; for lox and black & white cookies and old-school New York magic; take a number at the fish counter and taste-test your cares away)
Barney Greengrass (86th & Amsterdam; old-school deli deliciousness)

Bakeries

Patis (77th & Broadway; tiny, tucked-away kosher spot with super interesting flavors)
Silver Moon Bakery (105th & Broadway; an all-time fave; emphasis on *Upper* West, but worth the schlep)
Magnolia Bakery (69th & Columbus; legendary; grab a tiny banana pudding after dinner)
Barachou (81st & Amsterdam; it’s a cream puffs shop—the most magical)
Breads Bakery (63rd & Broadway; best rugelach in New York, in my humble opinion)
Billy’s Bakery (79th & Columbus; the carrot cake here is my mom’s favorite)
Levain (77th & Amsterdam; an UWS legend for gigantic, chunky cookies; eat them warm)

Date Night

Leyla (74th & Columbus; authentic Turkish food)
Shalel Lounge (70th & Columbus; Moroccan; swanky undeground lounge)
Kefi (I’m sad to say this 79th Street Greek restaurant closed recently but I can’t bear to take it off the list)
Maison Pickle (84th & Broadway; everyone loves this place)
Pisticci’s Ristorante (125 La Salle Street; cute and cozy with a Columbia crowd)
Eléa (85th & Broadway; my mom’s favorite spot for Greek food)
Bustan (between 83rd & 84th on Amsterdam; Israeli food; a personal favorite)
The Milling Room (446 Columbus Avenue; stunning space)
Marlow Bistro (110th & Amsterdam; Mediterranean in a beautiful setting)

Brunch

Thyme & Tonic (83rd & Columbus; kosher-vegetarian-boozy brunch with the most stunning cocktails)
Café Luxembourg (70th between Amsterdam & West End; casual French-American)
Nice Matin (79th & Amsterdam; the prettiest setting for a slightly more upscale brunch)
Community Food & Juice (between 112th & 113th on Broadway; so many memories here!)
Café Lalo (83rd & Amsterdam; the cutest little spot with You’ve Got Mail vibes)
Barney Greengrass (86th & Amsterdam; old-school deli deliciousness)
Bluestone Lane (80th & Amsterdam; a lovable chain; avocado toast heaven and great chai lattes)
The Smith (63rd & Broadway; the salmon on crispy rice is highly underrated)

Ice Cream!

Emack & Bolio’s (between 78th & 79th on Amsterdam; cereal-studded cones!)
Van Leeuwen’s (between 81st & 82nd on Amsterdam; a little pricey but really delicious, high-quality ice cream; lots of vegan options)
Big Gay Ice Cream (85th & Columbus; fun and quirky soft-serve chain)

Sushi

Amber Upper West (70th & Columbus; though it’s one of my favorite foods, I’m really not the world’s most adventurous sushi eater, so you’re on your own when it comes to ordering at any of the places in this section)
Kissaki (between 73rd & 74th on Columbus; super creative, gorgeous omakase for die-hard sushi lovers!)
Sushi Yasaka (72nd between West End & Broadway; this is usually where we order from)
Sushi of Gari (78th & Columbus; upscale and fancy as heck)

Dinner with Friends

The Ribbon (72nd between Columbus & Central Park West; easy)
Mel’s Burger Bar (110th & Broadway; great burgers; though I no longer live nearby, Mel’s will always have a piece of my heart)
Tessa (between 76th & 77th on Amsterdam; cozy, semi-casual Mediterranean)
Gennaro (93rd & Amsterdam; reeeeally good pasta)
Rosa Mexicano (62nd & Columbus; for margs-filled girls’ nights)
Land Thai (81st & Amsterdam; big fan of the green curry here)
Sala Thai (between 74th & 75th on Amsterdam; we order from here all the time)
Jacob’s Pickles (85th & Amsterdam; beer, biscuits, pickles, Columbia students galore)
The Mermaid Inn (88th & Amsterdam; the fish tacos are my favorite here)
Parm (71st & Columbus; love the buffalo cucumbers and the house salad)

Drinks

Asset (76th & Columbus; “swanky” is really the only word for it)
The Owl’s Tail (75th between Amsterdam & Broadway; small plates and fancy-ish cocktails)
The Dakota Bar (72nd & Columbus; classic cocktails)
The Dead Poet (between 81st & 82nd on Amsterdam; cocktails are named after dead poets and the whole place is book-themed)
The Empire Rooftop (63rd between Columbus & Broadway; great views of Lincoln Center, open air, small plates but stick to drinks)

Pizza / Pasta

Saba’s Pizza (79th & Amsterdam; kosher pizza shop)
Celeste (between 84th & 85th on Amsterdam; brick-oven pizza)
Sal & Carmine Pizza (between 84th & 85th on Amsterdam; no-frills New York pizza)
Lucciola (between 90th & 91st on Amsterdam; pretty Italian spot with lots of plants and big glass windows; did you know “lucciola” means “firefly” in Italian?)
Gennaro (93rd & Amsterdam; reeeeally good pasta)
Polpette 71 (71st & Columbus; just trust me and walk all the way through to the garden in the back)
Café Fiorello (between 63rd & 64th on Broadway; the pre-theatre spot that’s still wonderful in Covid times)
Koronet Pizza (111th & Broadway; huge slices; grab-and-go; legendary)
Pizzeria Sirenetta (between 87th & 88th on Amsterdam; wood-fired pizza)
Pisticci’s Ristorante (on La Salle / 123rd between Claremont and Broadway; cute and cozy Italian)

Dumplings / Noodles

RedFarm (77th & Broadway; dim sum and pastrami egg rolls)
Jing Fong (78th & Amsterdam; dim sum by the Natural History Museum)
Land Thai (81st & Amsterdam; big fan of the curry here)
Xi’an Famous Foods
Jin Ramen (82nd & Amsterdam; I’m not a huge ramen person but this is a great place to try if you are; reasonably priced)
Han Dynasty (85th & Broadway; another legendary spot)
Two Wheels (81st & Amsterdam; pho!)
Thai Market (between 107th & 108th on Amsterdam; Thai staples with a Columbia crowd)

Tacos!

Taqueria y Fonda La Mexicana (108th & Amsterdam)
El Mitote (between 69th & 70th on Broadway; the la mitotera salad is my go-to)
Tacombi (78th & Amsterdam; solid deliciousness)
Rosa Mexicano (62nd & Columbus; for margs-filled girls’ nights)
Playa Betty’s (75th & Amsterdam; California-style food and pink cocktails)

Cute Coffee Shops

Café Lalo (83rd & Amsterdam; the cutest little spot with You’ve Got Mail vibes)
Black Press Coffee (between 72nd & 73rd on Columbus; nicest baristas)
Da Capo (between 75th & 76th on Columbus; espresso bar)
Hungarian Pastry Shop (111th & Amsterdam; more about the atmosphere than the food/drink)
Plowshares (105th & Broadway; cozy and cool)
Irving Farm (79th between Amsterdam and Broadway; back room with the skylight was great pre-Covid)
Joe Coffee at Columbia University (120th & Broadway inside Columbia’s Northwest Corner Building; incredibly beautiful, light-filled space; get the salted chocolate chip cookie)

Bagels / Deli

Absolute Bagels (108th & Broadway; exalted among Columbia students; long, long line)
Bagels & Co. (79th & Amsterdam; kosher bagels and pizza, too! and…bialys!)
Zucker’s Bagels (73rd & Columbus)
Zabar’s (80th & Broadway; for lox and black & white cookies and old-school New York magic; take a number at the fish counter and taste-test your cares away)
Barney Greengrass (86th & Amsterdam; deli deliciousness)