With some respect to 46th Street between 8th & 9th Avenues (shown here), “restaurant row” is rightfully in Chelsea. Start at 25th Street & 9th Avenue and mosey just five streets down and here are the world-class restaurants you’ll pass along the way: Txikito (Spanish Basque), Sullivan Street Bakery (a bakery…), Shukette (Middle Eastern), Lilli and Loo (Chinese), Pastai (Italian), Qanoon (Palestinian), La Bergamote (French), and Tradicionale (Filipino). Bocca di Bacco and Remo’s (both Italian) are also in the same stretch and while we haven’t been ourselves, both come highly recommended by some of our top contributors. Truly a crisis of riches and cuisine around here.

Elevated yet breezily approachable. You will meet people in your life who are crisp and stylish in an effortless way; then you’ll find out that they have some secret technical skill like they speak five languages or are a nationally recognized figure skater. Do not compare yourself to these casually beautiful people or put too much thought into how they are nailing the little things, seemingly without really trying. Just take it all in and maybe even patronize the restaurant equivalent that we’re personifying here: Tradicionale on 19th Street & 9th Ave.

We wrote a short time ago about Shukette, the raucous, ripping and dipping, Middle Eastern bazaar-style staple in Chelsea that makes you feel like you’re transported into a bustling market in another country or an M.I.A. music video.  Well, neighbor Inge responded to that post with a suggestion that we visit Qanoon, on 21st Street and 9th Avenue, which turns out to be Shukette’s cozy, reserved little brother that doesn’t talk as much, but everything he says is hilarious.  And secretly hilarious, my friends, is the best kind of hilarious.      

Don’t worry about the question. This place is not exactly a secret (NYT write-up here), but nestled away on 25th & 9th is a Middle Eastern bazaar-style restaurant—“shuk” is Hebrew for open-air market—that you should probably walk into or make a reservation at right now. On the walk-in, you will immediately feel like you are transported to another country, and that other country is filled with people a little more badass than you.

Hav & Mar is a hidden gem on 26th Street & 11th Avenue. Nailing the industrial loft look, this is an Ethiopian/Swedish fusion restaurant (yes, those two things can evidently be fused) by Marcus Samuelsson, who is also the head chef of Red Rooster in Harlem. The bar wraps around and while it says you need reservations, you really don’t most of the time (especially if you sit at the bar). NYT write-up here.

The best place to eat in New York according to Yelp in 2026 is Ci Siamo, in Hudson Yards right near the back entrance of Whole Foods (yelp.com/article/top-100-us-restaurants-2026).