You've probably heard about how gritty Soho was back in the '70s and '80s, when artists flocked to the downtown 'hood in search of affordable living and studio space. It's tough to imagine that today, what with the large flagship stores, the high-priced lofts, and the uneven cobblestone streets filled with enthusiastic shoppers and slow-moving tourists. But, you know what else has changed? The culinary landscape.Today, Soho is home to some of the most beloved eateries in the city, as well as a ton of newer spots that offer a fix for whatever you're craving. We're talking farm-to-table freshness, some of the most delicious Mexican eats on the East Coast, and pasta — lots and lots of pasta. Check out our picks for the hottest restaurants in one of the hottest neighborhoods in Manhattan.
Osteria Morini
Bow down in devotion at this altar to carbohydrates. The handmade pastas are the main event here, and a great way to sample chef Michael White’s skills without dropping the insane dollars on his other NYC restaurants (which include Marea and Ai Fiori). In fact, pastas are only $10 after 9pm on Mondays!
Osteria Morini, 218 Lafayette Street (between Spring and Kenmare Streets); 212-965-8777
Jack’s Wife Freda
You may be surprised to find out that this cafe doesn’t just exist as a background for models’ Instagram posts. It also peddles Mediterranean fare with particular attention to sea creatures. Their shared dishes—grilled halloumi, a plate of straight-up garlic—are great with girlfriends (as you, yes, try not to gawk at the models).
Jack’s Wife Freda, 224 Lafayette Street (between Spring and Kenmare Streets); 212-510-8550
The Dutch
A neighborhood of bustling, beautiful, effortlessly cool people need a restaurant that caters to all of the above. Consistently packed to the gills, the Dutch makes room for every American comfort food, from pasta to roasted chicken to three cuts of beef. The presentation is everything, darling.
The Dutch, 131 Sullivan Street (at Prince Street); 212-677-6200
Lucky Strike
This French bistro is as old-school New York as a restaurant can be that opened in 1989. The menu is scribbled on giant, antique mirrors around the warm wooden space, and the food is straightforward and comforting. French onion soup and mac cheese? Oui.
Lucky Strike, 59 Grand Street (between Wooster and W. Broadway); 212-941-0772
Public
The restaurant calls its cuisine “free-spirted fusion,” and it draws mostly on Australian and New Zealander influences. Think kangaroo carpaccio — seriously! There’s also venison loin with red quinoa, and lamb neck braised in Vegemite. These flavor experiments, plus the industrial decor, make for one cool dining experience.
Public, 210 Elizabeth Street (between Spring and Prince streets); 212-343-7011.
Raoul’s
Can’t make it to Paris this year? We feel your pain. The next best thing is Raoul’s, run by two French immigrant brothers since the ‘70s. The atmosphere is everything — viva la vie boheme — but the steak au poivre and duck-fat fries aren’t too shabby, either.
Raoul’s, 180 Prince Street (at Sullivan Street); 212-966-3518.
Burger and Barrel
Here you'll find the classiest burger joint in all the land. The candlelit ambiance makes for a surprisingly great spot for a first date, as does the menu — it’s not just burgers, but other crowd-pleasers, too, like roasted chicken and ravioli. Bond over the many small plates, which are just right for sharing.
Burger and Barrel, 25 West Houston Street (between Greene and Mercer streets); 212-334-7320.
Aquagrill
The best seafood restaurant in New York? Aquagrill might just be. It’s not just that the menu contains every kind of fishy fare your heart could possibly desire — it’s also the inventive, worldy preparations, like the crab claws with jicama-jalapeno-pineapple slaw, or the sea bass with Korean kimchi in a wasabi-miso sauce, that knock our socks off.
Aquagrill, 210 Spring Street (at Sixth Avenue); 212-274-0505.
Blue Ribbon Brasserie
Brothers and graduates of Le Cordon Bleu Bruce and Eric Bromberg named their restaurant group after the esteemed institution — "the blue ribbon" is the English translation. They have restaurants all around the world, including flagship Blue Ribbon Brasserie, which distinguishes itself as a French dining experience for night owls. Lucky for us, it's open until 4 a.m., seven days a week.
Blue Ribbon Brasserie, 97 Sullivan Street (between Spring and Prince streets); 212-274-0404.
Carbone
The Italian restaurant to end all Italian restaurants: That seems to be what chefs Rich Torrisi and Mario Carbone were aiming for with Carbone. The menu is precisely what you would expect — linguini vongole, prime porterhouse, Caesar salad — with impeccable service and mighty-high prices. Try the spicy rigatoni vodka, which many Yelpers claim is the best pasta dish in the city.
Carbone, 181 Thompson Street (between Bleecker and Houston streets); 212-933-0707.
Socarrat Paella Bar
Jesus ‘Lolo’ Manso has created an empire of Spanish restaurants in Manhattan, all bearing the name “socarrat,” the term for the crust that forms at the bottom of a paella pan. The Paella Bar in Nolita boasts a bustling communal table and pans overflowing with lamb, shrimp, beef, cuttlefish, lobster, squid, duck, pork, and just about every protein that walks or swims this earth.
Socarrat Paella Bar, 284 Mulberry Street (at East Houston Street); 212-219-0101.
Alidoro
Sandwiches, sandwiches, and more sandwiches: That's Alidoro’s business. The specialty sandwich shop has about a billion combos on its menu, all named after famous Italians (like the Da Vinci and Sinatra). With all that prosciutto, sopressata, capicollo, mortadella, and more, you half expect a Sopranos cast member to be playing cards out front.
Alidoro, 105 Sullivan Street (between Spring and Prince streets); 212-334-5179.
Navy
If you're coming to Soho for its charm, you’ll most certainly find it in spades at Navy, a seafood spot with appropriately nautical décor touches. Chef Camille Becerra sets herself apart from other fish restaurants with veggie complements, like Arctic char with crispy beets and fennel pollen yogurt, or striped bass with charred avocado, almond, and tomato.
Navy, 137 Sullivan Street (between West Houston and Prince streets); 212-533-1137.
Parm
Italians love arguing about what real Italian food is — namely, how it’s not the ziti you’re being served in Staten Island or New Jersey. But, Italians love arguing about what real Italian food is — namely, how it’s not the ziti you’re being served in Staten Island or New Jersey. But, Parm serves up unabashedly Italian-American sandwiches, with chicken parm, eggplant parm, and meatball parm all on the menu. They also cater. Remind us what there is to argue about, again?
Parm, 248 Mulberry Street (between Spring and Prince streets); 212-993-7189.
Lure Fishbar
If you don’t love seafood, this might not be the place for you. There is a marine touch to nearly dish, like a lobster crouton appetizer, a smoked salmon pizza, and any other fish-themed course you could possibly wish for. Okay, there’s a burger and herb-roasted chicken, for the non-seafood fanatics, but that’s no fun in a place like this!
Lure Fishbar, 142 Mercer Street (at Prince Street), 212-431-7676.
Rubirosa
Of all the pizza and Italian joints in New York, it always seems to be Rubirosa that everyone thinks they personally discovered. Well, the secret is out. The cozy spot features the decades-old thin-crust recipe from the Pappalardo family (straight out of Staten Island), plus chef Al DiMeglio’s homemade pasta dishes.
Rubirosa, 235 Mulberry Street (between Spring and Prince streets); 212-965-0500.
Little Prince
Let this spot be your introduction to French food. Little Prince has the requisite steak frites andwine list, but without the holier-than-thou attitude (or prices). Plus, you still get that romantic bistro ambiance. Bon appetit!
Little Prince, 199 Prince Street (between Macdougal and Sullivan streets); 212-335-0566.
ll Mulino Prime
Just what New York needs: Another steakhouse. Right? Actually, yes, especially when it's by the Italian powerhouse Il Mulino group. The Il Mulino Prime — whose decor is White Party-ready — is a tiny ode to beef. But, though the cuts take center stage, you'd be remiss to pass up other dishes, like the lobster mac and cheese or the short ribs ravioli..
Il Mulino Prime, 331 West Broadway (at Grand Street); 212-226-0020.
Charlie Bird
The owners of Charlie Bird claim that they were inspired by "essential New York." What does that mean? According to this Sixth Avenue hotspot, it looks like neon lights on brick walls, feels like a tight space with lively diners, and tastes like an American menu with heavy Italian influence. Oh, and said menu is printed on colorful graffiti-esque paper, too, as if designed by Warhol himself.
Charlie Bird, 5 King Street (at Sixth Avenue); 212-235-7133.
Ruby's Cafe
There's an expansive Australian ex-pat community hiding in New York, and you'll probably find a good number of them dining at Ruby's. Their recently expanded space has a menu full of Aussie standards, including —yup, you know it — Vegemite on toast. If that yeast paste freaks you out (it's an acquired taste, after all), there are plenty of solid burger, sandwich, and salad options.
Ruby’s Cafe, 219 Mulberry Street (between Spring and Prince streets); 212-925-5755.
Balaboosta
As a resident of New York, you may be proud of the Yiddish phrases you've picked up along the way — right, bubbala? But, you might have missed balaboosta, which translates to "perfect housewife" (or "bossy woman," but six of one…). This spot features Israeli dishes with Mediterranean touches, the best of which are the smaller plates like hummus or grilled eggplant crostini.
Balaboosta, 214 Mulberry Street (between Spring and Prince streets); 212-966-7366.
Hundred Acres
When you’re aching for an escape from the city, get a touch of the country at this airy spot on MacDougal Street. The food and decor is meant to evoke a farmhouse, with French doors open to the sidewalk and loads of local veggies on the seasonal menu. The best part, however, might be the delightful drink options, which include 15 different American whiskeys and head cocktails. It's enough to make you long for sleepy summer afternoons.
Hundred Acres, 38 MacDougal Street (between King and Prince streets); 212-475-7500.
Tacombi
Next time you find yourself arguing with co-workers about where to have happy hour, insist they join you at the ridiculously fun Tacombi. It's decorated to look like a shack on a Mexican beach, and a converted VW bus serving gluten-free tacos is parked right in the center of the space. The relaxed vibe is perfect to sip cerveza after cerveza. You can practically hear the waves crashing nearby.
Tacombi, 267 Elizabeth Street (between Prince and East Houston streets); 917-727-0179.
David Burke Kitchen
Of all of David Burke’s restaurants, Kitchen might be the most fun. Gingham and denim abound in the playful dining room, and for all of its higher-end fare, you can still order a bucket of beer to enjoy in the gorgeous outdoor space. The menu is full of hearty American farm favorites like venison, ribeye, and chicken with arugula ravioli.
David Burke Kitchen, 23 Grand Street (at Sixth Avenue); 212-201-9119.
Lovely Day
This sweet little diner looks like a quaint 1950s spot, with flower-dotted wallpaper and shiny red table tops. The basement even has a happening little bar. But it's the tasty Thai fare that will make this fun, quirky spot a favorite to nosh on noodles and nostalgia.
Lovely Day, 196 Elizabeth Street (between Spring and Prince streets); 212-925-3310.
Sadelle’s
We respect anyone that respects the bagel, and this Jewish bakery/restaurant raises them to an art form. They emerge fresh from the oven and ready to be smothered in shiny layers of sturgeon, salmon, tuna salad, and more. There’s also the epic egg sandwiches, plus finger-lickin’ sticky buns. Wear leggings to brunch, is what we’re saying.
Sadelle’s, 463 West Broadway (between West Houston and Prince streets); 212-254-3000.
Lupe's East L.A. Kitchen
Tell the Angelenos in your life to stop whining about how Mexican food on the West Coast is so much better than anything here. Lupe’s brings that flavor to Soho, with low-key diner decor and even more casual prices for its flavorful burritos, enchiladas, and seafood dishes.
Lupe's East L.A. Kitchen, 110 Sixth Avenue (at Watts Street); 212-966-1326.
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