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The best restaurants in New York

Jean-Gorges Vongerichten's New York outfit serves up Asian-inspired Gallic fare
Jean-Gorges Vongerichten's New York outfit serves up Asian-inspired Gallic fare

Expert guide to New York

  1. Overview
    Overview

    Overview

  2. Hotels
    Hotels

    Hotels

  3. Try walking across the stunning 1,595ft-long Brooklyn Bridge
    Try walking across the stunning 1,595ft-long Brooklyn Bridge

    Attractions

  4. Bill's food and drink evokes an upmarket 19th-century gentlemen’s club
    Bill's food and drink evokes an upmarket 19th-century gentlemen’s club

    Restaurants

  5. This narrow street in The Bronx, also known as Belmont, is the real Little Italy
    This narrow street in The Bronx, also known as Belmont, is the real Little Italy

    Free

  6. On the ground floor of the Neue Galerie stands this elegant café straight out of early 20th-century Vienna
    On the ground floor of the Neue Galerie stands this elegant café straight out of early 20th-century Vienna

    Nightlife

New York is a smorkesboard of lip-smackingly good eateries, from the trendy and exotic to the quirky and classic. One minute you could be tucking into boiled chicken feet and spicy pho at a downtown dim sum depot; the next, a sizzling cut in a show-stopping New York steakhouse. Get tasting with Telegraph Travel's New York expert, David Farley.

Manhattan

Chinatown

Jing Fong

Chinatown may be sprinkled with dim sum depots but this palace of Chinese delights is an essential stop, particularly for long brunches. Ascend the escalator to the upper floor and let the massive dining room unfold before your eyes. Roving carts, pushed by friendly diminutive ladies, are crammed with pork buns, shrimp dumplings, boiled chicken feet, and egg custards, among other delicious dim sum components. Point to whatever looks good and commence the feast. Sharing a large circular table with other diners is part of the fun experience here.

Contact: 00 1 212 964 5256; jingfongny.com
Prices: £
Opening times: Mon-Fri, 10am-9:30pm; Sat-Sun, 9:30am-9:30pm
Nearest metro: Canal St./Grand St.
Reservations: Not necessary

Jing Fong, New York
Jing Fong is an essential stop, and part of the fun is sharing the big round tables with fellow diners

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Lower East Side

Katz Delicatessen

In the early 1900s, the Lower East Side was home to a thriving eastern European Jewish community, and dozens of kosher delis. Today only a few remain, and Katz (opened in 1888) is the best. You may recognise it from the 'I'll have what she's having scene' in When Harry Met Sally. The ordering process is a bit different: after you've been handed a ticket, place your order at the counter, indulge in superlative deli fare, and pay at the end with your ticket. Just don't lose that slip of paper or you'll pay a princely sum for the error.

Contact: 00 1 212 254 2246; katzsdelicatessen.com
Prices: £
Opening times: Non-stop
Nearest metro: 2nd Ave.
Reservations: Walk-ins only

Katz Delicatessen, New York
Katz is one of the few remaining kosher delis in the Lower East side

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Wildair

Wildair and its more formal sister restaurant next door, Contra, have infused some serious culinary cred to the bar-laden Lower East Side. And we have the two hot chefs – Fabián von Hauske and Jeremiah Stone – to thank for that. Perch yourself on a stool at a high communal table and peruse the wine list, heavy on the natural variety, while grazing on horseradish-spiked beef tartare, scallop crudo, and nduja and head-cheese toast. Or splurge on the fork-tender Wagyu steak for two. The bread and butter in itself is remarkable.

Contact: 00 1 646 964 5624; wildair.nyc
Prices: ££
Opening times: Tue-Sat, 6pm-11pm
Nearest metro: Delancy St.
Reservations: Walk-ins only

Wildair, New York - Credit: © 2015 Albert Cheung Photography/Albert Cheung Photography LLC
Come to Wildair and splurge on the fork-tender Wagyu steak for two Credit: © 2015 Albert Cheung Photography/Albert Cheung Photography LLC

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SoHo

Balthazar

This beloved Big Apple culinary institution is the flagship eatery of prolific British-born restaurateur Keith McNally. It's like a small slice of Paris in SoHo: enter through the curtained doorway and find yourself in a gold-lit space with high ceilings and mirrored walls. The classic bistro options include oysters, steak frites, and a good burger. The raw bar is superb, as is the wine list. They do a great breakfast, and have a bakery, too, if you want to avoid the table hustle and grab a Parisian-quality baguette to go. Book well in advance.

Contact: 00 1 212 965 1414; balthazarny.com
Prices: ££
Opening times: See website
Nearest metro: Spring St.
Reservations: Essential

Balthazar, New York - Credit: ©Michael Grimm/Michael Grimm
Enter Balthazar through the curtained doorway for mirrored walls, tiled floors and a classic bistro menu Credit: ©Michael Grimm/Michael Grimm

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East Village

Hanoi House

Don't be put off by Hanoi House's location on St. Marks Place's row of subpar restaurants in the East Village. This is the real deal. Vietnamese cuisine hadn't had its moment here until the Saigon-born, California-raised chef John Nguyen fired up his pho-boiling burners, and the city's fooderati got its first taste of this south-east Asian cuisine's potential. North Vietnamese food is glorious; try the beef-spiked pho bac, with its rich, deep taste. The Hanoi staple bun cha is a platter of unctuous, tender grilled pork meatballs married with rice noodles and then dipped in a subtly sweet sauce. 

Contact: 00 1 212 995 5010; hanoihousenyc.com
Prices: ££
Opening times: See website
Nearest metro: First Ave.
Reservations: Essential

Hanoi House, New York
Hanoi House may not have a dreamy location, but its Southeast Asian cuisine appeases the city's fooderati

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Momofuku Noodle Bar

Perpetual cool kid chef David Chang's first eatery (and most affordable) is still firing on all cylinders. Cosy up to the long bar counter and tuck into the Korean-accented edibles here. First timers – even 51st timers – should start with an order of succulent, melt-on-your-palate pork buns (so popular they're not even listed on the menu anymore) before moving on to the signature pork-filled Momofuku Ramen. Bring a group of your friends and indulge in the fun-sized fried chicken feast, complete with mu shu pancakes, vegetables, and sauces (make sure you  reserve that in advance).

Contact: 00 1 212 777 7773; momofuku.com
Prices: ££
Opening times: Sun-Thu, 12pm-11pm; Fri-Sat, 12pm-1am
Nearest metro: First Ave.
Reservations: Recommended

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Somtum Der

A Bangkok import, this East Village Thai joint opened up just when the craze for the cuisine of Isaan, a region in northeast Thailand, was revving up in Gotham City. And Somtum Der does it the very well. So much so, that this casual spot was awarded a Michelin star. You won't find any pad Thai or tom yum soup on the menu here. The namesake, somtum, a spicy green papaya salad, is a must, followed by one of the handful of versions of larb, a meaty-and-veg concoction that will further set your palate ablaze with fiery south-east Asian goodness.

Contact: 00 1 212 260 8570; somtumdernewyork.com
Prices: £
Opening times: Sun-Thu, 12pm-10:30pm; Fri-Sat, 12pm-11pm
Nearest metro: First Ave.
Reservations: Not necessary

Somtum Der, New York
This East Village Thai joint is a popular spot for authentic regional Thai food and has a Michelin star

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Greenwich Village

Té Company

When is a tea room not a tea room? On the surface, this diminutive, somewhat-hidden-in-plain-sight, tea-centric place seems to be what you'd expect. Elena Liao offers dozens of expertly sourced oolong teas from Taiwan, some of which are hard to find outside of Asia. But then you look at the edible options. Her husband, Portuguese-born Frederico Ribeiro, an erstwhile sous chef at lauded Per Se, makes daily sweet and savoury snacks that tend to be utterly transcendent. Ribeiro cooks what is in season and his mood determines, but generally expect Iberian and Taiwanese creations.

Contact:te-nyc.com
Prices: £
Opening times: See website
Nearest metro: Christopher St.
Reservations: Walk-ins only

Té Company, New York
Seek out Té Company for dozens of expertly sourced oolong teas

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Tomoe Sushi

Queuing up outside this Greenwich Village sushi staple is all part of the experience. Locals cast their taste buds to Tomoe to get way-above-average raw fish for cheaper-than-usual prices. Order the sashimi platter for an excellent mouthful of seafood that tastes as though it has just been pulled from the sea, or opt for a smattering of classic rolls. For diners with a proclivity for cooked fish, there's plenty of that on offer as well, but that's not really the reason why people wait nightly for 30-plus minutes to land a seat inside this diminutive sushi joint.

Contact: 00 1 212 777 9346; tomoesushi.com
Prices: ££
Opening times: See website
Nearest metro: Broadway-Lafayette St.
Reservations: Walk-ins only

Tomoe Sushi, New York
Queuing up outside Tomoe Sushi is all part of the experience

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Chelsea

Legacy Records

Talented chef Ryan Hardy, who also runs the kitchens at hotspots Charlie Bird and Pasquale Jones, cooks up seaside Italian fare at this handsome Art Deco-inspired spot in the new far west Manhattan development called Hudson Yards. The cocktail programme is under the direction of Jeff Bell from lauded cocktail bar P.D.T. (stands for Please Don't Tell) and the wine is under the command of heavily awarded sommelier Arvid Rosengren. The space once housed a legendary recording studio of the same name and the art bedecking the walls reflects the musical heritage.

Contact:legacyrecordsnyc.com
Prices: £££
Opening times: Tue-Sat, 5:30pm-11pm
Nearest metro: Hudson Yards
Reservations: Recommended

Legacy Records, New York
The art on the walls at Legacy Records reflects the venue's musical heritage as a recording studio

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Los Tacos No. 1

Located in the always-bustling food-centric Chelsea Market, this taco stand offers a few different meat options but you really should only order one thing: the adobada taco, also known as al pastor, with pork cooked on a turning spit and shaved off into a tortilla. You won’t find a better version on the East Coast; you may even have to go to Mexico City to find something superior. The lack of places to remain stationary while eating is not convenient but once you bite into the tacos here, you will no longer care. 

Contact: 00 1 212 246 0343; lostacos1.com
Prices: £
Opening times: Sun, 11am-9pm; Mon-Sat, 11am-10pm
Nearest metro: 14th St./8th Ave.
Reservations: Walk-ins only

Los Tacos, New York
Los Tacos is located in the always-bustling food-centric Chelsea Market

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Flatiron

Cosme

Superstar chef Enrique Olvera has shown New Yorkers what elevated Mexican is like. The chef of world-renowned Mexico City eatery Pujol serves up comforting yet high-end takes on Mexican classics including the show-stopping must-eat duck carnitas served family-style, which requires you to get stuck into building your own tacos from the juicy duck meat and salsa. And it is essential you finish with the husk meringue with corn mousse for dessert – who knew corn could do such things. Come at lunch when there is often space for walk-ins and the prices are significantly lower.

Contact: 00 1 212 913 9659; cosmenyc.com
Prices: £££
Opening times: See website
Nearest metro: 23rd St.
Reservations: Recommended

Cosme, New York
Cosme offers comforting yet high-end takes on Mexican classics, including husk meringue with corn mousse

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Midtown West

Chefs Tables at Brooklyn Fare

This intimate 18-seat spot is somewhere between a dining room and open kitchen. Don’t be fooled by the name: the restaurant used to be located in Brooklyn but now it's in Midtown. The 15 to 20-course prix-fixe tasting menu is not cheap ($394/£280 per person) but is a worthy splurge for those who want to taste cutting-edge Brooklyn-inspired fare at its finest. The menu regularly changes but could include seafood-centric delights prepared with French flair, such as needlefish with marinated onions, or Kumamoto oyster with crème fraîche. Book six weeks ahead to have a chance at getting in.

Contact: 00 1 718 243 0050; brooklynfare.com
Prices: £££
Opening times: See website
Nearest metro: 34th St.
Reservations: Essential

An intimate, 18-seat corner kitchen in ultra-trendy Boreum Hill, on the edge of downtown
Chefs Tables at Brooklyn Fare is an intimate 18-seat corner kitchen

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Indian Accent

New York is no stranger to good Indian fare but Big Apple palates may not have been prepared when this lauded New Delhi restaurant landed here and started serving stuffed flatbreads, called kulchas, crammed with tender duck and hoisin, and fall-off-the-bone ribs brushed with a tart and subtly sweet mango sauce. The chef Manish Mehrotra's take on modern Indian cuisine will be revelatory to even the most discriminating taste buds. The dimly lit interior and understated design help put diners' attention on the plate. The two-course lunch menu is a steal of a deal.

Contact: 00 1 212 842 8070; indianaccent.com
Opening times: Mon-Sat, 12pm-2pm; 5:30-10:30pm; Sun, 5:30-10pm
Nearest metro: 5th Ave.
Price: £££
Reservations: Essential

Indian Accent, New York
Indian Accent serves Indian cuisine with a modern flare

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Keens Steakhouse

Despite its name as a steakhouse, the restaurant is famous for its tender and juicy mutton chop, a glistening hunk of mature roast lamb. Not that the steak is anything to ignore – the massive prime porterhouse is still one of the city's best cuts of beef. The walls of this 1885 restaurant are bedecked with historical relics. The upstairs Pipe Room, for example, boasts 50,000 clay pipes hanging from the ceiling, a remnant of a time when patrons would check their pipes. Today, diners can spy the smoking tools of everyone from Albert Einstein and Teddy Roosevelt to Babe Ruth.

Contact: 00 1 212 947 3636; keens.com
Prices: £££
Opening times: See website
Nearest metro: 34th St-Herald Square
Reservations: Essential

Keens Steakhouse, New York
Keens Steakhouse resembles a museum, walls coated in historical relics

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Jean-Georges

Jean-Georges, located inside Trump International Hotel at Columbus Circle, is helmed by its eponymous Alsatian-born chef, Jean-Gorges Vongerichten, who serves up Asian-inspired Gallic fare. The all-white space with floor-to-ceiling windows, sumptuous leather shell chairs, and great views of Central Park and Columbus Circle are the perfect venue in which to try dishes like the signature tuna ribbons or the outrageous crispy confit of suckling pig with smoked bacon marmalade. There are a variety of fixed-price and tasting menu options; opt for the seven-course chef's menu ($238/£169), and make a night of it.

Contact: 00 1 212 299 3900; jean-georgesrestaurant.com
Prices: £££
Opening times: Daily, 11.45am-2.30pm, 5.30pm-11pm
Nearest metro: 59th St-Columbus Circle
Reservations: Essential

Jean-Georges, New York
Try dishes like the signature tuna ribbons or the outrageous crispy confit of suckling pig with smoked bacon marmalade at Jean-Georges

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Midtown East

Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant

This sub-terrestrial seafood restaurant, situated underneath the 1913 Beaux-Arts masterpiece that is Grand Central Terminal, and clad in tiles highlighted by a brick-vaulted ceiling, might seem like an unlikely spot to go for fresh oysters and seafood, but mollusks were once as ubiquitous here as yellow taxis. There are often up to 20 different varieties of oysters on offer, all flown in from different parts of the country. And the venerable staff know their Prince Edward Islands from their Maine oysters. Come before 5pm: it’s hard to get a table or a seat the bar in rush hour.

Contact: 00 1 212 490 6650; oysterbarny.com
Prices: ££
Opening times: Mon-Sat, 11.30am-9.30pm
Nearest metro: Grand Central-42nd St.
Reservations: Recommended

Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant, New York
There are up to 20 different types of oyster on offer at Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant

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The Grill

This was once the home of the legendary Four Seasons restaurant where famed publishers and other Big Apple movers and shakers would sip their way through a triple-martini lunch in the mid-century ambience of the dining room. It's now run by the people behind Carbone, Santina, and Dirty French, among other hotspots, who reinstated its mid-century vibe and revamped the menu when they took over. The menu is classic New York City with lobster à la Newberg and pheasant Claireborne topping the menu. It's not cheap but there are few atmospheric places like this to warrant splashing the cash.

Contact: 00 1 212 375 9001; thegrillnewyork.com
Prices: £££
Opening times: Mon-Fri, 11:45-2pm; Mon-Sat, 5pm-11pm
Nearest metro: 5th Ave./53rd St. 
Reservations: Essential

The Grill, New York
The menu at The Grill is classic New York City, with lobster a la Newberg and pheasant Claireborne

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Brooklyn

Williamsburg

Lilia

Chef Miss Robbins has gone from Spiaggia in Chicago, where two of her loyal followers were Barack and Michelle Obama, and Michelin-starred acclaim at Manhattan's A Voce, to settling into this Williamsburg restaurant. In the exposed-brick setting, tuck into cacio e pepe fritelle (fried balls filled with gooey cheese and pepper), and bowls of gnocchi slathered in broccoli pesto and fettuccine intertwined with spicy lamb sausage ragú. The wine list, which leans heavily towards Italy, is a good one, but so are the cocktail offerings, including potent varieties of the Negroni and the boulevardier. 

Contact: 00 1 718 576 3095; lilianewyork.com
Prices: ££
Opening times: Daily 5:30pm-11pm
Nearest metro: Bedford Ave.
Reservations: Essential

Lilia, New York
Tuck into bowls of gnocchi slathered in broccoli pesto and fettuccine intertwined with spicy lamb sausage ragú at Lilia

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Peter Luger

Not everyone agrees that this 1887 steakhouse is the greatest in America, but chomping into a juicy hunk of beef at this amber-lit, wood-panelled gem is certainly an experience. The reason is mainly because the Forman family, owners of this institution since 1950, always get the first choice of cuts from New York's meat markets. Sit in the brass-chandeliered front room, next to politicians, mobsters, celebrities and sports stars, and let one of the famously surly bow-tied waiters tell you what you're having. Warning: it's pricey and bring cash – they do not accept credit cards.

Contact: 00 1 718 387 7400; peterluger.com
Prices: £££
Opening times: See website
Nearest metro: Broadway/Roebling St.
Reservations: Essential

Peter Luger, New York
Peter Luger is certainly the classic American steakhouse experience

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Bushwick

Roberta's

If there's an epicentre of hipster foodie-ism this Italian-accented eatery in sparse, industrial Bushwick is it. Skinny jeans-clad waiters, many sporting thick mustaches and retro ironic eyewear, deliver good thin-crust pizza, hearty bowls of oxtail ragu pasta, and plates of grilled seasonal vegetables. The multi-room space includes an outdoor seating area for the warm-weather months as well as the upscale and acclaimed sibling restaurant, Blanca, right next door. The small bar area is a convivial place to park yourself for the night whilst grazing on Italian snacks and sipping cocktails.

Contact: 00 1 718 417 1118; robertaspizza.com
Prices: ££
Opening times: Mon-Fri, 11am-12am, Sat-Sun, 10am-12am
Nearest metro: L to Morgan Ave. 
Reservations: Not necessary

Roberta's, New York
If there's an epicentre of hipster foodie-ism then Roberta's is it

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Carroll Gardens

Lucali

Owner and Carroll-Gardens local Mark Lacono makes the pies here himself from behind an open-plan kitchen: think thin, crispy crust, with a simple sweet homemade tomato base, melting mozzarella, and dash of fresh basil leaves. Expect a wait (there's a perpetual queue) but when you've finally got a coveted spot, sit back, chat to your neighbours over candlelit tables, and pretend you've been invited into someone's home. Jay Z and Beyoncé are regulars and trek over from Manhattan to taste the goodness. It's bring your own, so get a bottle of wine from nearby Scotto's Wine Cellar.

Contact: 00 1 718 858 4086; lucali.com
Prices: £
Opening times: Wed-Mon, 6pm-11pm
Nearest metro: Carroll St
Reservations: Not possible

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Columbia Waterfront District

Pok Pok NY

Andy Ricker has spent years living in and travelling around Thailand, learning the secrets behind Thai cuisine. He opened his first restaurant in Portland, Oregon, and it was such a hit he opened a second in Brooklyn. Ricker is devoted to serving dishes exactly how he learned them from village elders and untrammelled roadside stands in Thailand. Dishes are served street-style in plastic bowls or metal plates, but you can also get finely crafted cocktails. Order the Hoi Thawt – crispy crêpe filled with mussels, egg, garlic and chives or the whole-roasted chicken stuffed with lemongrass, pepper, cilantro, and garlic.

Contact: 00 1 718 923 9322; pokpokny.com
Prices: £
Opening times: Mon-Fri, 5.30pm-10pm; Sat, Sun, 12pm-10pm
Nearest metro: Bergen St.
Reservations: Walk-ins only

Pok Pok NY, New York - Credit: DANIEL KRIEGER PHOTOGRAPHY/DANIEL KRIEGER
At Pok Pok NY, chef Andy Ricker serves dishes he learned from the villages in Thailand, street-style Credit: DANIEL KRIEGER PHOTOGRAPHY/DANIEL KRIEGER

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Queenswoodside

Sripraphai

For years, Queens in general, and Sripraphai in particular, has been the main place to go in Gotham for high-quality, authentic Thai cuisine. So much so, the owners opened up two new locations in Williston Park and Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Pronounced 'see-pra-pie', the cult eatery offers standards like pad Thai, as well as some lesser sought fare, such as fried softshell crab and pumpkin wading in a green curry. The original drab interior has had an overhaul, but the garden, with its Asian umbrellas, potted plants and bubbling fountain, is the place to be. Bring cash – they do not accept credit cards.

Contact: 00 1 718 899 9599; sripraphai.com
Prices: £
Opening times: Thu-Tue, 11.30am-9.30pm; closed Wed
Nearest metro: 69th St./Fisk Ave. 
Reservations: Walk-ins only

Sripraphai, New York
Sripraphai does Thai standards like pad thai, as well as some lesser sought fare, like fried softshell crab and pumpkin

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The Bronx

Mario's Restaurant

Few visitors know that the real Little Italy is in Bronx. After strolling Arthur Avenue, lined with scores of Italian bakeries, restaurants, coffee bars and fine-food delis, grab a table at 100-year-old Mario's, a true red-sauce joint if there ever was one. The style is over the top: white columns, paintings of the Old Country and waiters in tuxes humming Dean Martin tunes. The kitchen is famous for its Neapolitan fare, including stuffed clams and more varieties of veal than should be legal. Try the veal scaloppine alla pizzaiola with a glass of Barolo.

Contact: 00 1 718 584 1100; mariosrestarthurave.com
Prices: £
Opening times: Tue-Thu, Sun, 12pm-9.30pm; Fri, Sat, 12pm-10.30pm
Nearest metro: Fordham Rd.
Reservations: Recommended

Mario's, New York
The style at Mario's Restaurant is over the top

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