Koloman serves decadent, inventive Viennese food with a French twist in the Ace Hotel. The open kitchen gives major Ratatouille vibes, the service is tight, and every dish has a surprising element, from a tartare of celery root to a crème brulée made with duck egg. Come hungry, and order at least two things from every section of the menu. Don’t skip the whole roasted chicken, which is dry-aged for over 90 days and served with the lightest, fluffiest, butteriest spätzle we’ve ever had.

The menu at this Italian spot from Danny Meyer centers around live-fire cooking, but your focus should be on the breads and pastas. Always start with the melty caramelized onion torta, then order the rabbit stracci or the slightly spicy cavatelli with lobster. In the Manhattan West complex, just a short walk from Penn Station, Ci Siamo feels like checking into a nice, glitzy hotel in Milan. Despite the massive space, it can still be tough to get a table—so make a reservation in advance.

Also in Manhattan West, this upscale Mediterranean spot from the team behind Don Angie and Quality Eats has creative food and big, shareable portions. Bring a group of friends for some lamb tartare, duck borek, and crispy manti stuffed with spiced beef. The high-ceilinged, glamorous dining room has a socialites-in-evening-wear grandness about it, but you’ll still feel right at home doing a casual get-together here.

To get to Sushi 35 West, you’ll walk into a smoke shop a couple blocks north of Penn Station, turn right, and head up a grungy industrial staircase, at which point you’ll arrive in what feels like a freight elevator hallway. Yes, you’re in the right place. Here, you’ll find some of the best takeout sushi we’ve ever had. Try the $22 lunch set that comes with six nigiri and a roll, or get one of the donburi options. The quality of the nigiri is as good as many omakase-style spots.

Our go-to KBBQ spot in K-Town is Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong, but if the wait there is too long, this spot (right next door) is a great backup. Love Korean is a fun three-story place with spinning rainbow lights, a bar in the basement, and DJs every weekend after 6pm. Order one of the combos ($109 to $269) that come with a cornucopia of vegetables to throw on the grill. Add peppery japchae and custardy truffled steamed egg. We’d come here just for those two things.

​​Tengri Tagh, located four blocks from MSG, is one of the few Uyghur restaurants in NYC. Grab a seat in the long narrow dining room and get a filling meal by ordering a couple of our favorite dishes: a lamb and cumin bun, and the chili oil-infused pearl noodles. The chopped pearl noodles look like little kernels of corn, and come with peppers, onions, and tingly lamb. This spot stands out in a sea of chain restaurants and forgettable delis, so start memorizing the menu if you work nearby.

Woorijip is a New York City institution, and it’s where you should head for a quick grab-and-go meal around 32nd Street. While it previously featured a buffet setup, the brightly lit space now looks like a bookstore—but instead of beach reads, the shelves are stacked with packages of satisfying, homestyle Korean food. There’s kimbap, fried chicken, bulgogi, mackerel, japchae, and roughly a million other things, most of which cost less than $10.

It’s so packed at this bagel spot on 35th that there’s someone who’s dedicated to managing the ever-present line like a traffic cop. The bagels here are nice and crispy on the outside and pleasantly chewy on the inside, and they have a ton of interesting cream cheese flavors. Oreo might sound gimmicky, but if you like sweet cream cheese, you’ll love it. For a unique savory option, go for a jalapeño everything bagel with chipotle cream cheese.

There are other things on the menu at this Korean spot on 32nd, but it’s a bulgogi house run by bulgogi specialists, so your choice is pretty much made. The bulgogi here is different than at other Korean BBQ spots—it’s piled on a copper vessel, and cooked in a sweet and peppery soy broth at your table. Get a smaller portion for a casual meal, or a larger one for a group dinner that’ll result in a slew of empty soju bottles, and a spur-of-the-moment ticket purchase to Madison Square Garden.

When José Andrés isn’t busy trying to save the world, he’s opening restaurants like Zaytinya (a DC import) in the Ritz-Carlton. The spacious setting, with its blue and white accents and indoor trees, will make you feel like you’re at a seaside resort, even if it's the dead of winter. Start with the soujouk pide topped with a 65-degree egg, then prioritize the seafood mezze like the smoky grilled octopus and chilled, sweet shrimp in a creamy mustard sauce.