The Best Places to Eat and Drink in New York | Lower East Side

1. • Dhamaka 86

   • Memorable Indian Restaurant
   
   

   1. Michelin Guide
      Bib Gourmand

   2. 2022 James Beard Awards
      Best Chef: New York State, Chintan Pandya | Winner

   3. 2022 James Beard Awards
      Best New Restaurant | Nominee

   
   

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   • 119 Delancey St, New York, NY | Manhattan
   • Website
   • Instagram

2. • Bar Contra 80

   • Experimental Cocktail Bar
   
   

   1. 50 Best
      North America's 50 Best Bars | #98

   2. 2025 Spirited Awards
      Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar – U.S. East | Regional Top 10 Honoree

   3. The Infatuation
      The Best Cocktail Bars in NYC

   
   

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   • 138 Orchard St, New York, NY | Manhattan
   • Website
   • Instagram

3. • Dirt Candy 78

   • Whimsical Vegetarian Vegan Tasting
   
   

   1. Michelin Guide
      1 Star

   2. 2022 James Beard Awards
      Best Chef: New York State, Amanda Cohen | Nominee

   3. 2023 James Beard Awards
      Best Chef: New York State, Amanda Cohen | Nominee

   
   

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   • 86 Allen St, New York, NY | Manhattan
   • Website
   • Instagram

4. • Bar Belly 75

   • Buzzing Cocktail Bar
   
   

   1. 2024 Spirited Awards
      Best U.S. Cocktail Bar – U.S. East | Regional Honoree

   2. 2024 Spirited Awards
      Best U.S. Bar Team – U.S. East | Regional Honoree

   3. 2024 Spirited Awards
      Best U.S. Bar Team – U.S. East | Regional Honoree

   
   

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   • 14B Orchard St, New York NY | Manhattan
   • Website
   • Instagram

5. • Una Pizza Napoletana 75

   • Famed Neapolitan Pizza Shop
   
   

   1. 50 Top Pizza
      50 Top Pizza USA 2025 | #1

   2. Time Out
      The 34 best restaurants in NYC right now | #25

   3. The New York Times
      The 100 Best Restaurants in New York City

   
   

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   • 175 Orchard St, New York, NY | Manhattan
   • Website
   • Instagram

6. • Scarr’s Pizza 71

   • Hypebeasty NY-Style Slice Shop
   
   

   1. 50 Top Pizza
      50 Top Pizza Slice USA 2025 | #13

   2. 2024 James Beard Awards
      Best Chef: New York State, Scarr Pimentel | Semifinalist

   3. Time Out
      The 34 best restaurants in NYC right now | #29

   
   

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   • 35 Orchard St, New York, NY | Manhattan
   • Website
   • Instagram

7. • Russ & Daughters 66

   • Old-School Jewish Appetizing Shop
   
   

   1. Michelin Guide
      Bib Gourmand

   2. BagelUp
      The Definitive 30 Best Bagel Shops in New York City | #4

   3. Eater New York
      The Best Classic Restaurants in NYC

   
   

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   • 127 Orchard St, New York, NY | Manhattan
   • Website
   • Instagram

8. • Eel Bar 65

   • Moody Basque/French (Southern) Restaurant
   
   

   1. Esquire
      The Best Martinis in America, 2024 | Wet Martini

   2. Time Out
      The 34 best restaurants in NYC right now | #19

   3. The New York Times
      Here Are Our Top New York Dishes of 2024 | Potato Salad With Trout Roe

   
   

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   • 252 Broome St, New York, NY | Manhattan
   • Website
   • Instagram

9. • Russ & Daughters 61

   • Old-School Jewish Appetizing Shop
   
   

   1. BagelUp
      The Definitive 30 Best Bagel Shops in New York City | #4

   2. Time Out
      The 18 best bagels in NYC

   3. The New York Times
      The 16 Best Bagels in New York City Right Now

   
   

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   • 179 E Houston St, New York, NY | Manhattan
   • Website
   • Instagram

10. • Supermoon Bakehouse 61

    • Flawless Bakery
    
    

    1. The Infatuation
       The Best Bakeries in NYC

    2. The Infatuation
       The Best Croissants In NYC

    3. Eater New York
       The Best Croissants in NYC

    
    

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    • 120 Rivington St, New York, NY | Manhattan
    • Website
    • Instagram

11. • Sami & Susu 55

    • Fun Mediterranean Wine Bar
    
    

    1. Michelin Guide
       Bib Gourmand

    2. World Culinary Awards
       North America's Best Mediterranean Cuisine Restaurant 2025 | Nominee

    
    

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    • 190 Orchard St, New York, NY | Manhattan
    • Website
    • Instagram

12. • Ernesto’s 48

    • Bustling Basque Restaurant
    
    

    1. Michelin Guide
       Selected Restaurants

    2. USA Today
       Restaurants of the Year 2024

    3. The New York Times
       The Restaurant List, 2021

    
    

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    • 259 East Broadway, New York, NY | Manhattan
    • Website
    • Instagram

13. • Tigre 46

    • Impeccable Absinthe House/Oyster Bar
    
    

    1. Esquire
       The Best Bars in America 2024

    2. The Infatuation
       The Best Cocktail Bars in NYC

    
    

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    • 105 Rivington St, New York, NY | Manhattan
    • Website
    • Instagram

14. • Katz's Delicatessen 45

    • Famous Jewish Deli
    
    

    1. Michelin Guide
       Bib Gourmand

    2. The Infatuation
       25 Iconic Dishes That Define New York | Pastrami Sandwich

    
    

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    • 205 E Houston St, New York, NY | Manhattan
    • Website
    • Instagram

15. • Sixty Three Clinton 26

    • Modern American Fine Dining
    
    

    1. Michelin Guide
       1 Star

    
    

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    • 63 Clinton St, New York, NY | Manhattan
    • Website
    • Instagram

16. • Wildair 26

    • Delicious Wine Bar
    
    

    1. Wine Enthusiast
       Forward 50 Restaurants 2023

    2. Eater
       Best New Restaurants in America, 2016

    
    

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    • 142 Orchard St, New York, NY | Manhattan
    • Website
    • Instagram

17. • 8282 25

    • Modern Korean Restaurant
    
    

    1. Michelin Guide
       Bib Gourmand

    
    

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    • 84 Stanton St, New York, NY | Manhattan
    • Website
    • Instagram

18. • Saigon Social 25

    • Creative Vietnamese Comfort Food Restaurant
    
    

    1. 2022 James Beard Awards
       Best Chef: New York State, Helen Nguyen | Semifinalist

    
    

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    • 172 Orchard Street New York, NY | Manhattan
    • Website
    • Instagram

19. • PappaRich 23

    • Bold Malaysian Halal Restaurant
    
    

    1. Grub Street
       Where to Eat in April

    
    

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    • 123 Ludlow St, New York, NY | Manhattan
    • Website
    • Instagram

20. • Comal 21

    • Gorgeous Mexican/European Small-Plates Restaurant
    
    

    1. Michelin Guide
       Selected Restaurants

    
    

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    • 116 Forsyth St, New York, NY | Manhattan
    • Website
    • Instagram

21. • Elbow Bread 21

    • Exceptional Bakery
    
    

    1. The Infatuation
       The Best Bakeries in NYC

    
    

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    • 1 Ludlow St, New York, NY | Manhattan
    • Website
    • Instagram

22. • Lazy Sundaes 21

    • Sweet Korean/Taiwanese Bingsoo/Bubble Tea Shop
    
    

    1. The Infatuation
       9 Great Shaved Ice Spots In NYC

    
    

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    • 23 Clinton St, New York, NY | Manhattan
    • Website
    • Instagram

23. • Ivan Ramen 21

    • Friendly Japanese Ramen Shop
    
    

    1. Michelin Guide
       Selected Restaurants

    
    

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    • 25 Clinton St, New York, NY | Manhattan
    • Website
    • Instagram

24. • il laboratorio del gelato 20

    • Unique Gelato Shop
    
    

    1. The Infatuation
       The Best Ice Cream In NYC

    
    

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    • 188 Ludlow St, New York, NY | Manhattan
    • Website
    • Instagram

25. • Black Cat LES 20

    • 90's Coffee Shop
    
    

    1. The Infatuation
       The Best Coffee Shops In NYC

    
    

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    • 172 Rivington St, New York, NY | Manhattan
    • Website
    • Instagram

26. • Jonny’s Pizza 20

    • Old-School Pizza Shop
    
    

    1. The New York Times
       The 25 Best Pizza Places in New York Right Now

    
    

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    • 173 Orchard St, New York, NY | Manhattan
    • Website
    • Instagram

27. • Kossar's 20

    • Bagel Shop
    
    

    1. Time Out
       The 18 best bagels in NYC

    
    

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    • 367 Grand St, New York, NY | Manhattan
    • Website
    • Instagram

28. • Julia Jean’s Ice Cream 20

    • Small-Batch Ice Cream Shop
    
    

    1. The Infatuation
       The Best Ice Cream In NYC

    
    

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    • 202 Clinton St, New York, NY | Manhattan
    • Website
    • Instagram

29. • Biddrina Gelato 20

    • Life-Changing Italian Gelato Cart
    
    

    1. The Infatuation
       The Best Ice Cream In NYC

    
    

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    • 22 Orchard St, New York, NY | Manhattan
    • Website
    • Instagram

30. • Okiboru 18

    • Satisfying Japanese Ramen Shop
    
    

    1. The New York Times
       The 100 Best Restaurants in New York City

    
    

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    • 117 Orchard St, New York, NY | Manhattan
    • Website
    • Instagram