I organized this by where you will actually be. Because if you just finished three hours at the Met, you do not want to hear about a restaurant near Columbus Circle. You want something close. So here is exactly where to eat near Central Park based on where you are standing.
Near the Natural History Museum and Upper West Side
This is my side of the park. The UWS from about 72nd to 96th has some of the best casual eating in the city, and all of it is a five-minute walk from a park entrance.
Jacob’s Pickles
SoHo-Bookmarc-8968-683x1024.jpgBookmarc · SoHo
Giant portions of Southern comfort food on Amsterdam Ave between 84th and 85th. The biscuits are the size of your head and they come with honey butter that will ruin all other biscuits for you. I come here when I want to eat my feelings after a long walk through the park. Get the fried chicken or the biscuit sandwich. Cash or card, no reservations, expect a wait on weekends but it moves fast.
509 Amsterdam Ave. 1 train to 86th St. $$
Pecora Bianca
Italian that feels like a date night even if you are in sneakers from the park. The pastas are housemade and genuinely excellent. The cacio e pepe is my regular order but the seasonal specials are always worth asking about. Great ambiance, good wine list, and they take reservations which is rare around here.
Columbus Ave near 72nd. 1/2/3 to 72nd St. $$
Daily Provisions
Danny Meyer’s casual breakfast and lunch spot. The egg sandwich is perfect. Not revolutionary, just perfectly executed every single time. The cruller is also famous for a reason. Great for a quick bite before heading into the park. No seating drama, just order at the counter and go.
375 Amsterdam Ave. 1 train to 79th St. $
The Mermaid Inn
Seafood that makes you forget you are in Manhattan. The lobster roll is the reason I come but the raw bar is also excellent. There is a happy hour deal that is one of the best on the UWS. Casual New England vibe without being kitschy about it.
570 Amsterdam Ave. 1 train to 86th St. $$
Sal and Carmine’s
One of my favorite slices in the entire city and I do not say that lightly. Get the cheese. Just the cheese. It is a perfect New York slice. No frills, no fancy toppings, just incredible crust and sauce. This is what pizza should taste like. Tiny shop, cash only vibes, eat standing up or take it to a park bench.
2671 Broadway (near 102nd). 1 train to 103rd St. $
Near the Met and Museum Mile (Upper East Side)
Museum Mile runs along Fifth Avenue from about 82nd to 105th. After a few hours at the Met or the Guggenheim, you need food. Here is where I go.
Leo Cafe
A neighborhood gem that most tourists walk right past. Simple Italian with great sandwiches and pastries. Perfect for a quick lunch between museums. Nothing fancy, just really well-made food at reasonable prices in a neighborhood where that is hard to find.
Madison Ave near 83rd. 4/5/6 to 86th St. $
PopUp Bagels
Pop-Up-Bagels-1007459-1-684x1024.jpgPop-Up Bagels · Upper East Side
Some of the best bagels in New York City and yes I will fight about it. The cream cheese is absurd in the best way. There is always a line and it is always worth it. Grab a bagel and walk two blocks to Central Park. That is the perfect UES morning right there.
1604 First Ave (near 83rd). 4/5/6 to 86th St. $
Milano Market
A couple extra blocks from Museum Mile but worth every step. Italian deli with sandwiches that are stacked impossibly high with the best cold cuts. The mozzarella is made in-house. Get the Italian combo and find a bench. This is the kind of place where you feel like you discovered something that the guidebooks missed.
2278 First Ave. 6 to 86th St. $
Near Columbus Circle and the Plaza
The-Plaza-Hotel--683x1024.jpgThe Plaza Hotel · Midtown Manhattan
I am going to be honest. If you are right at the Plaza and Central Park South, your options are limited without walking a bit. Most of what is immediately around there is overpriced hotel dining or chain restaurants pretending to be fancy. Here is what I actually recommend.
Liberty Bagels
Not going to change your life but it is a solid, reliable bagel in an area where that is surprisingly hard to find. Good cream cheese selection, fast service, reasonable prices. If you are near Midtown and need a quick breakfast before hitting the park from the south entrance, this gets the job done.
Multiple Midtown locations. $
Lenwich
Good sandwiches. Genuinely good. I feel slightly guilty recommending a chain-ish spot but the reality is that if you are near the Plaza, your options are a $45 hotel club sandwich or this. Lenwich is consistent, fast, and will not make you feel like you wasted a New York meal. Get the turkey avocado.
Multiple Midtown locations. $
North End of the Park (110th and Above)
Most people never make it up here and they are missing out. The north end of Central Park connects to some amazing Harlem eating.
Bo’s Bagels
A bit out of the way but genuinely some of the best bagels in NYC. I am not exaggerating. Hand-rolled, kettle-boiled, everything a New York bagel should be. Worth the detour from the north end of the park. Get the everything bagel with scallion cream cheese and you will understand why people make the trip.
235 W 116th St. B/C to 116th St. $
Banh
Vietnamese food that is worth walking for. The pho is exceptional and the banh mi is exactly what you want after a long park walk. Casual, friendly, affordable. One of those places that makes you feel like you know a neighborhood secret.
2667 Broadway (near 101st). 1 train to 103rd St. $
Malecon
Dominican restaurant that has been feeding the neighborhood for decades. The rotisserie chicken is legendary. It comes with rice and beans and tostones and you will not need to eat again for a very long time. This is the kind of NYC food experience you do not get in Midtown. It is real and it is outstanding.
4141 Broadway (at 175th). A to 175th St. $
The Quick Version
If you are mid-park-walk and starving and just need an answer right now. UWS, grab a slice from Sal and Carmine’s. UES, PopUp Bagels. Columbus Circle, Lenwich. North end, Bo’s Bagels. Or just get a hot dog from a cart and stop overthinking it.
I’d love to hear from you. Where do you eat near Central Park? Drop your go-to spot in the comments. I am always looking to add to this list.
Tavern on the Green is the most well-known sit-down restaurant inside the park but I find it overpriced for what you get. The Loeb Boathouse is seasonal and the setting on the lake is beautiful but the food is nothing special. Honestly, your best bet is to walk one or two blocks outside the park to the UWS or UES neighborhoods where the real food is.
Leo Cafe on Madison Ave is a great quick lunch. PopUp Bagels on First Ave has incredible bagels worth the walk. Milano Market on First Ave makes amazing Italian sandwiches. If you want a nicer sit-down meal, Cafe Sabarsky inside the Neue Galerie at 86th and Fifth has Viennese pastries and coffee surrounded by Klimt paintings.