Bobby Flay knows a thing or two about the New York City food scene. The celebrity chef was born and raised in the city, after all, and got his first job in the food industry at Joe Allen’s restaurant. After learning the ropes at the NYC establishment, he received a spot at the prestigious French Culinary Institute, before eventually opening his first restaurant in the city, Mesa Grill. Clearly, Flay is well-acquainted with New York’s culinary landscape — so it’s no surprise he has a number of favorites restaurants in the Big Apple, as well.
Although he’s known for imparting a southwestern flare to many of his recipes (along with his Food Network stardom), New York City seems to be Flay’s culinary center of gravity all the same. With that in mind, let’s take a look at what we can learn from him when it comes to picking a restaurant in the city that never sleeps. Here are Bobby Flay’s favorite spots in NYC.
Estiatorio Milos
Estiatorio Milos is known for having some truly expensive dishes on its menu. But as Bobby Flay said on “Elvis Duran and the Morning Show” in 2022, “If you want good-quality, high-end cuisine, you’re gonna have to pay for it.”
The menu at Estiatorio Milos is driven by fresh fish flown in from the Mediterranean. The restaurant utilizes a fish market model (similar to what Flay himself offers at his Las Vegas restaurant, Amalfi) that allows diners to pick out their own fish, which the chef then cooks to their liking. Given this setup, it’s no wonder Flay called Estiatorio Milos one of his favorites in NYC.
Multiple locations
Blue Ribbon Brasserie
As noted on “The Flay List” — a series where Bobby Flay and his daughter, Sophie, roam around New York City dining at various restaurants — the chef spent a lot of time at Blue Ribbon in the early days of his career. This was, in part, because the restaurant serves such great fried chicken.
Indeed, the restaurant claims that its fried chicken is beloved worldwide. Now, we can’t say whether or not this is the case, but we do know Bobby Flay greatly enjoys it. Frankly, that’s enough for us to want to visit the place the next time we’re in the mood for fried chicken (and in NYC, of course).
(212) 274-0404
97 Sullivan St
New York, NY 10012
Los Tacos No. 1
Bobby Flay may be a classically trained, James Beard Award-winning chef. But that doesn’t mean he can’t enjoy a meal sold on the opposite end of the fine dining spectrum — as long as it’s good food made with high-quality ingredients. Los Tacos No.1 is one such place, and it’s widely considered to have some of the best tacos in NYC.
Flay seems to prefer the Chelsea Market location (which happens to be right downstairs from the Food Network studios). He’s not alone in thinking this place is great, either. It’s been featured on New York Magazine’s Thousand Best guide to the city’s restaurants, which extols the location’s taco fillings and house-made corn tortillas (among other highlights).
Multiple locations
Balthazar
It’s no secret that Bobby Flay likes Balthazar. On more than one occasion, he’s mentioned how much he enjoys the place — especially its french fries. In fact, in a 2019 Facebook video, he declared the restaurant’s fries are “unbelievably perfect.” More than that, he stated Balthazar has “the best french fries, hands down.”
As the video explains, the restaurant uses Idaho potatoes, passes them through a cutter, then soaks them overnight to reduce the starch. Finally, the potatoes are blanched in peanut oil, at which point they’re ready to go back into the fryer to become crispy when ordered.
(212) 965-1414
80 Spring St
New York, NY 10012
Wolfgang’s Steakhouse
As seen on “The Flay List,” Bobby Flay enjoys the classic steakhouse vibe, which is why Wolfgang’s Steakhouse is among his favorite NYC spots. Flay likes to head there whenever he’s in the mood for a good slab of meat because it offers a simple yet phenomenally prepared meal. In fact, he doesn’t even need to look at a menu to know what to order (though you should feel free to peruse the menu if desired when you head to the restaurant).
In terms of steaks, Flay seems to prefer the porterhouse. While you could stick with Flay’s order — which includes a chopped salad, shrimp cocktail, creamed spinach, and hash-brown potatoes — there’s an extensive list of exceptionally good food beyond beef at Wolfgang’s Steakhouse. Whatever the case, be sure to bring your appetite.
Multiple locations
J. G. Melon
J.G. Melon is widely known for serving up some of the best burgers in New York City, and Bobby Flay is more aware of that than most. In fact, when appearing on an episode of “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” in 2010, he stated he prefers a cheeseburger from J.G. Melon over any other burger in the city.
That is true dedication — and he’s even reiterated this point during an episode of “The Flay List,” as well. Of course, as delicious as J.G. Melon’s burgers are, other items on the menu can be just as enticing. This includes the chili cup or turkey club sandwich, menu items that likely helped it make the Michelin Guide.
(212) 744-0585
1291 3rd Ave
New York, NY 10021
Una Pizza Napoletana
At Una Pizza Napoletana, you can expect a Naples-style pizza, which Bobby Flay described as the type of pizza people might cut with a knife and fork in a March 2024 Instagram video. Furthermore, he went on to say that the establishment’s owner, Anthony Mangieri, “makes probably the best Naples style pizza on this side of Naples.”
In other words, if you were planning on taking a trip to Naples just for pizza, you can save yourself some pennies and head down to Orchard Street in New York instead. Indeed, the pizzas at Una Pizza Napoletana are very much what you might get at a pizza spot in Italy. This includes a margherita pizza with San Marzano tomatoes (which are the best tomatoes for making sauce), as well as a filetti option, which comes with cherries tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella DOP.
(646) 476-4457
175 Orchard St
New York, NY 10002
ABC Cocina
Bobby Flay told the Hollywood Reporter in 2014 that ABC Cocina has a “very fresh take on modern Latin food” — which is a likely reason why he included it among his favorite NYC-based spots. The restaurant focuses on using fresh, local ingredients, after all, in a concerted effort to serve up dishes that are informed by the season at hand.
However, that’s not the restaurant’s only top-tier pedigree. Its owner is none other than legendary New York restaurateur, Jean-Georges Vongerichten (who heads up the kitchen with Phil Suarez). Some popular dishes include a wide variety of tacos, empanadas, and arroz con pollo with crackling skin. Also, if you can avoid it, don’t skip out on the cocktails sold at ABC Cocina, either.
(212) 677-2233
38 E 19th St
New York, NY 10003
Buddakan
Being a New York City boy, many of Bobby Flay’s favorite restaurant picks appear to be, in part, nostalgic spots that bring him back to times gone by. One of these is Buddakan. Now, despite not being around back when he was growing up, the restaurant seems to recall a special time for Flay from his childhood, when his family would partake in fancy Chinese food dinners on Sunday.
While numerous Chinese restaurants of his youth are long gone from New York City in the 2020s, Buddakan has filled the gap for Flay, and become one of his favorite food spots. It may not be as authentic as some places in Chinatown. But as the celebrity chef told the Hollywood Reporter in 2014, “if I want a delicious Peking duck, I go there.”
(212) 989-6699
75 9th Ave
New York, NY 10011
Daniel
Even for a New York City-based establishment, Daniel is as fancy and elegant as it gets. The flagship restaurant of acclaimed chef Daniel Boulud has thrived for three decades and boasts a private room that can accommodate up to 150 diners, a world-class wine cellar, and an ornate dining room that is almost as grand as the food. In fact, Bobby Flay likes Daniel so much that he actually got married there.
Now, it’s unclear whether the whole kit and caboodle took place at the restaurant, but we can be fairly certain that at least the reception was held there. Either way, the restaurant is unlikely to ever slink into the background. Daniel has been well-regarded around the city for decades and should remain a favorite of critics (and Flay) in the future.
(212) 288-0033
60 E 65th St
New York, NY 10065
Joe’s Pizza
In a March 2024 Instagram video, Bobby Flay gave us a comprehensive list of his favorite pizza restaurants in New York City. Joe’s Pizza, a longstanding institution, stood out, mainly because Flay called it a “classic, classic, classic pizza” — so classic he had to say the word multiple times.
There’s probably a good reason for this. The “Joe” of Joe’s pizza — who opened the restaurant back in 1975 after arriving from Naples — still owns and operates the establishment. Additionally, since NYC is a place where pizza restaurants are constantly upping the ante with creative toppings and outlandish crust recipes, it’s nice to know there’s still a spot where you can get a nice, plain, delicious — and, indeed, classic — slice of pizza.
Multiple locations
Marea
In Italian, “marea” means “tide.” This makes sense for a restaurant Bobby Flay called “Italian seafood in the highest style” when speaking with the Hollywood Reporter in 2014, adding he goes to Marea when he wants “really refined fish.” Not only is the fish there refined, but varied, as well.
While you’d expect to see tuna or bass at a fish-forward restaurant, how often do you also run into razor clams and sea urchin? One of the perks of Marea is that everything on its menu is good — not just the fish. This includes a fine cut of sirloin beef that’s served with little gem lettuce and bone marrow panzanella.
(212) 582-5100
240 Central Park S
New York, NY 10019
Masa
Masa is known for being one of New York’s most expensive restaurants. Frankly, this may be why Bobby Flay has previously mentioned it’s worth visiting this establishment, even if it’s a single time each year. Indeed, once a year is probably what most people can afford (if that). A meal for just one person at Masa can easily cost $1,000 or more — and that’s without any alcohol included.
If that price tag seems too high — which is fair, since it’s well beyond what most other high-end NYC restaurants charge — you can sample the talents of chef Masayoshi Takayama at his next-door establishment, called Bar Masa. Though it’s also very pricey, Bar Masa offers an a la carte menu, so you can at least keep the tab at a more reasonable level.
(212) 823-9800
10 Columbus Cir, 4th Fl
New York, NY 10019
Mighty Quinn’s Barbecue
New York City has a very respectable barbecue scene, especially for anyone willing to venture to its outer boroughs. So if Bobby Flay says somewhere has “the best barbecue in New York,” which is how he described Mighty Quinn’s Barbecue in 2014 to the Hollywood Reporter? You know it’s not to be taken lightly.
This restaurant first gained prominence at the Smorgasbord, an outdoor market located in Williamsburg that has been a launching pad for many food businesses. The barbecue joint soon established its original brick and mortar location in the East Village, which was quickly followed by a slew of others, including one inside Madison Square Garden. You can’t go wrong with ordering anything meaty here, but the brisket is especially good.
Multiple locations
Scarr’s Pizza
Bobby Flay has so much confidence in the talent of the pizzaioli at Scarr’s Pizza that he was willing to endorse the restaurant before he’d even visited its current location. Of course, since it was merely a new building near the restaurant’s old location, the celebrity chef had good reason to believe the newer Scarr’s remained among his favorite NYC pizza spots.
The tomato sauce on its pizzas is made with locally sourced tomatoes, while the flour used in the crust is milled in-house. Although these may sound like buzzwords to some, such qualities do tend to yield tastier food — and that seems to be what’s going on at Scarr’s Pizza.
(212) 334-3481
35 Orchard St
New York, NY 10002
Morandi
Bobby Flay likes Morandi so much he’s willing to walk some ways to get there, regardless of the time of day. After all, as he told the Hollywood Reporter in 2014, “It’s a long walk from my apartment, but my wife and I like to go for lunch, brunch, or dinner.”
For any fans of Balthazar — which obviously includes Bobby Flay — a visit to Morandi is a natural progression when making one’s way through New York’s dining scene. The restaurant is operated by none other than Keith McNally, who also brought us Balthazar and Pastis. So expect a modern bistro feel with reliably good food at relatively approachable prices (for New York City).
(212) 627-7575
211 Waverly Pl
New York, NY 10014
Motorino
If you like Neapolitan-style pizza (which tends to be pretty flat and wet in the middle, and puffy and chewy on the crust), Motorino won’t disappoint. That’s the word according to Bobby Flay, at least, which is what makes it one of his favorite food spots in NYC.
Flay has noted he particularly enjoys its brussels sprout pizza — a white pizza with mozzarella, smoked pancetta, brussels sprouts leaves, garlic, and pecorino — and the soppressata, which comes with tomato sauce, mozzarella, soppressata, chili flakes, and oregano. Now, the latter pie is deemed spicy. However, if adventure is what you seek, know that it also comes in a super spicy version (though we can’t say which version Flay prefers).
Multiple locations
Roberta’s
Roberta’s is a New York pizza institution, so it’s no surprise it would feature on a list of restaurants favored by a born and bred New Yorker like Bobby Flay. Of course, the restaurant’s Bee Sting pizza stands out among its options. “I’m addicted to it,” Flay told the Hollywood Reporter in 2014, “it’s got this hot-sweet thing.” That description makes sense given the pizza is made with chili, honey, tomatoes, mozzarella, soppressata, and basil.
Roberta’s is known for more than just great pizza, though. It also famously boasts its own garden, in which it grows about 20% of the ingredients it serves in the restaurant. So if you want to partake in local produce, you don’t have to travel all the way to the countryside to do so.
Multiple locations
L’Industrie
It’s probably a safe bet to assume that if Bobby Flay likes a pizza so much he’s willing to keep going back for more, it’s pretty good. On that note, as he said on Instagram in March 2024, “The pizza that I’ve been eating the most in Manhattan right now is L’industrie … those boys are killing it.”
But pizza is not the only delectable perk offered at this inventive eatery. They also provide soft serve gelato, which is not something you see every day. In other words, if you want great pizza and delicious gelato all in one spot, this is the place to go.
(718) 599-0002
254 S 2nd St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Lucali
Lucali is hardly some secret pizza place people have never heard of. After all, the restaurant was included on Tasting Table’s ranking of the absolute best pizzas in New York. But it doesn’t hurt that Bobby Flay also endorses it as one of his favorites in the city.
Now, while Flay noted the pizza is delicious in a March 2024 Instagram video, he also highlighted the restaurant’s owner, Mark Iacono, who “rolls the pizzas out in his white t-shirt, he’s got the wine bottle, candlelight.” Of course, you don’t have to know the owner to dine there. You can still eat Lucali’s fantastic pizzas — rolled out with a wine bottle — whether you’re friends with the owner or not.
(718) 858-4086
575 Henry St
Brooklyn, NY 11231
Fini
Bobby Flay hasn’t had much to say about this relatively new pizza restaurant in New York City. However, he has mentioned Fini by name in the past and stated it serves up good pizza — which is high praise coming from a chef of Flay’s stature.
Expect a neighborhood pizza joint with various slices sold at a set price — a similar concept to the old (and very New York) $1-a-slice shops that are nearing extinction due to inflation. However, the toppings can differ quite a bit from the standard at times, with Fini being known to include the occasional nduja or lemon zest topping.
Multiple locations
This article was originally published by a www.tastingtable.com . Read the Original article here. .