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A sandwich on a white plate with a pickle spear. — Pastrami on rye from S&P.

15 of the Hottest Lunch Spots in NYC Right Now

A Roman import, a vegetarian diner, a swanky uptown spot, and more

by Eater Staff Updated Apr 25, 2024, 12:30pm EDT

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Pastrami on rye from S&P.

| Melanie Landsman/Eater NY

by Eater Staff Updated Apr 25, 2024, 12:30pm EDT

As late-night dining kicks back into high gear and more New Yorkers return to their workplaces, the city’s second favorite off-hours meal, lunch, is making a triumphant comeback, whether enjoyed from an open office in Midtown or a takeout counter in Ridgewood. This lunchtime update includes a swanky uptown cafe, an East Village vegetarian diner, and a new Brooklyn destination that’s tough to get into for dinner.

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Cafe Boulud

The uptown revival of the swanky Cafe Boulud recently rolled out lunch, with an a la carte menu of oysters, hamachi, a salad, and mains like black truffle croque monsieur ($40), or fusilli primavera ($25 or $42). Lunch is available from noon to 2:30 p.m.

100 East 63rd Street, New York, New York 10065

Visit Website

The dining room at Cafe Boulud.

Also featured in:

Hyderabadi Zaiqa

This Midtown walk-down space shows off its specialty in the decor, with a map showing the nearly 30 regional biryanis of India. There are plenty of biryanis to choose from, including shrimp, eggs, lamb, paneer, and various vegetables — even a bright orange one that features Andhra mango pickles called avakaya. Goat dum biryani is one of the most popular options and it’s around $20.

Open in Google Maps

366 W 52nd St, New York, NY 10019

Visit Website

A pile of white and yellow rices in a metal container. — Goat biryani at Hyderabadi Zaiqa.

Also featured in:

Four Twenty Five

A new destination for the power lunch displays an intimate dining room with a floating balcony accessed by a dramatic staircase; the downstairs bar area has 45-foot ceilings and a large Larry Poons painting. Jonathan Benno works for Jean-Georges Vongerichten, celebrated in his own right. Lunch, from 11:45 a.m. to 2: 30 p.m., includes an la carte menu of juices, crudo, pastas, mains like Gruyere cheeseburger ($34), and simply prepared items ($31 to $58) such as sea bass and scallops.

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425 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022

Visit Website

A very dramatic lush bar. — The bar at Four Twenty Five.

Also featured in:

The Hottest New Restaurants in Manhattan, April 2024

Le Rock

Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson, of Tribeca’s famed French bistro Frenchette, oversee a dramatic, high-ceilinged space that makes it easy to forget you’re sitting less than a hundred yards from an ice skating rink. A la carte lunch is served Tuesday to Saturday, with a $55 prix-fixe menu as It’s open for lunch starting at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

45 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10111

Visit Website

Bison au poivre sits on a plate, slathered in orange cream peppercorn sauce; a plate of fries sit on the side. — Bison au poivre at Le Rock.

Also featured in:

Burmese Bites

Amid a Burmese restaurant boom in the city, Queens Night Market favorite, Burmese Bites, now has its own standalone venue inside Mona Kitchen, a Midtown lunch spot, just down the street from the United Nations. Owner Myo Lin Thway is cooking up chicken curry with flaky palata bread (there’s also a vegan version), shan kaukswe (rice noodles with chicken curry and pickled mustard greens), and nan gyi thoke (a rice noodle salad), as well as daily-changing specials — all available for dine-in or takeout.

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310 East 44th Street, New York, New York 10017

Visit Website

A rectangular takeout container filled with cut-up pieces of keema palata and a small container of dip nearby. — Keema palata from Burmese Bites.

S&P

There may be no better daytime restaurant than S&P, a Flatiron lunch counter that opened in the former home of Eisenberg’s. Pull up a seat at the 40-foot counter and order from a menu of sandwiches topped with chopped olives and cream cheese; tuna salad and cranberry sauce; and peanut butter and bacon. (This is a restaurant from Court Street Grocers, after all.) More standard lunch fare, including burgers and matzoh ball soup, is also on offer.

Open in Google Maps

174 5th Ave, New York, NY 10010

Visit Website

Ham, cheese, lettuce, and mayonnaise are arranged on white sandwich triangles. — A ham and cheese sandwich from S&P.

Also featured in:

Hamburger America

Hamburger expert George Motz serves one of the most talked-about-burgers in town. He recently teamed up with the team behind Schnipper’s to open this sunny yellow luncheonette. Beyond the smash burger and Motz Burger (with fried onions) available, there’s the off-menu Chester (patty melt), as well as wedges of pie, coffee, and chocolate chip cookies. If you want to sit for a more leisurely lunch at the counter as opposed to a faster meal, wait at the door versus heading up to the register to order.

51 Macdougal Street, New York, New York 10012

Visit Website

People sitting at yellow stools along a counter. — The counter at Hamburger America.

Also featured in:

Roscioli

Reservations and walk-in seating are both lunch options for the 60-seat ground-level space. A $55 prix-fixe lunch is a rotating menu that can include a Treviso salad with pine nuts and fiore Sardo, cacio e pepe suppli, and mezze maniche alla Amatriciana.

43 MacDougal St (at King St), New York, NY 10012

Visit Website

A spread from Roscioli.

Also featured in:

The Top Italian Restaurants in New York City

Superiority Burger

In the East Village in the former Odessa space, Superiority Burger started its lunch service this month, serving fries for the first time in its near-decade history. Past the fries, lunch includes tomato soup ($13) with a dab of cashew cream on top, a wedge salad ($18), daily focaccia ($7), and toasted cheese. Don’t skip the desserts.

Open in Google Maps

119 Avenue A, Manhattan, NY 10009

Visit Website

A bowl of well-browned fries sided with ketchup and mayo in small separate dishes. — The fries at Superiority Burger.

Also featured in:

Revelie Luncheonette

Revelie Luncheonette is from the team behind Raoul’s, a neighborhood stalwart known for its burgers served in short supply per night. Revelie serves an easier-to-get burger, with the option to add green chile. There’s also a terrific wedge salad, po’boy, patty melt, or crispy chicken sandwich. Bypass fries for the haystack zucchini. And in true luncheonette fashion, wash it down with a pistachio float.

179 Prince St, New York, NY 10012

Visit Website

A chocolate milkshake.

Also featured in:

16 Great Breakfast Options in Manhattan

Houseman

In Tribeca, New American Houseman, which opened in 2015, just started serving lunch that includes a chicken tomatillo soup ($21), fried tilefish sandwich with spicy mayo and pickles ($25), and a littleneck clam and potato dish ($25). Lunch is Tuesday through Friday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

508 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10013

Visit Website

A salad from Houseman.

Also featured in:

Raf's

Lunch service has begun at Raf’s, the newish cafe in the former Parisi Bakery space that’s a sibling to the Michelin-starred Musket Room. Consider the eggs in purgatory Amatriciana (with guanciale and chiles), the Iberico collar Milanese, or the dry-aged beef burger, only on the menu at lunch, Tuesday to Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. (and 3 p.m. Fridays). Prices run from $20 to $32 per dish.

Open in Google Maps

290 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10012

Visit Website

An egg baked in tomato sauce. — Eggs in Purgatory at Raf’s.

Also featured in:

Misipasta

Misipasta is the new restaurant from Missy Robbins and Sean Feeney, the owners of Brooklyn’s popular Italian spots Lilia and Misi. It’s really a pasta shop — fresh noodles, sauces, and cheeses are displayed on shelves to take home — but there are seats at two counters and more tables in the backyard. The short menu has grilled artichoke sandwiches and spaghetti with breadcrumbs, plus cocktails and wine, starting at 11 a.m. daily.

Open in Google Maps

46 Grand St, Brooklyn, NY 11249

Visit Website

A cross-section of a sandwich with grilled artichoke, hot peppers, and provolone. — The grilled artichoke sandwich at Misipasta.

Also featured in:

The Hottest New Restaurants in Brooklyn, April 2024

Super Burrito

Electric Burrito, a popular burrito shop, has a new location in Williamsburg. Its Mission-style burritos name-check the Bay Area and come stuffed with al pastor, carne asada, french fries, and more. Make one “super” by adding avocado and sour cream for two more dollars, or order a side cup of queso for dunking.

320 Bedford Ave (South 2nd and South 1st), Brooklyn, NY 11249

Visit Website

A hand holds a burrito wrapped in aluminum foil. — A burrito from Super Burrito.

Also featured in:

The Restaurants That Define Williamsburg Right Now

AbcV in the Tin Building by Jean-Georges

Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s food hall in the former Fulton Fish Market offers breakfast and lunch options to go or to stay, with stellar views from inside seating or outside facing the water. There’s lots to choose from, though consider the newly opened branch of vegetable-focused Abc-V upstairs.

96 South St, New York, NY 10038

Visit Website

The interior of a vegan restaurant on the second floor of the Tin Building features a lot of blonde wood and mid-century light fixtures. — The interior of AbcV.

Also featured in:

Sailor

Gabriel Stulman’s Brooklyn restaurant with April Bloomfield, Sailor — a neighborhood spot far from the Midtown weekday bustle — rolled out lunch in February, six months after opening, with a menu that includes a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich ($19) and striped bass with sunchokes ($33).

Open in Google Maps

228 Dekalb Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11205

Visit Website

A dining room with giant windows showing neighborhood shops and apartment houses. — Inside the dining room at Sailor.

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Cafe Boulud

100 East 63rd Street, New York, New York 10065

The uptown revival of the swanky Cafe Boulud recently rolled out lunch, with an a la carte menu of oysters, hamachi, a salad, and mains like black truffle croque monsieur ($40), or fusilli primavera ($25 or $42). Lunch is available from noon to 2:30 p.m.

100 East 63rd Street, New York, New York 10065

Visit Website

The dining room at Cafe Boulud.

Hyderabadi Zaiqa

366 W 52nd St, New York, NY 10019

This Midtown walk-down space shows off its specialty in the decor, with a map showing the nearly 30 regional biryanis of India. There are plenty of biryanis to choose from, including shrimp, eggs, lamb, paneer, and various vegetables — even a bright orange one that features Andhra mango pickles called avakaya. Goat dum biryani is one of the most popular options and it’s around $20.

Open in Google Maps

366 W 52nd St, New York, NY 10019

Visit Website

A pile of white and yellow rices in a metal container. — Goat biryani at Hyderabadi Zaiqa.

Four Twenty Five

425 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022

A new destination for the power lunch displays an intimate dining room with a floating balcony accessed by a dramatic staircase; the downstairs bar area has 45-foot ceilings and a large Larry Poons painting. Jonathan Benno works for Jean-Georges Vongerichten, celebrated in his own right. Lunch, from 11:45 a.m. to 2: 30 p.m., includes an la carte menu of juices, crudo, pastas, mains like Gruyere cheeseburger ($34), and simply prepared items ($31 to $58) such as sea bass and scallops.

Open in Google Maps

425 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022

Visit Website

A very dramatic lush bar. — The bar at Four Twenty Five.

Le Rock

45 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10111

Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson, of Tribeca’s famed French bistro Frenchette, oversee a dramatic, high-ceilinged space that makes it easy to forget you’re sitting less than a hundred yards from an ice skating rink. A la carte lunch is served Tuesday to Saturday, with a $55 prix-fixe menu as It’s open for lunch starting at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

45 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10111

Visit Website

Bison au poivre sits on a plate, slathered in orange cream peppercorn sauce; a plate of fries sit on the side. — Bison au poivre at Le Rock.

Burmese Bites

310 East 44th Street, New York, New York 10017

Amid a Burmese restaurant boom in the city, Queens Night Market favorite, Burmese Bites, now has its own standalone venue inside Mona Kitchen, a Midtown lunch spot, just down the street from the United Nations. Owner Myo Lin Thway is cooking up chicken curry with flaky palata bread (there’s also a vegan version), shan kaukswe (rice noodles with chicken curry and pickled mustard greens), and nan gyi thoke (a rice noodle salad), as well as daily-changing specials — all available for dine-in or takeout.

Open in Google Maps

310 East 44th Street, New York, New York 10017

Visit Website

A rectangular takeout container filled with cut-up pieces of keema palata and a small container of dip nearby. — Keema palata from Burmese Bites.

S&P

174 5th Ave, New York, NY 10010

There may be no better daytime restaurant than S&P, a Flatiron lunch counter that opened in the former home of Eisenberg’s. Pull up a seat at the 40-foot counter and order from a menu of sandwiches topped with chopped olives and cream cheese; tuna salad and cranberry sauce; and peanut butter and bacon. (This is a restaurant from Court Street Grocers, after all.) More standard lunch fare, including burgers and matzoh ball soup, is also on offer.

Open in Google Maps

174 5th Ave, New York, NY 10010

Visit Website

Ham, cheese, lettuce, and mayonnaise are arranged on white sandwich triangles. — A ham and cheese sandwich from S&P.

Hamburger America

51 Macdougal Street, New York, New York 10012

Hamburger expert George Motz serves one of the most talked-about-burgers in town. He recently teamed up with the team behind Schnipper’s to open this sunny yellow luncheonette. Beyond the smash burger and Motz Burger (with fried onions) available, there’s the off-menu Chester (patty melt), as well as wedges of pie, coffee, and chocolate chip cookies. If you want to sit for a more leisurely lunch at the counter as opposed to a faster meal, wait at the door versus heading up to the register to order.

51 Macdougal Street, New York, New York 10012

Visit Website

People sitting at yellow stools along a counter. — The counter at Hamburger America.

Roscioli

43 MacDougal St (at King St), New York, NY 10012

Reservations and walk-in seating are both lunch options for the 60-seat ground-level space. A $55 prix-fixe lunch is a rotating menu that can include a Treviso salad with pine nuts and fiore Sardo, cacio e pepe suppli, and mezze maniche alla Amatriciana.

43 MacDougal St (at King St), New York, NY 10012

Visit Website

A spread from Roscioli.

Superiority Burger

119 Avenue A, Manhattan, NY 10009

In the East Village in the former Odessa space, Superiority Burger started its lunch service this month, serving fries for the first time in its near-decade history. Past the fries, lunch includes tomato soup ($13) with a dab of cashew cream on top, a wedge salad ($18), daily focaccia ($7), and toasted cheese. Don’t skip the desserts.

Open in Google Maps

119 Avenue A, Manhattan, NY 10009

Visit Website

A bowl of well-browned fries sided with ketchup and mayo in small separate dishes. — The fries at Superiority Burger.

Revelie Luncheonette

179 Prince St, New York, NY 10012

Revelie Luncheonette is from the team behind Raoul’s, a neighborhood stalwart known for its burgers served in short supply per night. Revelie serves an easier-to-get burger, with the option to add green chile. There’s also a terrific wedge salad, po’boy, patty melt, or crispy chicken sandwich. Bypass fries for the haystack zucchini. And in true luncheonette fashion, wash it down with a pistachio float.

179 Prince St, New York, NY 10012

Visit Website

A chocolate milkshake.

Houseman

508 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10013

In Tribeca, New American Houseman, which opened in 2015, just started serving lunch that includes a chicken tomatillo soup ($21), fried tilefish sandwich with spicy mayo and pickles ($25), and a littleneck clam and potato dish ($25). Lunch is Tuesday through Friday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

508 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10013

Visit Website

A salad from Houseman.

Raf's

290 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10012

Lunch service has begun at Raf’s, the newish cafe in the former Parisi Bakery space that’s a sibling to the Michelin-starred Musket Room. Consider the eggs in purgatory Amatriciana (with guanciale and chiles), the Iberico collar Milanese, or the dry-aged beef burger, only on the menu at lunch, Tuesday to Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. (and 3 p.m. Fridays). Prices run from $20 to $32 per dish.

Open in Google Maps

290 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10012

Visit Website

An egg baked in tomato sauce. — Eggs in Purgatory at Raf’s.

Misipasta

46 Grand St, Brooklyn, NY 11249

Misipasta is the new restaurant from Missy Robbins and Sean Feeney, the owners of Brooklyn’s popular Italian spots Lilia and Misi. It’s really a pasta shop — fresh noodles, sauces, and cheeses are displayed on shelves to take home — but there are seats at two counters and more tables in the backyard. The short menu has grilled artichoke sandwiches and spaghetti with breadcrumbs, plus cocktails and wine, starting at 11 a.m. daily.

Open in Google Maps

46 Grand St, Brooklyn, NY 11249

Visit Website

A cross-section of a sandwich with grilled artichoke, hot peppers, and provolone. — The grilled artichoke sandwich at Misipasta.

Super Burrito

320 Bedford Ave (South 2nd and South 1st), Brooklyn, NY 11249

Electric Burrito, a popular burrito shop, has a new location in Williamsburg. Its Mission-style burritos name-check the Bay Area and come stuffed with al pastor, carne asada, french fries, and more. Make one “super” by adding avocado and sour cream for two more dollars, or order a side cup of queso for dunking.

320 Bedford Ave (South 2nd and South 1st), Brooklyn, NY 11249

Visit Website

A hand holds a burrito wrapped in aluminum foil. — A burrito from Super Burrito.

AbcV in the Tin Building by Jean-Georges

96 South St, New York, NY 10038

Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s food hall in the former Fulton Fish Market offers breakfast and lunch options to go or to stay, with stellar views from inside seating or outside facing the water. There’s lots to choose from, though consider the newly opened branch of vegetable-focused Abc-V upstairs.

96 South St, New York, NY 10038

Visit Website

The interior of a vegan restaurant on the second floor of the Tin Building features a lot of blonde wood and mid-century light fixtures. — The interior of AbcV.

Related Maps

Sailor

228 Dekalb Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11205

Gabriel Stulman’s Brooklyn restaurant with April Bloomfield, Sailor — a neighborhood spot far from the Midtown weekday bustle — rolled out lunch in February, six months after opening, with a menu that includes a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich ($19) and striped bass with sunchokes ($33).

Open in Google Maps

228 Dekalb Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11205

Visit Website

A dining room with giant windows showing neighborhood shops and apartment houses. — Inside the dining room at Sailor.

Related Maps