The 10 best restaurants in Soho

What is it? Run by Lure alum (and longtime Soho pro) Preston Clark, this restaurant and wine bar is our new favorite spot for a date over affordable-ish cocktails and mini, housemade pigs in blankets coated with crispy sesame seeds and accompanied by hot mustard. Here, deviled eggs come topped with fried oysters; a branzino slider is served on an English muffin and coated with a yuzu-chili aioli; and marinated sardines come with a warm baguette, olives, radishes and pickled onions to create a delicious, dripping DIY open-faced sandwich.

Why we love it: In a neighborhood where longevity reigns supreme, this brand-new entry to the dining scene appears to have staying power. With a stylish dining room and an unfussy menu, it’s the perfect combo of a Soho pedigree with the fun of the new kid on the block.

Time Out tip: Hit the Soho bars too hard? Head to Bar Mercer for brunch and order their “hangover pasta” and some hair of the dog. Made with slurpable chitarra, ham, bacon, cheese, pepper and eggs, it reminds us of one of the best insider tips we ever received from a bartender. Take home your last bite of pasta, then mix it up with an egg when you wake up, still drunk, in the morning. Here, the chefs have done the work for you—no cooking while hungover required.

Address: 25 W Houston St, New York, NY 10012

Opening hours: Tue, Wed 5–11pm; Thu, Fri 5pm–midnight; Sat noon–midnight; Sun noon–10pm

Expect to pay: Entrees start at $28

What is it? What do you have in common with otters (besides liking to hang out with your friends)? You both like seafood. At The Otter, the new seafood spot inside The Manner Hotel, you won’t even need to use a rock to crack open your oysters. Start with fresh bread and sea salt, anchovy and bouillabaisse butters, then make your way through the raw bar or, unlike an otter, order your littleneck clams with noodles.

Why we love it: Hotel restaurants can sometimes whiff it, but The Otter totally pulls it off. With a fun menu full of satisfying apps and sandwiches, it’s the ideal spot to stop to meet a friend for a drink and a bite before heading out on the town. 

Time Out tip: Cocktail hour runs daily from 3-6pm. Cocktails, including the Otter Dirty Martini with salted brine, coconut blossom and fresh oyster and the Corse Correct Spritz with fragrant bergamot, prosecco and cucumber tonic, are $12, as are a selection of wines. Peronis will run you just $5 a pop. We like to pair ‘em with $4 beer-battered fish tacos and a double cheeseburger for another $14.

Address: 58 Thompson St, New York, NY 11012

Opening hours: Sun–Tue 5–10:30pm; Wed–Sat 5–11pm; Sat–Sun brunch 10:30am–3pm; Daily cocktail hour 3–6pm

Expect to pay: Entrees start at $32

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What is it? Half contemporary art gallery and half seasonal American restaurant, Manuela is about as “what’s hot now” as a Soho restaurant can get. A large bronze Louise Bourgeois spider climbs the wall, and an art piece that functions as a long table contains “rudimentary renderings of the human face…brought to the fore, their wild and agitated expressions speaking to both individual and collective identities against shifting social realities.” Yum! The food is elevated, too, with Wellfleet oysters, Dayboat scallops and a solid half chicken from the local Snowdance Farm. 

Why we love it: Why wouldn’t we love to eat in an art gallery? Site-specific works are integrated into the space, from a fantastical chandelier by Mika Rottenberg to large-scale paintings from Uman and Pat Steir. Cocktails like the Art Basil (Get it!?) with mint-basil oil and the Pop Art with sparkling wine round out the artsy vibes. 

Time Out tip: If you want to go high-low, a beer and a shot can be had every day from 3-6pm for just 10 bucks.

Address: 130 Prince St, New York, NY 10012

Opening hours: Tue–Fri 11:30am–10pm; Sat, Sun 11am–10pm

Expect to pay: Entrees start at $26

What is it? Keith McNally’s iconic French brasserie, open since 1997, still buzzes from breakfast—it’s open at 8am on weekdays—to midnight. Its red-leather banquettes and mirrored walls have seen New York change significantly in its nearly 30-year history, but some things will always remain the same. The gorgeous, garlicky escargots still arrive in their pool of butter; the Balthazar salad, with its piles of fragrant fennel, salty ricotta salata and truffle vinaigrette still pleases; and the fries still hold their own among some of the very best in the city.

Why we love it: Balthazar is a true New York character, a classic sort of place where you can sit alone at the bar with a glass of wine, or book a big table to bring all your friends for a throwback birthday dinner. The energy never dips, and the service is famously smooth.

Time Out tip: While once famously impossible to get into, walk-in seats can now be had. You’ll do best if you come along, grab a seat at the bar and post up with the classic New York combo of a pile of pommes frites and a copy of The Power Broker.

Address: 80 Spring St, New York, NY 10012

Opening hours: Mon–Fri 8am–midnight; Sat, Sun, 9am–midnight

Expect to pay: Entrees start at $31

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What is it? This iconic French bistro and celeb magnet has been the place to be since it first opened in 1975. Make a reservation in the intimate dining room with pressed-tin ceilings and romantic back booths, or slink up to the storied bar for pork belly egg sandwiches for breakfast, a champagne toast and fries for lunch for one and steak tartare, buttery dover sole or a plate of petite oysters at one of the most hospitable operations in town.

Why we love it: While the true heyday of Raoul’s might be over, it’s a spot that’s still timeless, chic, and reliably a riot. Plus, if you order the steak frites, you might just find yourself time-traveling back to the heady days of Prince Street in 1985…

Time Out tip: The burger au poivre, topped with peppercorns, a double kick of peppery watercress and intense triple crème Saint-André cheese, is only available at the bar. With crispy fries and an ice-cold martini, it goes down easy every time.

Address: 180 Prince St, New York, 10012

Opening hours: Mon–Fri 5–11pm; Sat, Sun 11am–3pm, 5–11pm

Expect to pay: Entrees start at $36

What is it? Master of the portmanteau—home of the Cronut®—patron saint of New Yorkers Actually Willing to Wait in Line…and still one of the most innovative bakeries in the city. After capturing the world’s attention with the sweet-and-flaky half-donut, half-croissaint hybrid, Ansel moved on to creating the cookie shot (in which one drinks vanilla milk out of a warm cookie cup), the DKA (Dominique’s Kouign Amann, a crunchy, caramel-y, croissant-like treat) and frozen s’mores served on a smoked willow branch.

Why we love it: Dominique Ansel is constantly innovating. From rotating cronut flavors (recent hits include peach with tres leches and mango with condensed milk) to a juicy watermelon soft serve studded with dark chocolate “seeds,” every new menu item cements the bakery’s place on the Soho must-visit list.

Time Out tip: Here’s the secret Big Pastry doesn’t want you to know: if you show up on a weekday morning, you probably won’t even have to wait in line. (After all, everyone’s lining up at Brooklyn’s Radio Bakery for cheesy bearclaw pretzel croissants these days.) Better yet—preorder for pickup and skip the line altogether.

Address: 189 Spring St, New York, NY 10012

Opening hours: Daily 8am–7pm

Expect to pay: Each Cronut is $7.75

What is it? Sushi. Whole lobsters. Bucatini, dripping with uni, blue crab, chilies and garlic. Add a retro yacht interior that manages to be both kitchsy and trendy, and it’s no wonder this seafaring restaurant is still packed with locals and tourists alike. It may be more than 20 years old (more than a lifetime in most restaurant timespan), but when Taylor Swift has been spotted here on a break from tour and LeBron James is a regular, something’s gotta be going right.

Why we love it: While its prime location and luxurious menu make it a magnet for celebs, you’re just as likely to catch some locals eating a burger (served with bacon-onion jam and shaved pickles, or simply “Lure Style” with lettuce, tomato and cheese) and sipping a couple of sakitinis with cucumber and cherry blossoms.

Time Out tip: If you want to splash out like LeBron at Lure, you’ll need LeBron-level cash. But if you just want to get a taste of dining on a luxury yacht, stick to the late-night menu. After 10pm, you can score a shareable tower of seafood-heavy dim sum for $75—plus $20 caviar bumps, if you want to live the full baller fantasy.

Address: 142 Mercer St, New York, NY 10012

Opening hours: Mon–Sat 11:30am–11pm; Sun 11:30am–10pm

Expect to pay: Entrees start at $36

What is it? This brunch spot is as much a temple to the humble bagel as it is to the spectacle of bagel-making. With photo-worthy branding, crisp white old-fashioned hats and bagels of all sorts served from “swords” while the workers shout “Hot bagels,” Sadelle’s is a little more of a moment than your corner bagel store. (One assumes that Sadelle, the shop’s namesake bubbe, had a flair for the dramatic.) Ultimately, what matters is the bagel, and this one is great. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, covered with fennel, caraway and everything seasoning and then piled with thin-sliced house salmon—Sadelle’s is where you want to be on Sunday morning.

Why we love it: If you’re gonna do bagels for brunch, a seafood tower might be the most fun way to do it. For $125, you’ll get a pile of thin-sliced salmon, tuna salad and all the bagel fixings you can dream up. (If you’ve got a hankering for another kind of appetizing, just let your server know and they’ll add it to your tower.)

Time Out tip: Even in carb heaven, you’re going to want to save room for babka. Sadelle’s is dipped in a chocolate coating, making it even more decadent than most of NYC’s best loaves.

Address: 463 W Broadway, New York, NY 10012

Opening hours: Mon–Thu 9am–3pm; Fri 9am–5pm; Sat, Sun 8am–5pm

Expect to pay: Towers start at $125

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What is it? After three decades in New York City, Blue Ribbon is still a favorite of diners and chefs—plus, it’s the rare highly-regarded spot where you can pretty reliably get a last-minute table. Dine on fried oysters, cold fruits de mer including crab cocktail and chilled lobster, bone marrow with oxtail marmalade and steaks with your choice of sauce, from rich truffle butter to umami-bomb anchovy aioli.

Why we love it: This institution is best known for its late-night eats, so if you’re still awake, try to stop by after midnight. (You’ll have plenty of time to eat, as they stay open until two in the morning.) You’ll soon find out why Blue Ribbon is your favorite chef’s favorite restaurant. 

Time Out tip: Try the fried chicken, a dish so beloved it has its own restaurant on East 1st Street, where two pieces can be had for $12.75. Here, a bigger portion is served with mashed potatoes, gravy and collard greens for the best after-party ever.

Address: 97 Sullivan St, New York, NY 10012

Opening hours: Daily 5pm–2am

Expect to pay: Entrees start at $34

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What is it? This historic café is ancient by Soho’s standards, dating all the way back to 1847, when a New York City restaurant could only dream of having the latest new thing: electricity. Today, there are indeed lightbulbs (brag), along with other modern miracles like paparazzi and cool kids.

Why we love it: The food is fine—straightforward apps like mozzarella sticks, chicken fingers and jalapeno poppers still hit after a couple of beers—but at Fanelli, it’s all about the scene. Originally a speakeasy, once a bohemian saloon frequented by the likes of Bob Dylan and Chuck Close, it’s now a place to TikTok and be TikToked. We’re going to keep coming back to see what it becomes next.

Time Out tip: Go on a warm night, wear your best outfit and ask to sit outside. You never know whose feed you’ll end up on—or who you’ll be spotted by at your table in the middle of everything.

Address: 94 Prince St, New York, NY 10012

Opening hours: Sun–Wed 11am–midnight; Thu–Sat 11am–1am

Expect to pay: Entrees start at $12