Lower East Side Restaurants

Chef Helen Nguyen isn’t going for traditional, and you’ll notice some twists on her menu (like pickles in the bánh xèo). But she does traditional Vietnamese food beautifully, and you should load your table with steamed dumplings, imperial rolls, garlic noodles, oxtail fried rice, and sauteed pea shoots.

Naks is a Filipino spot by the same people who run the regional Indian restaurants Dhamaka (in the East Village) and Semma (in the West Village). Here, chef Eric Valdez makes food he grew up eating in his mom’s house in Makati, plus dishes inspired by his travels across the Phillipines. You can order à la carte—but the most special meal here is the kamayan dinner, where fried duck, lemongrass-stuffed pork belly, and pancit batil patong (ground wagyu and egg noodles) are spread out on banana leaves for you to eat with your hands.

Casino, which occupies the old Mission Chinese space, became the “it” restaurant on the Lower East Side as soon as it opened. If you’re looking for a night out for espresso martinis, dim lighting, and people watching, it’s great for that. When your server asks if you’re interested in dessert, the answer is yes, and the correct order is the dark chocolate cake.

Neapolitan pizza pioneer Anthony Mangieri makes incredible wood-fired pizza with crust we can only describe as dazzling: perfectly puffy and leopard-spotted. Reservations, which max out at four diners a table, are necessary and worth battling it out on Resy to get. Una only makes so much pizza dough a day, and the pies reserved for walk-ins usually sell out to those who line up before the shop opens.

Proper Basque food is hard to come by outside Spain, but Ernesto’s distills all those salty, sometimes smoky, definitely porky flavors into a tight menu that changes daily. Crunchy-on-the-outside, melty-on-the-inside croquetas; txistorra sausage; and proper jamón Iberico draped over fried potatoes: These are the small shareable snacks we want to warm up to while dining outside. Try a glass of something biodynamic and definitely order dessert.

New Yorkers are experts in resilience and generosity, and the city’s restaurateurs are no exception. Short Stories crafts tasty brunch and inventive cocktails at the best of times and stepped up for its Bowery community during the worst. Throughout the lockdown, every Wednesday, the chefs served perfect vegan curry to any and all who needed a hot meal for free. We heartily recommend the cheesy naan, huevos rancheros, and beet salad, and the outdoor patio is one of the prettiest spaces in the city.

Portuguese and Spanish vibes take center stage at this cozy Lower East Side spot from restaurateur Nialls Fallon and chef Nick Perkins, partners known for their Bed-Stuy restaurant, Hart’s. The menu is simple but satisfying, with a seafood bent: Manila clams with Vinho Verde and garlic; Crispy shrimp heads; platters of Cape Cod and Washington State oysters. And the dishes pair well with a glass of unfortified white from the Iberian peninsula. There’s also a juicy grass-fed lamb burger and a roasted half chicken with piri piri.

The menu is divided into five sections: Powhiri, Kaimoana, Papatuanuku, Ranginu, and Ka Kate, meaning introduction, seafood, land, sky, and farewell in Maori.

Healthy fast food seems like an oxymoron—but Dr. Smood has cracked the code. The menu has six categories (power, immunity, beauty, detox, energy, and health) all of which are certified kosher. Whether you’re looking for a juice cleanse, a latte infused with anti-inflammatory turmeric, salads or sandwiches, this is an easy, super-delicious place to get something fast.

A legendary Jewish deli, Katz’s originally opened in 1888 under a different name, and across the street from its current location on Houston and Ludlow. It was an institution long before the iconic orgasm scene from When Harry Met Sally, although it didn’t hurt. Most people come for either the hot pastrami or corned beef sandwich, or the Reuben version, which adds Swiss cheese and sauerkraut. Katz’s credits its slow curing method, which can last up to a month, for the meat’s superior taste. (You’ll also find matzo ball soup on the menu, along with everything else you’d expect/want, as well as less traditional offerings for a Jewish deli, like NY-style cheesecake.) For those outside of the city, note that Katz’s ships across the States.