Best Upper West Side Restaurants & Cafes

Restaurants:

Isabella's : 77th and Columbus. Hands down my favorite restaurant for food quality. Excellent, friendly service also. They worked with us when our guest had a peanut allergy-- meticulously. They have an outdoor cafe that is a great place to people watch. Brunch is excellent if packed. Dinner is excellent. Really my favorite place. Entrees average about $20. Love the salmon and their desserts are to die for (about $12). Somewhat costly but worth it.

Josies: Amsterdam and 73rd. All lactose free, decently priced, good organic meals. I love the Shrimp and Brown Rice! Not spectacular atmosphere, but friendly service and a nice place for a dinner with friends.

Sarabeth's: Amsterdam and 80th. Excellent food. Entrees in 13's to 20s. Packed for brunch.

Cafe Fiorello: 64th and Bway. Yummy Italian food, and UWS institution, with a wonderful outdoor cafe with a view of Lincoln Center. A great see and be seen place, lively action day and night if you stay in the outdoor cafe! Also niext door to this is:

Jacobs Pickles: Amsterdam and...85th? I hear the food here is great and the brunch awesome. Beer-centric!

Shake Shack: Columbus and 77th: Delicious fries and burgers, not a restuarant but really take out (tho there are small tables) it is super well know for its yummy if bad-for-you burgers, fries, and frozen custard. Amost always a line--but worth it!

Sugar and Plumm: Amsterdam and 78th. For desserts, ice cream, sweets etc.! Lovely new cafe, though lots of kids on the weekend.

5Napkin Burger: Bway at 84th St. Upscale, nice burger place. Outdoor cafe.

Serafina: Bway and 77th.  Can be LOUD and crowded  but...yummy Italian. I had the pesto pasta once and it was delicious. Pastas around 20-25. They also serve breakfast.

Coffee Shops: 

Utopia Restaurant:  Amsterdam bet. 72nd and 73rd. No NYC visit is truly complete without a visit to a real NY coffee shop! My favorite is Utopia, on Amsterdam between 72nd and 73rd--not just for the name--and definitely not for the food, which is acceptable but standard coffee shop fare-- but for the neighborhood experience. Lots of regulars, waiters who've been around forever, and a classic NYC coffee shop decor (Don't miss Christmas!), this is an experience any true--or wannabe-- New Yorker doesn't want to miss!

Cafes and Bake Shops and Misc:

Magnolia Bakery: 69th and Columbus. The famous Magnolia...with the cupcakes made famous on "Sex and the City." Walking in here, the smell is to die for! Awesome cakes by the slice. This place is crazy good. Do NOT miss it!


Crumbs Bake Shop:Amsterdam between 76th and 77th. Delicious amazing cupcakes, lots of great concoctions. I love the Dulce de Leche and Cosmo cupcakes. And plain old vanilla with vanilla frosting. Don't miss the mini -sampler of 12 cupcakes! Yummy!


Le Pain Quotidien: 72nd between Columbus and CPW, also in Central Park above Sheep's Meadow: Wonderful little French cafe with great cafe au laits and pastries and bread...also light salads and sandwiches, reasonably priced, for lunch or early dinner. A great place to just sit and read. Also in Central Par, outdoors--on a nice day, a wonderful place to have breakfast though you may have to wait.


Arte Cafe Around the Corner: Columbus, between 73rd and 74th. Coffee, pastries and light lunch/ dinner...nice place to sit and rest, read, have a coffee. Small outdoor cafe area.

16 Handles:  75th and Amsterdam. YUMMY!!! My favorite indulgence. 16 flavors of frozen yogurt, with additions from Butterfinger bars to rainbow cookies (my personal fave), mini-Reese's pieces...friendly staff, clean and very well run.

Schooner & Yacht Cruises-best touristy thing ever for New Yorkers as well as visitors!

BEST OF THE BEST: Classic Harbor Line schooners.
When I had visitors a couple of years ago, I decided to take them on a cruise with Classic Harbor tours. I'd seen their schooner "Adirondack" docked in the Battery Park Piers and always wanted to try it out...visitors are great excuses to do the touristy things you've always wanted to do! It was without a doubt one of the MOST fun things I have ever done in NYC and I highly recommend it as a first choice for a non-traditional tourist experience. On the schooner tour, once they raised the sails, it was a thrilling experience...made more so by coming incredibly close to the Statue of Liberty. CHL docks now at Chelsea Piers, and you have a choice of a schooner trip (Adirondack or Imagine-about $44) or a the "luxury yacht"Manhattan (about $85)--which I haven't tried but might be a better choice for seniors (the schooners can get fast AND tippy AND seating can be tight), and if you're afraid you'll be rained out (the yacht has an inside space, of course). Classic Harbor offers specialized tours on the schooners (sunset, city lights)--and the yacht has special themed food-themed tours like brunch or Chelsea Market--on the weekend. Classic Harbor Line receives rave reviews on zerve.com. I can't imagine anyone not liking it--best choice if you do one touristy thing in the city.