From the oldest Sicilian restaurant in town to classic taverns, here are 25 famous New York City restaurants.

With so much choice, it can be hard to decide where to go.

Weve also included a handful of lesser-known, chef-approved picks throughout all five boroughs.

Exterior sign of Junior’s

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“There is truly nowhere as cozy and as classic feeling.”

However, if you’re a local, Hart recommends trying to get a spot last minute.

I love sitting at the bar and having a martini, steak tartare, and fries, Steele says.

A view of Joe’s Shanghai restaurant in Chinatown

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Place your order at the counter before snagging a table to dig in.

To beat the crowds, Schiff recommends ducking in for a weekday lunch, which “feels particularly luxurious.

And it’s still the place to go downtown for upscale French food in an equally chic setting.

Empty table in Rubirosa

Courtesy of Rubirosa

The old-school, cash-only tavern serves classic cheeseburgers that Caliso describes as simple, straightforward, and always solid.

When Steeles here, he orders an Aquavit Bloody Mary with a platter of assorted fish and spreads.

An iconic NYC restaurant in Midtown, it serves indulgent dishes in an equally luxe setting.

Customers dine on the outdoor patio of Balthazar restaurant in New York,

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The restaurant’s seafood-forward menu features everything from charred octopus and crispy black sea bass to poached lobster.

After closing almost 30 years later, it reopened in much larger digs.

While there are two locations in Manhattan, consider going to the original Downtown Brooklyn diner on Flatbush Avenue.

Crowded dining room of Kat’s Deli

Valerie de Leon/Travel + Leisure

Dating from 1950, it has retained its retro vibes.

The menu is ever-changing depending on the “Nonnas Calendar.

Note that the restaurant is cash-only and open Friday to Sunday.

The neon lights of The Odeon

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The restaurant sits on the lower level, beneath a vaulted ceiling of Guastavino tiles.

Must order:Shrimp and snow pea leaf dumplings

A filet mignon with smoked oysters and herb butter sauce sits on a plate at the Grill i

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Dining room of Le Coucou

Ditte Isager

A burger is displayed for a photograph at J.G. Melon restaurant in New York,

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Bird’s eye view of a meal at Russ & Daughters

Courtesy of Russ & Daughters

Dining area of Indochine

Courtesy of Indochine

Entrance of Keens Chophouse

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Dining room of Le Bernardin

Daniel Kreiger

Dining room of Union Square Cafe

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Customers sit at Nathan’s Famous' outdoor seating at Coney Island

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Nonna Margherita from Palermo Province, Italy, seen in one of two kitchens of ‘Enoteca Maria’

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People eating at red and white checkered tablecloths under a vaulted tile ceiling

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A table with a plate of crepes and a plate of waffles, four mugs of coffee, and a white male in the background

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Exterior of a dim sum restaurant in NYC, with a pink and yellow wooden sign and pink striped awning

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