Diners' Choice: Neighbourhood gem restaurants in New York City

OpenTable

Updated 05 May 2025

Looking for the best restaurants that are the best neighbourhood gems in New York City? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyses nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favourite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you book, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Osteria 106

5.0

5 (728)

$30 and under

Italian

Upper West Side

About the restaurant

If your preferred dining hour is not available on line, please feel free to call or email for availability. Please also note that for parties of 5 & more, you must please call us for availability. We look forward to seeing you!

PLEASE NOTE BEFORE BOOKING…we reserve all rights to limit table time as necessary. Please do also note “allotted table time” in your booking, it is very much appreciated.

GRAZIE!

OSTERIA 106, AN AUTHENTIC ITALIAN DINING SPACE IN MANHATTAN'S UPPER WEST SIDE.
OUR HOPE IS TO BRING A RELAXED, COMFORTABLE & TRULY MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE TO OUR GUESTS, PRESENTING A FRESH APPROACH TO THE
FAMILIAR LANDSCAPE OF ITALIAN CUISINE.

Top review

Adam

Dined on 3 May 2025

The food is always great as is the waitstaff. Normal NY prices.

Maruzzella

4.9

4.9 (558)

$31 to $50

Italian

Upper East Side

About the restaurant

Zagat 2010 writes, "The 'tasty' Northern Italiana is 'lovingly prepared' at this longtime UES 'neighborhood haunt' best known for its 'welcoming' aim to please 'owners.' The intimate setting and pricing that won't max out your credit card add to the overall eat good - feel good experience.

Top review

MarciaVIP

Dined 4 days ago

Excellent!!!! Food, service, ambiance was wonderful

Restaurant Nippon

4.9

4.9 (793)

$31 to $50

Japanese

Midtown East

About the restaurant

Welcome to Nippon, the heartbeat of authentic Japanese cuisine in New York City since 1963. Nestled on 52nd Street between Lexington and 3rd Avenue, we invite you to indulge in a culinary journey through traditional Edo-mae (Tokyo) style dishes.

Signature Dish: Experience our iconic Beef Negimayaki, a dish that originated right here at Nippon and has since become a global favorite. Delight in our Tempura straight from the tempura bar, a standout feature of our menu. We also take pride in our in-house creations, including premium ni-hachi soba noodles and house-made tofu, which elevate every dish to an extraordinary level.

Special Features: For a truly authentic experience, reserve our Japanese-style tatami room, a private space designed for intimate gatherings with traditional floor seating and elegant décor.

Join us at Nippon, where tradition meets innovation in a setting as timeless as our heritage.

Top review

AshBVIP

Dined on 6 May 2025

They were so good and so accommodating!! the fish was soooo fresh highly recommend!

Italianissimo

4.9

4.9 (610)

$30 and under

Italian

Upper East Side

About the restaurant

The instant you walk into Italianissimo Ristorante, you are overcome with a feeling of romance. When you arrive, your hosts for the evening sits you at a table adorned with gorgeous fresh flowers that evoke a certain elegance and charm. The maitre d' presents to you the nightly specials that Chef Luigi Campoverde (who is no stranger to the Upper East Side, with stints at Il Nido, Il Monello and Portofino Grill) is about to prepare in the kitchen.

Top review

DebraVIP

Dined on 29 Apr 2025

Great homemade food and a warm cozy atmosphere with friendly staff

Arco Cafe

4.9

4.9 (527)

$30 and under

Regional Italian (Sardinia)

Upper West Side

About the restaurant

Arco Cafe presents the flavors of the Italian region of Sardinia in an atmosphere of family hospitality. Lovers of Italian food will find familiar dishes and discover new tastes. Brother & sister Daniele & Francesca invite you to visit the Mediterranean in New York City.

Top review

Cathy

Dined 7 days ago

The homemade pasta is delicious and the food is always very good, but I’m finding the prices are slowly getting higher and the portions are slowly getting smaller. Nevertheless, I will return happily to Arco

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Popular dish

Spaghetti

Finestra

4.9

4.9 (329)

$30 and under

Italian

Upper East Side

About the restaurant

Finestra Restaurant is a Fine Italian Cuisine located on Upper East Side. We are open for indoor dining, outdoor dining, take out and delivery. We feature a full bar and delicious traditional Italian food. Our menu has gluten free, vegetarian and vegan items. We serve the freshest seafood and have specials every day. Every Friday night is Classical Guitar night with Craig Graham, an excellent guitar player. Finestra Restaurant is family-owned and operated.

Our convenient Upper East Side location in New York is close to Sotheby’s, Hospital of Special Surgery, New York Cornell University, Cornell Weil Medical College, Helmsley Medical Tower Hotel and Belaire Guest Facility HSS.

We are looking forward to seeing you soon.

Top review

Alexia

Dined 5 days ago

Delicious food and cozy atmosphere. The service was awesome. I had pasta special with shrimp. Delicious. My husband had the fish special. He loved it

Il Colosseo Restaurant And Pizzeria

4.9

4.9 (80)

$31 to $50

Italian

Bensonhurst

About the restaurant

Il Colosseo is an Italian restaurant that is a local favorite. The dining room here is small and intimate, which adds to the homey atmosphere the eatery provides. At the back of the dining room, Il Colosseo has an open kitchen where guests can watch as the talented kitchen staff prepares the food. The kitchen is dominated by a giant brick oven where the staff cooks up all of its incredible pizzas.Il Colosseo begins its menu with antipasti like fried calamari for two, baked clams, sautéed octopus, sautéed broccoli rabe and a pasta e fagioli soup with white kidney beans and fusilli noodles in a light tomato broth. Some of the various entrées diners can sample are a chicken Francese, spicy shrimp fra diavolo, veal piccata, pasta bolognese and the Frank Sinatra pasta made with black olives, clams, mussels and shrimp in a garlic and white wine sauce.

Top review

Samantha

Dined on 27 Apr 2025

King Francesco did it again!! Chef is amazing and service from Ami is always fantastic!!! This place is top notch!! 5 stars!

The Shell

4.9

4.9 (166)

$31 to $50

Seafood

Upper West Side

About the restaurant

Located in the heart of New York City, our modern seafood restaurant offers a unique dining experience. Our experienced chefs add their personal touch to every dish, showcasing their culinary expertise and creativity. Dine in a spectacular ambiance, surrounded by a modern and chic venue with plenty of outdoor seating options. Whether you're in the mood for a romantic date night or a casual meal with friends, our spacious and inviting space has something for everyone. From fresh, sustainably-sourced seafood to an extensive drinks menu, we have everything you need to make your visit to our restaurant a memorable one.

Top review

StevenVIP

Dined 1 day ago

Very pleasant meal for 6. Service was excellent, and everything we ordered tasted fresh and delicious. Not soaked in butter or oil. Squid pasta, Branzino, and the halibut were fantastic. Not a fancy restaurant, but great food, warm and concerned employees, and fair prices

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Experience

$1.99 OYSTYERS

Experience

PAELLA FOR TWO $74 INCLUDING A BOTTLE OF WINE

Campania Coal Fired Pizza - Tottenville

4.9

4.9 (44)

$31 to $50

Pizzeria

Tottenville

About the restaurant

Specializing in authentic coal-fired Italian pizza, antipasto and other traditional Italian dishes. We use only the freshest and finest ingredients. We also make our own mozzarella daily by hand and have a full bar!

Top review

Denise

Dined on 5 Apr 2025

Our experience was excellent! Our waiters were very friendly and helpful!

F&F Restaurant and Bar

4.9

4.9 (35)

$31 to $50

Pizzeria

Carroll Gardens

About the restaurant

F&F Restaurant & Bar is the highly anticipated first full-service restaurant from the universally acclaimed F&F Pizzeria. The menu by legendary chefs Frank Castronovo and Frank Falcinelli features all-new pies and craveable fare perfect for sharing, along with expertly prepared cocktails and an array of wines from their celebrated cellar.

This is the quintessential neighborhood restaurant—a place fit for everything from a celebration to a nightcap, where guests dine in a warm tavern setting surrounded by artworks from the likes of Julian Schnabel and Ron Gorchov.

F&F Pizzeria, the original slice shop, is located just up the block.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined 4 days ago

Excellent. Everything was great. Super chill lunch with our 3 year old.

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