The Coffee Order Guide to NYC dining during the holidays

A true winter wonderland.

We’re exactly three weeks out from New Years Day, two weeks out from Christmas Eve, and two days away from the first night of Hanukkah.

New York City during the holidays is truly magical. It’s straight out of a rom-com amazing almost 80% of the time. The other 20% I am reserving for when your face is being blasted with freezing cold winds at 8 am on the way to work, ruining your shoes in slush, or tracking salt into your apartment from the subway stairs.

If you’re just visiting, you probably won’t experience those three things, and this list will provide you with places that tourists probably don’t know about, deeming you cooler than the typical visitor. If you live here, these places will make you forget about the pain the above brings.

Without further ado, here’s my definitive list of places to eat and drink in New York during November, December, and January.

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Where you can eat in a fancy way:

The links are where you can make a reservation. I will also note how far out to book each.

Going out to dinner during the winter is better—I SAID IT! You’re not dripping sweat and you can enjoy hot dishes without spiking your internal temperature. All of these places decorate in ways beyond festive, and go above and beyond with service to make a work dinner, romantic date, or time with friends and family memorable.

$ = Under $100 (per person)

$$ = Under $150 (per person)

$$$ = Over $200 (per person)

• Le Bilboquet ($$)

  You can book week of, two weeks if you’re certain you want to go

  This is my mom and my’s absolute favorite place to go to dinner during the holidays, and we’ve been going religiously since I moved here in 2022. The maitre’d has been working there for over two decades, and the crowd never disappoints. Here’s the perfect order: martini, no appetizers, split the chicken and the boeuf bourguignon, profiteroles for dessert.

  • Close to:

    • Rockefeller Center

    • Radio City

    • Bergdorf Goodman

    • Bloomingdales

• Monkey Bar ($$$)

  Log onto Resy right at 9 am 21 days in advance. Set Resy Notifications or download ResX. You can try for a table or seat at the bar, but the list is usually 10-20 parties deep at all times.

  Someone asked me if Monkey Bar was worth the hype recently, to which I unequivocally replied YES. There isn’t a spot more New York than Monkey Bar. It’s a real fight to get a reservation, but once you do and experience it, you’ll understand why. Here’s what I recommend: any of the martinis, spinach and artichoke dip, crab rangoon, wedge salad, French dip, ice cream sundae.

  • Close to:

    • Rockefeller Center

    • Radio City

    • Bergdorf Goodman

    • Bloomingdales

    • Grand Central

• Balthazar ($-$$)

  You can book 30 days out. I recommend 2-3 weeks before for dinner. Some breakfast, lunch, and late dinner will be available day-of.

  Ain’t no Christmas party like a Keith McNally Christmas party, even if it’s not a party at all! All of his restaurants—Minetta Tavern, Pastis, etc.—have beautiful holiday decorations and an all-around warm atmosphere as soon as the temperature drops below 50 degrees. The perfect place for a late dinner, and if you eat there alone at any time of day, they’ll bring you a glass of champagne. I’d recommend the French onion soup, shrimp cocktail, steak frites, short rib, crème brûlée for dessert.

  • Close to:

    • Little Italy

    • Chinatown

    • Soho shopping (why you would do this to yourself, I’m not sure)

• Cafe Chelsea ($)

  You can book whenever. I recommend 1-2 weeks before for dinner. Some breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be available day-of.

  The Hotel Chelsea is my favorite place in New York. This is 1 of 2 mentions on this guide. Cafe Chelsea is delicious and so cozy. The bar room feels like a 1930s movie set. You must get: croquettes, crudo, chocolate souffle for dessert (THIS IS ESSENTIAL). Everything else, I trust you.

  • Close to:

    • The High Line

    • The Whitney

    • Meatpacking

    • Hudson Yards