With Pride celebrations and high-stakes football matches, New York will keep you busy this summer. Here's where to refuel between the action.
The sun is shining, the parks are blooming and the skyscrapers gleam against clear blue skies: summer is when New York City comes into its own. The season brings blockbuster sports fixtures, open-air concerts and high-energy street festivals, with this year seeing mega football matches from around the world, plus the return of the NYC Pride March, the Tribeca Festival, Fleet Week, the US Open and plenty more reasons to stay out late. If you're in town for any of the above, these are the places, events and experiences worth building your trip around.
Start the morning right
Thai Diner offers all-day dining (Image: Alex Muccilli)
New Yorkers love a good brunch – preferably one with plenty of mimosas and Bloody Marys on the weekends. Spots in the West Village fill up quickly but the Noortwyck, from Eleven Madison Park alums, has remained discreet despite its gooey cinnamon roll, whitefish salad, and breakfast sandwich on a Japanese milk bun with cheddar mornay. For breakfast any day of the week, Thai Diner delivers fun and flavor in an old school diner environment—the Crispy Rice Eggs, Coconut Cloud Pancakes, and Thai Tea Elephant Ear French Toast are all one-of-a-kind dishes. In Brooklyn, the iconic and historic Gage & Tollner turns brunch into a more formal Southern affair with a raw bar, biscuits and gravy, and perfect steak and eggs. Gertrude's in Prospect Heights, on the other hand, brings the borough's Jewish heritage into focus with dishes like a bagel with lox and scallion schmear, babka French toast, and a Borscht Bloody Mary featuring beets and housemade aquavit.
Tight on time? Grab-and-go 
Birdee's churro croissant layers flaky pastry with cinnamon sugar and dulce de leche
Maybe you don't have time for a leisurely, booze-filled breakfast. There's always a bagel from your closest shop, but NYC has been beefing up its pastry offerings and it's now a bonafide bakery bliss – with excellent coffee to match. For fluffy focaccia and laminated pastries that skew seasonal with their fillings, Radio Bakery has two Brooklyn locations – visit during the week to avoid a queue.
In Williamsburg, Birdee has flown (pun intended) under the radar even though its BEC (that's bacon egg and cheese sandwich) is elite, and pastries include a churro croissant and cacio e pepe twist. In Manhattan, Hani's features the unique creations of Miro Uskokovic, formerly the pastry chef at Gramercy Tavern. Now, he serves one of the best cinnamon buns in the city, sour cherry coffee cake, scallion cheddar sausage scone, and slices of peanut butter and jelly cake out of a fomer Dunkin' Donuts in Astor Place. If superior coffee is necessary, Danish import La Cabra has several locations around the city, while the East Village's Abraço has been making some of the best third-wave coffee since 2007—and their olive oil cake is supreme.
Lunch reservations are almost always open
The dining room of Torrisi leans into the industrial character of its 19th-century space with exposed red-brick walls, vaulted ceilings and cast-iron columns (Image: Scott Frances)
New York is notorious for the impossibility of snagging a table at some of its top restaurants. But if you're flexible, plenty of these spots offer lunch and they often have more openings (plus their notify lists move much quicker for lunch slots). You could score a Friday lunch off the notify list at Rita Sodi's Italian West Village spot, I Sodi, where the beloved lasagna, pappardelle al limone, and roasted half-chicken are all on the menu. Around the corner, Via Carota is another popular restaurant that's easier to get into for lunch than dinner. Iconic French restaurant Le Veau d'Or is another place that's almost impossible to land for dinner, but lunchtime could be more opportune to get in on their steak frites and escargot. Finally, Torrisi is always packed, but lunchtime is a smidge easier to score – the pillowy tortellini and the ham with zeppole are worth it.
Blowout dinners to celebrate
Atomix's counter seats 14 guests, with two dining times at 5.30pm and 8.45pm (Image: Evan Sung)
Of course, sometimes you do score that coveted dinner reservation. If you're looking for a memorable, meal to splurge on, you can't go wrong with Atomix, ranked No. 1 on North America's 50 Best Restaurants for 2025, and No. 12 in the world. It celebrates Korean cuisine with an epic tasting menu served inside a sophisticated Murray Hill townhouse. For a classic, perfectly executed French meal, Le Bernardin with Eric Ripert at the helm never disappoints. And on the omakase end, the transportive Sushi Noz is worthy of all its acclaim. For something more vibrant, 4 Charles Prime Rib is still the place to see and be seen with your steak – if you can get in. And newcomers Ambassadors Clubhouse, an Indian import from London, and the newest location of Cote at 550 Madison are already garnering praise.
Late night eats 
At Katz's Delicatessen, the corned beef and pastrami can take up to 30 days to cure (Image: Katz's Delicatessen)
Post-game or concert hunger pangs are real and while New York City is called the city that never sleeps, a lot of its restaurants do close by 10 pm. Luckily, there's still a slew of good spots open late, such as legendary Katz's Delicatessen, which slings its pastrami sandwiches 24 hours-a-day on weekends. Craving a burger? Another NYC classic, JG Melon, stays open until around 3 am most nights. In Williamsburg, Kellogg's Diner is open 24/7, serving Tex-Mex and diner favourites.
Post-game drinks
The Dead Rabbit is located in a historic five-story townhouse built in 1828
Maybe you're just thirsty after watching a heated football match? After the game ends, there's a glut of bars to hash things out at while you nurse a drink, or three. In the mood for well-executed cocktails? Head to Lower East Side institution Attaboy, which has been on the 50 Best Bars list every year since it opened in 2012. For some Irish flair—and a perfect pint of Guinness—pull up a stool at the Dead Rabbit, another perennial on the list. True soccer fans might want to go to Smithfield Hall, which shows every football match possible on its many screens and is sure to have lively post-game discussions. In Brooklyn, the Long Island Bar has been open since 1951 and now serves craft cocktails like the Long Island Gimlet, which should be paired with the double-patty burger.
Discover more fantastic bars, restaurants and hotels with 50 Best Discovery, and start planning your next adventure.
