10 Favourite West Village restaurants to try in NYC

Curation by Yasmina Rodríguez, words by Laura Tucker

Brunching in NYC has never been more comfortable than in the West Village, the preferred spot for bohemians and creatives since the 20^th century. Today Greenwich Village’s West Village holds onto its artsy ways with countless indie bookstores and cafés tucked away on cobbled streets once trodden by the likes of Allen Ginsberg and Diane Arbus. But also, there’s a growing number of fancy restaurants spanning out from the area’s star-crossed junctions, keeping our poets – surprisingly – at the cutting edge of NYC’s dining scene. Discover the best brunch NYC has to offer (or even anniversary dinners) with our top 10 West Village restaurants below.

Photo: Sandbar on Hudson

1. Via Carota

Squeeze your way through the narrow entryway and pray you’ll be able to back out after a full spread of authentic Tuscan food at Via Carota, a restaurant known to cook up some of the best Italian in the city. Chefs Rita Sodi (raised in Tuscany) and Jody Williams (of French café Buvette) draw diners away from typical fare in favour of seasonal veggies, charcuterie, seafood and steaks, serving it up in effortlessly sophisticated style. The humble interiors at Via Carota give an Italian farmhouse feel with a glass front that also adds an air of contemporary class. Dine at a communal table or in a private room, coming early for lunch as advance reservations cannot be made.

Address: 51 Grove St, New York, NY 10014

2. Anton's

Though the menu is decidedly trendy, the setting of Anton’s café and wine bar in west village NYC is happily stuck in the 20th century. Candlelit rooms come decorated with oil paintings in a blast of nostalgia for simpler times and homely digs. Despite appearances, Anton’s is one of the younger restaurants in the West Village serving up European-influenced American cuisine alongside a list of over 550 wines, expertly-crafted cocktails and beers. None too pretentious, Anton’s is the perfect relaxed date spot based inside a landmarked 1850’s Greek-revival style build with adjacent patio seating in summer.

Address: 570 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014

Photo: Pixabay

NYC | Photo: Juan Ordonez

Sushi Nakazawa is a fine example of upscale Japanese fare done right, thanks to sushi master Daisuke Nakazawa who helms the restaurant expertly prepping daily omakase for diners perched around the bar

3. Sushi Nakazawa

To go to New York and not get your chopsticks around a chunk of fresh sashimi is to wholly miss out on America’s best Japanese cuisine. Sushi Nakazawa is a fine example of upscale Japanese fare done right, helmed by sushi master Daisuke Nakazawa who expertly prepares daily omakase for diners perched expectantly around the bar. The experience does not come cheap (at around 150USD per omakase) but the queues outside the door will tell you it’s more than worth it, even if you do have to stretch your budget for the day.

Address: 23 Commerce St, New York, NY 10014

4. Perry St.

Boasting stunning terrace views across the Hudson River and Jean-Georges Vongerichten as a neighbour and benefactor, Perry St. couldn’t be better located for an elegant dining experience in the West Village. Way up in Richard Meier Towers, son Cedric Vongerichten serves up an elevated menu of French, American and Asian influenced fare, with dishes such as the yellowfin burger with yuzu sauce and the butter-poached lobster with lemongrass to compliment the elevated view.

Address: 176 Perry St, New York, NY 10014

Photo: Jesson Mata

5. I Sodi

If you’re looking for the best Italian restaurant West Village has to offer, look no further than I Sodi. Run by chef Michael Genardini L’Impero (as authentic a name as it gets!), I Sodi focuses on homely flavours and simple concepts, such as the artichoke salad with shaved Parmigiano, alongside playful desserts like the chocolate “salami” mixing graham-cracker crumbs and Grand-Marnier-laced chocolate and pressed into shape. The restaurant itself is minimalist, compact and almost always full, meaning that you should pop by to leave your name and number an hour or so before you wish to dine, heading to a nearby bar to await the call.

Address: 105 Christopher St, New York, NY 10014

6. Sandbar on Hudson (formerly High Street on Hudson)

A collaboration between the yeast-mad folks at High Street on Hudson bakery and Brunetti Pizza, SANDBAR on Hudson takes what both sides know about bread and dunks it in a good-ol’ steaming pot of clams. Literally, that is. A seafood and cocktail pop-up dedicated to fresh, local produce for both brunch and dinner, Sandbar is a temporary gem that will last through to the end of outdoor dining, seven days a week, for cocktails and juicy fish on the water’s edge.

Address: 637 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014, United States

Photo: Sandbar on Hudson

7. Emily

Easily in contention for the best pizza in Greenwich Village is Emily, a wood-fired pizza spot selling Detroit-style pies as well and New York and New Haven varieties. After having much success at their Clinton Hill branch, owners Matt and Emily Hyland opened a second on Greenwich Village’s west side to burden locals with an impossible choice between thin crust, thick crust or double-stack burger.

Address: 35 Downing St, New York, NY 10014

8. Jeffrey's Grocery

Slowly taking over the West Village with an empire of eateries and farm food stores, Gabriel Stulman cements favour with the homely Jeffrey’s Grocery, offering customers the chance to stock up on organic meat, house charcuterie and local cheese before or after grabbing a bite from the on-site lunch bar. Come on weekends for an eggy brunch, plus sandwiches or salads, while on weekdays the raw seafood bar kicks into action with Oyster Happy Hour running from 3:30-5:30 PM.

Address: 172 Waverly Pl, New York, NY 10014

Photo: Jeffrey's Grocery

9. The Butcher's Daughter

Another great place for brunch in Greenwich Village, specifically for vegans and vegetarians is The Butcher’s Daughter which – despite its name – is a plant-based restaurant, café and juice bar. All five locations serve brunch, lunch and dinner but the menu is never the same two days in a row owing to rotating seasonal fruit and vegetable supplies from local and organic farms. The Butcher’s Daughter prides itself on building sustainability within the Village, aiming to create lasting bonds with both customers and local farmers.

Address: 581 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014

At dinnertime, L’Artusi rolls out traditional Italian cuisine with a 2,500 bottle walk-in wine cellar that favours the homeland

10. L'Artusi

Iron up your nicest white shirt for one final meal in the West Village at L’Artusi, the follow up to popular Italian restaurant Dell’anima. At dinnertime, L’Artusi rolls out traditional Italian cuisine with a 2,500 bottle walk-in wine cellar that favours the homeland. On the weekend you can also rank L’Artusi among the best brunch West Village options but it’s likely to be a wine-doused special occasion.

Address: 228 W 10th St, New York, NY 10014

Photo: Austin Distel

Where is the West Village?

The borders of the West Village are actually pretty fluid as nearby districts all wish to be labelled a part of it. As far as we can tell, however, the area runs from the Hudson River to Seventh Avenue across, while Houston Street and 14^th Street mark the north and south limits. The Meat Packing District meanwhile lies slightly northwest of the border.

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