Map of Carmine's restaurant, courtesy the website. Thanks website.
Forget Zagat. To find NYC’s most popular, affordable restaurants, FabFrugNY and Restaurants and Institutions magazine will guide you.
The industry trade magazine last week revealed its list of Top 100 Independent Restaurants 2010. The list, not surprisingly, includes the nation’s priciest establishments with NYC staples like the 21 Club, Del Posto and The Four Seasons at the top of the pile. However (let’s drill down the list, shall we?), I’ve taken the liberty of narrowing it down to only those restaurants located in NY that offer incredible meals for an average dinner check of less than $50 per head. The survivors were few, but here they are:
Location: Bryant Park, behind the New York Public Library
Ranking on List: #97
Location: 200 W. 44th St.
Ranking on List: #6
The Coffee Shop
Location: 29 Union Square West
Rank: #61
***Editor’s Note: Love love love that they serve brunch items all day (and night). The eggs Ipanema are melt-in-your-mouth good!
Location: Third Avenue, Park & Soho (3 locations)
Rank: #85
Editor’s Note: Although I’ve never eaten a dissatisfying meal here (the fish tacos are exceptional) it’s the fresh, home-made guacamole that keeps me coming back incessantly.
Location: 7th Ave. at 56th St.
Rank: 83
Location: 7th Ave. (between 56th and 57th)
Rank: 71
*Editor’s Note: The soft-shell crab gave me serious foodgasms!
