As if the New York City restaurant scene wasn’t exclusive enough, it’s now not only about where you dine, but where you sit.
Sitting at a chef’s counter is prime restaurant real estate, and we all know how much New Yorkers obsess over their views.
See Also: How to Get A Seat at One Of NYC's Toughest Tables
But there’s nothing Manhannites love more than access, and having a direct window into the city’s most sought-after kitchens is the utmost form.
We hope you’re hungry, because we’ve saved you a seat at the best chef’s tables in town.
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60 E 65th St, Manhattan/Website
While any meal at a Daniel Boulud restaurant is nothing short of amazing, there’s something special about the Skybox experience. It’s not every day that diners get a backstage look into the craft of one of the world’s most celebrated chefs. The moment you enter Boulud’s “personal office,” the separation between chef and patron magically disappears. An eight-course tasting menu with a Michelin stamp of approval? A bird’s eye view into the world of a culinary genius? Sign us up.
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431 W 37th St, Manhattan/Website
Did you know that one of the most critically-acclaimed restaurants in NYC is in a grocery store? Nestled inside of popular gourmet market, Brooklyn Fare, is Chef’s table: a unique fine-dining restaurant that infuses French and Japanese flavors. It’s nearly impossible to comprehend that an upscale dining concept shares the same space as canned foods and cold-cuts, but you best believe it. There are hundreds of unforgettable dining experiences in Manhattan alone, but Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare is at the very top of the list.
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8 Extra Pl, Manhattan/Website
Although this once-in-a-lifetime experience will cost you a pretty penny ($280 minus tax and tip), we would argue that wining and dining with Chef Esther Ka is priceless. You better clear your calendars, because this decadent 10-course meal will last approximately three hours. Bookings are available for two seatings: 5 PM, 5:15 PM, 5:30 PM or 8:15 PM, 8:30 PM, and 8:45 PM, and if you don’t make a reservation well in advance, you’re probably going to be eating oily Chinese takeout on your couch. Speaking of greasy deliciousness, the fried boneless chicken thighs with caviar and ranch is truly out of this world.
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61 W 8th St, Manhattan/Website
If you love the food at Hasalon but aren’t in the mood to dance on tables and belt the words to Dancing Queen, then Shmone is the spot for you. At its center lies an open kitchen; designed like a bar and surrounded by bar seating for eating that’s as up-close-and-personal as possible. Fanning out from the bar are a series of precisely-positioned tables to take in the culinary spectacle just beyond. Patrons can indulge in delicious Israeli small plates and sip on intoxicating wines as they watch the magic unfold before their eyes.
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19 E 26th St, Manhattan/Website
This modern barn-inspired restaurant is putting the (chef’s) table in farm-to-table. John Doherty, the Executive Chef at Blackbarn states, “The Chef’s Table gives me the chance to not only cook from my heart but to interact with my guests in a more intimate setting. I wish I could do it every night.” This anecdote summarizes what makes counter dining so special: it adds a layer of humanism oftentimes absent from traditional fine dining. Blackbarn’s menu is wide and vast, ranging from juicy bone marrow to melt-in-your-mouth duck breast pastrami, to the most delicious truffle gnocchi you ever did taste.
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77 Worth St, Manhattan/Website
Described as an immersive sensory dining experience, Atera gives you a behind-the-scenes look into the art of New American cooking. “Nothing makes the senses feel more alive than the act of eating, and nothing makes more sense than to enjoy a good meal. And from this feeling, the sensory kitchen is born.” This sentiment represents the ethos of Tribeca’s most inventive spot, which honors poetry, nature, and creativity through an intimate chef’s tasting.
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104 E 30th St, Manhattan/Website
Taking the notion of chef’s tasting to the next level, this upscale Japanese restaurant offers both a food and cocktail tasting menu. Yes, you heard us, a tasting menu with booze, booze, and you guessed it, more booze. And while we’d love to sip on Sake all night long, the food here is truly outrageous. The menu rotates seasonally, but our current favorites are the sweet shrimp with bone marrow, scallops with duck dashi, and the lobster with golden Kaluga caviar.
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52 Irving Pl, Manhattan/Website
Fantastic tapas, an intimate counter experience, and a wine list longer than the line at 260 Sample Sale? You don’t have to twist our arms. This Michelin-starred eatery serves some of the most splendid Spanish food in the city, ranging from black truffle duck to sea urchin-topped eggs, to our personal favorite, a homemade charcuterie board. If you’re just as addicted to red wine as we are, continue the night at Bar Jamón, Casa Mono’s chiller counterpart.
Photography by: Louis Hansel
