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[title](Supervised by OU)
Owner Joey Allaham tries to operate his meat emporium like a proper midtown steakhouse first, kosher steakhouse second. That means serious waiters, a clientele of glatt gourmands who are comfortable bringing nonkosher guests here, and a safe, classy wood-heavy interior. You won't find filet mignon (too close to the back to be a kosher cut), but slabs of dry-aged rib eye and sirloin are richly satisfying. 60 E 49th St between Madison and Park Aves (212-692-9292, primehospitalityny.com)
Le Marais
(Supervised by OU)
Relinquish your Times Square restaurant prejudices. Unlike its megachain neighbors, this kosher French bistro does most things well (dessert can be skipped) and some things superbly. Thank the on-site butcher for the piquant steak au poivre. The house frites are crisp and satisfying, and will have even gentiles plotzing. 150 W 46th St between Sixth and Seventh Aves (212-869-0900, lemarais.net)
Blossom Vegan Restaurant
(Supervised by Lev Schwartz)
For cautious carnivores, Blossom offers one big surprise: All the eggless pastas and mock meats actually taste pretty good. For vegans, it's a candlelit godsend. Guiltily dreaming of veal scaloppine? Try the pan-seared seitan cutlets, tender wheat gluten served with garlic mashed potates. 187 Ninth Ave between 21st and 22nd Sts (212-627-1144, blossomnyc.com)
Tiffin Wallah
(Supervised by OKS)
This bright, clean Curry Hill standout makes a great date place—especially if your date is vegetarian, Jewish or homesick for India. Start with the samosa chaat ($4)—two flaky pockets stuffed with potato and peas, covered in a colorful tamarind, cilantro and yogurt sauce. Then sample one of three $14 thalis—multiple servings of rice, curries, chutneys and more served on a single tray. A fresh lunch buffet, offered from 11:30am to 3pm on weekdays, overflows with South Indian standards like a creamy saag paneer and Gobi masala (cauliflower and spiced onions)—all you can eat for $7.95.127 E 28th St at Lexington Ave (212-685-7301, tiffinwallah.us)
Mike's Bistro
(Supervised by OU)
The menu items at Mike's Bistro on the Upper West Side don't sound especially Jewish, but the food is 100 percent glatt kosher. Since graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in 1997, Brooklyn native chef-owner Michael Gershkovich has dreamed of opening his own kosher restaurant—one where the food is as important as the biblical dietary regulations. After a stint at the upscale kosher steakhouse Prime Grill, he's now running his own show with dishes like braised duck gnocchi, barbecue-glazed short rib and sautéed duck breast. 228 W 72nd St between Broadway and West End Ave (212-799-3911, mikesbistro.com)
Tevere
(Supervised by OU)
You know those Italian restaurants in movies, with brick walls, candlelight and couples on dates? This is that place, but full of Jews! A treat for kosher meateaters, the menu features fettucine alla bolognese and tortelloni alla boscaiola drizzled with veal and lamb sauces, along with 15 all-out carni dishes, such as grilled lamb chops and veal scaloppine. 155 E. 84th St between Lexington and 3rd Aves (212-744-0210, teverenyc.com)
Pongal
(Supervised by CUPK)
If you're used to North Indian fare, the casually elegant Pongal will fill in a few blanks with dishes from the South. Staff at this kosher vegetarian spot provide a brief culinary geography lesson and realistically assess how scorching the "hot spices" really are. The dosa are big and finely seasoned. The truly great tuver baingan has refreshingly unmushy eggplant, pigeon peas and an unforgettable bite that just might bring you back for more. 110 Lexington Ave between 27th and 28th Sts (212-696-9458, pongalnyc.com)
Sacred Chow
(Supervised by IKC)
This small, quiet vegan caf and bistro offers most of its seitan, tofu and vegetable dishes as small plates—a good idea, as there are many options. There's wholesome sunflower- and lentil-pate on crostini; a shiitake mushroom salad with toasted sunflower seeds has a pleasantly chewy texture. If you're willing to commit to a full-size entree, the soy-meatball sub is a satisfying choice, slathered in a savory tomato-onion sauce and topped with melted vegan cheese. Organic wines and draft beers can be paired with all dishes. 227 Sullivan St between Bleecker and W 3rd Sts (212-337-0863, sacredchow.com)
Rectangles
(Supervised by AgudHam)
After losing its East Village lease, this Yemenite-Israeli standby relocated to the Upper East Side. Walnut paneling and floors, colorful tapestries and antique wooden chairs make the 60-seat eatery feel as if it's been around for years. Regulars will find many of their old favorites like baba ghanoush with warm pita, and all manner of kebab. Chef Tzipi Said grills beef, turkey, lamb, fish and baby chicken seasoned with her proprietary blend of freshly ground pepper, cumin, cloves and cardamom. There's also a 16-seat outdoor caf. 1431 First Ave between 74th and 75th Sts (212-744-7470, rectanglesrestaurant.com)
Chennai Garden
(Supervised by OKS)
The sparsely decorated Gramercy cafe serves some of the tastiest Indian food in Manhattan—and it's kosher and vegetarian to boot. Channa chat, cold chickpeas in a yogurt and smoky-sweet tamarind sauce, and lentil chat, lentil flour fritters drenched in mustard-seed-and-chili yogurt, are among our new favorite comfort foods. Curries include undhiyu, an unusual combination of yam, eggplant and snow peas in a rich, mildly peppery butter sauce. 129 E 27th St between Park Ave South and Lexington Ave (212-689-1999, chennaigarden.com)
Or, if you just want a quick bite, try:
2nd Ave Deli
(Supervised by Steinberg)
Two years after the shuttering of the deli's original East Village location, Jeremy Lebewohl, the founder's nephew, has reopened it at this misleading Murray Hill address, menu intact. Though the kitchen has some difficulty executing staples (matzo ball soup lacked for eggy flavor), some things are as good as ever: Schmaltz-laden chopped liver is whipped to a mousselike consistency, and the deli meats, including juicy pastrami and corned beef, skillfully straddle the line between fatty and lean. 162 E 33rd St between Lexington and Third Aves (212-689-9000) • 1442 First Ave at 75th St (212-737-1700) • 2ndavedeli.com
Olympic Pita
(Supervised by OU)
This kosher spot serves Israeli-style cuisine, like kebabs and shawarma. 1419 Coney Island Ave between Aves K and J, Midwood, Brooklyn (718-258-6222) • 58 W 38th St between Fifth and Sixth Aves (212-869-7282) • olympicpita.com
Maoz Vegetarian
(Supervised by Steinberg)
This falafel joint offers chickpea patties with unlimited fixings—serve yourself at the salad bar. Once you've scored your fill of seemingly endless toppings, such as shredded cabbage and carrot medallions, experiment with seven different sauces, including a mild traditional tahini or a worth-the-wait garlic sauce, which does the rather soggy pommes frites a world of good. Locations throughout the city; visit maozusa.com
Hummus Place
(Supervised by UKS)
If you want to know how good hummus should taste, check out this slender East Village restaurant (there are two more locations, one in the West Village and one on the Upper West Side). We're particularly fond of the supersmooth traditional hummus. It's rich enough to be called "vegetarian chopped liver" and comes with a smart selection of condiments including pickles, olives, raw onion and chewy, bubbly pita for scooping. 305 Amsterdam Ave at W 74th St (212-799-3335, hummusplace.com)
Noi Due
(Supervised by Aaron David Mehlman)
The Upper West Side also gains a new pizzeria, this one kosher. In the morning hours, the space will function more as an espresso bar, serving shots made from coffee beans roasted in Italy, along with house-made pastries and sandwiches. At night, the full-service kitchen will bake individual-sized pizzas in a masonry oven and offer a mix-and-match selection of pastas and sauces. 143 W 69th St between Broadway and Columbus Ave (212-712-2222, noiduecafe.com)
Ben's Kosher Delicatessen
(Supervised by Steinberg)
Knishes, hot pastrami, chopped liver—you'll find deli classics and much more at Ben's, proud sponsor of an annual matzo-ball--eating contest. The granddaddy of six statewide locations, Ben's Gotham branch features a loud, 250-seat dining room and even louder colorful menus, chock-full of exclamation points. Half an overstuffed sandwich, served on soft, tangy rye or wheat, is thicker than War and Peace, and the beef, turkey and veggie burgers are bursting out of their buns. There are also steaks and chicken livers, plus lighter choices, such as a Caesar salad. 209 W 38th St between Seventh and Eighth Aves (212-398-2367, bensdeli.net)
William Greenberg Jr. Desserts
(Supervised by OKS)
Legend has it that William Greenberg Jr. started his first family bakery in 1946 with money he'd won playing cards. Over the years, several of his uptown shops came and went and this is the latest iteration, still serving all of the man's signature kosher cookies, cakes and brownies. Dive into favorites like schnecken, shortbread linzer tarts filled with raspberry preserves, apple strudel, black-and-white cookies and cinnamon babka (coffee cake covered with streusel crumbs). 1100 Madison Ave between 82nd and 83rd Sts (212-744-1304, wmgreenbergdesserts.com)