The 27 best restaurants in Williamsburg

Kru’s modern interpretation of hundred year-old Thai recipes took best-of lists by storm shortly after it opened in 2022, also earning introduction to the ​​Michelin Guide and a spot as a James Beard semifinalist in short order. Some of those interpretations pack wonderful heat, like in the beef tongue curry and smoked whitefish relish with anchovy, shrimp and chili pastes.

From Cosme alums, Ensendada celebrates Mexican mariscos and mezcal in a buzzy atmosphere. The crispy fried fish, which tops tortillas made from Brooklyn-based For All Things Good’s masa, soaks up all the drinking you’ll do as you make your way through their mezcal menu, which is made up largely of producer-owned brands. 

The team behind highly regarded Cafe China opened this Sichuan spot in 2017, and the crowds haven’t thinned since. Reserve a table in the buzzy dining room for a taste of Birds of a Feather’s best in class mapo tofu, tea smoked duck and spicy soft shell crab. Lunch specials are also available on weekdays from noon to 4:30pm. 

When Philadelphia's Laser Wolf opened an NYC edition on the 10th floor of the Hoxton hotel, the fun follow-up with terrific, unlimited salatim and a nice variety of good skewers arrived with more buzz than money can buy. K’Far came to a larger space on the hotel’s lobby level later in 2022: bigger, better, and puzzlingly easier to reserve. Enjoy the ease of entry over fantastic preparations of savory baklava, Palestinian lamb tartare, dorade and chicken schnitzel. 

A shining jewel at the corner of Broadway and Bedford, Francie has been Williamsburg’s premier duck destination since it opened at the end of 2020. The fantastic waterfowl is adorned in a bouquet of vibrant flora before it’s presented tableside and its crackling skin is sliced to reveal the juicy meat inside. This dish, along with Francie’s caviar soufflé cakes, pastas and heritage pork all helped it earn a Michelin star in the blink of an eye.

Caribbean-inspired menus including salt fish avocado toast and sweet plantain pancakes at brunch and braised oxtail, jerk chicken and jackfruit tacos at dinner top tables across Kokomo’s stylish interior and at its award-winning outdoor dining setup. Pair plates with rum punch and fun cocktails. 

Williamsburg cheered when this beautiful area staple reopened after a long pause that began in 2020. Now back in action in its chicly weathered dining room and fairytale garden, MP has all the marvelous martinis and raw bar bites it first became famed for a decade ago. 

The above love for K’Far is not to say that Laser Wolf isn’t also worth a visit. The lively viewstaurant was one of NYC’s best new restaurants of 2022, and once you’ve patiently waited for entry live on site or staking out its reservation platform, the fresh, warm pita, wonderful hummus, babaganoush, gigantes and live-fired skewers are almost enough to make you forget all the work it took to nab a seat. The beautiful water and skyline tableau seals the deal. 

Red-sauce joints like this are tailor-made for old-school standbys, not novelties. Forget the sides of vegetables when heaping portions of penne alla vodka, baked ziti and chicken Parm hit the spot. When so much of Williamsburg feels unrecognizably new, Bamonte’s holds the torch for neighborhood charm.

Walk into co-owner (and former LCD Soundsystem frontman) James Murphy’s intimate, convivial natural-wine–focused restaurant, and you’re in for a treat. A roster of daily specials keeps you on your toes, and the drinks are abundant. Think of this spot as a Wine 101 class.

Chef Calvin Eng shared that he had one rule when approaching his first solo venture. “There was one rule in the very beginning for my bar team, my managers, and all the sous-chefs: every dish had to be a banger,” he said in Coveteur. It seems he has done exactly that. Still hot after a 2022 debut, the Williamsburg restaurant continues to please with Cantonese-American hits from the cacio e pepe with a ferment-y bean curd kick to the wonderfully umami MSG Martini.

Much-discussed Peter Luger is an endless source of fascination in and outside of NYC, and it'll take more than occasional derision to strip its classic status. Chances are, your out-of-town guests would rather grab steaks, chops and great burgers here than at trendy new options, and it'll remain among the city's most august institutions well past any viral headlines. 

Also one of the best steakhouses in NYC, St. Anselm has plenty more on its menu, including salads, partridge, lamb, fish and rabbit, plus a nice variety of vegetable sides. The lengthy wine list has a lot of options to pair with these varied options. 

This lively, light-drenched terrarium of a restaurant offers a wide array of Peruvian fare. Citrusy ceviche and golden-skinned rotisserie chicken are among several solid options at Llama Inn. 

Levantine cuisine is the traditional cooking style of the Levant, a large swath of land that includes Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Syria, Turkey, Egypt and Cyprus. In Huda, owner Gehadi Hadidi shares the cuisine of the region, heavy on Lebanese and Palestinian flavors while looping in his Syrian roots. What results is Levantine-style gnudi with a garlic sauce and tortellinis plump with ground beef and tucked into a yogurt sauce.

Dinner at double Michelin-starred Aska is a 12-14 course affair that will set you back $298 per person for preparations that incorporate Maine lobster, caviar, truffles, trout and scallops in aesthetically relaxed surroundings. 

Originally opened in 2010 in the old Brooklyn Star space with backing from top pizza purveyor Roberta's, brilliantly titled Best Pizza now has four Brooklyn locations. Swing by for fantastic whole pies, heroes, salads and fan-favorite grandma slices.

The menu is small but mighty (and ever-changing) at this much-lauded spot from restaurateur Andrew Tarlow. An early address on Williamsburg's culinary map, the kitchen is still turning out hits like brick chicken and grass-fed burgers more than two decades later.

Established by Tuscany native Massimo Laveglia, L'Industrie arrived on the scene with wood-fired pies, sandwiches and gelato back in 2017. With lines down the block, the pizzeria expanded in 2021, giving us even more elbow room to crunch on the iconic Burrata slice.

James Beard Award–winning chef Missy Robbins continues to pack her Italian stunner with guests who come from far and wide for Lilia's super-popular pasta. It still isn't easy to get a table, so Resy alerts still come in handy here.

The undisputed star of this fried food fave is the moist chicken with irresistibly crispy batter, but the sides keep us coming back. Order the Superbowl with three sides—we like the burnt end baked beans, hush puppies and collards—and your choice of cornbread or biscuits. Save some appetite space for the banana cream pie.

This 380-square-foot ramen shop from noodle whiz Yuji Haraguchi specializes in ichi ju san sai—a traditional Japanese meal of one soup and three side dishes—for breakfast and lunch. For dinner, snag a seat at the four-stool counter overlooking the open kitchen, where Haraguchi turns out a reservations-only, daily-changing ramen tasting.

The Commodore is a bar with divey proclivities and a longer menu than some restaurant-first operations. Choose from booze (and hangover) friendly items like fried chicken, nachos, burgers and fries. Sandwiches and salads are also available. 

Wood-fired pies in varieties like Margherita, 'nduja and grandma-style are just a few of the attractions at this relatively roomy Italian restaurant. Chicken Parm and Milanese and Branzino are also available. For pasta lovers, check out the seasonal five-course pasta tasting menu that comes with a dessert. 

A satisfying $15 lunch special, $28 three-course prix fixe, wide variety and generously portioned plates that actually pack some heat make Atithi an excellent neighborhood restaurant worth going out of your way for. We’ve previously enjoyed the cauliflower pakora and spicy lamb saag. 

Unlike the name suggests, Sunday in Brooklyn is indeed open for brunch and dinner every day of the week. The rustic three-story space offers cozy vibes and an outdoor patio. Dishes like malted pancakes with hazelnut-maple praline shine on their brunch menu, while the togarashi ribs arrive in time for dinner.

The follow up sister restaurant to Lilia is Misi. Just like Lilia, it's a challenge getting in here, too. But if you finally snag a coveted seat, you'll be rewarded with simple Italian cooking in the hands of Missy Robbins, meaning charred and grilled vegetables alongside a hefty list of handmade pastas.