Travelling to the Big Apple? We’ve gathered some of Bobby Flay’s go-to restaurants you might want to check out! Whether he’s behind the kitchen or critiquing your grilling technique on TV, Bobby Flay knows food and where to find the best of it. As a born-and-raised New Yorker, Flay has eaten his way through New York City. After all, when it comes to authentic NYC food, there’s no one who knows it better than a New Yorker chef!
10. Blue Ribbon Brasserie
If you’re an avid watcher of “The Flay List,” you know that one of the stops that Bobby Flay and his daughter Sophia visited is Blue Ribbon Brasserie. Flay mentioned that he spent a lot of his time in the restaurant during the early days of his career. As for the food, you can order their Fried Chicken which is the restaurant’s pride as they labeled it as “beloved worldwide.”
Location: 97 Sullivan St., New York, New York 10012
9. J.G. Melon
One of the known restaurants in New York City is J.G. Melon, which serves burgers. During Bobby Flay’s appearance in an episode of “The Best Thing I Ever Ate,” the celebrity chef said that he would choose J.G. Melon’s cheeseburgers over any burgers available in the city. He even mentioned it on “The Flay List,” so if you’re craving a cheeseburger, you know where to go.
Location: 1291 3rd Avenue, New York, New York
8. Joe’s Pizza
You’re New York trip would never be complete without eating one of the city’s prides which is pizza! You might want to consider dining at one of Bobby Flay’s favorites, Joe’s Pizza. In a 2014 Instagram video, Flay shared his list of his NYC pizza favorites, with Joe’s Pizza making it to the list. The celebrity chef even called it a “classic, classic, classic pizza.” It’s a place where you can still get a plain old pizza in a city where everyone experiments with pizza toppings!
Location: Multiple locations around New York
7. Mighty Quinn’s Barbecue
Craving for a barbecue dinner? Mighty Quinn’s Barbecue might be a great idea to dine, at least according to Bobby Flay! Back in 2014, Flay mentioned to The Hollywood Reporter that Mighty Quinn’s Barbecue has “the best barbecue in New York.” Yup, that’s your sign to order that big brisket to see what the hype about this NYC barbecue restaurant is about.
Location: Multiple locations
6. Buddakan
Many of Bobby Flay’s New York City restaurant recommendations are nostalgic spots from his spots, and one of them is Buddakan. He mentioned in a 2014 The Hollywood Reporter interview that when he craves a “delicious Peking Duck,” he heads over to Buddakan. True enough, many Chinese restaurants from his youth have gone away, but Buddakan is still here to stay.
Location: 75 9th Avenue, New York, New York 10011
5. Balthazar
One of the New York City restaurants you’ll always hear from Bobby Flay is Balthazar. In fact, in a 2019 Facebook video from Food Network, he mentioned that the restaurant’s fries are “unbelievably perfect” and has “the best French Fries, hands down.” Baltazar uses Idaho potatoes that pass through a cutter and soak them overnight for the starch to reduce. They also blanch their fries in peanut oil before they’re placed in a fryer. That’s one Balthazar secret we’ll take note of!
Location: 80 Spring St., New York, New York 10012
4. Estiatorio Milos
Looking for a fancy place to spend your dinnertime? You might want to visit Estiatorio Milos, which is one of Bobby Flay’s favorite restaurants. The restaurant’s fish came from the Mediterranean. The restaurant places them in a fish market style, allowing guests to pick their own fish before the chef prepares them in a dish that guests want.
Location: Multiple locations
3. Marea
If you’re searching for good Italian food around the city, you might want to consider Marea. Bobby Flay called the restaurant “Italian seafood in the highest style” with The Hollywood Reporter, also stating that he prefers “really refined fish.” Not a fan of seafood? Don’t worry; you can always order a sirloin beef with little gem lettuce and bone marrow panzanella. Now that’s one sirloin beef you’ve never had before!
Location: 240 Central Park S New York, New York 10019
2. Wolfgang’s Steakhouse
Don’t end your New York City trip without trying Bobby Flay’s favorite NYC steakhouse! You may have seen Wolfgang’s Steakhouse on “The Flay List,” where the celebrity chef enjoys a classic steak. If you want to dine in Flay-style, you might want to get his usual order of porterhouse, which includes a chopped salad, shrimp c*ckt*il, creamed spinach, and hash brown potatoes.
Location: Multiple locations
1. Los Tacos No. 1
Like us, Bobby Flay enjoys a good, craveable meal that we can grab anytime. Specifically, Flay enjoys Los Tacos No. 1’s place in Chelsea Market, which happens to be downstairs of the Food Network studio! The celebrity chef isn’t the only one to love Los Tacos No. 1, as it has been featured in New York Magazine’s Thousand Best Guide to the City’s Restaurants. That’s pretty much enough to convince you to order a taco or two!
Location: Multiple locations