By: Amy Rosner By: Amy Rosner | December 14, 2021 | Food & Drink,
‘Tis the season for cheesy Hallmark movies and lots of Mariah Carey!
If you’re not in the spirit to bake a ham or make eggnog, we’ve got you covered.
See Also: Award-Winning Chef Shares Her Favorite Plant-Based Holiday Dishes
With Christmas just around the corner, we’ve rounded up the best NYC restaurants open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Or if you don’t celebrate, you’re probably eating greasy fried rice and egg rolls on your couch.
45 Rockefeller Plaza, Manhattan/Website
It’s like going to the Grecian Islands for the holidays, but different. Helmed by Executive Chef-Partner M.J. Alam (Estiatorio Milos), Limani creates a truly exceptional experience for its guests, highlighting clean Mediterranean flavors spotlighting whole fish flown in daily from the Mediterranean. Upon entering, guests will find themselves whisked away to the islands of Greece. Marked by a beautiful white marble bar, you will find an expansive dining room with high ceilings, white leather seating, and a luxurious blue infinity pool.
128 1st Av, Manhattan/Website
This Michelin-recognized modern Hawaiian restaurant will be open for Christmas Eve from 5 pm - 10:30 pm on Christmas Eve. The restaurant's menu was designed by Executive Chef-Partner Chung Chow (Per Se, Lincoln Restaurant), a native Hawaiian who incorporates Asian and Pacific Rim influences. The extensive wine list has won the Wine Spectator Award of Best Excellence four years in a row, which will come in handy when your Aunt Suzy won’t shut up about politics.
135b N 5th St, Brooklyn/Website
This global noodle concept comes from a highly talented team of new restaurateurs Chiwa Yeung, Spencer Cartledge, and Executive Chef Brooke Apfelbaum. NSA Noodle Bar is a no-frills noodle bar that features a fusion of Japanese, Italian, and American fare. Open on Christmas Eve and Day from 5 pm to 10 pm, No Strings is perfect for those psychopaths (kidding) who refuse to eat ham and mashed potatoes- they're definitely related to people who don't touch turkey on Thanksgiving. Just saying.
117 W 58th St, Manhattan/Website
Tuscany Steakhouse is owned by veteran restaurateur Steve Haxhiaj, an alumnus of Wolfgang’s Steakhouse. The restaurant represents a more rounded cuisine experience to their patrons with a menu marrying Italian American fare and the classic American steakhouse. Their main attraction presents itself in the form of Tuscany Steakhouse’s USDA Prime Dry-Aged Steaks, which are dried in the restaurant’s signature aging box. If you’re more of a steak person, this is your spot!
505 Columbus Ave, Manhattan/Website
At Tasca, the focus is on the Iberian Peninsula in Spain, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico, a melting pot of Spanish, Latin Caribbean flavors. The dishes at Tasca showcase how the flavors from the related cultures can work together in new and interesting ways. The restaurant has the capacity to properly serve over 400 wines, with a current inventory of roughly 180. You’re going to need a drink if your third cousin asks for the third time if you’re single.
Multiple Locations/Website
ICHIRAN is the world’s leading expert in Tonkotsu ramen. With NYC locations in Times Square, Midtown, and Brooklyn, the spaces were designed so guests could focus only on the ramen that sits before them, savoring the fragrance of the broth and experiencing each slurp of ramen. Observant of the holiday or not, what a great way to spend a frigid December day!
1215 3rd Ave, Manhattan/Website
While PJ Bernstein may not be as well-known as its downtown compatriots—Katz’s and the Second Avenue Deli—this iconic Upper East Side, family-owned Jewish Deli is one of the few remaining authentic restaurants of its kind. To this day, the deli continues to be a popular destination for locals and celebrities who have an appetite for PJ’s towering pastrami sandwiches and homemade soups. If they’re not stuffing their faces with greasy Chinese food, this is where our fellow Jews will be.
788 9th Ave, Manhattan/Website
Badshah is the next generation of Indian restaurants, a direct descendant of critically-acclaimed spot, Surya, in the West Village. Named after the Hindi term for “King of the Village,” Badshah features inventive dishes inspired by Indian street food and signature classics. Each dish is modernized in creative ways with spices, flavors, and dishes that represent different regions of India across the menu.
154 Bleecker St, Manhattan/Website
Madam Ji offers modern interpretations of traditional Indian flavors for an elevated, Bollywood-inspired dinner. To complement a menu full of flavor and spice, Madam Ji offers crisp and refreshing cocktails and the delicious betel leaf ice cream, Paan Kulfi, for dessert.
Photography by: Rodion Kutsaev
