Coffee Breakfast

Union Square is one of the most highly trafficked areas in New York, which means we frequently field questions about where to eat in the area. While you could always fill yourself up at one of those permanently parked falafel trucks, there happen to be some better options that don’t require walking too far. Just promise us you won’t go to the TGI Fridays.

Dark, fun, not located in midtown, and not full of guys in brown suits, Strip House is one of very few steakhouses where you can eat meat, (goose fat) potatoes, and (black truffle) creamed spinach while still feeling cool.

13 E. 12th St.

Hu Kitchen’s proposition is gluten-free, soy-free, paleo food that isn’t taste-free. And for the most part, they succeed. Jury’s still out on whether bread made out of coconut is actually enjoyable, but the proteins can make for a quality (if pricey) dinner. At least all those people who just left Hilaria Baldwin’s yoga class seem to think so.

78 5th Ave.

People love an upscale Mexican restaurant, and ABC Cocina is a great version of that. We actually prefer it to ABC Kitchen these days, making it our #1 favorite restaurant located in a carpet store.

38 E. 19th St.

Coffee Shop may not be the most exciting restaurant around, but this classic spot has some key things going for it: it’s open 23 hours a day, it’s located right on Union Square, and the food is actually pretty decent. Get a steak sandwich or sesame chicken salad.

29 Union Square W.

There are two ways you could make your tongue numb in the Union Square vicinity: 1) Get it pierced on St. Marks, or 2) Eat some Szechuan food at Han Dynasty. We endorse the latter – these are the best dan dan noodles and spicy wontons around.

90 3rd Ave.

The younger, smaller, but actually cooler sibling to Hell’s Kitchen’s Taboon, Tabonette is our MVP pick for lunch on the western side of Union Square. The menu is made up mostly of Middle Eastern pita sandwiches that you can fill with quality ingredients like salmon and pulled pork. You’ll be mad you can’t have this for lunch every day.

30 E. 13th St.

If you find yourself on the eastern side of Union Square, and unable to cross through the park due to either lack of time or inablity to deal with the Hare Krishna people, grab lunch or takeout dinner at Glaze. Get a bowl of teriyaki chicken, steak, or salmon over rice. Or without rice, if you’re #PALEO. Just get the rice.

139 4th Ave.

15 East is one of the best places to have incredible omakase-style sushi in NYC, provided you’re OK with eating dollar slices for dinner for the rest of the month. Or, go at lunch, when there’s a three-course $32 prix fixe special, as well a mini version of the sushi omakase for $35.

15 E. 15th St.

An NYC classic, Casa Mono pretty much never gets old and works in any scenario, provided you enjoy wine and excellent small plates of seafood and meat. If you don’t, there’s a TGI Fridays around the corner.