Harlem has a reputation for its stellar soul food offerings, especially with classics like Sylvia’s, but the uptown neighborhood reflects the diversity of New York City, and its restaurants follow suit — food from Ethiopia, Mexico, Japan, Jamaica, and more are all represented. On this list of standout restaurants in Harlem, find everything from a new, groundbreaking wine bar to fast casual spots that have put this part of Manhattan on the culinary map.
Read More21 Great Restaurants to Try in Harlem
Caribbean seafood, soul food, and dressed up cocktails fall among the diverse neighborhood offerings
Harlem Public
This burger spot and neighborhood watering hole opened in 2012 serves food from 11 a.m. to midnight daily, with items like house-ground burgers, pulled pork sandwiches, tots, fried pickles, big salads, and wings. Consider its sibling locations, less expensive At the Wallace and cocktail spot the Honey Well, with its outdoor garden.
The Handpulled Noodle
Through dishes like tingly lamb soup and Beijing bolo, the Handpulled Noodle demonstrates the incredibly heterogeneous world of Chinese noodles. The restaurant is guided by cooking traditions in northwestern China, as their noodle offerings demonstrate. Choose from among four types of noodles as well as scallion pancakes, dumplings, and vegetable sides.
Tsion Cafe
Owners Beejhy Barhany and Padmore John have long sought opportunities to express their Ethiopian-Jewish identity. Inspired by influences from Ethiopia and Israel, at Tsion, Ethiopian Jews dietary needs are prioritized, and the couple regularly hosts events that highlight the diaspora’s culinary expressions through Judaism. Of course, everyone is welcome at the cafe, where dishes like chicken sambusa, lentil and shiro injera rolls, and painstakingly spiced doro tibs with jollof rice satiate new and returning guests.
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ROKC
Each quadrant of the ROKC name — ramen, oysters, kitchen, and cocktails — is worth exploring. The West Harlem restaurant carries an extensive cocktail menu of over 40 drinks, many of which come in novel containers like tea saucers, light bulbs, and Día de los Muertos skulls.
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Charles Pan-Fried Chicken
Charles Gabriel first started selling his crispy, golden fried chicken on the sidewalks of Amsterdam Avenue before running a food truck and then a small storefront. An Upper West Side location debuted earlier this year, but Gabriel returned to his neighborhood, where he’s still firing up cast-iron skillets for his terrific namesake dish and an expanded menu that includes pulled pork and more sides.
The Edge Harlem
Owned and operated by sisters Juliet and Justine Masters, the restaurant reflects their British, Jamaican, and New York influences. Inside, you’ll hear lots of jazz, followed by a range of music from across the Black diaspora. Food includes coconut fish burger and codfish fritters served with jerk lime dip are a few of many dishes emblematic of the restaurant’s Caribbean influence, and the vegetarian-friendly black bean veggie burger continues to be a local favorite. Stay tuned for live events, too.
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Ponty Bistro
With its selection of French food with an African flair, Ponty’s is a tribute to Harlem’s West African influence. Open for breakfast through dinner, dishes vary from luncheonette fare (omelets and burgers) to those with more global influence (Sengalese fish or chicken yassa and lamb merguez couscous). The bright interior — with sun streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto marble-top tables — is especially inviting.
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Abyssinia Ethiopian Restaurant
What once was an apartment catering business is now one of the most respected Ethiopian restaurants in Harlem. The veggie combo and meat sampler give guests a great opportunity to try various stews and vegetable-laden sides, and appetizers and dishes like beef awaze tibs and doro wat are traditional staples.
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Tropical Grill
Known for its long lines snaking out the door, this Puerto Rican staple specializes in rotisserie chicken served alongside rice, beans, tostones, or sweet plantains. Don’t miss the mofongo, or fried plantains mashed with salt, garlic, oil, and pork, and expect generous portions at an affordable price in a spare room.
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Sugar Monk
nods to the speakeasies of Harlem’s past in a low-lit space with live jazz on Monday nights. The cocktails come with elaborate presentations and garnishes; there are more than 20 of them on the menu named after works of art, historical events, and songs. The bar is known for its non-alcoholic cocktails, too.
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Sylvia's
Sylvia’s, open since 1962, is a Harlem tradition and was just recognized this year as a James Beard Classics winner. Celebrities, politicians, and even monarchs have visited the establishment to sample the iconic Southern soul food. Fried catfish, barbecue baby back ribs, and corn bread are standouts. The 60-year-old restaurant recently announced it’s now open seven days a week, including a Sunday gospel brunch.
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Red Rooster
Chef and restaurateur Marcus Samulesson found his way to Harlem after studying and working in kitchens in Sweden, Switzerland, and Austria and carries his global, diverse background into Red Rooster, where he interprets Black American staples like chicken and waffles and pan-fried catfish for a bustling crowd. The speakeasy is known to play host to some of the best live music in the neighborhood.
Disclosure: Marcus Samuelsson is the host of No Passport Required, a series produced by Eater and PBS. This does not impact coverage on Eater.
Harlem Shake
Harlem Shake has become known for its kitschy decor and nostalgic menu. Think classic, American-style burgers, curly fries, and chili cheese dogs, and of course, milkshakes. Though they now have a location in Brooklyn and recently announced plans to franchise in other parts of the country, the Harlem location remains the heart and soul of the business. Make sure to take a peek at their celeb-heavy photo wall, all featuring signatures of famous Black celebrities who’ve dined at the restaurant.
Vinatería
This Black-owned watering hole is a hub for dates and solo nights out. Amid a bevy of diners reading at the bar, flirtatious couples nibbling on appetizers, and friends laughing over drinks, the Spanish and Italian influences are evident on the menu —- and through the art and music that creates such an intimate atmosphere. The restaurant’s beet root campanelle is a favorite of vegetarians and meat eaters alike. Don’t miss the mafalde short rib ragu, which comes topped with a generous dollop of gorgonzola, nor the olive oil cake, a light, airy slice of sweetness complemented with berry compote and fresh whipped cream.
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BLVD Bistro NY
After moving from a Lenox brownstone to a new building on Frederick Douglass Boulevard, BLVD Bistro is keeping the festivities going. The family-owned restaurant serves lunch and dinner, but brunches are especially fun. Jumbo shrimp laced with jalapeno and bits of applewood-smoked bacon top cheesy grits; brioche French toast is blanketed in caramelized banana syrup; and baskets filled with fluffy, buttery biscuits fuel hungry visitors. On weekends, the restaurant hosts a DJs and streetside dance parties, creating the block-party atmosphere that New Yorkers love.
Archer & Goat
The 40-seat Archer and Goat serves cuisine inspired by Puerto Rican, Ecuadorian, and Bengali traditions alongside a broad beer selection and cocktails like an ancho chile-spiked mezcal sipper. Its food includes a burger slathered in queso blanco and sofrito ketchup, chicken vindaloo arepas, and carne asada with tostones.
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Melba's
A visit to Melba’s may lead to a run-in with Meagan Good, Jesse Jackson, or even Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Celebrities and politicians alike head to Frederick Douglass Boulevard to meet with the visionary behind Harlem’s center of soul food: Melba Wilson. Wilson’s love of soul food and Black culture is evident throughout the building, which feels less like a standard restaurant and more like a flavorful family gathering. The Harlem native transforms southern-originated soul food for a Northern audience, doling out comforting, soulful favorites like collard greens, candied yams, and southern fried chicken. Chicken and eggnog waffles may sound like a holiday special, but this sweet and gently spiced house special is available year-round.
Lalibela Ethiopian Restaurant
Lalibela joined the Harlem community during the pandemic, and quickly became a local favorite. The doro wat combo is exceptional, and the family-owned leadership style creates a warm and comforting atmosphere.
Fieldtrip
Though JJ Johnson’s Fieldtrip now has new locations, yet the original, like the chef himself, calls Harlem home. True to Johnson’s reverence for global flavors, his restaurant takes diners on a field trip through cultures by way of rice. Indulge in bowls inspired by cultures across the world, like Carolina Gold fried rice paired with hand-battered chicken breakfast, wok-cooked veggies, and a devilishly sticky BBQ sauce, or the chef crispy fish bowl, which features cornmeal crusted fish engulfed in a medley aromatic tartar sauce, wok veggies, and red onions, served over a bed of fluffy cilantro lime rice. His dragon fruit rice crispy treat — a bright pink block of childlike sugary goodness — serves as a pleasant reminder that rice isn’t just for dinner, and indeed is central to all of our foodways.
Taco Mix
A massive pork al pastor beckons from the window of Taco Mix, and it’s a mistake to miss it. The al pastor tacos are among the best in town, Eater critic Robert Sietsema says. They’re so good that the restaurant, which started as a food cart, now has locations on the Lower East Side and in Industry City in Brooklyn.
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Contento Restaurant
In East Harlem, Contento finds a balance few restaurants have been able to locate: smart, elegant food, paired with an environment truly accessible to diners with different abilities. Contento —named for the Spanish cognate for “content,” in the context of happiness — is known for its excellent fare and robust wine selection, curated by sommelier and co-founder Yannick Benjamin. It’s also one the few restaurants in the country that’s fully wheelchair accessible. The restaurant features thoughtful forms of inclusion, such as a bar section designed to be comfortable for wheelchair users, and boasts a vibrant and alluring menu of Peruvian fare, such as octopus a la plancha and arroz con pato, ensuring the message of “contento” permeates through the room.