Balon is an intimate restaurant and wine bar that's a short walk from the museums. Here, a team of sommeliers helps diners navigate the French, Spanish, and Italian wines on the list. Snacks include mussels, charcuterie, cheese boards, and a baby rack of lamb.

There is arguably no bar more elegant in Manhattan, and no fancier martini than the one at The Carlyle Hotel's signature bar. Bemelmans opens daily at noon, at which point vodka, gin, and mixed nuts start flowing. The live piano music and stellar drinks make for a time warp just minutes from the museums.

Daniel Boulud's slightly more relaxed UES haunt Cafe Boulud is a short walk from the steps of the Met, and an even shorter walk to the Met Breuer. It's upscale for sure, but Boulud does offer a few options that are totally reasonable, like two lunch pre-fixes for $39 and $45. Weekend menus through the summer include the three-course French Riviera menu that's for $68. For lovely cuisine and service, Cafe Boulud is an opportunity to treat yourself.

For the vegan museum-goer, Candle 79 is a true failsafe. It's just about a one minute walk from the Met Breuer (and about 15 from the Guggenheim), and offers dinner options like spinach ravioli with cashew parmesan, pomegranate BBQ seitan skewers, and a mezze platter. Candle 79 serves brunch, lunch, and dinner. Note that it's closed from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

The crown jewel of the Upper East Side, Flora Bar and its attached sister Flora Coffee provide a heady mix of options for before, after, or during a museum visit (it's located inside the Met Breuer). Stop in for cafe vibes at Flora Coffee, with a sticky bun and coffee; enjoy a luxe lunch of steak with Béarnaise and a glass of wine; or settle in for dinner with lobster and crab dumplings or lamb ribs. Instant favorites at the Upper East Side restaurant also include stracciatella with meyer lemon, tuna tartare, and a purple endive salad with pecans and blue cheese.

Minetta Tavern vet and executive chef Xavier Monge opened Little Frog late last year, bringing a little of that McNally-influenced flare to the Upper East Side. Monge's previous experience also lends to Little Frog dishes like steak tartare with capers, steak frites, and a whole roasted Normandy duck. It's a bright and inviting space, suitable for pre- or post-museum strolling.

Even if you're not visiting the nearby museums, Nica's gorgonzola gnocchi is reason enough to head to East 84th Street. Other pasta dishes like the tagliatelle Bolognese, spaghetti carbonara, and four-cheese rigatoni have made Nica Trattoria a neighborhood gem for almost a decade.

For Eater critic Robert Sietsema, Pastrami Queen is turning out some of the city's best pastrami. Served on rye bread with options like grainy mustard and Russian dressing, the namesake sandwich is certainly the thing to get here. Plus: The Queen also serves a wonderful corned beef. For those looking for a pre-museum visit, breakfast options include salami and eggs, pastrami and eggs, and a four-egg omelet.

Sandwiched between the Met and Met Breuer, old-school Milanese restaurant Sant Ambroeus is open seven days a week serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. Lunch options include a Caprese salad, yellowfin tuna tartare, tagliatelle Bolognese, and a green lasagna. There's also an espresso and cappuccino bar serving gelato, pastries, and homemade cakes.

With a bar that opens daily at 5:30 p.m. Seamstress is a great place for a post-museum visit. Diners can sit by the fireplace as they sip on domestic beers and cocktails like the No Say with mezcal, Aperol, pineapple, and lemongrass. Options on the food menu include a burger, roasted Hudson Valley foie gras, pork belly, and oysters Rockefeller.

A Shack Burger and Chicken Shack are just 10 minutes away from the steps of the Met. This is one of Shake Shack's sleepiest and most spacious locations.