clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

The Vox Midtown Heatmap: Where to Eat Lunch Near the Office

View as Map

Here, now, is a guide to Eater-approved Midtown restaurants and take-out spots that are within a five-minute walk of Vox's Midtown HQ. On this map, you'll find inexpensive take-out spots, Michelin Guide darlings, power lunch stalwarts, steakhouses, pizzerias, and burger joints. Want breakfast, coffee, or drinks? Head elsewhere.

If you have any recommendations for places that aren't on this map, slack @kludt, and we'll add them. Working together, we can build The Ultimate Guide to Delicious Things to Eat and Drink in Midtown.

Read More
Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process. If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

The Kati Roll Company

Copy Link
[Photo: Photo]

Med salads, wraps, burgers, etc. and some destination worthy waffle fries. If you go during primo lunch hours there will be a line, but it moves fairly quickly.

Maison Kayser

Copy Link

Salads, sandwiches, crazy good breads and pastries. Don't you dare go to Pret knowing this is a block away. -- AK

Cafe Zaiya

Copy Link

Cheap takeaway sushi and cute white bread sandwiches with the crusts cut off. Located on the second floor of the Japanese bookstore kinokuniya on 6th and 41st, nice seats overlooking the park if you want to stay.

The Picnic Basket

Copy Link

SALADS

Maoz Vegetarian

Copy Link

Salads, falafel, etc. A line but it moves quickly.

Hale & Hearty

Copy Link

Soups, served fast. Very high ratio of hits to misses.

Grand Central Terminal: Shake Shack, Grand Central Oyster Bar, Joe

Copy Link




[Photo: Grand Central Oyster Bar by Kalina]

Le Pain Quotidien

Copy Link

There's a Le Pain Quotidien here. Plenty of seating should you need that.

Xi'an Famous Foods

Copy Link
[Photo: Xi'An Famous Foods]

Dig Inn Seasonal Market

Copy Link
[Photo: Dig Inn Seasonal Market]

Local Thyme

Copy Link

Upmarket healthy salads, grain bowls, sandwiches, and a counter with roasted meats and veggie sides, plus juices, smoothies, and GF sweets.

Savour Sichuan

Copy Link

Almost as good as Grand Szechuan and even closer. Great for group takeout orders.

Chick-fil-A

Copy Link

This one isn't exactly Eater-approved, but people like it. You do you.

Kobeyaki

Copy Link

Fastest GD restaurant in the city. Soups, stir frys, and (questionable) sushi, all served in literally less than five minutes.

Szechuan Gourmet

Copy Link
[Facebook]

The Red Flame

Copy Link

This is a very decent diner and has all of the things that diners have. You should go here as often as possible.

Breads Bakery

Copy Link

Man, Breads is so good. Healthy options exist here but they excel at baked goods, both sweet and savory, and giant bready sandwiches.

Gabriel Kreuther

Copy Link

This is a really great spot if you want a kind of fancier business lunch that isn't crazy expensive. The bar room gets beautiful light, is wonderfully uncrowded, serves Kreuther's famous tarte flambe for $19, and a "business lunch" prix fixe for $33.

Sitdown and a little spendy. Great sushi, daikon salads, skewers, fried cutlets, etc. Just be prepared to wait 15ish minutes to get in.

Keens Steakhouse

Copy Link
[Photo: Krieger]

The Lambs Club

Copy Link
[Photo: Krieger]

Café China

Copy Link

This Michelin-starred Sichuan restaurant has a dining room that evokes 1930s Shanghai. It's one of the best places in the area for a low-key date. Menu highlights include the diced rabbit, the “Szechuan pesto chicken,” and the whole tilapia in miso sauce. The dim sum is also surprisingly good here.

Park Italian Gourmet

Copy Link

Bid ol' red sauce platters and sandwiches, served cafeteria style. Take it to go or eat at a handful of tables in the back of the place with the other regulars.

Ben's Kosher Delicatessen

Copy Link

Great option for a quick sit-down meal by the office. Get a soup and half of a pastrami sandwich and you're gold.

Ai Fiori

Copy Link
[Photo: Krieger]

Akdeniz

Copy Link

Turkish/Greek sitdown spot, great for a lunch with co-workers and the right kind of business meeting. Pretty bustling and casual, but delicious.

Loading comments...

The Kati Roll Company

[Photo: Photo]

Crisp

Med salads, wraps, burgers, etc. and some destination worthy waffle fries. If you go during primo lunch hours there will be a line, but it moves fairly quickly.

Maison Kayser

Salads, sandwiches, crazy good breads and pastries. Don't you dare go to Pret knowing this is a block away. -- AK

Cafe Zaiya

Cheap takeaway sushi and cute white bread sandwiches with the crusts cut off. Located on the second floor of the Japanese bookstore kinokuniya on 6th and 41st, nice seats overlooking the park if you want to stay.

The Picnic Basket

SALADS

Maoz Vegetarian

Salads, falafel, etc. A line but it moves quickly.

Hale & Hearty

Soups, served fast. Very high ratio of hits to misses.

Grand Central Terminal: Shake Shack, Grand Central Oyster Bar, Joe





[Photo: Grand Central Oyster Bar by Kalina]

Le Pain Quotidien

There's a Le Pain Quotidien here. Plenty of seating should you need that.

Xi'an Famous Foods

[Photo: Xi'An Famous Foods]

Dig Inn Seasonal Market

[Photo: Dig Inn Seasonal Market]

Local Thyme

Upmarket healthy salads, grain bowls, sandwiches, and a counter with roasted meats and veggie sides, plus juices, smoothies, and GF sweets.

Savour Sichuan

Almost as good as Grand Szechuan and even closer. Great for group takeout orders.

Chick-fil-A

This one isn't exactly Eater-approved, but people like it. You do you.

Kobeyaki

Fastest GD restaurant in the city. Soups, stir frys, and (questionable) sushi, all served in literally less than five minutes.

Related Maps

Szechuan Gourmet

[Facebook]

The Red Flame

This is a very decent diner and has all of the things that diners have. You should go here as often as possible.

Breads Bakery

Man, Breads is so good. Healthy options exist here but they excel at baked goods, both sweet and savory, and giant bready sandwiches.

Gabriel Kreuther

This is a really great spot if you want a kind of fancier business lunch that isn't crazy expensive. The bar room gets beautiful light, is wonderfully uncrowded, serves Kreuther's famous tarte flambe for $19, and a "business lunch" prix fixe for $33.

Ootoya

Sitdown and a little spendy. Great sushi, daikon salads, skewers, fried cutlets, etc. Just be prepared to wait 15ish minutes to get in.

Keens Steakhouse

[Photo: Krieger]

The Lambs Club

[Photo: Krieger]

Café China

This Michelin-starred Sichuan restaurant has a dining room that evokes 1930s Shanghai. It's one of the best places in the area for a low-key date. Menu highlights include the diced rabbit, the “Szechuan pesto chicken,” and the whole tilapia in miso sauce. The dim sum is also surprisingly good here.

Park Italian Gourmet

Bid ol' red sauce platters and sandwiches, served cafeteria style. Take it to go or eat at a handful of tables in the back of the place with the other regulars.

Ben's Kosher Delicatessen

Great option for a quick sit-down meal by the office. Get a soup and half of a pastrami sandwich and you're gold.

Ai Fiori

[Photo: Krieger]

Akdeniz

Turkish/Greek sitdown spot, great for a lunch with co-workers and the right kind of business meeting. Pretty bustling and casual, but delicious.

Related Maps