Dining Around Central Park

Food & Drink

Outdoor table set for two at a restaurant

Every kind of meal is within a short walk of Central Park.

Just outside the park, you'll find casual spots and sit-down restaurants within easy walking distance of any entrance.

For dining inside the park, see the restaurants in Central Park guide.

Burger from Smorgasburg market at the edge of Central Park

Casual and Quick Bites

Good food without a reservation or a long commitment. These spots work before a walk, after a bike ride, or any time you need to eat well without sitting down to a full meal.

SMORGASBURG AT COLUMBUS CIRCLE

Location: MAP | Columbus Circle, southwest entrance to the park
Hours: Thursday through Saturday, 12 PM to 8 PM
Season: May 14 through September 19, 2026
Admission: Free

New York City's popular open-air food market came to Central Park for the first time in 2026. More than 25 vendors rotate through each week, covering everything from globally inspired small plates to sweet finishes you can carry straight into the park. One of the most useful food options on the south side of the park.

Check smorgasburg.com for current vendor lineup.

BURGER JOINT AT THOMPSON CENTRAL PARK

Location: MAP | 119 West 56th Street, inside the Thompson Central Park hotel lobby, about a 3-minute walk from the park's south entrance at 59th Street
Hours: Sunday through Thursday 11 AM to 11:30 PM, Friday and Saturday 11 AM to midnight
Reservations: Walk-ins only

Hidden behind a red velvet curtain in the lobby of a midtown hotel, Burger Joint has been one of the city's most reliably good burgers since 2002. The room is small, the menu is short, and the vibe is deliberately the opposite of everything around it.

Visit burgerjointny.com for the menu.

CARNEGIE DINER & CAFÉ

Location: MAP | 205 West 57th Street, at 7th Avenue, about a 4-minute walk from the park's south entrance at 59th Street
Hours: Sunday through Thursday 7 AM to midnight, Friday and Saturday 7 AM to 1 AM

A modern American diner open from early morning to late night, using organic eggs throughout. Carnegie serves an all-day menu that covers brunch classics, sandwiches, salads, and diner staples. An easy option before or after a day in the park, with room for everyone from families to solo diners.

Reserve a table at carnegiediner.com.

BARNEY GREENGRASS

Location: MAP | 541 Amsterdam Avenue, Upper West Side, about a 10-minute walk from the park's 86th Street West entrance
Hours: Tuesday through Friday 8:30 AM to 4 PM, Saturday and Sunday 8:30 AM to 5 PM. Closed Mondays.
Payment: Cash only

Barney Greengrass has been on Amsterdam Avenue since 1908 and earned the nickname "The Sturgeon King" for good reason. The dining room is small and covered in history, and the menu is built around smoked fish done with real precision: sturgeon, Nova Scotia salmon, and sable alongside latkes, scrambled eggs with lox, and Jewish deli classics. Ranked #92 on the New York Times 2026 Best Restaurants list and a James Beard Award winner.

Visit barneygreengrass.com for the full menu.

PARM

Location: MAP | 235 Columbus Avenue, between 70th and 71st Streets, about a 5-minute walk from the park's 72nd Street West entrance
Hours: Daily 11 AM to 10 PM

From the group behind Carbone, Parm is a casual Italian-American restaurant built around the food you actually want to eat: chicken parm, meatballs, spicy rigatoni, and sandwiches on hand-rolled bread. Walk-in friendly and easy for families.

Visit parmitalian.com for the menu and reservations.

HUMMUS PLACE

Location: MAP | 305 Amsterdam Avenue, Upper West Side, about a 6-minute walk from the park's 72nd Street West entrance
Hours: Daily 11:30 AM to 9 PM

A small vegetarian Israeli restaurant that makes its hummus fresh every two hours. The menu is tight and focused: hummus plates with various toppings, falafel, shakshuka, and warm pita. It's unpretentious, inexpensive, and consistently good. One of the best vegetarian options near the park's west side.

Visit hummusplace.com for the menu.

BÁNH

Location: MAP | 942 Amsterdam Avenue, at 107th Street, about a 5-minute walk from the park's 110th Street North entrance
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday 6 PM to 10 PM. Friday and Saturday 12 PM to 4 PM and 6 PM to 10 PM. Sunday 12 PM to 4 PM and 6 PM to 9 PM. Closed Mondays.

A small Vietnamese restaurant with a devoted following well beyond the neighborhood. Chef Nhu Ton's menu draws from different regions of Vietnam, with rotating weekend specials alongside weekday staples. The pork belly bánh mì and the bún bò bơ with buttery beef and chilled noodles are the dishes people come back for. A particularly good option for visitors spending time in the upper section of the park near the Harlem Meer.

Reserve a table on Resy.

LE BOTANISTE

Location: MAP | 833 Lexington Avenue, Upper East Side, about a 10-minute walk from the park's 72nd Street East entrance
Hours: Daily 11 AM to 9 PM

A 100% plant-based, 99% organic food and wine bar founded by the creator of Le Pain Quotidien. The menu covers bowls, soups, salads, and hearty mains like chili and tagine alongside natural wines. It has counter service, moderate prices, and a relaxed atmosphere. Works just as well for non-vegans as for plant-based eaters, and the desserts are worth ordering.

Visit lebotaniste.us for the menu.

TONY DRAGON'S GRILLE

Location: MAP | Madison Avenue at East 62nd Street, about a 5-minute walk from the park's 60th Street East entrance
Hours: Monday through Friday 10 AM to 6 PM, Saturday 11 AM to 5 PM. Closed Sundays.
Format: Takeout only. No dine-in.

Antonio Dragonas started selling hot dogs from a cart at this corner in 1986 and has spent four decades upgrading his ingredients. The truck now serves lamb and beef gyros, chicken souvlaki, USDA Choice ribeye bowls, wild salmon, and a Greek salad with a dressing people specifically seek out. Large portions, moderate prices, and a perfect setup for eating in the park. Order online to skip the line during the lunch rush.

Order at tonydragonsgrille.com.

Two bowls of soup with chopsticks at an asian restaurant near Central Park

Mid-Range

Sit-down meals with real food and a proper atmosphere, without committing to a major splurge.

NOUGATINE AT JEAN-GEORGES

Location: MAP | 1 Central Park West, at Columbus Circle, steps from the park's southwest entrance
Hours: Monday through Friday 7 AM to 10 PM, Saturday and Sunday 8 AM to 10 PM

The more accessible, à la carte counterpart to the two-Michelin-star Jean-Georges, sharing the same building at Columbus Circle. The menu is seasonal and precise, with dishes like tuna tartare with yuzu, roasted salmon with crispy rice, and handmade pastas, and the floor-to-ceiling windows look out over Central Park South and Columbus Circle. One of the most well-positioned restaurants for visitors arriving or leaving from the park's southwest corner.

Reserve at jean-georgesrestaurant.com.

SUSHI YASAKA

Location: MAP | 251 West 72nd Street, Upper West Side, about a 5-minute walk from the park's 72nd Street West entrance
Hours: Lunch daily 12 PM to 2:30 PM. Dinner Monday through Thursday and Sunday 5 PM to 9:30 PM, Friday and Saturday 5 PM to 10 PM

A Michelin Guide Recommended neighborhood sushi restaurant that consistently outperforms its price point. Fish is sourced fresh daily, the chefs take preparation seriously, and the menu includes traditional and lesser-seen Japanese dishes alongside a $24 mini-omakase set that is one of the better deals near the park.

Reserve at yasaka.nyc.

PIG & KHAO

Location: MAP | 433 Amsterdam Avenue, between 80th and 81st Streets, about a 7-minute walk from the park's 81st Street West entrance
Hours: Monday and Tuesday 4 PM to 9 PM, Wednesday and Thursday 4 PM to 10 PM, Friday 4 PM to 10:30 PM, Saturday 10 AM to 10:30 PM, Sunday 10 AM to 9 PM

Chef Leah Cohen's Southeast Asian restaurant draws from her Filipino heritage and her time cooking across Thailand, Burma, and Vietnam. The menu moves confidently across cuisines: pork sisig, khao soi with rich curry broth, whole fried fish, and BBQ babyback ribs. The room seats nearly 100 and has a chef's counter and full bar.

Reserve at pigandkhao.com.

EL FISH MARISQUERIA

Location: MAP | 155 Amsterdam Avenue, at West 67th Street, about a 5-minute walk from the park's 66th Street West entrance
Hours: Monday 4:30 PM to 10 PM. Tuesday through Thursday 4:30 PM to 10:30 PM. Friday 4:30 PM to 11 PM. Saturday 11:30 AM to 3 PM and 4:30 PM to 11 PM. Sunday 11:30 AM to 3 PM and 4:30 PM to 10 PM.

A coastal Mexican seafood restaurant from Chef Julian Medina, Michelin Guide listed. The menu is rooted in marisquería tradition: bright aguachiles, charred pulpo with chile oil and lime, clam chowder tortilla soup, and tuna tostadas with black truffle salsa macha. The raw bar is open for walk-ins.

Reserve on Resy.

MELBA'S

Location: MAP | 300 West 114th Street, Harlem, about a 10-minute walk from the park's 110th Street North entrance
Hours: Monday through Wednesday 11 AM to 10 PM, Thursday and Friday 11 AM to 11 PM, Saturday and Sunday 10 AM to 11 PM

Founder Melba Wilson opened this restaurant to bring her grandmother's Southern cooking to the neighborhood where she grew up. The menu delivers exactly that: fried chicken and waffles, wine-braised short ribs, catfish po' boys, and sides like collard greens and black-eyed peas. Handles groups and families well, works for brunch or dinner. Michelin Guide listed. Black- and woman-owned.

Reserve at melbasrestaurant.com.

BUA THAI RAMEN & ROBATA GRILL

Location: MAP | 1611 Second Avenue, Upper East Side, about a 10-minute walk from the park's 86th Street East entrance
Hours: Monday through Thursday 11:30 AM to 10:30 PM, Friday 11:30 AM to 11:30 PM, Saturday 12 PM to 11:30 PM, Sunday 12 PM to 10:30 PM

A lively Thai restaurant with a menu that goes well beyond takeout staples. The specialty is Thai ramen alongside a wide robata grill selection, with curries, dumplings, and creative cocktails. The tropical-inspired room has a festive atmosphere, and the kitchen has solid vegetarian coverage throughout.

Reserve on OpenTable.

FLEX MUSSELS

Location: MAP | 1431 Third Avenue, at East 81st Street, about a 5-minute walk from the park's 79th Street East entrance
Hours: Monday 11 AM to 10 PM. Tuesday through Thursday 4 PM to 10 PM. Friday and Saturday 11 AM to 10:30 PM. Sunday 11 AM to 10 PM. Brunch Friday through Sunday 11 AM to 4 PM. Happy hour daily 4 PM to 6 PM.

Flex imports mussels directly from Prince Edward Island and has built its entire menu around them: more than 20 preparations ranging from a classic broth to versions with chorizo, sake and pickled ginger, and bourbon with roasted corn. The oysters are equally good. Happy hour offers $25 for two pots of mussels and two orders of fries.

Reserve on OpenTable.

WONDER

Location: MAP | 120 East 86th Street, Upper East Side, about a 5-minute walk from the park's 86th Street East entrance
Hours: Monday through Friday 9:25 AM to 11:30 PM, Saturday and Sunday 10:30 AM to 11:30 PM

Wonder brings together menus from more than 20 chefs and restaurants under one roof: Di Fara Pizza, Bobby Flay, José Andrés, and others, all cooked fresh on-site. A single order or table can draw from any combination of cuisines, making it one of the most practical options for groups where no one can agree on what to eat. Dine-in, takeout, and delivery all available.

Order at wonder.com.

Sliced steak with asparagus at a restaurant near Central Park

Special Occasions

For a dinner worth planning around, or a drink that feels like an event by itself.

BOURBON STEAK

Location: MAP | 160 Central Park South, inside the JW Marriott Essex House, steps from the park's south entrance at 59th Street
Hours: Breakfast Monday through Friday 6:30 AM to 11 AM, Saturday and Sunday 7 AM to 10:30 AM. Brunch Saturday and Sunday 11 AM to 2:30 PM. Bar bites daily 3 PM to 11:45 PM. Dinner daily 5 PM to 10 PM.

Chef Michael Mina's steakhouse at the Essex House is built on premium beef and seafood, a serious wine program, and an Art Deco dining room that earns its address on Central Park South. The Park Side Prix Fixe at $75 per person, available from 5 PM to 5:45 PM, is the best entry point for the full experience at a set price. Breakfast and brunch are also available for a more relaxed visit to the room.

Reserve at bourbonsteaknyc.com.

MAREA

Location: MAP | 240 Central Park South, at Columbus Circle, steps from the park's southwest entrance
Hours: Monday through Thursday 12 PM to 10 PM, Friday and Saturday 12 PM to 11 PM, Sunday 12 PM to 10 PM

Marea has built its reputation on coastal Italian seafood done at a high level, with handmade pastas as the anchor. The handmade pastas are the anchor, the fusilli with red wine-braised octopus and bone marrow has its own reputation in this city, and the crudo and whole fish back them up. Half-portion pasta options let you work through more of the menu. James Beard Award winner for Best New Restaurant, three New York Times stars.

Reserve at marearestaurant.com.

ESSENTIAL BY CHRISTOPHE

Location: MAP | 103 West 77th Street, Upper West Side, about a 5-minute walk from the park's 81st Street West entrance
Hours: Monday through Thursday 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM, Friday through Sunday 5 PM to 9:30 PM

The best special-occasion dinner on the west side of the park. Chef Christophe Bellanca's Michelin-starred French restaurant offers three, four, or full tasting menu experiences built on classic French technique, pristine seasonal ingredients, and housemade sauces. The dining room is intimate, the service is warm rather than stiff, and the wine list earned a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence. Named best restaurant on the Upper West Side by the New York Post in 2025. À la carte dining available nightly at the bar.

Reserve at essentialbychristophe.com.

BEMELMANS BAR

Location: MAP | 35 East 76th Street, in the Carlyle Hotel, about a 5-minute walk from the park's 76th Street East entrance
Hours: Monday through Wednesday and Sunday 12 PM to midnight, Thursday 12 PM to 12:30 AM, Friday and Saturday 12 PM to 1 AM
Cover charge: $10 music cover most evenings
Cocktails: $26 and up

Bemelmans is one of the most atmospheric spots in the neighborhood for a cocktail or afternoon tea. The walls are covered in Ludwig Bemelmans's hand-painted murals of Central Park across the four seasons, the work of the author and illustrator behind the Madeline books. Live piano plays most evenings. Reservations are strongly recommended on weekends; the room seats only 69 people and fills quickly.