
Photo by Katherine Martinelli
Corner Bistro’s beloved burgers draw long lines to the quintessential Village dive bar.
Feb 5, 2019
Photo by Alex O. Eaton
Mimi is a French bistro located in New York City’s Greenwich Village.
These are the spots you have to try in Greenwich Village and the West Village, from classic New York City establishments to more recent must-visits.
New Yorkers are notoriously tough critics, so when they give one of the city’s many, many restaurants their blessing, it’s worth taking note. Here are eight of the top local-approved eateries in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village and West Village, from classic spots that have withstood the test of time to more recent establishments that have quickly made themselves at home.
Corner Bistro is one of those places that’s in all the New York City tour books yet somehow still manages to remain a local hangout. This place is the definition of no frills: The decor has remained virtually unchanged since the restaurant and bar opened in 1961, and its namesake Bistro burger—piled high with bacon and cheese—is served on a plastic plate. At $12.75, the price might seem sky high to locals who remember cheaper burgers, but hey, rent is expensive and it’s still one of the better deals in town. —331 W. Fourth St. | cornerbistrony.com
In 2015, Cronut inventor Dominique Ansel opened this West Village outpost (the “sister shop” to his Soho bakery)—and the crowds have yet to thin out. You’ll find no gimmicky treats at this made-to-order café, simply classic pastries reimagined as their decadent best selves. Highlights at Dominique Ansel Kitchen include a croissant piled with boursin cheese and prosciutto, mini matcha beignets, a roasted wild mushroom velouté, and the richest croque monsieur you can imagine. —137 Seventh Ave. South | dominiqueanselkitchen.com
This isn’t a restaurant that shows up in tour books or on the pages of glossy food magazines, but that’s exactly what has kept locals coming back since 1973. Elephant and Castle has a cozy dining room and a menu that mixes seasonal dishes with old favorites the chefs wouldn’t dare stop serving. The smoked chicken salad with avocado, apple, hazelnuts, and orange-ginger dressing is good at any time of year, but in cooler weather, nothing beats a bowl of one of the soothing soup specials, such as cauliflower with lemon oil. —68 Greenwich Ave. | elephantandcastle.com
Opened in 1937, this Michelin-starred restaurant has attracted plenty of literary luminaries over the years, including Ernest Hemingway and e.e. cummings. It continues to attract crowds (consisting of the famous as well as the not so famous) with its classic-Paris-bistro-meets-NYC-steakhouse vibe. The menu boasts roasted bone marrow and trout meunière, plus plenty of aperitifs, beers, wines, and cocktails to drink with whatever you order. —113 MacDougal St. | minettatavernny.com
This article originally appeared online in November 2015; it was updated on February 5, 2019, to include current information.
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