Best Trendy Restaurants in SoHo
5 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Balthazar Bakery
Classic SoHo French brasserie with serious seafood, steak frites, and buzz.
Notable Picks
8.9
Opened in 1997 by restaurateur Keith McNally, Balthazar is a benchmark SoHo brasserie for towering seafood platters, textbook steak frites, and one of the city’s most copied onion soups. Locals and visitors use it for everything from power breakfasts to late-night suppers in a room that still feels like old downtown New York.
Must-Try Dishes:
French onion soup gratinée, Steak frites, Seafood plateau
What Makes it Special: Classic SoHo French brasserie with serious seafood, steak frites, and buzz.
#2
Manuela
8.3
Set inside an airy SoHo art space, Manuela serves seasonal American cooking with a gallery’s sense of composition, from roasted vegetables to polished desserts. Opened in 2024, it’s quickly earned strong notices for refined, produce-driven plates and a room where contemporary artworks share the spotlight with the open kitchen.
Must-Try Dishes:
Roasted Cauliflower with Date Vinegar & Almond, Salt-Roasted Sunchokes with Ricotta & Celery, Pavlova with Seasonal Market Fruits
What Makes it Special: Gallery-like space where seasonal American plates and contemporary art share the stage.
Worthy Picks
7.8
A Tribeca Italian standby that works best as a relaxed patio meal—pastas, familiar mains, and a steady, neighborhood pace. It’s the kind of outdoor option you pick when you want a sit-down table outside without turning the night into a production.
Must-Try Dishes:
Cacio e pepe, Burrata with seasonal accompaniments, Tiramisu
What Makes it Special: Reliable Tribeca Italian with a true outdoor-seating setup.
#4
Sartiano's
7.7
In the Mercer Hotel's former Mercer Kitchen space, nightlife impresario Scott Sartiano partnered with three-time James Beard winner Alfred Portale for upscale Italian with a scene-y edge. The caviar cannoli and lobster bucatini impress, though you're equally paying for the celeb-spotting and SubMercer downstairs lounge.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lobster Bucatini, Mortadella Panini, Caviar Cannoli
What Makes it Special: James Beard-winning chef in a scene-making SoHo hotel setting
#5
Funny BBQ 98
7.6
A Chinatown skewer-and-grill spot where the best experience comes from ordering a tight set of signature skewers and sharing a couple of sides rather than trying to sample everything. The vibe is lively and group-friendly, and it works when you treat it as a casual BBQ hang with a focused, repeatable order.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pork short rib skewer, Lamb skewer with cumin-spice profile, Garlic eggplant
What Makes it Special: Chinese-style BBQ skewers that play best as a shared, grill-forward meal.