Celebratory meals in the culinary capital of the world are as varied as they come, naturally. Top fancy restaurants in NYC include MICHELIN-Starred sushi tastings that can stretch to 20 courses, white-tablecloth meals where dishes are prepared in a wood-fired hearth, an innovative seafood restaurant that melds Ethiopian and Swedish food, and so much more. They also make for the best restaurants in NYC for the holidays.
Head to DUMBO for epic East River Views and top-notch farm-to-table dishes at a special occasion MVP. Enjoy legendary Italian fine dining in an elegant West Village townhouse. Impress your date with reservations at a MICHELIN-Starred Korean hotspot in Hell’s Kitchen.
There are the best fancy restaurants in NYC for birthdays, graduations, promotions, and every occasion in between—book your table at these top celebratory spots with OpenTable now.
Read on for a guide to 12 top fancy restaurants in New York.
For ultra-luxe French-Japanese dining that’s a perfect Christmas restaurant in NYC: l’abeille (Tribeca)
Velvet booths and dark-wood tables mirror the sophisticated menu at this 48-seat restaurant on a cobblestone street. Chef Mitsunobu Nagae, a Joël Robuchon alum, melds his Japanese heritage and French training in stunning dishes like grilled lobster with passion fruit emulsion and roasted veal loin with crispy sweetbreads. Pull up to the bar for a more low-key celebration with an a la carte menu and a glass of wine or sake or go all out with the chef’s tasting that has an optional wine pairing.
For a MICHELIN-Starred Korean tasting menu at one of the fancy restaurants in NYC: Kochi (Hell’s Kitchen)
Korean street food gets the elevated treatment thanks to Per Se alum Sungchul Shim at this MICHELIN-Starred restaurant. Over nine courses in the cozy dining room featuring a marble countertop looking into the kitchen, Shim dazzles with a series of grilled skewers and kampachi bibimbap topped with wasabi chimichurri and an optional sea urchin supplement. Expect artfully plated octopus, trout, and pork katsu—all of which make for an ideal date-night celebration.
For French-Italian white-tablecloth dining at one of the best birthday restaurants NYC: Raf’s (NoHo)
Food & Wine best new chefs Camari Mick and Mary Attea already made a name for themselves at MICHELIN-Starred The Musket Room, and here you can expect a swanky, white-tablecloth evening where a wood-fired oven is the star. Come for Attea’s hearty savory dishes like the lightly charred half chicken with salsa verde and stay for Mick’s showstopping desserts like the caramelized white-chocolate budino—perfect for birthday celebrations.
For epic East River views at one of the best restaurants in NYC for holidays: The River Café (DUMBO)
The River Café, which opened in 1977, was way ahead of its time, sourcing farm-to-table ingredients long before that was the norm. With its unmatched views of the Manhattan skyline, it’s also hosted more engagements, weddings, and business dinners than anyone can count. Book a table in the elegant waterside dining room for an exceptional prix-fixe menu that might include poached lobster tail in a Meyer lemon sauce, and pair it with a glass from the restaurant’s award-winning wine program.
For a two-MICHELIN-Starred Nordic tasting menu in a historic Brooklyn warehouse: Aska (Williamsburg)
Northeastern ingredients meet chef Fredrik Berselius’s Swedish background at this two-MICHELIN-Starred tasting-menu restaurant near the base of the Williamsburg Bridge. Located in a restored bi-level 1860s warehouse, the restaurant’s Minimalist interiors, with floor-to-ceiling windows, set the stage for a 12- to 14-course dinner. You might find venison with morel mushrooms or lightly grilled fluke with caramelized crab-shell sauce, but no matter what, it will be unforgettable.
For an unparalleled omakase up close with an acclaimed chef: Sushi Noz (Upper East Side)
Few omakase spots can rival the thrilling series of dishes (sometimes up to 20 courses) put out by chef Nozomu Abe at this serene, two-MICHELIN-Starred restaurant. Sit at the sleek wooden counter, and watch him plate courses that might include fried silver flounder topped with caviar, grilled sea perch with uni risotto, and hay-smoked katsuo fish with nori. The menu changes seasonally, so it’s just as exciting each time you return.
For a grand European-style night out at one of the best Thanksgiving restaurants NYC: Koloman (NoMad)
Salmon en croûte, schnitzel with lingonberries, and other European dishes are the stars at chef Markus Glocker’s cavernous NoMad restaurant. A bar inset in a massive clock is the centerpiece in a space that also features a giant chandelier, red leather booths, and brass countertops—all of that splendor will make you feel like you’re having a grand night out at a turn-of-the-century European café.
For exquisite seafood that melds Swedish and Ethiopian cooking: Hav & Mar (Chelsea)
There’s no dearth of innovative cuisine combinations in the city, but one of the major stars on the scene is the Swedish Ethiopian seafood at this Chelsea gem. Celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson melds his heritage and upbringing in dishes like berbere-cured salmon, brown butter scallops, and a crab- and shrimp-studded pasta. Bring a group to celebrate—the space is massive, decked out with mermaid murals on the wall, brown leather banquets, and wide tables.
For inventive Indian food in a sleek setting at one of the fancy restaurants in NYC: Indian Accent (Midtown)
New York has some of the best Indian food in the country, and no one does it quite as fancy as Indian Accent. There are tons of inventive, playful takes on South Asian staples like chicken tikka masala served as elegant meatballs, the restaurant’s famed burrata chaat that riffs on Indian street food, and ghee roast lamb with pancake-shaped flatbreads. For extra-special occasions, go for the three- or four-course tasting.
For MICHELIN-Starred Spanish tapas at one of the best birthday restaurants NYC: Casa Mono (Union Square)
For an intimate celebration with super-attentive service, head to this MICHELIN-Starred Spanish gem just off Union Square. Chef Andy Nusser’s tapas are just as sensational as they were when he opened the restaurant in 2003. Make a meal worth remembering out of selections like confit goat, cod croquettes, and bone marrow with trout roe, and make sure to pair it with some Spanish wine—there’s a 600-bottle list to choose from.
For a quiet celebration at a two-MICHELIN-Starred hidden omakase: odo (Flatiron)
Hidden behind a charming cocktail bar in Flatiron, this Japanese spot seats just 14 at a serene wooden counter. There, star chef Hiroki Odo will guide you through a hyper-seasonal Kaiseki-style tasting that might include uni over egg custard, Wagyu with soba noodles, and soft serve for dessert. The nine courses at the two-MICHELIN-Starred restaurant feel almost meditative—perfect for a quiet celebration.
For legendary Italian fine dining that’s open in NYC for Christmas Eve: Babbo Ristorante (West Village)
For nearly 30 years, Babbo has been doing some of the best Italian fine dining you’ll find in the city. Legendary restaurateur Joe Bastianich is at the helm, and everything about Babbo screams celebration: a pasta-tasting option that includes beef-cheek ravioli, sweetbreads dusted with citrus in a lemony piccata sauce, and an enviable Italian wine list. The elegant townhouse interiors will make you want to linger with a glass of amaro after the meal.
From MICHELIN-Starred sushi tastings on the Upper East Side to legendary Italian fine dining in the West Village, the best celebratory and birthday restaurants NYC dazzle with top-notch food for every kind of celebration. Whether you’re marking a milestone with award-winning Spanish tapas or feasting on farm-to-table fare with epic views at a DUMBO institution, these must-book NYC special-occasion restaurants promise a celebratory experience on every visit.
Don’t miss out on these top special-occasion restaurants in NYC. Book with OpenTable now.
Learn more about other top NYC restaurants with these city guides:
- 13 quintessential date-night restaurants in New York City
- New York City’s 17 most drop-dead gorgeous restaurants
- Editor’s choice—16 go-to NYC restaurants from our local expert
Tanay Warerkar is a content marketing manager at OpenTable, where he oversees features content and stays on top of the hottest trends and developments in the restaurant industry. He brings years of experience as a food editor and reporter having worked at the San Francisco Chronicle, Eater, and the New York Daily News, to name a few.
