Bursting with culinary expertise, and rich culinary history, the food scene in New York City is unparalleled. With so many restaurants, cafés, and vendors, it can be difficult to locate the best places to eat. Whether you’re looking for some fresh lobster, oysters, or grilled branzino, this city has it all.
This is our exclusive list of the best seafood restaurants that New York City has to offer.
The Fulton
Our first offering is The Fulton.
This modern and innovative restaurant ignites the history of NYC’s maritime past. This restaurant is owned by the world-renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Inspired by his visit to Fulton Fish Market in 1986, this restaurant captures the energy that Vongerichten fell in love with. Honoring the past and the present, The Fulton offers some of the most delectable seafood in NYC.
If you’re looking for a romantic dinner, or lunch, with wonderful waterfront views, this is the restaurant for seafood lovers. Hand-painted murals, which tell the story of fantastical sea explorers’ envelope the walls, by artists no other than Diego Castaño and Chandler Noah. The Fulton also offers outside patio seating and some of the best views of the Brooklyn Bridge. This is a lively, yet refined restaurant, that represents the liveliness of this fantastic city.
What To Expect
When you dine at The Fulton, you can expect to see dishes akin to the following.
To start, you might select some Lightly Fried Hopper Shrimp, which is served with bottarga, a wedge of lemon, and champagne aioli. Crispy Calamari Herb Salad with carrot, ginger, and wild arugula. Or, you might like to try some crudos (raw fish). There is an excellent Golden Ossetra Caviar, served with yellowtail tartar and toasted brioche.
Seared Diver Scallops, accompanying roasted pumpkin seeds, spaghetti squash, and a soy-yuzu broth are an excellent choice for Entrée. Black Sea Bass with a cauliflower purée, broccoli rabe, and chili oil are also favored.
If these excellent choices do not intrigue you, perhaps the Longevity Noodles will. It contains 1 ½ lb of glazed Maine lobster and contains green chili with ginger.
When you dine at The Fulton, you will be served some of the very best seafood in NYC.
We thoroughly recommend this restaurant for seafood lovers.
Fish Cheeks
Next on our list, is the wonderful Fish Cheeks.
If you’re looking for contemporary Thai food, with a focus on seafood, Fish Cheeks is for you. They serve fresh, vibrant dishes authentic to the diverse regions of Thailand. While many of the dishes are inspired by tradition, Fish Cheeks modernizes these dishes, to be served with their unique flair.
The restaurant is owned by proud immigrant brothers chef Ohm Suansilphong and Chat Suansilphong, and the wonderful Jenn Saesue. It celebrates the cultural heritage of the team and has a particular inspired emphasis on the culinary artistry they witnessed in Bangkok. With communal-style dining, vibrant unfiltered flavors, and bold colors, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a little nook that leads you to a Thai paradise.
What To Expect
When you dine at Fish Cheeks, you can expect to see dishes akin to the following.
Most of Fish Cheek’s mains are ‘kub khao’, which means plates to share. Food is to be enjoyed more when it can be shared. The Coconut Crab Curry is a southern curry, made with crab meat, house-made curry paste, and betel leaves. It’s served with rice and is one of their most popular dishes. The Grilled Branzino is another popular dish. It is seasoned with sea salt and served with a creamy cashew garlic sauce.
For all the vegans and vegetarians reading, they have you covered too!. The Green Curry comes with Thai basil, red finger chili, and roasted seasonal vegetables served with rice.
If you’re in the mood for some ‘kiin len’, which translates to ‘plates to snack on’, they have a variety of these too. Fish Cheeks offers delicious Shrimp in 3 Crab Sauce. This contains the likes of lightly cured raw shrimp, lime juice, fish sauce, and sliced garlic. For the veggie-fiends, you can opt for the Somtum Corn Salad. Steamed corn, cherry tomato, long beans, and garlic, with some fiery chili and a dash of lime. A delicious choice!
Fish Cheeks also serve a variety of excellent cocktails and alcoholic beverages. So if you enjoy a drink or two with your mean, you’ll be happy with their selection of Thai-inspired drinks.
Dame
Next on our list, is Dame.
This brick-and-mortar restaurant had humble beginnings, like a pop-up shop that sold incredible fish and chips. It’s an English seafood restaurant, bringing the best of British cuisine to the golden arches.
If you’ve ever wondered why the British pride themselves on their fish and chips, look no more. The chips are crisp, while maintaining their fluffy interior, and taste like a small piece of heaven. The quality of the fish is impeccable, while the batter remains light with a leveled crisp. This is proper fish and chips.
When you step into the restaurant, you’ll be greeted with colors that resemble aquatic life. Bursts of blue, paired with a calming white, will make you feel like you’re being soothed by a sea breeze. They also serve bronze Pimm’s Cups, so you’ll feel like you’re at a real British harbor.
Now, Dame is a highly popular restaurant. If you would like to dine here, you’ll likely need to book three weeks in advance. Bookings open at noon daily, and they fill up quickly.
What To Expect
When you dine at Dame, you can expect to see dishes akin to the following.
Of course, you can expect the original bestseller, fish, and chips, to be on the menu. Their delicious, white, flaky fish is a must-try. Lobster with braised sweetbreads and husk cherries is also a fantastic and popular dish. Another dish, which Dame has put a unique spin on, is their Squid and Shishito Pepper Skewers. The flavors blend effortlessly, and the mixture of squid and shishito pepper is a textual sensation.
The dessert section is not to be overlooked here. Dame serves an Eton Mess which will make you feel like you’ve entered a dream world. Think crunchy meringues, fresh whipped cream, and sweet berries served in a sundae saucer.
Delectable.
Vestry
Next on our list, is the pandemic-founded Vestry for seafood lovers.
Vestry is the ideal restaurant if you’re planning a day of culture, or sophistication. Situated between art studios and modern museums, Vestry is a charming authentic seafood restaurant. Vestry is an innovative restaurant that binds fine cuisine and artistic plating to the realm of seafood. Vestry is brought to you by the renowned, classically trained chef, Shaun Hergatt. Chef Hergatt is most known for his technical cooking skills and his picturesque plating.
A particular highlight of Vestry is the strong relationships built with local producers and foragers. This brings a sense of community and ethical promise to the company. The menu is seasonally inspired, providing the very best cuisine all year round.
While this restaurant was first established during the pandemic, we are sure that Vestry will continue to flourish and be an intrinsic part of NYC’s iconic restaurants.
What To Expect
When you dine at Vestry, you can expect to see dishes akin to the following.
Vestry offers small plates and big large plates. For your small plates, you might like to sample some raw fish. You could select the Hamachi Crudo, with is served with kalamansi, roe, and nashi pear. West Coast Oysters are served with finger limes and fennel pollen. If you’re looking for a warmer dish, try the Celeriac Soup. It’s paired with black olives and lovage and is deliciously hearty.
For your large plates, you also have an excellent selection. The Local Cod is served with spaghetti squash and dandelion. It is plated beautifully and tastes phenomenal. There is also an Atlantic Salmon. This is paired with delightful butternut squashMeyer and kombu.
Versty also serves a wonderful section of desserts. The Coconut Tapioca is of particular enjoyment, and it is served with huckleberries.
Alice
Next on our list, is the innovative restaurant, Alice.
Alice is an Italian seafood restaurant. While most Italian restaurants are generally associated with delicious meat, Alice changed the paradigm. Revolutionizing the Italian restaurant business, Alice focuses on fish and oysters.
The love-child of successful restaurant Osteria 57, Alice opened during the pandemic. It’s a sleek, cozy restaurant that embodies a moody ambiance. All the pasta is hand-crafted and authentic to Italy, pairing comfort food with culinary art.
All of Alice’s fish is derived from sustainable sourcing. Most of their produce is from the local community and is organic. Not to mention their pantry is GMO, canola, and soybean-free. If you’re looking for a unique seafood restaurant, which firm ethics, Alice is your wonder.
If you’re looking for the freshest seafood restaurant with a modern twist, Alice is an excellent choice.
What To Expect
When you dine at Alice, you can expect to see dishes akin to the following.
To begin, you might like to sample the Scallops. Cooked to perfection, they are served with pickled peppers and passion fruit. The Fritto Misto is also a great choice. Long Island calamari and prawns, with broccolini — paired with tartar sauce, and iconic Italian marinara.
For your mains, we have to tuck into the selection of pasta. Orecchiette Lobster is phenomenal. It is a handmade ear-shaped pasta, with Corbara Vesuvio tomatoes, burrata — and of course, delicious lobster. The Linguine Dei Campo Alle Vongole is also a great choice. It’s prepared with manila clams, garlic, and peperoncino.
If you’d prefer rice, check out their risotto. It’s perfect for date night, as it’s designed to be shared amongst two persons. You can choose from halibut, steelhead salmon, or the catch of the day.
The Clam
Last, but not least, on our list of the best seafood restaurants in NYC, is The Clam.
If you’re looking for a restaurant that values classic American dining and celebrates the art of seafood, The Clam is for you. It’s co-owned by Joey Campanaro, and the executive chef Mike Price, who prioritize high-quality fish plate and seasonally changing ingredients.
Unsurprisingly, they’re one of the best restaurants for clams, but all the dishes showcased by The Clam are phenomenal in taste and presentation. They appreciate the art of ‘less is more, meaning that they let the original taste and flavors of the food do the talking. With their unique talent, they bring forth these flavors and transform the dishes into delicacies.
What To Expect
When you dine at The Clam, you can expect to see dishes akin to the following.
For your appetizers, the Maine Lobster Arancini is particularly delightful. It’s served with a meyer lemon aioli and pepper cress. Nothing says New York City like a chowder, and they serve one of the best. Their Creamy Seafood Chowder contains shrimp, clams, local fish, Yukon golds, and oyster crackers. If you’d rather, they also have an excellent raw bar. You can find the likes of east and west-coast Oysters, Jumbo Gulf Shrimp, and Littleneck Clams.
When it comes to entrées, you’ll witness a superb selection. The Baked Day Boat Cod is excellent, served with corn, bell pepper, rainbow carrots, and a jerk spiced aioli. The absolute must-try is the Spaghetti & Clams. It’s paired with spicy tomato, and arugula salad on top. They also serve a Fried Clam & Lobster Sliders Combo. Here, you can have two out-of-this-world sliders, a side of chips, and some tasty coleslaw.
For your dessert, we recommend the Crème fraîche panna cotta. It’s utterly delicious. They also serve a wonderful Chocolate Bread Pudding, if you like.
Summary
That brings us to the end of our selection of the best seafood restaurants in New York City. We hope that you visit one of these fantastic restaurants for enjoying special occasions, as they are all uniquely wonderful. Whether you’re looking for a slab of freshly cooked lobster, a selection of delicious clams, or an Italian feast, we’ve presented some of the best seafood you can find in the city. If you are in the West Village area, then a fantastic restaurant.
Also, if you’re looking for the best Thai In Brooklyn? Brooklyn is a borough of New York City located on the eastern coast of the United States. It is one of the five boroughs of New York City and contains a diversity of cultures and sights. The best Thai restaurants in Brooklyn are some of the best in the city, and they’re perfect for any food lover looking for an amazing Thai meal.
