The Essential Guide to Food and Drink in 15 NYC Neighborhoods

This city is massive. Did you know that 1 in 38 people in the whole US actually lives in NYC??? Well they do, and they’re all looking for places to go out to eat and drink. But only the smart ones will escape the paralyzing amount of choices/garbage-y restaurants out there, and they'll only do so by consulting this: our big-ass guide to eating and drinking in 15 NYC neighborhoods.

And yes, we know there are plenty more neighborhoods with great spots that are worth a visit, and we're working on getting to them, but for now, this should get you moving in the right direction.

Andrew Zimmer/Thrillist

You probably shouldn't tell your parents that you're going out in Alphabet City, because they'll either think it's still 1986 and assume you're doing heroin, or they're much cooler than you and already live there, and then you might run into them at 7B and that'd be totally embarrassing. FOR THEM. Point is, there might not be a neighborhood in the city with a better range of low-key dives, cocktail havens, and everything in between. Here're the 15 best. Come get some. READ MORE

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Even as Italians slowly move out, the famous Arthur Ave in the Bronx remains the destination for red sauce -- at least for New Yorkers in the know. READ MORE

Anthony Humphreys/Thrillist

Bushwick may not be for everybody, because of things like "unfounded prejudices against people who make more money selling stuff on Etsy than I do selling bonds" and "it's Bushwick." But this chunk of Brooklyn is peppered with some seriously welcoming and reasonably priced spots. If your goal is to avoid the $14 dollar cocktail crowd, here are our 12 favorite spots in Bushwick to day drink, night cap, or simply enjoy as a gentleman. READ MORE

Flickr/Premshree Pillai

Remember that time when you were like, "There are somewhere between seven and 14 trillion bars in the East Village -- how do I know which ones are worth it? Allow me to consult the Internet." Remember!? Well, congratulations: it worked. From sake dungeons to craft beer playgrounds, here are our 16 favorites. READ MORE

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Because there are more beloved BBQ joints, fry windows, and ramen slingers in this vibrant 'hood than you can shake a juicy, delicious deckle burger at, someone had to show you the way. Check out our 13 main squeezes. READ MORE

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We teamed up with an Asian eats expert (who grew up going to Flushing and speaks Chinese) and her mom (who lives there now and has her own restaurant) to help us put together a definitive guide to Flushing for the next time you make the trek out there on the LIRR. READ MORE

<br /> Andrew Zimmer/Thrillist

In addition to the knishes, the skate rats, and the regular rats, the LES is a never-ending sea of going-out possibility, but you can't just walk in anyplace and assume that someone isn't going to grind on your femur. You have to choose wisely. Which is why you need this -- from gritty music venues to tiny burlesque haunts, these are the 18 best bars on the Lower East Side. READ MORE

Courtesy of Randolph Beer

There are more bars in the few blocks North of Little Italy than there are colossal, plastic, frozen lemonade cocktail cups at the Feast of San Gennaro. But since those are only available 11 days a year, here are the 10 best BYO-fried-Oreo bars in Nolita and Little Italy. READ MORE

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The Soho restaurant scene is chock-full of celebrities, celebrity chefs, and Scandinavian tourists, but even if you don't fall into one of those categories, there's definitely still something here for you. From remarkably tasty grocery store ramen to a 44oz ribeye, here are 13 reasons why you should eat your next meal in Soho. READ MORE

Flickr/Quinn Norton

Some people come to Soho to shop, some come to be seen, and still others come to be seen while shopping. And everyone else, surrounded by all that, just needs a drink. Here are our favorite places to grab a drink in Soho after just being photographed by an entry-level street style blogger with 17 Tumblr followers. READ MORE

Flickr/Alan Teo

There’s more to Times Square dining than Red Lobster’s Cheddar Bay Biscuits. Like, um, Red Lobster's Ultimate Feast and signature salad combos. Oh, and the food at these other 10 actually legit options, too. READ MORE

Flickr/ Eric Konon

Let's face it: most people who don't live in Tribeca don't spend a ton of time there. But 1) you might get rich and move there, at literally any time! And 2) other things could happen that'll drop you into the triangle below Canal. When that goes down, our nine favorite bars will be waiting there for you. READ MORE

Andrew Zimmer/Thrillist

The blocks around Union Square have plenty of lauded dining options -- Pret A Manger, Le Pain Quotidien, and Au Bon Pain, just to name a few sparkling and possibly French examples. But, as a handy reference for when you get greedy and need something even better, here are our 13 favorite spots. READ MORE

Courtesy of The Gilroy

Unless you live there, have a buddy who just moved there out of college, or are a Blair Waldorf super fan, you probably haven't found yourself on the Upper East Side recently. Well, that's about to change, right after you read this drinking guide to a totally underrated boozing 'hood. READ MORE

Flickr/kowarski

Because you definitely live in NYC for the easy access to cultural activities (right??), here are 11 excellent eateries on the Upper West Side -- so you don't get hungry while lookin' at dinos in the Natural History Museum. READ MORE

Flickr/Becky

If you're heading to the Upper West Side to see a Humperdinck fairy tale opera at Lincoln Center, you might just need a drink beforehand. Here are the nine places to get your fix. READ MORE

Thrillist

Since there's way more to going out in one of Manhattan's most historic 'hoods than navigating NYU gentry and Tweeting SJP-nose sightings, we pulled together 20 of the West Village's best bars that keep the shopping-happy charade in check. READ MORE

Courtesy of Takashi

“I’ve got 99 problems but shoestring fries at my restaurant The Spotted Pig ain't one," said famous rapper/restaurateur Jay-Z, probably. We agree they are not a problem. We also agree with eating everything in sight at these 11 other West Village eateries. READ MORE

Flickr/Bitch Cakes

Whether you're just making your first tentative voyage across the river (wait... seriously?), or you literally grew up on a Bedford you no longer recognize, you're gonna need a guide. So, here are the 15 best bars in Williamsburg, because someone had to discern which of the seventy trillion bars with spacious, taco-truck-filled outdoor patios reign supreme. READ MORE

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Carrie Dennis is an Associate Editor for Thrillist and if you treat her to dinner at Masa she probably won't live-Tweet it @CarrrieDennnis.

Andrew Zimmer is Thrillist’s NYC Editor and if anyone wants to go on a massive weekend-long, bar-and-eating crawl to all of these places let him know on Instagram or Twitter.