Planning where to eat in a city this big can feel like a lot. This new york food guide gives you the way in: pick by neighborhood and dish, then check the letter grade on ABCEats.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Restaurants inspected by the NYC Health Department | 29,000 restaurants |
| Inspection frequency | Unannounced, at least once a year |
| Letter grading launched | July 2010 |
| Points needed for an A grade | Fewer than 14 points |
| Grading system anniversary marked | 15th, in July 2025 |
| Public lookup tool | ABCEats |
These figures come from the NYC Health Department’s food establishment inspections page and its July 2025 press release on the grading system. They can change, so check the source before you rely on them.
How this guide to New York eating works
This page is the hub for the Food and Drink Guides on an independent editorial and educational site about New York dining. It does not take bookings, sell services or speak for any restaurant, market or agency.
Eating well in New York gets easier when you split the city into three questions: what to eat, where to go, and how to handle the practical details. The sections below follow that order and point you to a deeper guide for each topic.
Treat this page as a map rather than a ranking. Tastes, budgets and schedules differ, so the aim is to help you narrow a huge field to a short list you actually want to visit.
Dishes and streets worth planning around
Most visitors and many longtime residents build a food plan around a few dishes and a few blocks. Each guide below takes one of those entry points.
- The guide to classic new york foods covers the dishes people usually mean when they talk about eating here.
- An explainer on what is new york style pizza helps you tell the style from the generic slice.
- The write-up on nyc street food looks at eating on the sidewalk, one stop at a time.
- For browsing under one roof, the guide to nyc food markets lays out how to graze across stalls.
- Chinatown has its own page, a guide to the best chinatown food nyc offers.
If you would rather choose a part of town first and the dish second, read about the best food neighborhoods in nyc before you pick a subway line.
What does a restaurant letter grade tell you?
New York is unusual in that the city asks restaurants to show their food safety result at the door. The Health Department launched its letter grading program in July 2010, and it marked the 15th anniversary of the system in a press release dated July 19, 2025, as the Health Department’s 2025 press release shows.
In that same release, the department said it inspects the city’s 29,000 restaurants and that a restaurant earning fewer than 14 points gets an A grade. It also said all restaurants must post their final grade on display, regardless of the points earned.
The score works like golf: the lower the score, the better the grade. The NYC Health inspections page says violations carry point values and that a restaurant’s score corresponds to a letter grade.
A grade is a snapshot of food safety practice, not a review of taste, service or value. A restaurant with a modest grade may still cook food you love, and a perfect grade does not guarantee a good meal.
What inspectors look for
The city’s Environment and Health Data Portal describes what health inspectors check during a visit. Knowing the list explains why a score can move from one inspection to the next.
- They measure food temperature.
- They look for evidence of food contamination.
- They check for roaches and other vermin.
- They examine a restaurant’s cooking, refrigeration and cleaning equipment.
The same portal says that if conditions are so bad that they pose a public health hazard, the Health Department may close the restaurant until they are fixed. It also lists grades of A, B or C.
According to the July 2025 press release, restaurant food safety practices started improving after grading began, and more food workers enrolled in the department’s Food Protection Course. Those are the department’s own findings, so read them as that.
How to check a restaurant before you go
A quick look takes less time than reading a menu. The NYC Health page points to ABCEats as the city’s restaurant inspection lookup tool.
- Search the restaurant by name on ABCEats and read its latest inspection result.
- Look for the posted grade in the window or at the entrance when you arrive.
- Remember that the inspection date matters, since a grade reflects one visit.
- If you use a wheelchair or travel with someone who does, the same NYC Health page lists the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities Wheelchair-Friendly Restaurant Locator.
Use the grade as one input alongside the neighborhood, the dish and the crowd. That keeps the search practical instead of anxious.
Coffee, tipping and the rest of the evening
Food in New York rarely stops at the meal. Morning planning often starts with the best coffee shops in nyc, and the bill at the end of the night raises its own questions, which the guide on how much to tip at restaurants in nyc answers.
When you want a wider view of sit-down dining, the hub on new york restaurants goes beyond this food-focused overview. If your plans run past dinner, the hub on new york nightlife picks up from there.
Frequently asked questions
How often are New York City restaurants inspected?
Show answer
The NYC Health Department says it conducts unannounced inspections of restaurants at least once a year. Check the page for any change to that schedule.
What score earns an A grade?
Show answer
In its July 2025 press release, the Health Department said restaurants earning fewer than 14 points earn an A grade. Lower scores are better.
Do restaurants have to post their grade?
Show answer
As of the Health Department’s July 2025 press release, all restaurants are required to post their final grade on display, regardless of points earned.
Where can I look up a restaurant’s inspection result?
Show answer
The city’s inspections page names ABCEats as its restaurant inspection lookup tool. You can search it from your phone before you leave.
Does a good grade mean the food is good?
Show answer
No. The grade reflects food safety compliance at inspection, according to the Health Department, so it says nothing about flavor or service.
