Recommended List: New York City

FOOD
DB - Drop By, No reservations needed
NR - No reservations, but worth the wait
MRWA - Make reservations way ahead, at least 1 week
CS - Chill spot, casual and fun
PS - Posh spot, fun to people watch

::Brunch::
Clinton Street Baking Company - http://www.clintonstreetbaking.com, 4 Clinton Street, btw. East Houston & Stanton (Must Try: pancakes, muffins or biscuits) -- NR, CS
Sarah Beth's - http://www.sarabeth.com (A few locations and always widely popular on the weekends) -- PS, NR
Petite Abeille - 107 W. 18th St. btw. 6th and 7th Ave. (Must Try: Belgian waffles, eggs benedict with salmon) -- CS, NR
Five Points - 31 Great Jones St. btw. Lafayette St. and Bowery, 212-253-5700. (You can actually make reservations here! A bit on the fancier side, but the restaurant has a great vibe.) -- MRWA
Balthazar - 80 Spring St. btw. Crosby and Broadway, 212-965-1785. French bistro serves most buttery yet delicious scrambled eggs I have ever tasted. Only place I've seen fellow diners eat muscles and oyesters for brunch. -- PS, MRWA

::Steak/Meat::
Strip House - 13 E. 12th St. btw. University Pl. and Fifth Ave., 212-328-0000 (Expensive, but luv the ambiance, and luv luv luv the creamed spinach) -- MRWA, PS
Peter Lugar - http://www.peterluger.com, 178 Broadway, Brooklyn. 718-387-7400 (Sizzling steak on a platter, worth the trek to Brooklyn) -- MRWA
Blue Smoke - 116 E. 27th St. btn. Park and Lexington Aves., 212-447-7733 (Awesome ribs, fried chicken and macaroni and cheese!) -- MRWA

::Burgers::
J.G. Melon - 1291 Third Ave. at 74th St., 212-744-0585 (The good greasy burger) -- DB
Rare - 303 Lexington Ave, Shelburne Hotel-corner 37th St., 212-481-1999 (Expensive, but they have creative burgers) -- DB
Shake Shack - Madison Square Park at 23rd St., 212-889-6600 (Great hangout for the summer, located in the middle of park) -- DB, CS
Burger Joint - 118 W. 57th St., inside Le Parker Meridian Hotel -- DB, CS
DB Bistro Moderne - 55 W. 44th St. btn. Ave of Americas and 5th Ave. (featuring a $29 burger stuffed with truffles and foie gras) -- PS
Spotted Pig - http://www.thespottedpig.com, 314 West 11th St. @ Greenwich St. 212-620-0393 (West Village Gastropub with quality food overall) -- CS

::Pizza::
Grimaldi's Pizza is worth the trek to Brooklyn. If you go there, definitely try out the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory located on the promenade near the water/under Brooklyn Bridge.
http://www.grimaldis.com, 19 Old Fulton St. under the Brooklyn Bridge -- DB, CS

::Sushi::
Tomoe Sushi - 172 Thompson St. btn. Houston Street and Bleecker Street (always a line, but worth the wait) -- NR
Gari - 370 Columbus Ave. near 77th St., 212-362-4816 (Sushi so good they don't serve it with soy sauce) -- MRWA, PS
Jewel Bako - 68 Prince St. btn. 2nd and 3rd Ave. (Tiny place so best to go on a weekday)
Blue Ribbon Sushi - 119 Sullivan St. btn. Prince and Spring (More expensive, but yummy and of course it's in Soho so fun as well) -- NR, PS
Sushi Yasuda - 204 East 43rd St btn. 2nd and 3rd Ave. (Very fresh fish and great sushi rice make the perfect sushi)

::Japanese::
Ippudo - 65 4th Ave. at E. 10th St. (Best ramen broth ever! And the chicken wings are yum! Be warned wait time around dinner could be up to 1 hour) -- NR
Sobaya - 229 E 9th St. btn. 9th Street and 10th Street, 212-533-6966 (Fresh hot or cold soba noodles made here) -- CS
Momofuku - 171 1st Ave. btw. 10th and 11th St. (Noodle bar, but you have to get the steamed buns with chicken or pork!)
Aburiya Kinnosuke - 213 E. 45th St. btn. 2nd and 3rd Ave., 212-867-5454 (Features the robata grill. Order grapefruit soju cocktails, the giant chicken meatball, and the freshly-made tofu. Everything we tried was good here! Party 4 and up get a private room.)

::Seafood::
Blue Water Grill - 31 Union Square West (Get a table inside the restaurant that looks out onto the patio on a summer night, or downstairs in the jazz room) -- MRWA, PS

::Sweets::
Beard Papa's - Multiple locations: Inside Cafe Zaiya @41st and Madison, Broadway btn. W 76th and 77th St., Broadway btn 8th St. and Astor Pl. (Greatest cream puffs ever! Originating from Japan) -- CS, DB
ChikaLicious Dessert Bar - E 10th St. and 2nd Ave (Different desserts every day of the week. Don't go too late because they may sell out!) -- NR
Veniero's Pasticceria & Caffe - E. 11 St. between 1st and 2nd Ave (Must Try: Cannolies, just order at the counter and take it to go)
Blue Ribbon Bakery -- 35 Downing St. at Bedford St., 212-337-0404 (Dinner place, but I luv the dessert here, i.e. chocolate chip bread pudding. Arrive before 7pm on weekends, or else it's hard to get a table) -- NR, PS

::Other::
Mexicana Mama - 525 Hudson St., between Charles and W. 10th Sts., 212-924-4119 (Yummy spin on Mexican food, very flavorful) -- NR
Congee Village - 100 Allen St. (Yummy Chinese food, satisfies the craving) -- DB
Hampton Chutney Co. - 68 Prince St. at Crosby St. (Stop here for a snap after shopping all day in Soho) -- DB
Nicky's Vietnamese Sandwiches - 150 E. 2nd St. and Ave. A (We used to stop by here every Saturday for lunch. Fresh toasted baguettes make the sandwich!) -- DB, CS
Russ and Daughters - http://www.russanddaughters.com, 179 E Houston St. btn. Allen Street and Orchard Street (Pick up some licorice from Australia and sweetened dried mango)
Po - 31 Cornelia St. between Bleeker and W. 4th Sts., 212-645-2189 (Splended Italian in a cozy place. I had the best gnocci ever at this restaurant.)
Cafe Habana - 17 Prince St. at Elizabeth St., 212-625-2002 (Latin American; Don't miss the grilled corn!) -- NR

::Special Occasion::
Cru - 24 Fifth Ave. at 9th St. -- MRWA
Gramercy Tavern - 42 E. 20th St. between Broadway and Park Ave. South, 212-477-0777 (Love the service here, and the free treats in between courses is delightful) -- MRWA
Mas Farmhouse - 39 Downing Street, 212-255-1790 (Expensive French-American open late. Excellent spoil you service. Definitely for the foodie in you!)