Healthiest NYC Dining Guide

This one’s been a long time coming. I’ve been wanting to share my go-to NYC restaurants, cafés, and coffee shops, and I finally pulled it together. Whether I’m grabbing a quick lunch, enjoying a dinner with friends, or going out for a special occasion, I’ve built up a go-to list of spots that balance health, flavor, and a great experience.

Here’s my NYC Healthy Dining Guide, ranging from fast casual to Michelin star, plus a few favorite coffee and dessert stops. The best part? Every place here offers plenty of seed oil-free options, and some are even fully seed oil-free certified!

Fast Casual Favorites:
Springbone: known for their nourishing bone broths and simple, clean bowls. Everything is made with high-quality oils and ingredients. My favorite item: custom bowl with cauliflower rice, chicken, vegetables, and toppings like hummus and pico de gallo.
Goodsugar: 100% plant-based, no refined sugar, no seed oils. Fully certified seed oil-free and delicious. Their açai bowls are my favorite in all of New York!
Sweetgreen: a reliable go-to for customizable salads and bowls, with the ability to keep things seed oil-free. I recommend making your own bowl/salad with steak!
Butterfield Market: more than a market, the prepared foods section has many high-quality, seed oil-free options. I love Butterfield Market’s vibe and their large variety of products. Also, I have a few smoothie collaborations here. You’ll see them when you visit!
Happier Grocery: a gourmet grocery store with tons of organic groceries, smoothies, juices, and grab-and-go meals with no junk oils. Their hot bar is my favorite… get a combo plate with a protein and two sides.
Locanut: paleo- & keto-friendly meals, fully gluten- and dairy-free, with a strong emphasis on clean eating. I love their spaghetti squash with grass-fed steak.
Impact Kitchen: new to New York, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals. The menu is gluten-free, seed oil-free, and the proteins are high-quality. I love everything I’ve tried here so far.
Pura Vida: Miami vibes in NYC: smoothies, salads, bowls, and breakfast plates that you can customize to your liking. My favorite items are the chocolate peanut butter smoothie (with double protein and no honey) and the summer chicken bowl.
Rooted: customize a bento box with 3-4 items. Every item here has 7 ingredients or fewer. I recommend their grass-fed steak or chicken, spaghetti squash, sweet potatoes, and brussels sprout salad. They cook exclusively with Kosterina extra virgin olive oil!

High-Quality Dining:
OPTO: a sleek, modern dining experience with vibrant, wellness-driven dishes. The owner showed me around the kitchen when I went last month, and they exclusively use high-quality olive oil! This Mediterranean/somewhat Italian restaurant is one of my favorites. You can’t go wrong with anything on their menu in my opinion.
Hearth: might be the highest-quality restaurant in all of New York. Seasonal, locally-sourced dishes in a cozy setting. They are 100% seed oil-free certified, and I have had an excellent meal here every time I’ve been. Their grass-fed steak is incredible.
COTE Korean Steakhouse: Michelin-starred Korean steakhouse with incredible cuts of meat and plenty of seed oil-free options when you stick to the classics. This restaurant is a must-go-to if you can get a reservation.
COQODAQ: elevating Korean fried chicken with thoughtful sourcing and oils that keep things lighter and cleaner. The chicken is gluten-free, seed oil-free, and made using rice flour. Their fries are incredible too! Get the Bucket List menu item, Caesar salad, and fries.
Peter Luger: a New York iconic restaurant. Their porterhouse is one of the best I’ve ever had. This restaurant is ranked one of the highest-quality steakhouses in the world!
4 Charles/Monkey Bar/Au Cheval: elevated comfort food from the same hospitality group. It’s hard to get a reservation to these restaurants, but it’s well worth trying to. While indulgent, they respect cleaner ingredients and are three of my favorite restaurants in all of NYC.

Desserts:
The Love Bakery: fully seed-oil free certified bakery making decadent treats with the cleanest ingredients. You can order this on Uber Eats, DoorDash, or their website for pickup.
Culture Yogurt: probiotic-rich frozen yogurt that’s light, tangy, and doesn’t rely on nasty ingredients. I love going here after dinner for a satisfying and healthier dessert!
Mimi’s: a new frozen yogurt shop on Lafayette & Spring Street. Aussie frozen yogurt made with locally-sourced, minimal ingredients.

Coffee & Café Stops:
Birch Coffee: cozy neighborhood coffee shop with strong brews and homemade almond milk.
Pret a Manger: they use organic beans and offer grass-fed dairy milks, which is hard to find at a chain!
Bonberi Mart: a wellness-focused mart with clean drinks, pastries, meals, and plant-based snacks.

I hope this week’s newsletter is helpful whether you’re a NYC resident or visiting for any reason. If you want an even longer list, please check my “NYC Eats” and “NYC Eats 2” highlights on my Instagram page.

Next time you’re hungry in NYC, save this list and try one of my favorites. And if you do, tag me on Instagram… I’d love to see what you order!

– Hunter

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