10 Best Restaurants in the Financial District (Local's Guide) (2024)

If you’re looking for the best restaurants in the Financial District, I have you covered. I used to work in the area and had my fair share of neighborhood haunts. From quick grab-and-go joints to elaborate meals courtesy of the company credit card, here’s a roundup of my favorite spots.

Exploring the neighborhood? You might enjoy my guide on: 15 Best Things to Do in the Financial District.

Best Restaurants in the Financial District

Visiting New York City? If you haven’t decided where to stay (yet) check out my helpful guide onWhere to Stay in New York City (The best neighborhoods for first timers +3 to avoid). Don’t have time?Here’s my favorite hotel in NYC,hands down.

Financial District Cheap Eats

Los Tacos No. 1

Website: Los Tacos No. 1
Address:136 Church St, New York, NY

Los Tacos No. 1 makes the best tacos in the city and the neighborhood is lucky to have an outpost. The simple menu pays homage to authentic Mexican street food. All tacos are wrapped in homemade tortillas (choose between flour and corn) and topped with onion, cilantro, salsa and guacamole.

My favorite taco is the adobada (marinated pork), an order of 2-3 tacos typically tides me over until dinner. The guacamole and chips is a great companion, but at $5.50 for small servings, don’t feel guilty if you skip it. If you’re looking for cheap eats in the Financial District, Los Tacos gets my vote.

Xi’an Famous Foods

Website: Xi’an Famous Foods
Address:8 Liberty Pl, New York, NY

Xi’an Famous Foods is named after the easternmost city in China (and the last stop on the Silk Road). The restaurant dishes out traditional Xi’an street foods like hand-pulled noodles and large dumplings swimming in glorious spicy-sour sauce.

Full of fiery spices and aromatic seasonings, the menu doesn’t pander to amateur palates (the motto says it all “not spicy = not as good”). Surprisingly, most dishes are less than $15, earning this no-frills establishment a spot on our list of the best cheap eats in the Financial District.

My husband and I visit Xi’an’s often and our order is almost always the same: spicy hot-oil seared hand-ripped noodles and spicy & sour lamb dumplings. This restaurant is a personal favorite, I’m not saying I’m on a first-name basis with the staff, but they’re on my Christmas card list.

Nish Nush

Website: Nish Nush
Address:41 John St, New York, NY

Serving vegetarian cuisine exclusively, Nish Nush is a casual Mediterranean restaurant ideal for a quick lunch at a reasonable price. At less than $12 a pop, the falafel sandwiches have no business being this good. Better still, they’re massive and I usually end up with leftovers.

My favorite dish is a toss up between the deluxe falafel sandwich (falafel, hummus, israeli salad, white and red cabbage, pickles, eggplant, tahini and tirishi) and the massive falafel trio platter (falafel, hummus, Israeli salad, olives and pickles). Both are excellent, you can tell the folks running the joint take great pride in the quality of the food.

Good to Know: The Tribeca location looks more presentable than the Financial District outpost. When I first visited the FiDi restaurant I was a little put off by the shop’s tired appearance, but the food was so good I overlook it. Don’t sleep on this joint.

Pisillo Italian Panini

Website: Pisillo Italian Panini
Address:97 Nassau St, New York, NY

Crammed with fresh meats, cheeses, and veggies, the newborn-sized Italian paninis at Pisillo are second to none.

There’s three dozen combos to sort through, but for a first visit, the signature Pisillo is a great introduction (prosciutto di parma, bufala mozzarella, porchetta, roasted peppers, arugula, and balsamic vinegar).

If you’re visiting with a friend, make sure to split a sandwich. The paninis are so large I can only manage to get through half (these bad boys are definitely two separate meals). You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, just make sure the roasted peppers make an appearance because they add an essential vinegary kick.

Good to Know: Pisillo Italian Panini is a cash-only establishment.

Best Lunch in the Financial District

Da Claudio

Website: Da Claudio
Address:21 Ann St, New York, NY

If you’re trying to figure out where to eat in the Financial District with a large group of coworkers, Da Caludio delivers.

Emphasizing seasonal market-driven produce and fine Italian imports, the restaurant serves comforting Italian classics like rigatoni all’amatrician (all pastas and sauces are homemade) and pollo alla Milanese.

Beyond the cuisine, the ambiance is perfect for sophisticated business lunches and romantic evenings on the town. The modern design gives the restaurant a polished vibe and the service couldn’t be better.

The Malt House

Website: The Malt House
Address:9 Maiden Ln, New York, NY

The Malt House is known for a curated selection of 250 American whiskies and impressive lineup of drafts. Inviting and polished, this is my top recommendation when people ask where to grab lunch in the Financial District with coworkers. Salads, tacos, burgers and tartar, the menu is replete with elevated pub fare.

But it’s the American Tavern Burger that takes center stage (cheddar, bacon, onion jam, garlic aioli, lettuce and pickles served on brioche bun). If you’re letting your hair down, opt for the showstopping El Capitan burger instead (two prime dry aged 4oz patties, smoked bacon bites, cheese, charred red onions, garlic aioli).

O’Hara’s Restaurant & Pub

Address:120 Cedar St, New York, NY

Dating back to 1983, O’Hara’s is an essential local hangout that became a haven for Ground Zero workers during the September 11th terrorist attacks. Every inch adorned with first responder patches, the pub was severely damaged during the wreckage of 9/11 and took more than a year to rebuild.

Not surprisingly, O’Hara’s is treated reverence to this day, especially by first responders. But don’t make the mistake of assuming the atmosphere will be somber during your visit, far from it. The pub swells with chipper locals during lunch and the Irish stew and shepherd’s pie are largely to thank.

Kuu Ramen

Website: Kuu Ramen
Address:20 John St, New York, NY

If we’re going off name along, it’s easy to assume Kuu serves ramen exclusively, but that’s not the case. Kuu is a Japanese restaurant dolling out curry, karaage (Japanese fried chicken), dumplings, rice bowls and ramen.

Tiny but mighty, authentic Japanese cuisine coupled with swift service makes this one of the best lunch restaurants in the Financial District. Come winter, the place bulges with stalwart locals during the lunch hour, everyone eager to get their hands on piping-hot curries and ramen, textbook dishes for rainy days.

I’m a big fan of the Kuu chili ramen (spicy ground chicken, kakuni pork, marinated egg) and pork katsu curry rice (10-hour beef-based curry with hand-breaded pork loin over rice and pickled ginger).

Upscale Restaurants in the Financial District

Manhatta

Website: Manhatta
Address:28 Liberty St 60th floor, New York

They say you can only have two: good views, good quality, or good prices, but at Manhatta you can have it all.Located on the 60th floor at 28 Liberty Street, the panoramic views are unparalleled, matched only by impeccable service and stunning modern American cuisine.

Which is precisely why Manhatta is one of the best restaurants in the Financial District for a date you’re keen to impress. A splurge-worthy experience, the kitchen is helmed by Chef Justin Bogle of Le Coucou renown, the youngest American chef to earn two Michelin stars (at the age of 28).

No detail overlooked, Manhatta’s inspired menu keeps the focus on modern American cuisine heightened by seasonal ingredients. Luxury takes center stage, with ‎elevated twists breathing new life into time-tested dishes. The chef’s dry-aged duck with pistachio, fava bean, candied black olive, strawberry is a dish I can’t get out of my mind month’s later.

Local’s Recommendation: If scoring a reservation proves tricky, you can still enjoy the ambiance by hitting the bar an hour before the restaurant opens. It’s a savvy way to soak in the views with knock-out co*cktails before grabbing dinner elsewhere.

Crown Shy

Website: Crown Shy
Address:70 Pine Street Ground Floor, New York

Chefs James Kent (veteran of Eleven Madison Park) and Jeff Katz (of Del Posto fame) bring innovation to the dinning table at Crown Shy, a Michelin-starred restaurant in the Financial District. Soaring ceilings, colossal windows and an open kitchen concept immerses the senses fully.

Billed as new American cuisine executed with European technique, the menu spans the gamut. From weighty roasted short rib and tender quail to delicate striped bass and pillowy ricotta gnocchi, you’ll be spoiled for choice.

Don’t sleep on the desserts. The outcome of Pastry Chef Renata Ameni’s (who spent half a decade at Eleven Madison Park) skilled mind, the nuanced dessert menu is half the draw. Ameni’s baklava cheesecake (with strawberries and pistachio) is stunning.

Temple Court

Website: Temple Court
Address:5 Beekman St, New York, NY

Temple Court at the Beekman Hotel is the epitome of elegance. The imposing architecture with stunning stained glass windows and chandeliers ensures this fine-dining restaurant is fit for special occasions.

Run by eight-time James Beard Award-winning chef Tom Colicchio (celebrity judge on Top Chef ), the kitchen moves like clockwork, promising a memorable culinary experience tailored around elevated American cuisine.

Flirt with some appetizers like the Spanish octopus and goat cheese agnolotti before committing to an entree. I’m a fan of Colicchio’s roasted swordfish (pole Beans, artichokes & crispy soft-boiled egg) and roasted duck breast. But you know the drill: excellence is top of mind, everything on the menu is bound to impress.

Best Restaurants in the Financial District NYC (Post Summary)

1. Temple Court
2. Manhatta
3. Crown Shy
4. Kuu Ramen
5. Xi’an Famous Food
6. O’Hara’s Restaurant & Pub
7. The Malt House
8. Da Claudio
9. Los Tacos No. 1
10. Pisillo Italian Panini
11. Nish Nush

Financial District Guides:

• 10 Best Coffee Shops in the Financial District (Local’s Guide)
• 10 Fantastic Bars in the Financial District You Can’t Miss
• 10 Best Financial District Happy Hour Spots (Local’s Guide)
• 10 Best Brunch Spots in the Financial District (Hungry Foodie)

FiDi Restaurants (Map)

And there you have it, the best restaurants in FiDi according to yours truly. If you think we missed a spot, leave a comment and we’ll make sure to check it out.

Cheers!