Melba Wilson's Harlem dining room — chicken and waffles, eggnog waffles, and the neighborhood's warmest welcome
Must-try: Southern fried chicken and eggnog waffles, Mac and cheese, Catfish strips
📍 300 W 114th St, New York, NY 10026
A candlelit Harlem corner restaurant doing Italian and Spanish cooking with a serious wine list
Must-try: Squid ink bucatini, Charred octopus, Brussels sprouts
📍 2211 Frederick Douglass Blvd, New York, NY 10026
Marcus Samuelsson's Lenox Avenue flagship — Southern, Ethiopian, and Scandinavian threads in one loud, beautiful room
Must-try: Fried yardbird, Cornbread with honey butter, Shrimp and grits
📍 310 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10027
A French bistro on St. Nicholas Avenue that feels genuinely transplanted — steak frites, moules, and a corner bar
Must-try: Steak frites, Moules marinière, Croque monsieur
📍 341 St Nicholas Ave, New York, NY 10027
Harlem's soul food institution since 1962 — the Queen of Soul Food's dining room on Lenox Avenue
Must-try: Smothered fried chicken, Barbecue ribs, Candied yams
📍 328 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10027