Every once in awhile I get asked...What are your favorite restaurants in downtown New York? I posted this over a year ago, but revisit every once in awhile to add to the list! Working on Chicago next... 

Atlas Cafe — fun for groups, yummy tapas & sangria Barbuto — opens the doors in spring and summer for a great outdoor feel
Bar'Rique — newbie wine bar on Bleeker St. with the tastiest dinner menu and to-die-for cheese plates Blue Hill — seminal Greenmarket haven with fresh farm fare from an upstate complex called Stone Barns Blue Ribbon Sushi - delish sushi and relaxed atmosphere
The Breslin — gastropub in the Ace Hotel that serves delicious cocktails and meat lover's faves
Cafe Cluny — favorite Sunday brunch spot in the W. Village, wait in line for the best egg sandwich 'ever' The Charles — s'mores and more make this speakeasy/lounge a great dinner spot Diablo Royale — West Village Mexican taqueria saloon Essex — great weekend brunches on the LES Five Points — warm and relaxed Mediterranean-American eatery Freemans — comforting american cuisine tucked away in a charming LES alley
Gemma — hot spot on Bowery that serves up yummy Italian food
Gitane — Moroccan French cafe in the Jane Hotel Hotel Griffou — trendy grotto eatery with amazing cocktails and yummy dishes Il Buco — warm antique charm and Mediterranean dishes Indochine — French-Vietnamese fairy-tale favorite Kingswood — candlelit rustic feel with yummy american food
La Gazzeta — cozy Meat Packing district brasserie
La Esquina — best south of houston mexican spot on the map with killer margaritas (literally;) L'artusi — italian with amazing flavorful food and busy upbeat vibe Little Owl — tiny w. village neighborhood fave Lupa — soft-hearted Tuscan trattoria
Lure Fishbar — new seafood, sushi, oyster bar that celebs love to frequent Morandi - cozy Italian with winning wine list and attractive crowd Palma — rustic Mediterranean-Italian gem
Pastis — chic, crowded Parisian style bistro in the heart of Meat-Packing district  Pearl Oyster Bar — intimate New England style seafood restaurant
Pulino's Bar & Pizzeria — a boisterous crowd always hovers over the bar here for the best thin crust pizza Smith & Mills — small cozy Tribeca restaurant where the food and experience are both amazing
The Spotted Pig — long waits are worth it at this upscale pub that serves up salty, smokey cured fare Tartine — BYOB french bistro that is tiny and terrific Waverly Inn — impossible to get a reservation, this American dining is delicious