Zagat's Best New York Restaurants

Zagat Survey, publisher of the top NYC restaurant and nightlife directories, recently released their 2009 guide to New York City restaurants. The new Zagat guide is based on the opinions of more than 38,000 locals and covers more than 2,000 restaurants. The typical restaurant in the survey was visited by five to six Zagat surveyors every day of the year.

Thirty-eight percent of New Yorkers said they are tightening their belts and eating out less this year. That's probably why the number of new New York restaurant openings declined for the first time since 2003. But New Yorkers aren't about to give up eating, drinking, and being merry altogether.

"While we foresee some hard times, New York is likely to remain the world's leading restaurant city," says Tim Zagat, CEO of Zagat Survey.

And the big winners are....

The top-rated restaurants for 2009 include plenty of old favorites and some hot newcomers.

• Best Newcomer: Momofuku Ko



• Best Food: Per Se at Time Warner Center earned the #1 spot for both food and service. Also ranking in the Top 5 for food were Le Bernardin, Daniel, Jean Georges, and Sushi Yasuda.



• Most Popular: Union Square Cafe was rated most popular overall, followed closely by sister restaurant Gramercy Tavern



• Best Decor: Asiate



• Best Burger: DuMont in Brooklyn. Check out our Best Burgers picks for tasty options in Manhattan.



• Best Japanese/Sushi:Sushi Yasuda



• Best Pizza: Lucali in Brooklyn. Check out our Best Pizza picks for delicious slices in Manhattan.

NYC Restaurant Prices

According to Zagat's, dining in New York has gotten more expensive (shocker). The average bill for dining out in New York is $40.78, up 3% over last year and well above the national average of $34.09. At New York's 20 most expensive restaurants, the average meal is $156.49, up 9.4% from last year. For those looking for more inexpensive options, the 2009 Zagat Guide lists 648 restaurants where you can get dinner for less than $30 and lunch for less than $20. To sample the offerings at some of New York's top restaurants at bargain prices, mark your calendar for Restaurant Week.

Celebrity Chefs

Several of New York's celebrity chefs have opened new restaurants with affordable menus -- including Daniel Boulud's Bar Boulud and Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Matsugen, and Anita Lo's Bar Q.

Hot Neighborhoods

Survey shows (a la Family Feud) the hottest New York restaurant neighborhoods are the West Village with the Upper West Side winning the prize for best noteworthy new arrivals.

The 2009 Zagat New York City Restaurant Guide is available online and at bookstores and other retail outlets.