These are the 7 must-visit restaurants near MacDougal Street NYC!
Nestled in the heart of Greenwich Village, MacDougal Street is one of the neighborhood’s most well-known blocks. It’s also been home to a few historical figures like Eleanor Roosevelt and Jackson Pollock! I understand why they would choose to live on this street—there are so many restaurants and cafes that add so much character. Granted, MacDougal Street looks a lot different now than it did in their time; even so, its charm remains unchanged.
I love walking through the West Village because it offers a different pace than the hustle and bustle of Midtown or Downtown Manhattan. The energy is quaint and serene; it reminds me of strolling through a little European village (not that I’ve ever been to Europe).
When in the city, you need to make a stop at these restaurants near MacDougal Street NYC…
Restaurants Near MacDougal Street NYC
1. Raku
When you ask someone what their favorite restaurant in the city is, chances are that you’ll hear the name “Raku” more times than one. Raku is a Japanese restaurant that specializes in udon and other Japanese classic small bites. I’m the biggest fan of noodles, so Raku was right up my alley.
I visited in February, and their udon soups were the perfect remedy to combat the cold New York winters. I ordered the ebiten udon ($18), which was noodles in a hot dashi broth topped with shrimp tempura and umeboshi (Japanese pickled plum). The udon noodles were thick and chewy—absolutely delicious when paired with the umami-packed broth. I was pleasantly surprised by the umeboshi because it offered the perfect tangy contrast.
Udon is not hard to come by, but good udon noodles are a different story. Raku is definitely one of the best bowls of udon I’ve had! Raku has another location in the East Village, so between that one and the one on MacDougal Street, there’s no reason to not stop by for a yummy bowl of noodles!
📍48 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012
2. 12 Chairs Cafe
Fun fact: 12 Chairs Cafe started out as a small cafe, which is where its name came from! Serving up Middle Eastern dishes, 12 Chairs Cafe is a great spot for trying a different cuisine in a neighborhood filled with Italian restaurants.
I went for brunch and ordered the Shakshuka ($18). The dish was two eggs poached in a spicy Moroccan tomato sauce, served with bread and a side of Israeli salad. For the amount of times I’ve been to brunch, this was surprisingly my first time having Shakshuka. I loved the tangy acidity that the tomato sauce brought to the dish; it was simple, but delightful. My friend ordered the Eggs Siniya ($18), which had two sunny side eggs that were cooked with tahini sauce. He said he would have never thought to pair eggs with tahini, but the sesame flavor really tied everything together.
This meal was a nice reprieve from typical brunch food like pancakes or omelets. Definitely worth stopping by 12 Chairs Cafe for some Israeli fare!
📍56 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012
3. Minetta Tavern
Minetta Tavern is a French restaurant situated next to Cafe Wha?, a nightclub famous for having hosted performances by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, and Bruce Springsteen. If you’re ever What better way to enjoy an evening than to begin it with a nice French meal and end it next door listening to live music?
With its cozy and intimate atmosphere, Minetta Tavern is one of the neighborhood’s most beloved institutions. I can see the romantic appeal the place has, so it would be the perfect setting for a date.
Everyone raves about the Black Label Burger ($38), described on the menu as a “selection of prime dry aged beef cuts, caramelized onions, pommes frites”. There isn’t any sauce on this burger, but its simplicity is what really allows the juicy patty and high-quality ingredients to take center stage!
I’ve also heard that the Soufflé for Two ($26) was absolutely worth the 25 minute wait. With my sweet tooth, I’ll definitely be back to try some of that chocolatey goodness…
📍113 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012
4. Dante
Here’s to the World’s Best Bar in 2019! Dante (also known as Cafe Dante) is a cafe serving small plates and cocktails that constantly tops “Best Bars in NYC” lists. They’re known for their Negronis, so I tried the Negroni Bianco ($21). I’m not much of a drinker, so this drink was a bit too strong for me; even so, it was aesthetically pleasing with its garnish of baby’s breath flowers.
I believe their menu changes (I’m not sure how frequently) because the grapefruit endive salad I had before isn’t offered anymore. It might be a seasonal dish, but it was so refreshing. We tried the Verde with spicy lamb sausage, mozzarella & arugula flatbread ($24) and Steamed mussels ($25) as appetizers. It was my first time having mussels and I really enjoyed it! The spicy pomodoro sauce helped mellow and balance out that strong seafood flavor.
As for their fresh pastas, we had the linguini pesto and some kind of clam spaghetti. Those two dishes unfortunately don’t seem to be on the current menu, but I’m not lying when I say that Dante’s pesto was the best pesto I’ve had. You could taste that the pesto was fresh and contained pistachios, which gave it that zhuzh that other pestoes are missing.
We ended the meal with a slice of their signature tiramisu ($17). That, along with the live jazz playing outside, was the perfect ending to a beautiful summer evening.
10/10 would recommend.
📍79-81 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012
6. Pommes Frites
Across from the NYC Law School sits Pommes Frites, a specialty shop serving authentic Belgian fries in paper cones. What’s the difference between French fries and Belgian fries, you may ask? Apparently, Belgian fries are thick-cut and double-fried. Fries are my favorite way to eat potatoes, so I was super excited to try this spot.
The menu is pretty simple in terms of fries, but it’s a whole different story when it comes to sauces. Pommes Frites has the longest list of sauces I’ve seen yet (33 if I counted correctly) with interesting ones like “Bordeaux Wine, Figs & Sage”, “Warm Irish Curry”, and “Pomegranate Teriyaki”. Not flavors you would usually eat with fries, but I’m not complaining! I LOVE sauces and I truly believe that the fry is the perfect vehicle for sauces.
I got the Regular Frites ($8) with 3 sauces ($1.99 per sauce/$5.50 for 3): Smoked Eggplant, Sweet Chili, and Tequila Lime Chipotle. The fries had a great crunch on the outside—definitely double-fried. My favorite sauce was the Smoked Eggplant; it was creamy, smoky, and reminded me of baba ghanoush (which is one of my favorite Mediterranean dips). I thought it brought a lightness to the fried potato, as some sauces can be too heavy.
So delicious! It’s now on my bucket list to try every single sauce on the menu here…
📍128 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012
7. Saigon Shack
I grew up on Vietnamese food, so I’m always very particular about authenticity. While Saigon Shack does not compare to the restaurants back home in LA (sorry, but it’s true!), they come close. There is always a good amount of NYU kids frequenting Saigon Shack because of its close proximity to campus. I don’t blame them—the food is not only tasty, but affordable too.
They had the S.S. Classic ($8.95) on their menu, which is the house special that has Vietnamese ham and pate; I opted for the Fried Fish ($12.95) because you don’t normally see fish on banh mis. The fish—light and crispy—was tucked in a baguette with pickled carrots and radishes, cucumbers, and mayo. I didn’t think that the fish would pair well with the baguette, but it did! I also had a side of Sweet Potato Fries ($6); it reminded me of the fried sweet potato fritters that come with my favorite Vietnamese dish, Bánh Ướt. SO yummy!
Every time I miss home (and Lee’s Sandwiches), I’ll make sure to stop by Saigon Shack to get my banh mi fix. I want to taste some of their other Vietnamese dishes too, so that warrants a future visit!
📍114 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012
8. Shuka
I stumbled upon Shuka by accident when walking down MacDougal Street. The annoying thing about the dining scene in New York is that many restaurants require reservations weeks in advance. It’s so hard to walk into a restaurant without an enormously long wait; however, I was able to be seated within 15 minutes at Shuka. Granted, it was barely 5pm, so the early dinner hour might have been the reason why.
They have a special called The Shuka Feast ($62/person) that requires whole table participation and includes a variety of small plates and your choice of a kebab. I didn’t get to try the feast when I went, but it’s definitely something worth looking into for large groups!
I had the Ras El Hanout Chicken Kebab ($22), which came with pita, mixed lettuce, parsley, sumac onions, spiced yogurt, and zhoug. The main courses were pretty well-portioned, as I was the right amount of full after clearing my plate. The chicken was on a metal skewer and was perfectly charred, tender, and juicy. I loved the spiced yogurt sauce because of the tanginess it added. So filling and sooo good!
If you’ve got a hankering for Mediterranean food, stop by Shuka—you won’t be disappointed.
📍38 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012
Restaurants Near MacDougal Street NYC
Greenwich Village is such a lovely area and the food scene is filled with vibrant history and delicious eats. These 7 restaurants near MacDougal Street NYC should be on your NYC bucket list…
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