I hope the 2026 snowstorm gave you a warm reprieve inside your homes, nestled with a hot bowl of something, a good book, couch-television time, family time, or all of the above. The storm came one week into the NYC Winter Restaurant Week, which began January 20 and will run through February 20, and might be just what you need to suit up in your long johns, winter coats, and mukluks to get some good vittles.
More than 650 restaurants are participating in the five boroughs. While more than 90% are in Manhattan, 91 restaurants are in Upper Manhattan and 12 in Harlem (9 in the BX) (not that you can’t hoof it anywhere and take advantage of two-course lunches and three-course dinners for $30, $45, and $60, as you should). The Restaurant Week website now provides curated collections to help you search by categories such as Celebrity Chefs, Classic Restaurants, Cozy Vibes, Date Night, Hidden Gems, and more.
We are going to highlight our village of Harlem. Most of the 12 participating restaurants reside on the main corridors of Lenox Avenue and 8th Avenue between 125th and 114th Streets. The others are on 7th Avenue below 135th Street and on 12th Avenue.
On Lenox Avenue:
Red Rooster — serving lunch; some of their classics and some new dishes in the newly renovated space.
Barawine — serving dinner and Sunday lunch/brunch/dinner; French bistro classics.
Archer & Goat — serving dinner and Sunday dinner; I have yet to dine here, but I have heard good reviews of this South American-Indian fusion restaurant.
On 8th Avenue (fine — Frederick Douglass Blvd.), aka Restaurant Row:
Lido — serving lunch, dinner, Sunday dinner; classic Italian fare in a relaxed environment.
Bixi — serving dinner and Sunday dinner; an Asian-inspired menu and a great cocktail program in a lively space.
Blvd Bistro — serving lunch and dinner; don’t forget the biscuits!
Melba’s — serving it all plus Sunday brunch. Entrée choices are southern fried chicken, country catfish, or vegan mushroom pot pie, giving you all the comfort.
The Harlem restaurant group owned by Chef Cisse Elhadi and Chef Cheikh Ali has three establishments participating this year, serving their West African, French, and Mediterranean-style food:
Renaissance Harlem — serving lunch, dinner, Sunday lunch/Brunch/dinner.
Ponty Bistro — serving lunch and dinner
PB Brasserie Steak House — serving lunch and dinner, with salmon bearnaise, a 16 oz. dry aged NY strip, or half rotisserie chicken as dinner entrée choices.
Over on 12th Avenue:
Panda Harlem — serving dinner and Sunday dinner; an Asian menu with American twists and a “dress to impress” hip-hop vibe. I am intrigued.
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que — serving lunch, dinner, Sunday lunch/brunch/dinner; all of your traditional barbeque plus my fave: fried green tomatoes as an appetizer and Syracuse-style salt potatoes as a side, plus either beer, wine, or mocktail at dinner. I am there!
Now get out there, eat, imbibe, and celebrate our restaurants, our village, and the city. Hope to see you there!
Thanks for reading and happy eating!
Kysha Harris is a chef, food writer and editor, culinary producer, consultant, and owner of
SCHOP!, a personalized food service in NYC for more than 23 years. Follow her on Instagram at
@SCHOPnyc and on Facebook at @SCHOPnyc.
Questions, comments, requests, feedback, invitations! Email us at AmNewsFOOD@SCHOPnyc.com. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @NYAmNewsFOOD.