Best dining in the financial district

[John Ferris]

I know there's been other topics on this subject, but just to expand it a little on here – if say a young Irish man like myself was heading to NY on 1st February, which two restaurants would you recommend? One reasonably priced, one expensive. Am I out of touch with reality to say Per Se is still the place, or has NY moved on?

[Bobster]

Depends who you talk to, John. I was back in December and it was as wonderful as ever.

[sickchangeup]

For those that accepted that Per Se WAS the place (I count myself among them), it still very much IS the place. Nothing else has come along to surpass it.

As far as reasonably priced, you're gonna have to get a whole lot more specific, you could get 100 recommendations without additional parameters ($$ per diner, location, cuisine, style just to name a few)

[John Ferris]

Thanks Bobster, though I've just realised making a reservation two weeks beforehand at Per Se for one person may not work!

[John Ferris]

Sorry, was pretty stupid of me not to be more specific. Just looking best value based on $50-$100 per person in the financial district (I'm staying not far away from our office in Hanover Square), not too concerned about the cuisine, looking something different.

Also, now that I've re read my initial post, do any of the major hitters like Per Se accept a one-person reservation?

[LPShanet]

Sorry, was pretty stupid of me not to be more specific. Just looking best value based on $50-$100 per person in the financial district (I'm staying not far away from our office in Hanover Square), not too concerned about the cuisine, looking something different.

Also, now that I've re read my initial post, do any of the major hitters like Per Se accept a one-person reservation?

A bit confused by your post here. Are you looking for two separate things entirely? You do know that Per Se is nowhere near the Financial District, yes? In terms of Financial District dining, I think that SHO Shaun Hergatt is far and away the best restaurant down there. Their 3-course prix fixe is $33 at lunch and $75 at dinner, and both are very good value. However, it might be tough to get out for less than $100 at dinner, once you've added tax, tip, beverages, etc. My suggestion would be to head up a short way to Tribeca where there are many more options for good eating. Let us know more clearly what you're looking for and what the $50 - $100 parameter includes.

[sct4a]

Per Se has no problems with 1 person reservations. You may have better luck with a fri/sat/sun lunch reservation. As already stated it isnt in the financial district though its about a 10-15 min cab ride up the west side highway. For strictly downtown for cheap there is innateso pizza bar next to the ritz in battery park which is a great italian place, capital grille for steak which is right off wall street, SHO Shaun Hergatt which is off wall st, and madd dog and beans is really great mexican on stone street. There is also a new gourmet market called Battery Place Market at 70 little west street in the visionaire building. They do alot of cooked food and its really fantastic for lunch.

[LPShanet]

As already stated it isnt in the financial district though its about a 10-15 min cab ride up the west side highway.

Not to be difficult, but 10-15 minutes is very optimistic for that ride, unless you're going at 3am:) More like 20 minimum.

[Mjx]

For a reasonable price, there's Les Halles. I've only had breakfasts at the downtown location (in the financial district), but have had lunch and dinner several times at the uptown location, and that's been fine (if rather crowded and noisy), and it seems reasonable to believe that the quality should be roughly equal at the two locations.