New York, NY (Summer 2005) - A magnet of world-class dining, New York City has more than 17,300 restaurants serving cuisine from every corner of the globe. From original delis to five-star dining, New York City has a restaurant for every palate and pocketbook. New York City is consistently ranked as one of the best culinary cities in the world. Due its rich ethnic diversity and confluence of all-star chefs, the Big Apple is a dining destination unlike any other.

The roster of world-class chefs who operate restaurants in New York City reads like a gastronomical dream. Big name chefs in the Big Apple include Bobby Flay, Mario Batali, Alain Ducasse, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Laurent Tourondel, Thomas Keller, David Burke, Gray Kunz, Masayoshi Takayama, David Bouley, Daniel Boulud, Eric Ripert and Nobu Matsuhisa. In the culinary world, these are among the most innovative and groundbreaking minds in the business. From introducing new ingredients and flavors to creating new dishes, New York City chefs help to shape the culinary scene throughout the rest of the world.

Mario Batali's culinary talents are showcased at Lupa (212-982-5089, www.luparestaurant.com), a rustic Italian restaurant, and David Burke's restaurant davidburke&donatella (212-813-2121, www.dbrestaurant.com) features provocative modern American cuisine in a setting that has quickly become one of the hottest places to see and be seen. One of the best French restaurants outside of Paris is Le Bernadin (212-554-1515, www.le-bernadin.com), which has repeatedly garnered the elusive four-star rating from The New York Times. Other French favorites are David Bouley's namesake restaurant, Bouley (212/964-2525, www.bouleyrestaurants.com) and hip Parisian bistro Balthazar (212-965-1414, www.balthazarny.com). Perennial Zagat Survey favorites Gramercy Tavern (212-477-0777, www.gramercytavern.com) and Union Square Café (212-243-4020, www.unionsquarecafe.com) are creations from famed restaurateur Danny Meyer, who also owns Eleven Madison Park (212-889-0905, www.elevenmadisonpark.com), Tabla (212-889-0667, www.tablany.com), Blue Smoke (212-447-7733, www.bluesmoke.com) and the Modern (212-333-1220), located in the newly renovated Museum of Modern Art. Jean-Georges Vongerichten produced one of the Meatpacking District's hottest dining destinations, Spice Market (212-675-2322), and the Union Square area is home to popular restaurants Blue Water Grill (212-675-9500, www.brguestinc.com) and Craft (212-780-0880, www.craftrestaurant.com).

Classic Dining Establishments

The New York City dining scene has been setting trends and shaping the restaurant industry for the rest of the nation for nearly two centuries. Delmonico's (212-509-1144, www.delmonicosny.com) first opened its doors in 1837, making it America's first restaurant. This American landmark has been pivotal in the development of cuisine in the United States—classic dishes eggs Benedict, baked Alaska and lobster Newburg were created here. When the restaurant first opened, there were more than 300 items on its 100-page menu. Today, the menu has been pared down, but still has classic fare including Manhattan clam chowder, steaks and seafood.

The 21 Club (212-582-7200, www.21club.com) is another historic New York dining institution. Since 1929 the restaurant has been serving innovative American cuisine to elite clientele including several U.S. presidents. During Prohibition (1920-1933), the 21 Club was a speakeasy, but endured several raids unscathed thanks to a secret wine cellar. Today, a section of the cellar is open as a private dining room. Located in the heart of the Theater District, Sardi's (www.sardis.com, 212-221-8440) has been the ultimate pre-theater dining destination since 1923. Hundreds of framed celebrity caricatures watch over the clientele, comprised of mostly theatergoers and industry insiders. Menu highlights include continental specialties like cannelloni and steak tartar.

Nestled in Central Park, Tavern on the Green (212-873-3200, www.tavernonthegreen.com) offers a lush, pastoral dining experience in the middle of New York City. Tavern on the Green opened in 1934 and has become a New York City institution, a popular wedding destination and a must-see stop in Central Park.

The deli first became a fixture of the New York culinary experience with the wave of Jewish immigrants in the early 20th century, and has since grown to become a New York City institution. One of the most famous delis in the nation is the Carnegie Deli (212-757-2245, www.carnegiedeli.com), named for its location near the illustrious performing arts venue, Carnegie Hall. The restaurant is famous for its gigantic pastrami sandwiches that measure 8“ tall. Another deli landmark is Katz's Delicatessen (212-254-2246, www.katzdeli.com). Opened in 1888, Katz's is the oldest deli in New York City, and the city's largest. It is also the site of a famous scene in When Harry met Sally, the 1989 film starring Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal.

International Eats

The cultural diversity found in the melting pot that is New York City lends itself to unparalleled culinary experiences. Chefs in the Big Apple have access to authentic ingredients found in ethnic neighborhoods such as Chinatown, Little Italy, and Spanish Harlem, and the city's year-round greenmarkets offer garden-fresh produce. Diners can find every type of ethnic cuisine in New York City, from the well-known French, Chinese and Italian, to Indian and Greek, and the lesser known Afghan and Ethiopian. Shun Lee Palace (212-371-8844, www.shunleepalace.com) is widely recognized as one of the city's best Chinese restaurants. In the 1970s Shun Lee Palace was one of the first restaurants in the city to deliver, kicking off a trend in New York City that eventually spread across America. Carmine's (212-221-3800, www.carminesnyc.com) and Da Nico (212-343-1212, www.littleitalynyc.com/danico) serve hearty, family-style portions of Italian specialities like penne a la vodka and traditional spaghetti and meatballs, while Osteria del Circo (212-265-3636, www.osteriadelcirco.com) and Patsy's (212-247-3491, www.patsys.com) serve innovative Italian fare. New York City boasts some of the best French restaurants outside of Paris, including Chanterelle (212-966-6960, www.chanterelle.com), and Jean Georges (212-299-3900, www.jean-georges.com). For a taste of Scandinavia, Aquavit (212-307-7311, www.aquavit.org) offers fresh fish dishes, and Russian specialties like borscht and chicken Kiev reign at the Firebird Russian Restaurant (212-586-0244, www.firebirdrestaurant.com). Traditional Greek dishes go upscale at Estiatorio Milos (212-586-0244, www.milos.com), and Rosa Mexicana (212-977-7700, www.rosamexicano.com) features inventive Mexican food. Flavors of the far east are showcased at China Grill (212-333-7788) and Jing Fong (212-964-5256), and famed sushi chef Nobu Matsuhisa delights diners at his namesake restaurant Nobu (212-219-0500, www.myriadrestaurantgroup.com).

The ethnic diversity of the New York City culinary scene helped to popularize the concept of fusion cuisine in America. New York City boasts hundreds of fusion restaurants that combine seemingly different ethnic cooking styles into one seamless culinary delight. Sushi Samba (212-475-9377, www.sushisamba.com) features innovative cuisine that blends the flavors and traditions of Japanese, Peruvian and Brazilian cuisine. Traditional sushi rolls are infused with exotic zests of jalapeno and mango, and Latin staples like plantains and lime are paired with the traditional flavors of Japanese cuisine, wasabi and soy. Asia de Cuba (212-726-7755, www.chinagrillmanagement.com) combines flavors of the Far East with Latin fare to create a well-seasoned fusion cuisine. Signature dishes include Tunapica, a tuna tartar picadillo style; Cuban Spiced Chicken with Thai coconut rice; and Mojito-Glazed Shrimp with snow peas and gingered calabaza slaw. Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten delights guests with French/Thai fusion dishes at Vong (212-486-9592, www.jean-georges.com). Dishes feature fragrant spices like curry, coriander and nutmeg, and the richness of French cuisine is complimented by the light spiciness of Thai food.