12 NYC Eateries Named 'Restaurants America Can't Afford To Lose'

NEW YORK CITY — The bustling kitchens, frenzied wait staff, clattering plates and delectable smells at thousands of New York City restaurants threaten to disappear forever as the coronavirus pandemic rages.

Any restaurant lost is tragedy for the city, but a new list from Esquire argues some New York City eateries won’t just be missed in the five boroughs.

Twelve city restaurants made Esquire’s list “100 Restaurants American Can’t Afford To Lose,” a ranking compiled by Esquire's editors.

“What if those places were to vanish?” they wrote. “What if you were to wake tomorrow morning and learn that that remnant of your life—and that portion of your community’s lingua franca—had been erased?”

Esquire called for readers to donate to restaurant fundraisers.

The list includes four Brooklyn establishments and a slew of classic Manhattan eateries such as Raoul’s and Red Rooster.

Here’s a sampling of what Esquire had to say:

Bamboo Garden —This massive dim sum restaurant is out in Brooklyn's Chinatown in Sunset Park. With elaborate chandeliers and big banquet tables, it's always filled with families celebrating special occasions. It's so joyful. Every time we go we get the Peking duck, which is just perfect.

Bar Tabac — Definition of a neighborhood eatery. Go for the Burgundy snails, and footie matches on the TV.

Fraunces Tavern — Because Washington said farewell to his officers upstairs, of course, but also because it’s actually still a cozy tavern with surprisingly good food and a warm feeling in the older rooms. The whiskey bar up front is the snuggest place you can be on a winter night in Manhattan.

Keens — In a city of restaurants filled with history, none has more powerful old-school vibes than Keens Chophouse ... Once you take in the antiques and memorabilia, settle on the order: definitely the porterhouse or the mutton chop, always the creamed spinach and the hashbrowns for sides, and yes, you’ll be having a martini.

Kopitiam —New York City can be hard on people; sanctuaries like Kopitiam make the days a little bit kinder.

Nom Wah Tea Parlor — Nom Wah Tea Parlor occupies a bent-elbow corner in the heart of the heart of Manhattan’s Chinatown. As of this year it has been around for a full century, and yet, under the protective watch of owner Wilson Tang, it has never been more vibrant. The OG egg roll, as crisp and feathery as a deep-fried cloud, is like a history lesson that lasts for two minutes, max, because that’s how long it takes you to wolf it down.

Proto's Pizza — Very solid New York slice—the Margherita is more than solid—but more than that, I've known all the guys for years and we'll sit around talking soccer. When my favorite (English) team loses, my buddy there—a Kosovan who has been behind the counter forever—will angrily demand answers when I walk in like I'm coaching the team.

Raoul's — The steak au poivre is great, tequila Negroni even better, but for me it's about the circus. There's the fortune teller upstairs next to the bathroom where who knows what's gone on over the years, but even at your booth the whole thing feels like an event. The last time I went, it made perfect sense when another table sent us a round of espressos for no reason at all. I would not have been surprised if they were delivered by someone on a trapeze.

Red Rooster — Many a restaurant can be described as the “heart” of a community, but the Rooster actually feels like one, pulsing and pumping, bringing nightly oxygen to Harlem with a never-ending bacchanal.

Roberta's — Roberta's gets cred as a revolutionary pizza joint with a knack for wood-firing pies. To me, it's just my neighborhood's de facto backyard.

Terre — Fresh, homemade pasta and natural wines in the heart of Park Slope. You'll get to know the staff quickly, and fall in love with them even faster. Your server probably made one of the specials himself, and you can tell because his eyes light up when you order it and when he sees your empty plate.

Read Esquire’s full reviews here and find out what other restaurants made the list.