Upper West Side food guide: gourmet grocery, smoked fish, Columbus

The Upper West Side has a reputation as a family neighborhood of brownstones, parks and museums. For eaters, it is also the home of some of the city's best-known food institutions: appetizing shops that sell smoked fish and bagels, a famous gourmet grocery, bakeries and delis that have fed the same families for generations. It runs from Columbus Circle at 59th Street north to about 110th Street, between Central Park and the Hudson River. Know what to look for and when to go.

What is an appetizing shop?

An appetizing shop sells fish, cream cheese, bagels, salads and spreads, traditionally to be eaten with dairy and bread. A long-standing smoked fish shop on Amsterdam Avenue at 86th Street is the classic example. Breakfast is the strength, with eggs scrambled with smoked salmon and a bagel. Weekend brunch lines are long, so arrive before 11 a.m. or go on a weekday. Hours change, so check before you go.

What is the famous gourmet grocery on Broadway?

A gourmet grocery on Broadway at 80th Street is one that people travel across the city to visit. It is more than a store, with a cafe, prepared foods, a bakery, a cheese and fish counter and aisles of coffee, kitchenware and imported goods. It is a good place to build a picnic for Central Park or to bring home a loaf of bread and some smoked fish. The store is busiest on Saturday and Sunday mornings and holiday weeks. Go on a weekday for a calmer shop.

Where do you eat on Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues?

Columbus Avenue and Amsterdam Avenue are the main restaurant streets, with a long run of cafes, bistros, pizzerias, sushi bars, Italian restaurants and bars from 70th to 110th Streets. They suit a casual dinner, a family meal after a museum visit or a late snack after the theater. Prices range from cheap to high. The blocks closest to the American Museum of Natural History fill with families on weekend afternoons, so book or plan around them.

What about Lincoln Center and Broadway?

South of 66th Street, Lincoln Center brings a pre-theater crowd. Restaurants nearby offer fixed-price pre-theater menus, which let you eat quickly and reach your seat on time. Some of the toughest reservations in the neighborhood are in this area, and they open on a rolling basis a month ahead. If you cannot book, try a bar seat or a walk-in at a nearby bistro. Plan to finish dinner an hour before curtain.

Where can families eat?

The Upper West Side is among the most family-friendly parts of Manhattan. Many restaurants welcome strollers and have children's menus. Cafes near the playgrounds of Riverside Park and Central Park fill with parents after school. Weekday dinners at five are the easiest times with children. Bring a snack for the wait.

What are the best food stops by season?

• Spring and fall: picnic supplies from the gourmet grocery for a park lunch.
• Summer: sidewalk tables and ice cream after a walk in the park.
• Winter: bakeries, soup and hot chocolate after the museum.
• Holidays: gift baskets, challah and babka sell out early, so order ahead.

What if you are vegetarian or have allergies?

The neighborhood has a wide range of vegetarian and vegan restaurants and shops. For allergies, tell the server when you order. Delis and appetizing shops handle fish and dairy in the same kitchens, so cross-contact can be a concern. Ask about your needs at the counter.

How do you get around?

The 1, 2 and 3 trains serve Broadway, and the B and C trains serve Central Park West. Buses run crosstown at 79th, 86th and 96th Streets. The area is walkable, and many people bring a cart to the gourmet grocery. Driving is difficult, with alternate-side parking rules.

What about tipping?

A tip of 18 to 22 percent is customary at table-service restaurants. At appetizing shops and counters, a dollar or two in the jar is appreciated. New York adds sales tax to restaurant meals, so the total is higher than the menu price.

How do you eat well near the museums?

The American Museum of Natural History and the New-York Historical Society are both on the Upper West Side, and the streets around them fill with families at lunchtime. Walk a few blocks away from the entrances for shorter lines, or pick up a picnic and eat in Central Park. Some museum cafes are convenient, though prices are higher, and they close earlier than restaurants in the neighborhood. If you have children, plan lunch before one o'clock to avoid the rush.

What are the old-school classics?

The neighborhood has deli counters, Chinese restaurants, pizzerias and diners that have fed generations. Ask a longtime resident which is their regular, and most will give you a name and a dish. These places often have cash-only counters, short menus and no reservations, and the pleasure is in the routine. Go with an open mind and a little patience.

How do you remember what you ate?

A morning of bagels and an afternoon of picnic cheeses blend together. Mosey is a food-first app where diners find places by dish, mood and neighborhood and rate what they actually ate. Rate each bagel order and each cheese, and your list tells you what to buy again. Make a picnic list for Central Park, tag the appetizing finds as Deli, and share it with whoever is meeting you at the park.

More guides to read next:

• Manhattan Chinatown food guide: dim sum, dumplings and bakeries
• Smorgasburg in Brooklyn: where, when and what to eat
• New York bagels, delis and appetizing shops: a guide to what to order

More in the US food guides and the ranked lists of places.