Last time I was in NYC (about a year & a half ago) I had an absolutely phenomenal meal at Cookshop. They had creamed collard greens that will leave you speechless. I'm also a big fan of The Spotted Pig. Too many choices in NYC.... :)

L'Ecole, the restaurant run by the French Culinary Institute in SoHo is a MUST. Incredible food, and prices that you won't even believe--because the students do all the cooking, their overhead is much lower than most other restaurants in NYC, so they charge reasonable prices for the quality of the product. Go, I say, GO! :) But make a reservation, especially for a weekend night.

The choices are legion but for delicious and simple Mediterranean/Italian, Gennaro, on Amsterdam at 93rd is worth the trip uptown. It's cash only and dinner service is packed by 8pm so get there early. The standard menu is fine but the daily specials are ALWAYS amazing. Every few weeks for years now and I've never been disappointed. And the best part is the bill...never as much as I think it could or should be.
For a "cool" downtown lunch, Dojo (4th and Mercer not St Marks) is great. The curried yakisoba platter with the carrot ginger salad dressing is yummy. If a sandwich is more your fare then go with the chicken cutlet in a pita (with the aforementioned salad dressing). It's in the middle of the NYU campus so prices are geared towards "budget".
Oh there are so many more but thats a start...

Best fries EVER http://www.pommesfrites.ws/ My wife and I actually found room for these fries after a huge blowout meal because it was our last night there and we couldn't let a trip to the city pass by without stopping for a visit.

It's also in an area which is really cool to wander around in with funky stores and other little hole in the wall food places and bars.

You're coming back to NYC? Exciting! =)

Best Indian food ever: Bay Leaf, on West 56th, just east of 6th Avenue. Oh. My. God. (and a block away from my apartment!)

Best funky decor, little-of-everything on the menu, lots of pretty boys (plus a really good bar -- try the "Vynl!"): Vynl, 9th Avenue @ 51st Street.

Best pizza: Ray's Famous, Columbus Ave @ 80th. Don't let other places with the same (or a similar) name fool you. This is The One.

And if you get bored, you can always come visit me at Whole Body, 55th & 7th. =)

Oh! One of my favorite topics (NYC restaurants) finally moves me from lurker to contributor. Some of my all time favorites:

Blue Hill in Washington Square. Chef Dan Barber consistently produces exquisite meals from fresh, local ingredients - often from his upstate restaurant and farm, Blue Hill at Stone Barns.

Lupa on Thompson near Houston. Raucus, lively, and friendly. When a simple board of proscuitto is sumblime, you know you're in for a good ride. Don't miss the opportunity to see how pasta prepared with true unfussy, easy ingredients can soar to new heights. Just be prepared to wait at least an hour if you don't have a reservation or (my preference) tell them you're willing to eat at the bar and you'll be moved to the front of the wait line and experience the festive joy of Lupa.

The Harrison on Harrison in Tribeca. Warm and comfortable with soft jazzy music over the system, some of the appetizers make a beautiful light but complete meal. Celebrities that call Tribeca home can often be sited without any of the trappings of a "scene".

My favorite dive is right across the street - Yaffa's. Quirky, crazy, and delightful, the service is not very good, the bartenders are incredibly friendly, the wine list is terrible, the food is surprisingly good, and they have one of the best mediterranean/hummus platters I have ever tasted. I love this place!

And, if you have the chance, finish up an afternoon at the Metropolitan Museum of Art by making your way to the rooftop cafe for a glass of wine. Nothing beats sipping a wine while people watching and catching views of Central Park in Autumn - doesn't get better.

Oh, so much more (I could do a whole post on brunch) but I'll leave room for others.

Thanks for your blog - each new post makes my day!

My friend and I stumbled on this restaurant. It wasn't until we ordered "ice cream" that we remembered it was vegan. Absolutely amazing food, period (and I'm definitely not vegan): http://www.blossomnyc.com/

Fantastic, non-traditional Mexican restaurant. No greasy refriend beans here - and order the guacamole. It's 100% worth the $11. I used to hate guacamole until I tried this stuff (my Dad, too, so it's not just me): http://www.mamamexico.com/

Joe's Shanghai for soup dumplings in Chinatown followed by a trip to the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory where regular flavors are lychee, ginger, green tea, red bean, black sesame... and exotic flavors are vanilla, chocolate, strawberry. I love that that sign whenever I go in there.

Telepan
Gray's Papaya (I go to the Upper West Side one)
Billy's Bakery (especially the banana cream pie, but they are one of the um.. warriors(?) in the NY cupcake war)
Tea and Sympathy (The cornish pasty with a side salad is excellent. Save room for sticky toffee pudding with custard)
Bouchon Bakery at Shops at Columbus Circle

I third the comment for pommes frites - delicious!
I can't believe no one mentioned The Stage Deli! Hands down, the best deli in the universe. Sandwiches so big, you will weep and not eat for a week. I'm from New Jersey and live in Maryland Now. This place holds many a fond memory from my childhood. You wanna sandwich- the stage is it.

www.stagedeli.com
834 7th Avenue

We really liked the ginger man pub. I guess it helps that hubby is ginger, but it was a lot of fun and there were a bazillion different beers if you like that kind of thing. Nice and dark for afternoon drinking!

A place I always like for a late night meal is Veselka in Greenwich Village. It's a 24 hour Ukrainian restaurant with blintzes to die for. Then there is always Carnegie Deli with pastrami sandwiches too big to eat in one sitting.