I have one of my favorite meals of all time at Grand Central Oyster Bar. Served right in one of New York's most famous land marks, this is a great spot for fresh oysters and a great selection of quick eats and light bites.

Here are some other absolute musts in the city:

• Daniel: Winner of the 2009 James Beard Award for best service, this is a restaurant that sends people away happy every time. Go for a special occasion and you won’t be disappointed.
• Jean Georges Restaurant: Arguably the biggest name in French cuisines. A meal at one of his restaurants should be on your bucket list.
  
• ABC Kitchen is what happens when super chef Jean-georges decides to do pizzas, sandwiches, salads and burgers with freshest organic & local ingredients possible? ABC Kitchen. Trust me, this ain't your average neighborhood eatry.
• Per Se: Thomas Keller is the man behind two of the country’s most highly regarded destination dining spots: The French Laundry and Per Se. If you’re looking for a once in a lifetime meal, look no further.
  
• BLUE HILL: Expect lots of super fresh produce and proteins straight off the farm.
• Eleven Madison Park Restaurant: Expect a modernist take on French cuisine, catered to your individual tastes. Here’s how it works: Diners receive a grid listing 16 words that represent every dish’s principle ingredient. Select four words from the menu that resonate with you, then discuss preferences and any food allergies with your server. The kitchen tailors the menu to the desires of each individual guest. It's awesome.
  
• Gramercy Tavern: Good food, great wine choices and really fun ambiance, especially at the bar. This is a great choice for reasonably priced five-course lunch, and even better if you get the wine pairings.
  
• Osteria Morini: Michael White's take on rustic Italian fare. There are literally Italian grandmas making pasta in the kitchen. It's just too much. I love it.
  
• Red Rooster: Marcus Samuelsson's labor of love in the neighborhood he calls home, Harlem. Gorgeous people, fun vibe, amazing food. The menu is like the city itself, patchwork from all sort of different cultures (tacos, fried chicken, Swedish meatballs and even a riff on apple pie) that somehow work perfectly together. 
  

If you like seafood, you'll have to check out these ones:

• Le Bernardin's Chef Eric Ripert could make a fish lover out of anyone with fresh offerings and an amazing prix fixe menu.  
• Craft: I try to eat here every time I’m in New York, (I love sitting at the bar). Tom Collicchio does amazing stuff with seafood, and the oysters are always phenomenal. My wife can’t get enough of their insane desserts-- try the toffee steamed pudding with fresh made rum-raisin ice cream.
• Marea: Michael White kills it on a nightly basis with his Italian-inspired seafood creations. Try the pasta with octopus and bone marrow.
• Dovetail: The crab ravioli is a must, but I say order the tasting menu. It always delivers and doesn’t feel snooty in the least.
  
• Fatty Crab: A funky restaurant that serves Malaysian inspired cuisine with all condiments and pastes made fresh from scratch to compliment the insanely good eats.
  

If you're feeling really adventurous and want to try Bizarre Foods in the USA, head to Congee for goose intestines, jellyfish salad and of course the famous congee.

One of my fav meals ever was The Modern.  Crif Dogs is hipster and yummy.  Pastis is classic.  Balthazar Restaurant is great for late night dining.  Oh, and get the sticky buns at Momofuku Noodle Bar!

I actually have a great list of NYC restaurants in my book The 4-Hour Chef:  

Nicer spots

• Per Se: The Oysters & Pearls and Foie Gras are my favorite.
  
• Ai Fiori: Trofie Nero (Squid Ink Pasta)
  
• Momofuku Ssam Bar: Bo Ssäm Pork Shoulder Meal (must reserve in advance online)
  
• Quality Meats: Corn Crème Brûlée
  
• Sasabune: Blue Crab Roll
  
• Tartinery Nolita: Croque Madame Tartine
  

Laid back spots

• Absolute Bagels: Bagel with Cream Cheese
  
• Cachapas y Mas: Cubano Patacon (Fried Green Plantain Sandwich)
  
• Pure Thai Cookhouse: Pork Dry Noodles
• Num Pang Sandwich Shop: Pork Belly Sandwich
• Guelaguetza: Taco Guelaguetza (Rice, Egg, Potato Cake,
  Chorizo, and Rajas)
  
• Sullivan Street Bakery: Bianca con Pecorino Pizza
  

Dessert

• Molly's Cupcakes: The Ron Bennington Cupcake (Chocolate Cake, Peanut Butter Filling, Chocolate Ganache, Crushed Butterscotch Topping)
  
• Lula's Sweet Apothecary: Cake Batter Soft Serve
  
• Doughnut Plant: Tres Leches Doughnut and Crème Brûlée Doughnut
  

ABC Kitchen is the newest Fashion hot spot -- it's the perfect venue for post show after parties, and the food is insane. I also love Indochine Restaurant and Babbo (I've spent every anniversary with my husband here). Also, definitely try the Waverly Inn--it's one of my favorites--just be sure to make reservations. Another favorite is Del Posto Ristorante where I just pulled off a surprise celebration for my mom and dad's 70th & 75th birthdays! It's one of my family's favorite spots!

My parents are big foodies and live in the city so they're pretty on it as far as food goes. Here are a couple of suggestions that include some classics and some hot eateries. 

·         Mike's Pizzaon 2nd ave and 24th street – totally unglamorous hole in the wall but their penne a la vodka is insane. My parents actually live across the street from it and every single night you can see delivery guys just going back and forth and back and forth because so many people order from there every night. Another great restaurant in that neighborhood is Mexico Lindo. Great Mexican food and they have Mariachi bands just about every night.

·        Cafe Cortaditoin Alphabet City is fantastic Cuban food. Never had a bad meal there.  

·         Les Sans Culottes–great, always reliable neighborhood favorite. It looks like it was last decorated in about 1965 but that’s what I like about it. They bring out a sort of meat tower as an appetizer and you basically cut slices of pepperoni, etc. off the meat yourself.

·         Chez Napoleon–another favorite of mine, although it’s on the other side of town.

·        Tartine downtown is out of this world, too, although not for the claustrophobic. Finally, I know it’s become insanely trendy, but I still love me some Balthazar Restaurant.

·         Katz's Delicatessen—Don’t leave town without going to a deli! Katz’s is my favorite!

·         Gramercy Tavern– even though it’s really trendy right now. I’m not sure which is better—the food or the drinks. Our bartender was incredible.

·         One if by Land, Two if by Sea–they have a great Sunday Jazz Brunch that’s wonderful. Really creative dishes like lobster with coconut. It’s a really, really beautiful place, too.

·         Eatalyis actually pretty great as much as I hate to admit it (actually every New Yorker hates to admit it because it's become such a tourist trap). I love it because they let you walk around with a glass of wine here.

·         Pearl Oyster Bar is also excellent if you like seafood.

·         Joe Allen Restaurant – a true New York institution. The food is pretty basic (think hamburgers and fries), but it’s a great pre-dinner hang out and you’ll probably see lots of actors having a bite before heading to the theater.

·         Petite Abeille –I hate chains but this is a small one that makes the most incredible eggs Benedict I’ve ever had in my life. I’ve never had a bad meal there, either

Look into Per Se. It's Thomas Keller (of French Laundry in Napa fame)'s NY restaurant.

ValBella is great for a business dinner or personal meal. Expensive, northern Italian cuisine. Very good. Pork chop was incredible.

Another insane italian restaurant is Locanda Verde in De Niro's Greenwich Hotel. One of the best meals I've had. Reservations necessary.

For brunch, go to Norma's. Location is a little weird, inside the Parker Meridien hotel, but the food is out of control.

Try to get reservations at Per Se. It's kind of pie in the sky, but add it to your list of "must go!" places for the future!

Magnolia Bakery is incredible and on such a great street. Be sure to check out Serendipity 3 which is a New York legend. Pastis is a great place to grab a bite and they have always been nice with my kids! Also, I'm sure you know that New York has a great Chinatown New York with lots of great places to eat.

Keens Steak House serves  the best steak in New York.