
8 special-occasion worthy restaurants in New York City

by Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner and Tanay Warerkar
Updated December 15, 2023
Celebratory meals in the culinary capital of the world are as varied as they come, naturally. There are riverside stunners, rooftop beauties, and everything in between in this nonstop party town.
That’s what makes a celebration meal in New York so special. Sure, there are places fit for birthdays, graduations, promotions, and more. But these eight special occasion restaurants show you that the meal and the experience is the occasion itself—you don’t really need a reason to go out for one of these phenomenal meals.
4.9 (619)
$50 and over
Sushi
Jackson Heights
Top review
OT
OpenTable Diner
Dined on Mar 13, 2025
Top review
OT
OpenTable Diner
Dined on Mar 13, 2025
Top review
ST
ShyenaT
Dined 6 days ago
Top review
OT
OpenTable Diner
Dined 1 day ago
Top review
S
SamVIP
Dined 6 days ago
Top review
OT
OpenTable Diner
Dined on Mar 11, 2025
Top review
OT
OpenTable Diner
Dined 1 day ago
More lists for you
New York City’s 17 most drop-dead gorgeous restaurants
The 13 best restaurants to dine outdoors in New York City
Discover the Best New Restaurants in Manhattan
8 special-occasion worthy restaurants in New York City
16 restaurants that scream “New York City”
12 quintessential date-night restaurants in New York City
5 restaurants reshaping the dining world in New York City
The best New York City restaurants, according to hospitality visionary Will Guidara
Explore the 2024 MICHELIN picks for New York
David Burtka's Favorite 10 Restaurants in New York City
Christina Tosi's 10 Favorite Restaurants in New York City
The 10 best new NYC restaurants of 2023
Other ways to experience the world through dining