Canva / Nikolaos Dimos (Public domain via Wikimedia Commons)
Three Upper East Side restaurants—all of which opened within the past year—have been added to the Michelin Guide in its April update.
Now with 17 total restaurants in the Michelin Guide, the UES has no shortage of top-notch eateries. Sushi Noz at 181 East 78th Street (between Lexington and Third avenues) is the neighborhood’s only Michelin-starred restaurant, although the UES does have four Bib Gourmands, a Michelin distinction that honors establishments with “exceptionally good food at moderate prices.”
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Café Commerce, a revival of the former West Village restaurant by a similar name, opened in January at 964 Lexington Avenue (between 70th and 71st streets) and is among the three UES additions. Owned by Chef Todd Moore, whose career includes stints with Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Daniel Boulud, Café Commerce offers an elevated, classic menu with features like Sweet Potato Tortelloni, Duck au Poivre, and daily specials like Veal Osso Bucco, Berkshire Pork Chop and Beef Stroganoff.
“It’s the kind of menu where there’s always something for everyone, and the vibe makes it a classic weeknight outing,” the Michelin Guide says of Café Commerce.
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The next Michelin Guide addition is in a more casual setting–Ly Ly Vietnam Cookhouse, which opened in November 2024 at 306 East 81st Street (between First and Second avenues). Operated by three natives of Queens with Vietnamese origin, Ly Ly offers a variety of Vietnamese dishes (think pho, banh mi and bun bowls) in a laid-back environment reminiscent of a tropical tiki bar. The Michelin guide calls it, “just plain charming.”
The final addition is Chez Fifi, an upscale French establishment from the same group as Sushi Noz. The space features a full-floor lounge called Salon de Fifi à l’Etage, offering cocktails by mixologist Yumi Nemoto. At the base of a brownstone at 140 East 74th Street (between Lexington and Park avenues), the space is small but ultra-luxurious and reminded one of our writers of Hollywood’s Golden Age. The Michelin Guide called Chez Fifi “the Upper East Side’s hottest reservation,” and highlighted the lamb with carrot puree and braised lentils in a red wine sauce. They also recommended the cake filled with caramelized pineapple for dessert.
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