New York City nightlife is among the best LGBTQ scenes in the world, and it extends well beyond old school gay neighborhoods such as Chelsea and the West Village. For example, since its revitalization began in the 1990s, Hell’s Kitchen has become one of NYC’s most gay neighborhoods, where you’ll frequently encounter throngs of same-sex couples walking hand in hand and sharing romantic dinners at gay-friendly eateries. Some people even refer to a large swath of Manhattan’s West Side – stretching from the West Village through Chelsea to Hell’s Kitchen – as “Hellsea.” Looking to join the fun? Looking for places to eat? Here are a few of our top Hell’s Kitchen restaurant picks.
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44 & X
- A bit of South Beach on Tenth Avenue, this sleek haven of upscale comfort food has large and plentiful windows and a sidewalk cafe. The perfect spot for people watching.
622 Tenth Avenue at 44th Street
New York, NY 10036
212-977-1170 -
Añejo
- Upscale, creative, beautifully prepared Mexican small plates are served in a rustic setting at this hotspot with a hopping bar scene and plenty of pavement tables in nice weather. Just as big of a draw is the cocktail selection, featuring a variety of refined margaritas (available by the pitcher) and tequila and mezcal flights.
668 Tenth Avenue at 47th Street
New York, NY 10036
212-920-4770 -
El Centro
- The tiny space packs a big punch with low-priced Mexican street food, tumblers of frozen margaritas and light fixtures made of Corona bottles. El Centro recently celebrated their ten-year anniversary in Hell’s Kitchen, pop in for a fajita and stay for more!
824 Ninth Ave. at 54th St., NYC .
646-763-6585
elcentro-nyc.com -
Fika Tower Café & Bakery
- Fika prides itself on sourcing the finest coffee beans, roasting them to perfection, and creating the most delicious savory and sweet foods we can imagine. Their menu, rooted in Swedish heritage and flavors is luring New Yorkers back into coffee shops for a café lifestyle almost forgotten. Fika has seventeen locations in NYC but this Hell’s Kitchen haunt with it’s rotating cast of characters and frequent events like The PlayGround Experiment make it worth a stop as well as a few refills.
824 10th Ave. at 55th St., NYC
646-490-7650
fikanyc.com -
Hell’s Kitchen
- Just when you thought NYC didn’t need another Mexican restaurant Hell’s Kitchen brought a taste of the south over the border of Ninth Avenue. Whether it’s tacos, quesadillas, or an after work margarita you crave they’ve got it. Grab a booth or a seat at the bar for the best eye candy in the gayborhood.
754 9th Avenue between 50th and 51st Streets
New York, NY 10019
212-977-1588 -
Huascar & Company Bakeshop
- Dominican-born Chef Huascar Aquino won Cupcake Wars on Food Network in 2013, the same year they opened. They’ve since moved to 54th Street offering cupcakes, brownies, cookies, cheesecakes, flans, French macarons, coconut macaroons, brigadeiros and custom cakes for everyone to write home about. The bakery is small but mighty, you may have caught the adorable Huascar was a contestant on Food Network’s Chopped in the summer of 2018. If you’re looking for delicious Latin American and Caribbean inspired treats do not pass go, do not collect $200, get to Huascar!
hbake.com
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Ippudo Westside
- Decadent Japanese bites, small plates, craveable ramen and cocktails that could be considered arousing, Ippudo throws it down like no other. Discreetly nestled on 51st Street just between the theatre district and the gayborhood, this stylish outpost is worth a visit…every week.
321 West 51st Street
New York, NY 10019
212-974-2500 -
Pio Pio
- Guests sip pisco cocktails and sangria while grazing over family-style Peruvian dishes, Chinese-Peruvian stir fries, steak, and fish below an elaborate ceiling made from thousands of iwoven tree branches.
604 Tenth Avenue between 43rd and 44th Streets
New York, NY 10036
212-459-2929
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ViceVersa
- ViceVersa puts a sublime spin on run-of-the-mill Italian. The atmosphere has elegant accents and a nice garden.
325 West 51st Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues
New York, NY 10019
212-399-9291 -
West Bank Cafe
- This elegant neighborhood fixture attracts theatergoers, Broadway and off-Broadway performers, and former and upcoming Drag Race contestants to load up on the latest gossip and American eats.
407 West 42nd Street between Ninth and Tenth Avenues
New York, NY 10036
212-695-6909
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Last modified: May 22, 2019
