Best Restaurants for Creative Cuisine in Upper West Side

The novelty of it being a fancy restaurant behind a pawnshop front was what drew us here, but we also had a really really good experience. This restaurant has to be the one of the prettiest restaurants we’ve ever been to. My husband and I had the prix fixe, which we figured was the best way to try as many of the dishes as possible without getting too full. The food was absolutely delicious! For appetizers we had the Thai Style Deep Fried Shrimp and Little French Dips. I preferred the former over the latter. Our entrees were Lamb Chops and Wild Mushroom Ravioli. i have to say the mushroom ravioli was probably THE best we have ever had. Our sides were truffle mac and cheese and bbq fries, and for dessert we had the LES NYC doughnuts (which come with dark chocolate fudge, berry, and caramel dips) and the black bottom butterscotch pot de creme. The desserts are defintely a cut above the rest. We highly recommend this place! We’ll be coming back someday!

The chef and entire team were flawless. We came to celebrate my mother’s retirement. I’m a long time NYer (23 years!) and my mom lives in Miami and is an avid world traveler/diner. Our cocktails were very inventive and delicious. I wanted a seasonal pumpkin coconut cocktail and it was a great way to start the night. Our server surprised us with an amuse bûche and extra dessert to celebrate her retirement. Another complement to our wonderful server is that he was insightful enough the ask about if I ate gelatin before surprising us with the amusement bûche after I told him about my dietary restriction. The ‘sole for two’ and tagliatelle with shaved truffles was to die for. The atmosphere itself with all the botanical elements is a pure joy, it reminded me a lot of the contemporary art gardens I’ve visited in Brazil designed by Burle Marx. My mom and I were so enamored with the sole she asked if we could come and try the lunch tasting menu before her short NYC trip ended. I know Le Jardinier has a Michelin star but I feel like people are sleeping on how excellent this restaurant is. We’re also going to Carbone and Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi while she’s in town and honestly Le Jardinier deserves just as much fanfare.

Simply amazing food and service. Loved. Loved. Loved.

This place is a gem! The food is always delicious and well-prepared, and the welcome is always a warm one.

Fantastic creative cuisine served by professionals in a beautiful space- what's not to like? Angie Mar's personal touch made it even better!