Four NYC Eateries Ranked Most Scenic In The Nation

NEW YORK, NY — The views of New York City are among the most famous in the world – few things are more iconic than the Empire State building, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty.

And national ranking by OpenTable found that they're not just for camera-toting tourists. It found that four city restaurants are among the most scenic in the country, offering diners breathtaking vistas with their meals.

Here’s what Patch found out about the local winners:

Gaonnuri - Midtown, Manhattan
Broadway at West 31st Street

Breathtaking skyline views aren’t the only thing that’s on the menu at this top-floor haunt. Authentic Korean cuisine is served up from the kitchen of this penthouse eatery named for the “center of the world.”

Hours: Main dining room and penthouse bar and lounge are open for lunch from 12 to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Dinner hours are Monday to Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday dinner is available from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Gaonnuri is not open for lunch on weekends.

RiverPark - Kips Bay, Manhattan
East 29th Street at FDR Drive

A garden plaza, East River views and farm-to-table American cuisine are what this Manhattan eatery has cooking, courtesy of award-winning chef and restaurant owner Tom Colicchio. If variety is your thing, you're in luck as menus change every single day — and ingredients are sourced at the restaurant’s own urban farm, as well as several other local farms and green markets.

Check out the outdoor beer garden — and maybe grab your camera — for a dining experience you may never forget.

Hours: Lunch is served from 12 to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Dinner is available seven days per week from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Beer garden is open Tuesday to Friday, 4 to 10 p.m., and 12 to 10 p.m. on weekends and holidays, weather permitting.

Robert - Midtown, Manhattan
Columbus Circle near the intersection of West 58th Street and Eighth Avenue

This colorfully-designed and artsy eatery boasts views of Columbus Circle and southwestern Central Park from the top floor of the Museum of Arts and Design.

Ask the staff and you’ll receive your very own VIP viewing experience:

*Insider tip*
Ask your server for our very own customized Binoculars, to get the most out of the view! Or spy on that one guest that's always late!
— Robert @ MAD (@RobertatMAD) August" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/RobertatMA... 11, 2018

“With a lighting design by Johanna Grawunder, a “sound wave” table by London architect Philip Michael Wolfson and the chairs by Philippe Starck, Robert embodies the sensibilities of the legendary event planner it was named after, Robert Isabell,” according to the restaurant website.

What’s more, Robert dishes out seasonal, American fare thanks to executive chef and menu-maker extraordinaire Gonzalo Colin and his culinary staff. If you’re feeling thirsty, check out the cocktail lounge for some sweet sips and sultry piano music.

Hours: Lunch is served daily from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Small plates, drinks and desserts are also served every day after lunch from 2:30 to 5 p.m. Dinner hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 5 to 11 p.m. and Sunday to Tuesday, 5 to 10 p.m. Weekend brunch is served from 10:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.

River Café
1 Water St. in Brooklyn Heights

Located under the Brooklyn Bridge at the very edge of the East River’s banks, this waterfront café makes its home in “one of New York’s most unique settings,” according to its website.

Take in skyline views of Lower Manhattan and the Freedom Tower as you chow down on classic, New American dishes at this eatery that has been “renowned for its exquisite setting, beautiful decor and seamless service” since 1977, according to OpenTable.

An award-winning wine list, nightly piano music and an abundance of floral arrangements make this spot quite “magical” for many of its diners, OpenTable said.

But all this elegance does come with a price: $138 a head for a three-course dinner, to be exact. If the six-course chef’s tasting menu is more your speed, the price goes up to $168.

The restaurant did recently begin serving old-fashioned breakfast priced by the dish — a cheaper alternative for diners who may not want to spend a month’s worth of car insurance on one meal.

Among the low-cost meal options is a $47, two-course lunch. Or if brunch is more your thing, $60 per person is the name of the game.

Reservations are strongly suggested, and a semi-strict dress code is enforced.

Hours: Breakfast is available Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Brunch is served Sundays only from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and lunch is served during the same timeframe on Saturdays only. Dinner hours are 5:30 to 11 p.m. seven days a week.

(From OpenTable: “The 100 Most Scenic Restaurants list for 2018 list is generated solely from more than 12 million verified OpenTable diner reviews for more than 28,000 restaurants in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. collected between June 1, 2017, and May 31, 2018. All restaurants with a minimum “overall” score and number of qualifying reviews were included for consideration. Qualifying restaurants were then scored and sorted according to the percentage of qualifying reviews for which “scenic views” was selected as a special feature.”)

Photo courtesy of Mario Tama/Getty Images