Gwyneth Paltrow—founder of Goop, courtroom-core and the #BoyfriendBreakfast—visited New York in September and, like all good celebrities, dropped her list of favourite restaurants. While the 51-year-old makes regular visits to the state, we’ve collated her most recent recommendations below for you, complete with her photo diary. Happy food touring!
Located on the bucolic southern fork of the state, Rita Cantina is a modern Mexican restaurant which serves up dishes with ingredients that swim, graze and grow in nearby Gardiner’s Bay. Book a table inside at one of the booths or outside with the sand beneath your feet. “Incredible Mexican spot in East Hampton,” Paltrow says of the casual, coastal joint.
Address: 28 Maidstone Park Rd, East Hampton, NY 11937, +1 (631) 329-3663
This buzzy, vintage-style restaurant serves up really appetising bagels and sandwiches, so much so Paltrow says she “dreams about its turkey sandwich”. While the actor ordered the US$31 “Turkey Triple Decker,” this place does a mean salmon bagel with tomato, cucumber, onion and capers.
Address: 463 W Broadway, New York, NY 10012, +1 (212) 254 3000
This storied 1937 French bistro is the oldest of its type in NYC. After closing for five years, it reopened in July 2024 and is now the hottest spot to get a reservation on the Upper East Side. If that’s not enough to convince you, across the years, the establishment’s clientele has included Jacqueline Onassis, Lee Radziwill, Truman Capote and Grace Kelly. “Newly revamped NYC spot, sublime duck with cherries and the most perfect French fry,” says Paltrow.
Address: 129 E 60th St, New York, NY 10022, +1 (646) 386 7608
An eclectic, old-school diner on the Lower East Side, Paltrow’s claims its BLT to be “the strongest I’ve had in a while. Still thinking about it.” For reference, she ordered the “Breakfast Sandwich” with scrambled egg, avocado, cheddar, pickled jalapeno, bacon and Dimes hot sauce. While you can dine in at Dimes, Paltrow got hers takeaway and likely took it back to her hotel.
Address: 49 Canal St, New York, NY 10002, +1 (212) 925 1300
Another Upper East Side restaurant to add to your list, New York Magazine has coined this establishment a “posh, old-school red-sauce joint for the monied, uptown set.” Paltrow concurs: “Meal was so good, forgot to take pictures! This was my family’s Sunday night spot growing up.” With classic Italian dishes and great people watching, it’s a must.
Address: 1621 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10028, +1 (212) 772 2242
You can’t visit NYC without trying a bagel and Apollo Bagel’s simple menu makes the decision process super easy. “From the team at @leosourdough, [this is a] perfectly chewy sourdough bagel with tomato and cream cheese,” says Paltrow. Take her recommendation on this one.
Address: 242 E 10th St, New York, NY 10003, +1 (844) 218 3081
