L’Adresse  - Midtown West | $$ | B, L, D

Located near Bryant Park made this restaurant the perfect choice to meet up with family for brunch after visiting the NYPL Mid-Manhattan Library. L’Adresse serves contemporary American cuisine with an European touch in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. We dined on delicious brunch and lunch items with creative beverages and have to say it was quality food with friendly and attentive services from all levels of staff.    

I booked a few days ahead on Opentable and called to ensure they saw the note for a wheelchair user which they acknowledged. They called on the day of reservation to confirm and again reiterated the note for wheelchair accessible seating. For parties of more than 4, request the larger table area in the back. Restrooms are accessible. 

5 Bryant Park 1065 6th Avenue, NY 10018 | Tel: (212) 221-2510  | https://ladressenyc.com/

PJ Clark’s on the Hudson - Lower Manhattan | $$-$$$ | L,B,D

After enjoying Brookfield Place we wanted to go back and try a sit down dining experience. We opted for PJ Clark’s, known for its friendly atmosphere, neighborhood vibe, raw seafood, excellent burgers and cocktails. We got there around 3pm for late lunch and it was relatively crowded, however we were given a large table at the entrance. We had an even split of burgers and seafood entrees which were perfectly prepared and delicious (except for all the fries that were definitely from a salty batch).  For beverages, we settled for wine and beer so no reviews on the any cocktails. Service was definitely friendly. Decor is bright and airy with lots of windows for natural sunlight and a view of the Statue of Liberty.  There is seating outside during the summer months. I called about a week ahead to make sure the restaurant is wheelchair accessible and asked if reservations would be required for a party of 6 and the hostess assured there would be plenty of space during the time we planned on being there. If you're planning a visit during the summer months, I would suggest booking on OpenTable with notes for a wheelchair user and calling a day in advance to ensure accessible seating.  Accessible restrooms are right outside their door.

250 Vesey Street, NY 10281 | Tel 212-285-1500 | http://pjclarkes.com

Le District - Lower Manhattan | $-$$$ | Various | B, L, D 

A French food marketplace, describing themselves as ‘bustling districts comprised of culinary-specific stations, exciting restaurants, and a fresh grocery curated by our talented taste-makers.’ We walked through the area on our first visit to Brookfield Place and thought it was rather dark due to the industrial setting and limited lightning. The pathways were also tight for wheelchair users when diners sat at the high top bar and had their stools out. Nevertheless, we wanted to check it out again which was a great idea. We opted to get our desserts here after lunch at PJ Clarks. We chose a variety of baked goods from the bakery as well as macarons from two different stations and would highly recommend them due to their excellent quality and pure deliciousness. Good to note as well, there are few seatis along the windows so you can get your treats and grab a seat to enjoy the Hudson view, catch a sunset or just people watch.

225 Liberty Street NY 10281 | Tel: 212- 981-8588 | https://www.ledistrict.com

Hudson Eats - Lower Manhattan | $-$$ | Various | B,L,D

After exploring Brookfield Place, we opted for lunch at Hudson Eats, a modern, upscale fast casual food court. Note this isn’t a typical food court; think better food options in a pleasant surrounding. Each of the 14 concept specialize in items such as natural bbq, sushi, bagels, artisanal sandwiches fresh salads and soup stations. The area exudes modern design with sleek marble countertops, complemented with wood and leather seating lit up by natural light and stylish fixtures. To top it off, tall windows allow you to enjoy beautiful views of the Hudson River and the Statue of Liberty. Based on research, it gets really crowded at lunch time and after work hours on the weekdays. We visited on a Saturday at lunchtime and were able to easily find communal seating. The space seats 600 and there is plentiful variety to accommodate an array of group sizes. Don’t be shy to share seating with others at the communal tables, we did!  We all decided to go for Mighty Quinn’s BBQ and loved it; the selections, portions and value were all excellent.

230 Vesey Street, NY 10281 | 212-978-1673 | https://bfplny.com/food/?type=hudson

Sarabeth’s Upper West Side | $$ | American | B, L, B, D

After calling several restaurants while we were planning our trip to Central Park, we opted for Sarabeth’s Upper West Side. It’s not fully accessible because the bathroom is down a flight of stairs, however we chose to brunch here since it was quite time consuming and challenging to find an accessible restaurant within the vicinity.   Since brunch tends to be popular, I called two days in advance and explained to the reservations staff we were a party of 8 with one of us being wheelchair user. She was very friendly and assured us the entrance was accessible and we would get a table where the wheelchair can fit comfortably. 

Despite the drizzle, it was an easy walk over with time to enjoy the beauty of the Central Park West Side Historic District architecture. Neil and the children got there ahead of us, and made sure a chair was taken out to accommodate Annie’s wheelchair.  We started off with a carafe of mimosa. What’s brunch without champagne & orange juice? Some of us settled for lunch items while others chose from the breakfast menu. Can you guess where Annie & mom chose from? They were chilly from the weather and wanted comforting, sweet food to warm up with. They savored their Lemon Ricotta Pancakes and the Fat & Fluffy French Toast with fresh fruits. The One Great Turkey and regular Burgers were cooked as requested and also quite good. Rayan and Diya opted for the kids menu and were contented. We had plenty of lively and educational conversation while spending approximately 2.5 hours of leisure time over brunch.

We were all very pleased with our service. Each server was attentive to our needs and friendly. All in all, we would recommend this location if the bathroom access will not be an issue for the duration of the time there.

423 Amsterdam Ave, between 80th & 81st Streets | 212-496-6280 | www.sarabethsrestaurants.com

I took the liberty of calling two more locations since they’re located nearby to Central Park. The staffs were very friendly, which is a good indication of service and expectation, when making wheelchair accessible inquiries.

Central Park South Location

40 Central Park South, 59th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues | 212-826-5959 | www.sarabethsrestaurants.com

Ramp entrance is from the building next door. They’ve requested you call in advance for reservations and then call when you are there to open the entrance. Accessible restroom is located on the ground floor.

Upper East Side Location

1295 Madison Avenue & 92nd Street | 212-410-7335 | www.sarabethsrestaurants.com

This one is located inside of the Hotel Wales. Accessible entrance and accessible restroom on the ground floor in the hotel lobby.

Enzo’s Restaurant Bronx | Italian| $$ | L, D

This is a big shout out to Enzo’s, a casual fine-dining Italian restaurant in the Bronx! We are absolutely delighted to recommend this gem of a restaurant if you’re visiting the Bronx. It’s less than 10 minutes of driving or 20 minutes on public bus from the Bronx Zoo and NYBG.  This is our second visit to Enzo’s and we choose to go there for a “girls night out” (plus Rayan who can’t resist a good chicken parmesan) usually to celebrate all of the September birthdays, which includes Annie’s, as well as a time to catch up with our relatives. 

I typically call a week in advance to reserve a table and advise we need a spot for a wheelchair, to which they are very accomodating. We have had the pleasure of dining both times in their private dining area which suits us perfectly since we’re usually a group of 8-10 people. We are always greeted by friendly staffs in a warm ambience. 

Our night usually starts off with a lot of picture taking, chatter and laughter, many bread baskets and adult beverages. The sweet aroma of sauteed garlic and basil sets the tone of each meal to come. Some of our favorite dishes in order of preference are the shrimp parmesan which tastes like prawns, chicken parmesan and eggplant parmesan. They allow us to bring our own birthday cake which they happily decorate with candles and sparklers at no extra charge, part-take in our happy birthday song plus plate the cake for us. There is so much to appreciate with this level of service !

The entire restaurant is accessible as well as the restroom. A dining experience here is very much worth it.

1998 Williamsbridge Rd, Bronx, NY 10461| 718-409-3828 | www.enzosbronxrestaurant.com/

Hudson Garden Grill -  Bronx| $$-$$$ | New American | L, B

You’ll get the idea soon that we appreciate farm-to-table restaurants because of their ethical commitment to sourcing locally and sustainably. We do not have many of them in the Bronx therefore could not resist eating at Hudson Garden Grill during our fall visit to the NYBG. The space is thoughtfully laid out with with reclaimed oak wood from Garden trees which fell due to Hurricane Sandy, warm copper and steel chandelier light holders, enchanting wall art and floor to ceiling windows to enjoy the surrounding view of the Garden’s natural beauty.

I booked our reservation three days prior on OpenTable with specific notes what we had one wheelchair user in our party of 4. Don’t wait this long if you’re planning on weekend dining as they fill up, especially in the summer months and when they have popular exhibitions. I am always a bit worried that notes go unnoticed so I called them the day of our reservation. I explained to the staff the reason for my call and she reassured me they saw the notes.

It was definitely a fall themed menu with pumpkin spice permeating the air.  We tried their skillet pumpkin cornbread with melted sage honey butter, chicken breast with braised seasonal vegetables, the double fried Korean Chicken sandwich (which we would pass on) and a perfectly cooked signature beef blend burger that everyone enjoyed.

Our server was attentive and very friendly. The facilites are accessible as well as the restroom that is located inside. If you’re visiting the Gardens, we’d recommend dining at the Hudson Garden Grill. 

2900 Southern Blvd | 646-627-7711 | https://www.nybg.org/visit/dining/the-hudson-garden-grill/

Urban Space @Vanderbilt  Midtown | $-$$ | Various | B, L, D

Just 4 short blocks from Grand Central is Urban Space @Vanderbilt, an eatery with over 20+ seasonally rotated food vendors to choose from. On our visit, cuisine ranged from American burgers, seafood, fried chicken & pizza, Mediterranean gyros and falafel, a bakery, sushi bar, poke bowls, pho and Korean Bbq. With so many choices, everyone is sure to find something. Most of the vendors also sold local beers and wine and noted where their sustainable ingredients were sourced from. In the middle of the food court, there are picnic style tables, high table tops and a few of the vendors had bar style seating. 

We’d recommend eating here if you’re looking for a variety choices in a very casual setting. Note it’s popular which makes it very busy for lunch and dinner so plan accordingly.

It’s fully accessible using a side entrance, off to the right of the main entrance.  Management confirmed there is an accessible restroom inhouse.

East 45th Street & Vanderbilt Avenue | Tel: 646-747-0810 | https://www.urbanspacenyc.com/urbanspace-vanderbilt/