Near the Met

Most of the restaurants are on Lexington which is 4 long blocks away. Below are closer ones.

Food Carts in front of the Met.
Great for a quick bite. They are required to keep the A grade for cleanliness and many are owned by Veterans.

Cafes inside the Met
The Met has cafes on the Balcony over the Great Hall, a cafe in the American Wing, and another near the Sculpture Court. On the weekends, the cafe in the Lehman Wing downstairs is open. The Lehman Wing snack cafe is open all week long.

Neue Museum (Cafe Sabarsky) - 5th and 86th street
In the Neue Museum. Offers Austrian food.
https://www.neuegalerie.org/cafesabarsky

Cooper Hewitt Cafe - 5th and 88th street
https://www.cooperhewitt.org/visit/cafe/
Casual sandwiches and pastries in a beautiful outdoor garden or inside overlooking the garden and gazebo

William Greenberg Desserts - Madison and 83rd st
Quick bites and desserts. Best often as takeout.

Mykonian House - Authentic Greek Restaurant
25 E. 83rd st https://mykonianhouse.com/

Serafina Fabulous Pizza 79th and Madison
The pizza is good.
https://www.serafinarestaurant.com/fabulous-pizza-79th#Menus (chain restaurant)

Le Pain Quotidien 1131 Madison Ave near 84th st
Casual, vegetarian and vegan options. Great breakfast all day (chain restaurant)

E.A.T. (part of Zabar’s) Madison Ave btwn 80 and 81st St.
https://e-a-t.nyc/
Casual, yet pricey diner owned by one of the most famous families in food on the Upper East Side

On Lexington between 77th and 86th St

Soom Soom (btwn 77th and 78th St)
Counter-serve vegan eatery with organic pita sandwiches, falafel platters & hummus bowls.

Pastrami Queen (btwn 78th and 79th)
Known for huge pastrami and smoked turkey sandwiches, plus soups and sides. Kosher

Lexington Candy Shop (at 83rd)
Tuna melts, cheeseburgers & egg creams recall a bygone era at this old-fashioned soda counter.

Further Away, but interesting

Heidelberg 1648 2nd Ave at 86th st https://www.heidelberg-nyc.com/
The Heidelberg is one of the oldest family-run German restaurants in the United States, dating back over one hundred years.

Kaia Farmhouse 1st Ave (75th–76th) https://www.kaiawinebar.com
NYC’s only South African restaurant — fire-cooked lamb, 50+ SA wines by the glass, and a Gatsby sandwich from Cape Town.

Jones Wood Foundry East 76th St near 1st Ave. http://www.joneswoodfoundry.com
Set in a 19th-century foundry, real cask ales, scotch eggs, and the only Aspall’s cider on tap in all of NYC.