Clay
New American restaurant · Central Harlem ·
Seasonal farm-fresh New American cuisine & craft cocktails
Seasonal farm-fresh New American cuisine & craft cocktails
"The next time you have a date or some relatives staying in a hotel in Midtown, bring them to this New American restaurant for confit duck that you’ll want to pick up like a turkey leg at Medieval Times. The downstairs area is intimate and dark—just make a reservation ahead of time to ensure a seat. Clay is also great for a nice solo meal at the bar if you come during their daily happy hour." - neha talreja, hannah albertine, bryan kim, willa moore, sonal shah
"As the on‑site restaurant at Wildflower, it offers exceptionally delicious seasonal fare with a decidedly elevated vibe and a buzzy bar, and the must‑have cinnamon bun at breakfast is practically a requirement in our book." - Ariel Okin
"This is an upscale neighborhood place in Harlem where you can sit and pretend you do casually sophisticated things like eating pasta by yourself all the time. Or, if you indeed already do this all the time, you can pretend you’ve been doing it at a place this charming for years. Our favorite pasta at Clay is the perfectly al dente garganelli (usually mixed with some sort of meat or mushroom), but we also like the the crisped and toasted gnocchi and the chewy bucatini with short rib and parmesan. Prepare to feel the same sort of unconditional commitment to these dishes that Dance Moms feel toward their 6-year-old tap stars." - hannah albertine
"If you or someone you know just put in a couple of years at Columbia, try Clay. It’s a few blocks away on the other side of Morningside Park on 123rd Street, and the food here is worth seeking out. Also, reservations aren’t impossible. So book a table before too many other people realize this fact, and eat some exceptional duck or pasta while you discuss other notable Columbia alumni such as Art Garfunkel and Maggie Gyllenhaal." - bryan kim, katherine lewin, matt tervooren
"We’re not discouraging you from ordering Clay’s perfectly crispy black bass, nor are we suggesting that picking up their confit duck leg like you’re at Medieval Times is in any way a bad idea. We are simply saying that you’re reading this guide for a reason, and we don’t want to take your eye off the prize. At this Harlem spot, your prize is pillowy-soft gnocchi with heirloom tomatoes, and bucatini doused in short rib ragu." - matt tervooren
