Keto Dining in New York City: A Guide to the Best Low-Carb Restaurant Options
New York City is one of the greatest food cities in the world, with thousands of restaurants serving cuisine from every corner of the globe. However, sticking to a low-carb or ketogenic diet while dining out in NYC can be a daunting task.
The keto diet emphasizes high-fat, moderate protein, and very low-carb eating. On keto, carbs are typically restricted to less than 50 grams per day in order to put the body into ketosis - a metabolic state where the body burns fat for fuel instead of carbs.
This means most breads, grains, fruits, starchy vegetables, and sugary foods are off the table. And with iconic NYC foods like pizza, bagels, and pastrami sandwiches off limits, you may wonder if it's possible to eat out in New York City on the keto diet.
The good news is that yes, with a bit of planning and creativity, there are lots of keto-friendly restaurant options in New York. From steakhouse classics to surprising dishes at ethnic eateries, you can definitely stick to your low-carb diet while enjoying all the diversity NYC's restaurant scene has to offer.
Tips for Eating Low-Carb at New York City Restaurants
Here are some tips to make dining out easier on the keto diet:
- Review the menu online and pick your meal ahead of time
- Avoid breaded, fried, and starchy items
- Ask for sauces and dressings on the side
- Opt for side salads or steamed vegetables instead of fries or rice
- Request no unnecessary croutons, crusts, or high-carb toppings
- Swap starchy sides for extra vegetables or salad
- Ask for butter or extra olive oil to increase fat
- Skip dessert or just have a few bites of something low-carb
- Don't be afraid to make special requests like holding the bun
Best Keto-Friendly Cuisines in NYC
These are some of the most keto-friendly ethnic and specialty cuisine types to seek out when dining in New York City:
Steakhouses
Steakhouses are a top choice for keto. Load up on juicy steaks, chops, and seafood along with creamed spinach, sautéed mushrooms, and salads with blue cheese and ranch dressing.
Brazilian
Brazilian steakhouse rodizios allow you to sample endless meat skewers like filet, sirloin, sausage, and chicken. Pair them with the salad bar and cooked vegetables.
Mexican
Mexican food usually centers around corn tortillas, rice, and beans. But you can get fajita meat, chicken, steak, or shrimp with salsa, guacamole, cheese, and lettuce wrapped in low-carb cabbage leaves or lettuce cups.
Middle Eastern
Middle Eastern cuisine offers great keto options like lamb, chicken, and beef kabobs, along with baba ghanoush, tahini, stuffed grape leaves, and Greek salads made with feta, olives, cucumber, and olive oil.
Indian
For Indian, choose curry dishes featuring meat instead of heavy rice or naan breads. Load your plate with tandoori chicken, lamb vindaloo, and tikka masala. Enjoy with cauliflower rice or salad.
Fast Casual & Deli
Look for fast casual spots and delis where you can create lettuce wrap sandwiches, salads, and bowls with ingredients like rotisserie chicken, roast beef, tuna salad, eggs, avocado, and cheese.
The Best Keto Fast Food Options in NYC
Yes, you can even do keto at New York's iconic fast food chains! Here are some of the top keto fast food orders:
McDonald's
- Bacon Egg & Cheese McMuffin without the muffin
- Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich without the bun and sauce
- Sausage Burrito without the tortilla
- Side salad with ranch dressing
- Sausage McMuffin without the English muffin
Shake Shack
- Cheeseburger or ShackBurger lettuce wrap
- Chicken or shroom burger without the bun
- 'Shroom burger lettuce wrap
- Hot dog or sausage by itself
- Side Caesar or kale salad
Chipotle
- Salad bowl with meat, salsa, cheese, and guacamole
- Burrito bowl with extra veggies instead of rice and beans
- Tacos on lettuce instead of tortillas
- Meat, salsa, and cheese taco salad
Five Guys
- Burger wrapped in lettuce
- Veggie-wrapped hot dog
- Bunless bacon cheeseburger
- Side salad
- Bunless bacon double cheeseburger
Panera Bread
- Steak and arugula salad
- Roasted turkey and avocado BLT without bread
- Protein salad bowls without croutons
- Grilled chicken salad without bread
- Tuna salad lettuce wrap
Pizza
Most NYC pizzerias offer the low-carb Fat Head pizza crust, with toppings like pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, peppers, and extra cheese. You can also just eat the cheese and toppings off a regular pizza.
Top Keto-Friendly NYC Restaurants
If you want to venture beyond fast food, here are some of the top keto-friendly sit-down restaurants in New York City:
Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse
This upscale Midtown steakhouse is a keto paradise. Feast on ribeyes, filets, dry-aged porterhouses, and seafood like lobster tails and salmon. Get creamed spinach, asparagus, or sautéed mushrooms on the side.
Hillstone
This NYC steak chain offers bunless burgers and lettuce wrap sandwiches along with steak, ribs, chicken, and seafood entrees. Enjoy with side salads instead of fries.
The Smith
This gastropub with multiple Manhattan locations offers keto-friendly options like cauliflower crust pizzas, bunless burgers, chicken paillard, and zucchini noodles. Salad dressings and sauces can be served on the side.
Jue Lan Club
This upscale Chinese spot offers Peking duck, chicken satay, Mongolian beef, and other meat-centric dishes that you can enjoy sans rice or noodles. Pair them with sides like sauteed string beans or steamed vegetables.
Uncle Jack's Steakhouse
Get your fill of prime steaks and seafood at this Midtown steakhouse. Keto sides include creamed spinach, sauteed mushrooms, roasted brussels sprouts, and blue cheese walnut salads.
JFK Loves Vegan Deli
This all-vegan deli offers mock meats and vegan versions of classic NYC sandwiches you can enjoy lettuce wrapped or bunless. Try the Beet Burger, Faux Lox sandwich, or vegan Rueben made with seitan pastrami.
Eataly
At Mario Batali's Italian food emporium, skip the pizza and pasta. Instead, opt for meatballs, prosciutto, salami, and antipasti plates. Or build a salad with ingredients from the counters.
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Keto Dining in New York City: A Guide to the Best Low-Carb Restaurant Options
New York City is one of the greatest food cities in the world, with thousands of restaurants serving cuisine from every corner of the globe. However, sticking to a low-carb or ketogenic diet while dining out in NYC can be a daunting task.
The keto diet emphasizes high-fat, moderate protein, and very low-carb eating. On keto, carbs are typically restricted to less than 50 grams per day in order to put the body into ketosis - a metabolic state where the body burns fat for fuel instead of carbs.
This means most breads, grains, fruits, starchy vegetables, and sugary foods are off the table. And with iconic NYC foods like pizza, bagels, and pastrami sandwiches off limits, you may wonder if it's possible to eat out in New York City on the keto diet.
The good news is that yes, with a bit of planning and creativity, there are lots of keto-friendly restaurant options in New York. From steakhouse classics to surprising dishes at ethnic eateries, you can definitely stick to your low-carb diet while enjoying all the diversity NYC's restaurant scene has to offer.
Tips for Eating Low-Carb at New York City Restaurants
Here are some tips to make dining out easier on the keto diet:
- Review the menu online and pick your meal ahead of time
- Avoid breaded, fried, and starchy items
- Ask for sauces and dressings on the side
- Opt for side salads or steamed vegetables instead of fries or rice
- Request no unnecessary croutons, crusts, or high-carb toppings
- Swap starchy sides for extra vegetables or salad
- Ask for butter or extra olive oil to increase fat
- Skip dessert or just have a few bites of something low-carb
- Don't be afraid to make special requests like holding the bun
Best Keto-Friendly Cuisines in NYC
These are some of the most keto-friendly ethnic and specialty cuisine types to seek out when dining in New York City:
Steakhouses
Steakhouses are a top choice for keto. Load up on juicy steaks, chops, and seafood along with creamed spinach, sautéed mushrooms, and salads with blue cheese and ranch dressing.
Brazilian
Brazilian steakhouse rodizios allow you to sample endless meat skewers like filet, sirloin, sausage, and chicken. Pair them with the salad bar and cooked vegetables.
Mexican
Mexican food usually centers around corn tortillas, rice, and beans. But you can get fajita meat, chicken, steak, or shrimp with salsa, guacamole, cheese, and lettuce wrapped in low-carb cabbage leaves or lettuce cups.
Middle Eastern
Middle Eastern cuisine offers great keto options like lamb, chicken, and beef kabobs, along with baba ghanoush, tahini, stuffed grape leaves, and Greek salads made with feta, olives, cucumber, and olive oil.
Indian
For Indian, choose curry dishes featuring meat instead of heavy rice or naan breads. Load your plate with tandoori chicken, lamb vindaloo, and tikka masala. Enjoy with cauliflower rice or salad.
Fast Casual & Deli
Look for fast casual spots and delis where you can create lettuce wrap sandwiches, salads, and bowls with ingredients like rotisserie chicken, roast beef, tuna salad, eggs, avocado, and cheese.
The Best Keto Fast Food Options in NYC
Yes, you can even do keto at New York's iconic fast food chains! Here are some of the top keto fast food orders:
McDonald's
- Bacon Egg & Cheese McMuffin without the muffin
- Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich without the bun and sauce
- Sausage Burrito without the tortilla
- Side salad with ranch dressing
- Sausage McMuffin without the English muffin
Shake Shack
- Cheeseburger or ShackBurger lettuce wrap
- Chicken or shroom burger without the bun
- 'Shroom burger lettuce wrap
- Hot dog or sausage by itself
- Side Caesar or kale salad
Chipotle
- Salad bowl with meat, salsa, cheese, and guacamole
- Burrito bowl with extra veggies instead of rice and beans
- Tacos on lettuce instead of tortillas
- Meat, salsa, and cheese taco salad
Five Guys
- Burger wrapped in lettuce
- Veggie-wrapped hot dog
- Bunless bacon cheeseburger
- Side salad
- Bunless bacon double cheeseburger
Panera Bread
- Steak and arugula salad
- Roasted turkey and avocado BLT without bread
- Protein salad bowls without croutons
- Grilled chicken salad without bread
- Tuna salad lettuce wrap
Pizza
Most NYC pizzerias offer the low-carb Fat Head pizza crust, with toppings like pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, peppers, and extra cheese. You can also just eat the cheese and toppings off a regular pizza.
Top Keto-Friendly NYC Restaurants
If you want to venture beyond fast food, here are some of the top keto-friendly sit-down restaurants in New York City:
Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse
This upscale Midtown steakhouse is a keto paradise. Feast on ribeyes, filets, dry-aged porterhouses, and seafood like lobster tails and salmon. Get creamed spinach, asparagus, or sautéed mushrooms on the side.
Hillstone
This NYC steak chain offers bunless burgers and lettuce wrap sandwiches along with steak, ribs, chicken, and seafood entrees. Enjoy with side salads instead of fries.
The Smith
This gastropub with multiple Manhattan locations offers keto-friendly options like cauliflower crust pizzas, bunless burgers, chicken paillard, and zucchini noodles. Salad dressings and sauces can be served on the side.
Jue Lan Club
This upscale Chinese spot offers Peking duck, chicken satay, Mongolian beef, and other meat-centric dishes that you can enjoy sans rice or noodles. Pair them with sides like sauteed string beans or steamed vegetables.
FAQs
What are some of the most keto-friendly cuisines in NYC?
Some great keto-friendly cuisines include steakhouses, Brazilian, Mexican, Middle Eastern, Indian, and fast casual spots where you can build salads and lettuce wrap sandwiches.
What can I order at fast food chains like McDonald's and Shake Shack?
You can get bunless burgers, chicken sandwiches without the bun, salad bowls, lettuce wrapped items, and by itself proteins like eggs, hot dogs, and sausage patties.
How can I modify menu items to make them keto-friendly?
Ask for no bun, no croutons, no rice or starchy sides. Get sauces and dressings on the side. Sub vegetables instead of fries or rice. Add extra fat like cheese, avocado, or olive oil.
What are some of the best keto-friendly NYC restaurants?
Top keto restaurants include Del Frisco's Steakhouse, Hillstone, The Smith, Jue Lan Club, Uncle Jack's Steakhouse, and JFK Loves Vegan Deli.
Can I eat pizza on the keto diet in NYC?
Many pizzerias offer low-carb crusts like Fat Head pizza. You can also just eat the cheese and keto-friendly toppings off a regular pizza.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.
