With only a few weeks left in 2016, it’s time to start thinking about what to do with the family for New Year’s Eve. Not sure what to do? If you’re looking for something a little less crowded than the normal offerings, but still celebratory, ring in the New Year with the family at one of these family-friendly NYC restaurants.
Buttermilk Channel
This charming Brooklyn family-friendly restaurant is serving up a three-course dinner, helmed by executive chef Chris Norton, to ring in the New Year. Diners can begin their festive meal with grilled quail, roasted chestnut soup, or pan-seared scallops with butternut squash. For the main course, families can enjoy mushroom and truffle lasagna, grilled striped bass with mushrooms and celery root, fried chicken and cheddar waffles, or duck meatloaf with brussels sprout hash and mushrooms. Round out the meal with a mouthwatering chocolate tart or a pecan pie. An oyster menu is also available. $100 per person for seating between 5pm to 5:30pm and 7:15pm to 7:45pm; $120 per person for seating between 9:45pm to 10:15pm. 524 Court Street. 718-852-8490. buttermilkchannelnyc.com
Isabella’s
This Upper West Side mainstay that’s a favorite of locals and celebrities alike is hosting a special New Year’s Eve “party” just for kids. From 10am to 3pm, there will be balloons, face painting, and other fun activities for the little ones. During that time, grown-ups can order from the regular brunch menu featuring eggs, waffles, burgers, and salads. Children have their own menu. À la carte menu, $5 to $22; À la carte children’s menu, $15 per entrée. 359 Columbus Ave. (212) 724-2100. isabellas.com
Papillion Bistro & Bar
Celebrate the New Year at this bi-level bustling bistro. Families can enjoy a scrumptious prix-fixe three-course meal featuring potato leek soup, crab cakes, and a mesclun salad tossed in a lemon vinaigrette as an appetizer. For entrées, families can choose from dishes such as pan-seared halibut with roasted fennel, grilled lamb sweet potato puree and grilled vegetables, and filet mignon with mashed potatoes and roasted cauliflower. Save room for some decadent treats–hot chocolate with almond crisp dippers, white chocolate pudding and fresh fruit parfait, or Baileys Irish Cream cheesecake. With multiple options for each course, there’s a dish that’s sure to satisfy every member of the family. 4pm to midnight. $120 per person. There’s a late night menu available until 2am. 22 East 54th Street. 212-866-0111. papillonbistro.com
Ristorante Morini
Say good-bye to 2016 at this family-friendly neighborhood restaurant. Grown-ups can enjoy a four-course menu showcasing pan-Italian dishes such as seared foie gras with onion marmalade, scallops with mushrooms, braised short rib with radicchio, seafood risotto, grilled sea bass with creamy lentils, and seared steak with broccoli rabe. Afterwards, families can nibble on savory desserts such as pana cotta, vanilla and milk chocolate mousse, or the classic tiramisu. Children can enjoy their own three-course meal, which is a scaled down version of the four-course menu. 4pm to midnight. Adults: $105; Kids: $55. 1167 Madison Avenue. 212-249-0444. ristorantemorini.com
Rosa Mexicana
Here’s your chance to celebrate the New Year in Mexico! Rosa Mexica is hosting a ¡Feliz año nuevo! fiesta with a four-course prix-fixe menu. The fiesta menu features their standout guacamole and a tasting platter of flautas de tinga and empanadas for the table. For the main course, families can choose from entrées such as braised chile ancho-marinated pork shank with salsa verde, Rose Mexicana’s signature enchiladas, pollo y carne asada (grilled chicken and skirt steak with tortillas), and alambre de camarones (grilled shrimp marinated in garlic with rice). Cap off the fiesta with churros or tres leches. A limited à la carte menu is available. 11am to midnight. $49 per person. 61 Columbus Avenue. (212) 977-7700. rosamexicano.com
Santina
Tucked away underneath the High Line, families can toast the New Year while dining on modern Italian cuisine. The coastal Italian menu features standout dishes such as squash carpaccio, spicy tuna tartare, or avocado trapanese to start off the meal. For the main course, families can nosh on zingara rice with rock shrimp, lamb chops with mushrooms and salsa verde, or rigatoni norma. Cap off the night with delectable sweets such as hazelnut orange cake, lime meringa, or fresh grapefruit Italian ice. $95 per person for early seating starting at 6pm; $150 per person for second seating starting at 7:45 pm; $250 per person for late seating starting at 9pm, includes a prosecco toast at midnight. 820 Washington Street. 646-692-4732. santinanyc.com
The Cecil
Ring in the New Year at The Cecil with an Afro-Asian-American inspired meal. The three-course prix-fixe menu features a crab fritter, short rib toast with spicy okra, and a kale salad dish to start. Families can then dine on either roasted chicken with braised collards and white sweet potato, charred eggplant with dates, or a grilled steak with okra fries as an entrée. The festive meal is not complete without sampling one of these tasty desserts–goat cheese, triple chocolate, or coconut cream cake. $65 per person for 8pm or earlier seating; $90 per person for 9pm or later seating, includes sparkling toast at midnight. 210 West 118th St. 212-866-1262. thececilharlem.com
The Farm on Adderley
Welcome 2017 at this family-friendly Brooklyn neighborhood restaurant. For early eaters (5:30pm to 9pm), families can order from the regular menu, featuring cauliflower soup, eggplant tempura, kale salad, farro risotto, stripped bass with broccoli rabe, and chicken and potatoes. There’s also a children’s menu available at this time, showcasing grilled cheese, egg noodles with broccoli, and hot dogs. The special holiday prix-fixe menu will be available too. For families who prefer to sit down to eat at 9pm or later, there’s a three-course prix-fixe menu. 5:30pm to midnight. À la carte menu, $8 to $25; À la carte children’s menu, $8 per entrée; Prix-fixe menu: $75 per person, includes a glass of bubbles at midnight. 1108 Cortelyou Road. 718-287-3101. thefarmonadderley.com
