Restaurant in New York City, United States
Afro-Caribbean cooking that earns the splurge.
Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi at Lincoln Center is one of New York's most compelling dinner reservations at the $$$ price tier — Afro-Caribbean cooking with a Michelin Plate, OAD Top 175 ranking, and a thoughtfully assembled wine list curated by sommelier Amy Racine. Book two to three weeks out for weekends; the value case against NYC's $$$$ tier is hard to argue with.
At $$$, Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi is one of the most compelling dinner reservations in New York City right now. Ranked #175 in North America by Opinionated About Dining (2025) and carrying a Michelin Plate, it earns its reputation on the strength of Afro-Caribbean cooking that genuinely has no close equivalent at Lincoln Center — or in the borough. If you are planning a pre-Philharmonic dinner or a date night that needs to hold its own weight as the main event, this is the booking to make. The $$$$ tier competitors in this city (more on those below) outspend it without outperforming it for this particular type of meal.
Tatiana opened at 10 Lincoln Center Plaza with a clear statement of intent: Afro-Caribbean cooking, Bronx-inflected, set inside one of the city's most significant cultural buildings. Chef Kwame Onwuachi draws on West African roots and a Bronx upbringing to produce dishes that have earned consistent critical attention since opening. The New York Times awarded three stars, describing the cooking as "dynamic" and "fearless" , language that tracks with the OAD and La Liste scores (92 points in both 2025 and 2026). The interior, designed by Modellus Novus, is the kind of room that earns its own mentions in reviews, which matters on a special occasion: the setting does real work alongside the food.
Signature territory includes egusi dumplings filled with crab and sea bass in a deep brick-red sauce, and a centrepiece oxtail dish that arrives in a large pot, marinated for more than a day, served with Thumbelina carrots, chayote squash, rice, and peas. Suya spice dusted onto pastrami. Lobster given the escovitch treatment. These are not European fine-dining references dressed in borrowed clothes , they are dishes built from a specific and coherent culinary memory, and that coherence is exactly what makes a meal here feel worth the price of admission.
The wine list at Tatiana deserves more attention than it typically gets in the conversation about this restaurant. Wine Director Amy Racine , who holds multiple sommelier awards , shaped a list of approximately 100 selections drawn from a 1,200-bottle inventory. The focus runs strongest through California and France, with pricing in the $$ tier: a genuine range from accessible bottles under $50 through to $100+ options for those who want to match the occasion. For context, corkage is $65 if you prefer to bring your own.
What makes the list interesting is its calibration against the food. Afro-Caribbean cooking with this level of spice, acidity, and smoke is not easy wine territory, and the conventional European fine-dining playbook does not map cleanly onto egusi dumplings or escovitch lobster. Racine's selection of California producers alongside French options gives the list enough flexibility to find pairings that support rather than compete with the kitchen. If wine matters to your evening, ask the sommelier to guide the selection , the list is built to be talked through, not browsed cold. For a celebratory meal where both food and wine need to perform, this is one of the more thoughtfully assembled lists in the Upper West Side.
Tatiana works leading as a special-occasion destination: a pre-Philharmonic dinner, a significant birthday, a first real date. The room and the energy support that framing. It is open Tuesday through Saturday, 5–10 pm, with no Sunday or Monday service, so plan accordingly. The Lincoln Center location makes it a natural pairing with an evening at the Philharmonic , the proximity is direct , but the restaurant is worth the trip without a ticket attached.
Solo diners are accommodated, though the menu skews toward dishes that reward sharing across the table. Groups work well here given the room's design and the kitchen's output, but confirm arrangements when booking rather than assuming large-party flexibility. For a longer view of where Tatiana sits among New York's wider dining options, see our full New York City restaurants guide. If you are also planning where to stay, our New York City hotels guide covers options near Lincoln Center. For drinks before or after, our New York City bars guide has neighbourhood picks worth knowing.
Difficulty is moderate. Book at least two to three weeks out for a Friday or Saturday, slightly less lead time mid-week. Pre-theatre slots earlier in the evening fill first given the Lincoln Center proximity, so if you want a more relaxed pace, aim for a later reservation. There is no published booking method in our current data , check the restaurant's reservation platforms directly.
| Detail | Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi | Le Bernardin | Eleven Madison Park |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price range | $$$ | $$$$ | $$$$ |
| Cuisine | Afro-Caribbean / Nigerian | French / Seafood | French / Vegan |
| Booking difficulty | Moderate | Moderate–High | High |
| Dinner service | Tue–Sat, 5–10 pm | Lunch & Dinner | Dinner only |
| Wine list size | ~100 selections / 1,200 bottles | Extensive | Extensive |
| Key award | Michelin Plate; OAD #175 NA | 3 Michelin Stars | 3 Michelin Stars |
| Location | Lincoln Center, Upper West Side | Midtown West | Flatiron |
If Afro-Caribbean cooking with serious culinary intent is your focus, Dept of Culture is worth comparing in New York. For context on how Tatiana sits relative to America's broader fine-dining tier, Alinea in Chicago, The French Laundry in Napa, Lazy Bear in San Francisco, Single Thread Farm in Healdsburg, Providence in Los Angeles, and Emeril's in New Orleans all occupy comparable national-conversation territory, though none shares Tatiana's specific culinary identity. For international reference points in the La Liste tier where Tatiana now places, see Alain Ducasse Louis XV in Monte Carlo and Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen. Pearl's New York City wineries guide and experiences guide round out the picture if you are planning a longer trip.
Two to three weeks out is the safe window for Friday and Saturday evenings. Mid-week reservations , Tuesday through Thursday , are more accessible with one to two weeks' notice. Pre-theatre slots (earlier seatings, given Lincoln Center proximity) move faster than later ones. Given the OAD ranking and Michelin Plate recognition, do not leave this to the week-of for a weekend date.
At $$$, yes , especially relative to the $$$$ tier competitors in New York. You are getting three-star New York Times cooking, a Michelin Plate, OAD Top 175 in North America, and a wine program assembled by an award-winning sommelier, at a price point a full tier below Eleven Madison Park, Le Bernardin, or Masa. The value case is strong for what the kitchen is doing.
Dinner only , Tatiana does not serve lunch. Service runs Tuesday through Saturday, 5–10 pm. Sunday and Monday are dark. Plan around this: if your schedule only allows a weekend evening, Friday and Saturday are your options, and they book out faster.
The database does not confirm a formal tasting menu structure, so we will not speculate on format. What the awards record and critical coverage confirm is that the kitchen performs at a high level across its menu. At the $$$ price tier, whatever format you order through, the value relative to NYC's formal tasting-menu restaurants ($$$+) holds up.
No dress code is specified in our data. The combination of Lincoln Center location, a designed interior noted in multiple reviews, and the restaurant's positioning as a special-occasion destination suggests smart casual at minimum. The room draws a well-dressed crowd , err on the side of putting in some effort.
The restaurant accommodates groups, but seat count is not confirmed in our data. Contact the restaurant directly when booking if your party is four or more, and confirm any specific arrangements rather than assuming flexibility. The menu's sharing-style dishes work in favour of group dining.
It works for solo dining, though the menu rewards sharing across multiple dishes. If you are dining alone, you will get the room and the wine program in full , the experience holds. For comparison, solo diners at Atomix have a counter option that is specifically built for the format; Tatiana's setup is less counter-focused, but solo diners are not out of place at a $$$, critically recognised restaurant in New York.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi | Nigerian | $$$ | Respected sommelier Amy Racine consulted award-winning chef Kwame Onwauchi on the small but mighty wine list for his critically acclaimed restaurant, Tatiana, named after his beloved sister, at Lincol...; La Liste Top Restaurants (2026): 92pts; Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in North America Ranked #175 (2025); There's pre-theater dining, and then there's Tatiana. Its Lincoln Center location is a natural choice for Philharmonic ticket holders, but it's worthy of applause in its own right. Its stunning interior, crafted by Modellus Novus, swings to a stylish beat courtesy of its good looks and even better looking crowd. Chef Kwame Onwuachi draws on his West African roots and the flavors of his childhood in the Bronx and elsewhere on this menu with signature dishes like egusi dumplings, filled with crab and sea bass in a brick red sauce. The centerpiece—oxtail—arrives in a large pot with two glistening pieces resting in a thick sauce. Marinated for more than a day, and served with Thumbelina carrots and chayote squash along with rice and peas, it's a proper feast.; WINE: Wine Strengths: California, France Pricing: $$ i Wine pricing: Based on the list\'s general markup and high and low price points:$ has many bottles < $50;$$ has a range of pricing;$$$ has many $100+ bottles Corkage Fee: $65 Selections: 100 Inventory: 1,200 CUISINE: Cuisine Types: Caribbean Pricing: $$$ i Cuisine pricing: The cost of a typical two-course meal, not including tip or beverages.$ is < $40;$$ is $40–$65;$$$ is $66+. Meals: Dinner STAFF: People Amy Racine:Wine Director Wine Director: Amy Racine Chef: Kwame Onwuachi General Manager: Darnelle Dasne Owner: Kwame Onwuachi, Lincoln Center; ★★★ When the chef Kwame Onwuachi brought braised oxtails and goat patties to Lincoln Center a few years ago, the city’s dining landscape changed for the better. Mr. Onwuachi paints a vibrant portrait of the Afro-Caribbean culinary diaspora, adding surprising touches inspired by his Bronx upbringing — spicy, nutty suya is dusted onto pastrami, while lobster gets the bright and bracing escovitch treatment. Set inside one of New York’s great cultural institutions, Tatiana is a reminder of how dynamic, fearless cooking can be its own art form. Upper West Side, Manhattan; La Liste Top Restaurants (2025): 92pts; Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in North America Ranked #264 (2024); Michelin Plate (2024); Esquire Best New Restaurants #38 (2023) | Moderate | — |
| Le Bernardin | French, Seafood | $$$$ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Atomix | Modern Korean, Korean | $$$$ | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Eleven Madison Park | French, Vegan | $$$$ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Masa | Sushi, Japanese | $$$$ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Per Se | French, Contemporary | $$$$ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
Groups of four to six are manageable with advance planning, but book at least three weeks out — demand is consistent given its La Liste 92-point ranking and Lincoln Center location. For larger parties, check the venue's official channels to ask about private or semi-private arrangements. The dining room is designed for atmosphere rather than large-group logistics, so parties of eight or more may find it a tighter fit than a venue purpose-built for events.
Yes, provided you're comfortable in an energetic, design-forward room where the crowd is part of the experience. At $$$, a solo dinner is a real spend, but the menu's shareable format works just as well ordered selectively for one. Pre-theater slots earlier in the evening tend to move faster, which suits solo diners who prefer a less prolonged meal.
Book two to three weeks out for Friday or Saturday; mid-week requires slightly less lead time. Pre-theater windows earlier in the evening open up more frequently, so if your schedule is flexible, those slots are your best route in on short notice. Tatiana's Opinionated About Dining ranking (#175 in North America, 2025) and Lincoln Center foot traffic keep demand steady year-round.
At $$$, a two-course dinner runs $66 or more per person before drinks, and yes — the cooking justifies it. Signature dishes like egusi dumplings and oxtail braised for more than a day represent a level of technique and sourcing that holds up against the price point. If you're comparing value against other $$$ options in New York, Tatiana's Afro-Caribbean focus is singular enough that the question isn't whether it's expensive but whether this is the kind of cooking you want to spend on.
Dinner only — Tatiana does not serve lunch. Hours run Tuesday through Saturday, 5–10 pm; the restaurant is closed Sunday and Monday. Plan accordingly if you're pairing with a Lincoln Center Philharmonic performance.
The venue data does not confirm a formal tasting menu format at Tatiana, so this is not something Pearl can verify. What is documented: the dinner menu at $$$ features signature dishes including egusi dumplings and oxtail as a centrepiece, suggesting a focused, chef-driven selection rather than an open à la carte format. Check current availability directly when booking.
The room — designed by Modellus Novus inside Lincoln Center — draws a stylish crowd, and many diners arrive from Philharmonic performances. Dressing up is appropriate and fits the energy of the space, but there is no documented strict dress code. Think event-night attire rather than business formal: you will feel underdressed in jeans, but a suit is not required.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
