2 Of New York City's Michelin-Recognized Restaurants Are Actually In Subway Stations

New York City is home to tens of thousands of restaurants in all manner of locations. There are so many soaring rooftop spots it's easy to take them for granted, architectural marvels are all around, and even some otherwise totally mediocre waterfront operations benefit from beautiful skyline views. There are also hundreds of subway stations across the five boroughs, most of which could hardly accommodate a picnic lunch, much less far more esteemed meals. However, two Manhattan destinations not only marry these two seemingly incongruous ideas, but they do so with great accolades.

Hovering around the north and south ends of Midtown, See No Evil Pizza and Nōksu are both located within subway stations. They aren't the only eateries amid such peculiar environs, but they are the only ones in this narrow class to enjoy oft-coveted Michelin recognition. Nōksu was added to the Michelin Guide in 2023. See No Evil Pizza followed in 2024. These additions don't guarantee that the eateries will end up as Michelin-starred restaurants, but many other esteemed establishments have gone on to earn those famed sparklers. But, with Nōksu in the fine dining category and See No Evil presenting as a more casual affair, these shared honors and subterranean locales are where their similarities end.

See No Evil Pizza is actually one of three underground hospitality properties run by proprietor Adrian Gallo. The restaurant is joined by Gallo's bar, Nothing Really Matters, and his coffee shop, Tiny Dancer, all adjacent to the downtown-bound 1 train platform at the 50th Street subway station. Access all three establishments through the station entrance and down a staircase on the south side of 50th Street just west of Broadway. Situated before you reach the turnstyle, you can apply your train fare to margherita, pepperoni, funghi, and some particularly novel pies, each priced $28 or less. The all-around transportive space is the platonic ideal of a pizzeria, with black and white checkered floors and red banquettes.

Michelin recognized See No Evil Pizza, in part, for its inimitability. "There are just some places that are so New York they couldn't be found anywhere else," the restaurant's entry in the august guide reads. "See No Evil Pizza is just that."

On the other end of the neighborhood, and of the dining spectrum, Nōksu serves a $195 tasting menu; drinks, tax, and tip are not included. Chef Dae Kim's 11 courses are seafood-forward and might include items like Dungeness crab, monkfish liver, and surf clam. There are only 15 seats, all at the sleek chef's counter, where studiously paced and elegantly plated dinners typically exceed two hours. There's no MetroCard required for visiting this esteemed underground establishment, either. You'll descend into the Herald Square subway station at 32nd Street and Broadway, and type a provided code into a keypad to enter.

Michelin's famously anonymous restaurant inspectors dug Nōksu for its fishy focus, modern aesthetic, and deeply detailed preparations. "Eating underground in the subway system may not sound appealing, but that hasn't stopped Chef Dae Kim," the guide reads. Nōksu is, moreover in the words of Michelin, "a defining reminder that in New York City, anything can happen anywhere."