Best of City Island
The 10 best places to eat and drink on City Island, from Belden Point fried-shrimp trays to a 1929 dockside dining room, all verified open in 2026.
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- 1City Island · $$ · 2 City Island Ave, Bronx, NY 10464
Also No. 6 on Best Hangouts in the Bronx →
Cafeteria-style fried seafood hall at Belden Point, the very tip of City Island, with picnic tables on an open deck over Long Island Sound. Cash-only trays of fried shrimp, whiting, scallops, clams and lobster since the 1950s.
Because the cafeteria line has been sliding trays of fried shrimp and whiting onto the same open deck at Belden Point since the 1950s, and the picnic tables still sit directly over Long Island Sound.
Order Fried shrimp platter
Bring cash, claim a deck table before you order, and keep a hand on your tray; the gulls patrol the railings like they own the place.
Photo: Joe Shlabotnik, CC BY 2.0 Photo: Joe Shlabotnik, CC BY 2.0 - 2City Island · $$ · 41 City Island Ave, Bronx, NY 10464
Also No. 2 on Best Hangouts in the Bronx →
Sprawling 500-seat seafood palace near the City Island bridge, known for gigantic lobster and shrimp platters and for staying open until 1 a.m. year-round.
Because it grew from a 26-seat snack bar in 1966 into a 500-seat house serving upwards of a million meals a year, and it stays open until 1 a.m. year-round when the rest of the strip has gone dark.
Order Lobster and shrimp platter
Go after 10 p.m. when everything else on the avenue is closing; this is the island's one dependable late-night lobster.
Photo: edenpictures (Eden, Janine and Jim), CC BY 2.0 Photo: edenpictures (Eden, Janine and Jim), CC BY 2.0 - 3City Island · $$ · 361 City Island Ave, Bronx, NY 10464
Bib-wearing garlic crab feast house in a converted early-1900s silent movie theater, known for enormous family-style shore dinners like the lobster, shrimp and ribs feast.
Because the dining room is a converted early-1900s silent movie theater, and the family that took it over in 1977 still serves the garlic crab feasts that require a bib.
Order Family-style lobster, shrimp and ribs feast
Order a family-style shore dinner for the table and accept the bib without argument; the garlic sauce goes everywhere by design.
@crabshanty ↗The Original Crab Shanty
From @crabshanty on Instagram, shown through Instagram's own embed player.
- 4City Island · $$ · 591 City Island Ave, Bronx, NY 10464
White-tablecloth-meets-marina seafood and steak house dating to 1929, with dockside dining over Pelham Bay and boat slips for customers who arrive by water.
Because it has served seafood on this dock since 1929 and still keeps boat slips so customers can tie up and walk straight to a table.
Order Dockside whole lobster dinner
Ask for a dockside table over Pelham Bay near sunset; if you have a boat, arriving by water is not a gimmick here, the slips are for diners.
Photo: Eden, Janine and Jim, CC BY 2.0 Photo: Eden, Janine and Jim, CC BY 2.0 - 5City Island · $$ · 1 City Island Ave, Bronx, NY 10464
Johnny's Reef's across-the-street rival at Belden Point, a 276-seat cash-only fried seafood joint with a big pier over Long Island Sound and a live-lobster claw machine.
Because it burned down during Hurricane Sandy in October 2012 and reopened exactly one year later, and the rebuilt 276-seat pier still runs cash-only with a live-lobster claw machine by the door.
Order Fried whiting platter
Hit an ATM before you cross the bridge, then settle the eternal Johnny's-versus-Tony's argument yourself with a tray on the pier.
Photo: Martin Sutherland (sunpig), CC BY 2.0 Photo: Martin Sutherland (sunpig), CC BY 2.0 - 6City Island · $$ · 691 Bridge St, Bronx, NY 10464
Waterfront lobster specialist just off the bridge at the entrance to the island, with a deck on Eastchester Bay and a two-person ultimate lobster feast on the menu.
Because the two-person ultimate lobster feast served on a deck over Eastchester Bay has made it the island's namesake lobster destination for decades, and it stays open all year.
Order Ultimate lobster feast for two
It sits on Bridge Street just past the bridge, so make it your first stop before the avenue traffic backs up on summer weekends.
Photo: H.L.I.T., CC BY 2.0 Photo: H.L.I.T., CC BY 2.0 - 7City Island · $$ · 279 City Island Ave, Bronx, NY 10464
Bistro-style New American restaurant with a garden patio, known for over-the-top desserts; it began in 1961 as an ice cream parlor and antique shop and still serves its 1960s dessert classics.
Because it opened in 1961 as an ice cream parlor, its windows were salvaged from the Freedomland theme park, and the original 1960s dessert classics are still on the menu.
Order One of the original 1960s dessert classics
Dinner starts at 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, so aim for Sunday brunch in the garden between 10 and 2, and save room for dessert either way.
Photo: Eden, Janine and Jim, CC BY 2.0 Photo: Eden, Janine and Jim, CC BY 2.0 - 8City Island · $$ · 304 City Island Ave, Bronx, NY 10464Map ↗verified 7w ago
Tiny corner diner at City Island Avenue and Fordham Street, a classic small-town breakfast and lunch counter run by the same family for nearly three decades.
Because this corner counter at Fordham Street has been run by the same family for nearly three decades and is beloved enough that J.Crew put it on a vintage t-shirt.
Order The classic diner breakfast
It is a small breakfast-and-lunch operation, so come on the early side of a weekend morning before the counter fills with regulars.
@cityislanddiner ↗City Island Diner
From @cityislanddiner on Instagram, shown through Instagram's own embed player.
- 9City Island · $$ · 302 City Island Ave, Bronx, NY 10464Map ↗verified 7w ago
Homey Irish pub attached to the City Island Diner, pouring pints alongside fish and chips and shepherd's pie since 2004; the island's neighborhood bar.
Because it has been pouring pints next door to the City Island Diner since 2004, and it is where islanders actually drink once the day-trippers head back over the bridge.
Order Fish and chips with a pint
It shares a wall with the diner, so treat the pair as a two-door crawl, and check the daily specials board the pub added in 2026.
- 10City Island · $$ · 249 City Island Ave, Bronx, NY 10464
BYOB cafe, gallery and music room serving coffee, light fare and desserts; City Island's bohemian living room, hosting open mics and shows for almost three decades.
Because it has anchored the island's arts scene for almost three decades, and the Chamber's 2026 calendar still lists its open mics, jazz workshops and comedy nights month after month.
Order Coffee and dessert during a live set
It is BYOB, so bring your own bottle and check the Chamber events calendar for open mic and Sunday jazz nights before you make the trip.
Good to know
- Which spots are cash only?
- Johnny's Reef Restaurant and Tony's Pier Restaurant are both cash only, so hit an ATM before you cross the bridge onto the avenue.
- Where can I get a late-night meal?
- Sammy's Fish Box stays open until 1am year-round, so go after 10pm when everything else on the avenue is closing for the island's one dependable late-night lobster.
- Good for a group, and is anything BYOB?
- The Original Crab Shanty's family-style shore dinners, like the lobster, shrimp and ribs feast, are built for the table, bib included; The Artist (Starving Artist Café) is BYOB, so bring your own bottle.