How many restaurants are there in New York's busiest areas?
We counted 5,030 restaurants within 1 km of the centres of 14 New York areas. Midtown is the most crowded at 277.2 per km²; Upper West Side is the least, at 53.5.
Mapped
5,030
in 14 areas
Busiest area
277.2/km²
Midtown
Average rating
4.4★
places with 10+ reviews
Last scanned
13 October
2026
Restaurants by area, most crowded first
Measured within 1 km of the centre: LOW under 5, MODERATE 5–15, HIGH 15–40, INTENSE over 40 places per km².
| Area | Within 1 km | Per km² | Avg rating | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midtown4.4★ average | 871277.2/km² | 277.2 | 4.4★ | INTENSE |
| SoHo4.5★ average | 631200.9/km² | 200.9 | 4.5★ | INTENSE |
| East Village4.5★ average | 579184.3/km² | 184.3 | 4.5★ | INTENSE |
| Chelsea4.4★ average | 481153.1/km² | 153.1 | 4.4★ | INTENSE |
| West Village4.5★ average | 475151.2/km² | 151.2 | 4.5★ | INTENSE |
| Williamsburg4.5★ average | 30195.8/km² | 95.8 | 4.5★ | INTENSE |
| Upper East Side4.4★ average | 27687.9/km² | 87.9 | 4.4★ | INTENSE |
| Astoria4.4★ average | 23073.2/km² | 73.2 | 4.4★ | INTENSE |
| Flushing4.1★ average | 22671.9/km² | 71.9 | 4.1★ | INTENSE |
| Downtown Brooklyn4.4★ average | 21668.8/km² | 68.8 | 4.4★ | INTENSE |
| Bushwick4.3★ average | 20063.7/km² | 63.7 | 4.3★ | INTENSE |
| Park Slope4.4★ average | 19863.0/km² | 63.0 | 4.4★ | INTENSE |
| Harlem4.2★ average | 17856.7/km² | 56.7 | 4.2★ | INTENSE |
| Upper West Side4.4★ average | 16853.5/km² | 53.5 | 4.4★ | INTENSE |
Where is it least crowded?
- Upper West SideINTENSE
168 restaurants within 1 km (53.5 per km²), averaging 4.4★.
- HarlemINTENSE
178 restaurants within 1 km (56.7 per km²), averaging 4.2★.
- Park SlopeINTENSE
198 restaurants within 1 km (63.0 per km²), averaging 4.4★.
Fewer restaurants is not the same as more demand. Look at foot traffic and rents before you read a quiet area as an opening.
How they are rated
All 5,030 restaurants in the 14 areas, by rating. Places with fewer than 10 reviews are counted apart.
- 4.5 and up2,440 (49%)
- 4.0 to 4.41,825 (36%)
- 3.5 to 3.9323 (6%)
- Below 3.5120 (2%)
- Under 10 reviews322 (6%)
Chains seen most
Brands with two or more outlets inside one area circle.
- Chipotle Mexican Grill42 outlets · 10 areas
- McDonald's28 outlets · 9 areas
- Just Salad14 outlets · 5 areas
- Chick-fil-A13 outlets · 4 areas
- Le Pain Quotidien11 outlets · 2 areas
- The Grey Dog8 outlets · 4 areas
- Playa Bowls8 outlets · 4 areas
- CAVA8 outlets · 3 areas
- Five Guys6 outlets · 2 areas
- Taco Bell Cantina6 outlets · 2 areas
Check competition at your exact address — free
Drop a pin on the street you have in mind and see every competitor around it on a map, with ratings and review counts. The scan is free with an account.
Questions
Is New York saturated with restaurants?
It depends on the street. Within 1 km of the 14 area centres we mapped, density runs from 53.5 per km² in Upper West Side to 277.2 per km² in Midtown. 14 of the 14 areas count as high or intense competition (over 15 per km²). Check the exact address you have in mind before you commit.
Which New York area has the most restaurants?
Midtown, with 871 within 1 km of its centre (277.2 per km²). Next come SoHo (631) and East Village (579).
What is the average rating of restaurants in New York?
4.4 out of 5, across the 4,708 restaurants with at least 10 reviews in the areas we mapped. The highest area average is East Village (4.5), the lowest Flushing (4.1).
Which restaurant chains are most common in New York?
In the areas we mapped: Chipotle Mexican Grill (42 outlets in 10 areas), McDonald's (28 outlets in 9 areas), Just Salad (14 outlets in 5 areas).
How was this counted?
We scanned a 1 km circle around the centre of each area on 13 October 2026 and counted every restaurant on the map inside it. Places missing from the map or opened since are not counted, so treat the numbers as a floor. Circles of neighbouring areas can overlap, so a place near two centres is counted in both, and the figures are not a total for the whole of New York.