GRAMERCY & UNION SQUARE, MANHATTAN
Narkara
Northern and Isan Thai cooking off Union Square — dry-curry short rib, herb soup and sausage platters.
Two doors from La Dong, Narkara opened at the end of summer 2025 from the group behind THEP Thai, and set out to cook the north and northeast of Thailand with the slow, fermented, labor-heavy techniques the region is known for. The room has big round booths and a marble bar, and feels a little like a hotel restaurant.
The plates to order are the ones that lean north: a Northern dry curry smeared over a huge short rib, a fiercely spicy Northern chicken herb soup, a Thai sausage platter, seared Iberico pork with nam prik. A sweet corn salad served two ways is the gentle opener.
Editor’s tip
Order the Northern dry curry short rib to share, and tell your server how much heat you can take before the herb soup arrives.
Make an evening of it — beautiful stops nearby
Also in the neighborhood
GRAMERCY & UNION SQUARE, MANHATTAN
La Dong
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GRAMERCY & UNION SQUARE, MANHATTAN
Pete's Tavern
Irving Place's bar since the 1860s — it stayed open through Prohibition as a 'flower shop' and O. Henry drank here.
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Editorial draft — core details last reviewed October 13, 2026. Confirm practical details with the official site before you go.
