You’re right by the subway, so there really isn’t much reason to limit yourself to a 10 block radius, but still.
Mediterranean - Elea, North Miznon
French - Bar Boulud used to be a favorite, but I was disappointed a few times last year and haven’t been back this year to see if they fixed the kitchen issues. (Another option is to take the subway down to Frenchette or any of the other bistro or other french places people love in the city.) Cafe Luxembourg is almost always full — not one of my favorites, but many people do love it fwiw.
Asian - Momofuku Noodle Bar, Red Farm, Gari, Jing Fong (dim sum - better than a lot of what’s in Chinatown and definitely better than Boston options), Han Dynasty (Sichuan - not sure how your local options stack up)
Other - Charles Fried Chicken, Maison Pickle, Chama Mama, Barney Greengrass
Some more thoughts recs here and here.
Agree that Absolute is better than Zabar’s for a bagel, but I’m not sure it’s an hour or more’s worth better, which is how long it took me in line the last few times. Someone I trust recently told me that Bagel King is much better than reviews suggest. Zabar’s, Fairway, and Citarella are all just fine too, and if you’re stopping at Zabar’s get some rugelach as well
