Chelsea
Get directions | 210 10th Ave, New York, NY 10011
Hours | MONDAY – SUNDAY
9AM – 11PM
Say it’s a Friday night, and you’ve suddenly realized 90% of your friends are busy, out-of-town, or watching reruns of The Office whilst waiting for their Ambien to kick in. Fortunately, this still leaves 10%, and within that 10% there’s bound to be someone that’s pretty alright. This person might not be your best friend, but they can hold a conversation, they don’t try take you to Le Bain at 2am, and they typically don’t make you feel like you’ve wasted several hours of your life. This person is the human equivalent of Empire Diner.
Empire Diner has been through a few different owners in the past couple of years, and now it’s a good-looking place where you can eat some brussels sprouts and a nice piece of fish. You probably won’t start planning your next visit as soon as you leave, but the food is, for the most part, better than what you’d make at home, and the space is impressive enough to make you feel like you’re having a somewhat-special night out.
From the outside, this place looks like a vintage diner, and the inside feels like the dining car of a train that was built to lure 20-somethings away from air travel. It’s clean and minimalist, with a bar, a few booths, a small dining room in the back, and an additional space upstairs. So if you’re looking for a restaurant that’s more attractive than the last Airbnb you stayed in, this place qualifies.
(212) 335-2277
info@empire-diner.com
https://www.instagram.com/empire_diner/
FRESHLY BAKED
buttermilk biscuitbutter, housemade jam4
apricot ginger sconecrème fraiche5
carrot walnut muffinwhipped butter5
PRESSED JUICE
green juicekale, apple, ginger, cucumber, parsley9
smoothiematcha, banana, medjool dates, apple, oat milk10
BREAKFAST
served until 4pm
housemade granolaorganic yogurt, blueberries, raw honey, bee pollen (v)12
empire omelettefine herbs, boursin cheese, mixed greens, fingerling potatoes, multi-grain toast (v)16
add ons +2: tomato, onion, spinach, avocado, mushroom, cheddar, swiss, american, feta
eggs any styleneuske’s bacon or homemade sausage, fingerling potatoes, multi grain toast16
breakfast sandwichsoft scramble, aged cheddar, homemade sausage, avocado, black pepper aioli16
soft scramble eggs cacio e pepeparmesan, cracked black pepper, speck ham16
avocado toastsourdough filone, radish, cilantro, chili12
add ons: poached egg +3, salmon pastrami +8
eggs benedictpoached eggs, lemon hollandaise, speck, english muffin, breakfast potatoes16
rye pancakescarmelized apple, apple butter, vermont maple syrup (v)16
buttermilk wafflewhipped crème fraiche, housemade jam, macadamia nuts, vermont maple syrup (v)17
smoked salmon pastramipotato rosti, crème fraiche, caper berries, poached eggs20
grilled steak and eggsny strip, two eggs, salsa verde, breakfast potatoes26
fried chicken and buttermilk wafflenueske’s bacon, poached eggs, maple hot sauce26
SMALL PLATES
celery root souplump crab, brown butter, lemon12
blistered shishitoscitrus sea salt (ve)12
crispy artichokeshouse white anchovy aioli (v)14
roasted beetslabneh, pistachio, orange, sesame seeds, beet vinaigrette (v)14
mac & cheeseblack diamond cheddar, smoked olive oil, parmesan bread crumbs (v)16
burratapeperonata, basil oil, fennel pollen, saba, toasted filone (v)16
jumbo shrimp cocktailshaved horseradish, cocktail sauce (3 per order)20
tuna tartareavocado, ginger cilantro oil, white soy, frizzled shallots, chips20
beef carpacciohorseradish cream, shaved shallots, crispy capers, grilled sourdough20
SALADS
butter lettuceflambo radish, herbs, champagne vinaigrette (ve)14
wedgetomato, berkshire bacon, avocado, pickled onions, blue cheese, croutons16
kale caesargarlic lemon breadcrumbs, pecorino, elephant garlic chips (v)16
waldorfapples, roasted grapes, walnuts, mixed greens, avocado purée, gorgonzola (v)17
add ons: poached egg +3, chicken +8, steak +12, salmon +12
MAIN
soup & sandwichgrilled cheese, gruyere, white cheddar, balsamic apple chutney on toasted filone20
cavatellitruffle butter, broccolini pesto, grana padano (v)24
natural roast chickenarugula, parmesan, lemon vinaigrette28
fried chickenroasted garlic, crisp herbs, lemon, habanero hot sauce, braised collards30
fish & chipsbeer battered icelandic cod, lemon caper tartar sauce, slaw, herb fries28
empire special blend burgerdouble patty, american cheese, house dill pickles, aioli, fries22
make it impossible (v, ve), lettuce wrap +2
crispy chicken thigh sandwichdill pickles, buttermilk ranch dressing, hot honey, brioche bun20
lobster bltbutter poached lobster, black pepper bacon, heirloom tomato, brioche bun28
new york pastrami sandwichmelted swiss, horseradish coleslaw, marble rye, herb fries24
new york strip steakgreen peppercorn bordelaise, roasted garlic, herb fries38
BREAKFAST SIDES
served until 4pm
seasonal fruit bowl(ve)9
nueske’s bacon7
homemade sausage7
two eggs any style(v)5
crispy fingerling potatoes(ve)6
potato rostichives, sour cream10
ALL DAY SIDES
herb fries(ve)8
sautéed spinachgarlic, olive oil (ve)9
broccolinigarlic confit, calabrian chili (ve)10
(v) = vegetarian
(ve) = vegan
BAR SNACKS
castelvetrano olivesoregano, chili, garlic (ve)6
deviled eggspaprika, chicken cracklings9
pigs in a blanketconfit pork, honey mustard, pickled cabbage12
blistered shishitoscitrus sea salt (ve)12
oysterseast and west coast, classic mignonette, cocktail sauce (6 per order)21
empire tower1 dozen oysters, ½ dozen jumbo shrimp, tuna tartare, ½ lobster130
SMALL PLATES
celery root souplump crab, brown butter, lemon12
crispy artichokesparsley, white anchovy aioli14
roasted beetslabneh, pistachio, orange, sesame seeds, beet vinaigrette (ve)14
mac & cheeseblack diamond cheddar, smoked olive oil, toasted bread crumbs (v)16
roasted cauliflowerwhipped garlic, lemon tahini, herb vinaigrette (ve)15
burratapeperonata, basil oil, fennel pollen, saba, toasted filone (v)16
jumbo shrimp cocktailshaved horseradish, cocktail sauce (3 per order)20
tuna tartareavocado, ginger cilantro oil, white soy, frizzled shallots, chips20
beef carpacciohorseradish cream, shaved shallots, crispy capers, grilled sourdough20
SALADS
butter lettuceflambo radish, herbs, champagne vinaigrette (ve)14
wedgetomato, berkshire bacon, avocado, pickled onions, blue cheese, croutons16
kale caesargarlic lemon breadcrumbs, pecorino, elephant garlic chips (v)16
waldorfapples, roasted grapes, walnuts, mixed greens, avocado purée, gorgonzola (v)17
add ons: chicken +8, steak +12, salmon +12
MAINS
cavatellitruffle butter, broccolini pesto, grana padano (v)24
cacio e pepe risottotellicherry peppercorns, buffalo butter, shaved black truffles, parmesan (v)30
natural roast chickencauliflower puree, roasted parsnip, natural jus32
fried chickenroasted garlic, crisp herbs, lemon, habanero hot sauce, braised collards30
king salmonwilted baby greens, foraged mushrooms, soy brown butter32
fish & chipsbeer battered icelandic cod, lemon caper tartar sauce, slaw, herb fries28
pan seared branzinosautéed escarole, cannellini beans, calabrian chili, lemon, olive oil, herbs34
meatloafyukon mashed potatoes, roasted baby carrots, tomato glaze30
empire special blend burgerdouble patty, american cheese, house dill pickles, aioli, fries22
make it impossible (v, ve), lettuce wrap +2
new york pastrami sandwichmelted swiss, horseradish coleslaw, marble rye, herb fries24
ribeye steakgreen peppercorn bordelaise, roasted garlic, herb fries38
berkshire pork chopyukon gold potatoes, apple cider braised cabbage, rosemary pork jus32
SIDES
herbed fries(ve)8
sautéed spinachgarlic, olive oil (ve)9
yukon gold mashed potatoesmaldon sea salt (v)9
broccolinigarlic confit, calabrian chili (ve)10
charred brussels sproutcalabrian chili, colatura10
(v) = vegetarian
(ve) = vegan
