re: New York suggestions...

First off, if you search or google you'll find a few nice long threads on this topic that may help.

Secondly, we need price range, area of town, type of food, etc.

I'll start with saying that I recently went to Scarpetta and it was fantastic. You'll want reservations. In fact, you'll want reservations to pretty much any decent restaurant.

For pizza, go with Artichoke.

I'll start there and if you can narrow down a bit (or say you're willing to go wherever and pay whatever) then I can keep going.

Gramercy Tavern is a great one. Public as well.