What To Eat In New York

Where To Eat In New York City: 10 Must

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Want to have what they’re having? Head to Katz’s Delicatessen.

Andy Schwartz, Castle Rock Entertainment

With 24,000 places to eat in New York to choose from, a list recommending the best is going to be more or less those that are unique to the city and of a kind unlikely to be found in any other city. New Yorks restaurants come in every size, style and price point, as well in every ethnic variety.

The city has more than one Chinatown and Little Italy, whole neighborhoods full of Greek, Albanian, Indian, Korean, Japanese, Thai and Korean restaurants, and youll find endless debates among New Yorkers in each borough as to who serves the best pizza, sushi, ramen and pastrami.

Add to this bounty the cityscape itself, with its skyscraper views, Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge and quaint old and newly gentrified neighborhoods, and eating choices are endless. Remember, too, it was New York that gave America bagels, negimaki, Eggs Benedict, lobster Newberg, clams Casino, vichyssoise, gyros, knishes, pasta primavera, lox, the Reuben sandwich, egg creams, the English muffin, chocolate fondue, frozen custard, Turkish Taffy, the Bloody Mary, the Manhattan, the Gibson and more.

Thankfully The Pizza At John’s Of Bleeker Street In Greenwich Village Hasn’t Changed In My Lifetime

Proudly old-school since 1929, John’s of Bleeker Street in Greenwich Village doesn’t apologize for serving whole pies only, or not taking reservations.

I grew up sitting in the original wooden booths where generations of NYU students have carved their initials and declarations of sophomoric love. The thin-crust pizza is cooked in a coal-fired brick oven, giving it a distinctive singed crust, that’s just perfect.

Must try: Fennel-forward sausage is the pizza topping of choice. Earthy mushrooms are a close second.

Price: Inexpensive-Moderate

Find out more about John’s of Bleeker Street here.

Doughnuts At Dus Donuts & Coffee

Wylie Dufresne earned a reputation as one of New Yorks most wildly inventive chefs with his now-shuttered restaurant WD~50, so it may seem odd that hes now running a doughnut shop in Brooklyn. But you can bet that if Dufresne has decided to dedicate his energy to making these sweet treats, theyre going to be the best doughnuts around. Creative flavors include brown-butter key lime pie, oatmeal chai, and PB& J. The grilled cheese is a sleeper hit.

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Where Do Local New Yorkers Eat

Pretty much anywhere that isnt Manhattan since its super touristy and the prices are insanely expensive. Yeah, we pay enough for rent and are basically looking for good, cheap eats when we dine out in the city.

But, if youre looking for some of the places you must eat in NYC where all the locals go, then check out any of the following:

The Mushroom Sloppy At Fat Choy

Chef Justin Lee is not vegan, but Fat Choy, the diminutive kind of Chinese restaurant he and co-owner Katie Lee opened in September 2020, most certainly is even if theyre likely to tuck the word vegan between parentheses. That coyness is one of the reasons Lees food stands out in a city newly awash with restaurants all too eager to shout their plant-based bona fides from the rooftops: This is food for everyone, not just virtue signalers and wellness influencers. Eschewing venture-capitalist-funded meat substitutes in favor of farmers market and Manhattan Chinatown produce and an umami-packed multicultural pantry , Lee has designed an animal-free menu that is ingenious and eminently craveable. The Mushroom Sloppy, evocative of both classic canned Manwich and the beloved stuffed sesame pancakes from the Chinatown stalwart Vanessas Dumpling House a few blocks away, is a case in point. Composed of a saucy, sweet-savory braised shiitake and smoked tofu ragout loosely ensconced within a crispy-chewy sesame-studded homemade roll, its messy, rich and satisfying, all id and no superego. A triumph of a dish, it makes a more sustainable future feel not only possible but also desirable. A.S.

250 Broome Street, Lower East Side, Manhattan

Galindo Maria: Its mind-blowing it doesnt even taste like mushrooms.

Pandya: I eat at Fat Choy once or twice a week. Everything is so tasty. The sloppy joe is the most famous one, but the bok choy is phenomenal, too.

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Dowling’s At The Carlyle

Courtesy of the Carlyle, a Rosewood Hotel

New York City has any number of classic, upscale American restaurants that mightve earned a spot on our list. Still, after a recent meal at the newly renovated and refreshed restaurant at The Carlyle, a Rosewood Hotel, we had to have Dowlings on our list. The new executive chef Sylvain Delpique comes from another classic, the now-closed 21 Club , while the completely new design is sophisticated yet modern, with an impressive and diverse art selection covering the storied, more-than-100-year-old walls. The name comes from Robert Whittle Dowling, an urban planner who took over ownership of the hotel in the 1940s, and the restaurant celebrates that era. Menu items include classics like a wedge salad at dinner, Caesar salad at lunch, Dover sole filleted tableside, steak tartare with quail egg, and steak Diane flambéed with Cognac. At lunch, theyre bringing back the martini lunch with a Mini Martini, a half portion of the classic cocktail made with your choice of Bombay Sapphire or Grey Goose, poured tableside. Save room for desserts like a flaming Grand Marnier sundae and a perfect chocolate tart.

The 25 Essential Dishes To Eat In New York City

We asked six chefs and food experts to create a list of the most delicious and memorable plates in town.

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By Dan Piepenbring, Kurt Soller, Amiel Stanek and Korsha Wilson

Last month, I crowded into a wooden booth at NoLItas Thai Diner with the chefs Kia Damon, Andrés Tonatiuh Galindo Maria, Chintan Pandya and Missy Robbins the pastry chef Melissa Weller and the T writer-at-large Ligaya Mishan for a languorous weekday lunch. Between slurps of fantastic khao soi and tom yum soup, we compiled a list similar to others T has done onarchitecture, interiors and art of the 25 essential things to eat in New York City right now. By that, we meant dishes served outside the home, whether at restaurants, food trucks, storefronts or other independent establishments, in all five boroughs. Our intent was to be as catholic and creative in our selections as possible, highlighting items both rarefied and workaday that represent the citys innumerable styles of international cuisine.

The interview portion has been edited and condensed. The dish summaries are by Dan Piepenbring, Amiel Stanek and Korsha Wilson.

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Avra Estiatorio Rockefeller Center

The third and largest edition of the Greek restaurant Avra has opened in a soaring space in the former Time & Life Building across from Radio City Music Hall. Seating for nearly 500 is spread across a main dining room, featuring an expanse of outdoor tables and a mezzanine, and a cellar restaurant with a private room and an open kitchen. Its all done in pale limestone, bronze and natural linen. Water accents, like fountains and waterfalls, and greenery enhance the Mediterranean look and echo Avras other locations. New to the menu are a fresh fennel soup and sashimi cut from a whole fish.

1271 Avenue of the Americas , 212-430-8888, theavragroup.com.

I Head To Katz’s For Authentic Deli Food On The Lower East Side

When I was a little kid, delis and New York City were a team, like milk and cookies. Today, Katz’s Delicatessen is one of the few remaining spots to sample a taste of bygone New York.

Family-run for over a century, little has changed, including the vintage signage. Diners can still sample Jewish deli classics like piping-hot chicken broth with floating matzoh balls and sturdy knishes stuffed with fluffy mashed potatoes.

Must try: The pastrami makes for a zaftig sandwich served on Katz’s signature chewy rye.

Price: Moderate

Find out more about Katz’s Delicatessen here.

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The Goat Jhol Momo At Nepali Bhanchha Ghar

The Tibetan- and Nepali-style dumplings known as momo have garnered such a loyal New York fan base that every autumn for the past ten years , hordes have descended on Jackson Heights, Queens, so-called momo maps in hand, for the annual Momo Crawl. But just as Joey Chestnuts dominance has reduced the Nathans Hot Dog Eating Contest to something of a formality in recent years, Nepali Bhanchha Ghar has worn the crawl crown so often having recently won for a fourth consecutive year as to dispel all suspense. Its success owes not a little to its goat jhol momo, which consists of pillowy pockets of the underappreciated meat bathed in a spicy chicken-and-tomato soup and garnished with cooling cilantro. While the dumplings can be stuffed any of seven different ways, theres something about the gamy but slightly sweet taste of goat that pairs particularly well with the chutney-like broth. K.W.

74-15 Roosevelt Avenue, Jackson Heights, Queens

Pandya: Momo is basically a dumpling or dim sum, and its a dry dish, but jhol is a liquid. So theres this soup in which they put the momo, and they make different versions of it. They have chicken, they have everything, but I love the one with goat, I love the flavor of it. And the best place to eat that is Nepali Bhanchha Ghar. The jhol, the soup, is also outstanding. Nobodys able to do it better.

The Original Johns Deli

Here is another restaurant recommended on Food Networks Top Places to Eat that you will not want to miss if you are in the mood for some deli-style food. They take pride in the name they are given, Best Heroin in Brooklyn. Johns Deli has been a Brooklyn landmark since 1968. They are known for their top-notch customer service and delightful food at great prices. This restaurant offers different daily specials, but since their roast beef is the real hero, they serve it every day. There is no wonder why The Original Johns Deli is one of the best restaurants in New York City to eat on a budget.

Phone: +1 372-7481

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Joe & Pat’s Pizzeria Is Where I Go For A Retro New York Slice On Staten Island

I ride the Staten Island ferry for the great view of the Statue of Liberty, plus, the opportunity to eat a slice of thin-crust, New York style-pizza in the bare-bones setting of Joe & Pats.

Italian-American favorites like baked ziti and hulking meatball heroes are major temptations, while cauliflower-crust pizza is a concession to the 21st century.

Must try: The veggie pie is loaded with fresh mushrooms, spinach, onions, broccoli, peppers, and tomatoes.

Price: Inexpensive

Buckwheat Crepes At La Mercerie

A newcomer on the scene, this chic all-day café is attached to the Roman and Williams Guild store in SoHo, and everything from the plates to the tables and chairs is for sale. If the gorgeous design isnt reason enough to go, the mouthwatering French fare will be. This place serves buttery croissants and pastries, refreshing salads, andthe pièce de résistancea decadent buckwheat crepe stuffed with ham and cheese and topped with a sunny-side-up egg.

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Sunny And Annies Deli

Tucked away in Alphabet City, this low-key convenience store/deli is known for creating an epic version of one of NYCs most immortal breakfast sandwichesthe bacon-egg-and-cheese .

And yes, we really do pronounce this all as one word. And, again, yes, you really are forbidden from leaving the tri-state area without ordering at least one of these amazing sammies.

Luckily for you though, you now know that Sunny and Annies Deli is one of the places you must eat in NYC for a classic, bacon egg and cheese.

Also, if you want to be like a REAL New Yorker, you should get it on a roll, not on a bagel like pictured above. #justsayin

Pro Tip: There are no seats here so feel free to picnic it up in nearby Tompkins Square Park. They also serve a delicious BLT wrap which is a classic BLT that comes with avocado, cheddar, sprouts, and Russian dressing.

Address: 94 Avenue B, New York, NY 10009

Hours: Open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

Price: $2.50 for a bacon egg and cheese on a roll.

How to Get There: Take the F train to Second Avenue station or the 6 train to Astor Place station and walk to the deli from there.

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What Food Should I Try In New York

Ummbasically everything on this list of places you must eat in NYC. LOL. But in all seriousness, here are some of the best food in New York that you should 110% eat.

• Pastrami sandwich from Katz Deli
• Bagel with lox and cream cheese from Russ and Daughters
• Bacon egg and cheese from Sunny and Annie Deli
• Slice from Joes Pizza
• Coffee from Little Collins or Abraço in the East Village
• Grays Papaya hot dog
• Falafel from Mamouns
• Black and white cookie from Zabars

Ice Cream With Wacky Flavors At Oddfellows

Extra-virgin olive oil, Thai iced tea, miso cherry, and sprinkles are just a few of the deliciously offbeat flavors you might find at OddFellows. Originally born in Williamsburg, there are now several locations around the city. Featuring nostalgic carnival-inspired decor, the shops sell soft serve, milkshakes, sorbets, and ice-cream sandwiches in addition to wacky ice-cream flavors made with additive-free and hormone-free dairy locally sourced from around New York City.

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The Braised Duck Necks At Falansai

There was a time when diners would look askance at any mention of off-cuts on a restaurant menu, but the past decade or so has seen the Overton window of acceptable animal parts shift dramatically. For reasons at once economic, environmental and gustatory, ambitious chefs of all stripes have come to embrace nose-to-tail cooking pig heads! Fish collars! Chicken livers! and the citys open-minded eaters have followed suit. The latest and greatest addition to the roster of covetable dishes crafted from castaways has to be the braised duck necks a part of the bird enthusiastically eaten in other parts of the world but less often in this country servedat Falansai. Confited until the flavorful meat threatens to fall off the bones and coated with a sticky sauce kissed with five spice,they are no fork-and-knife affair this is intimate food, the sort that rewards eating with both hands and slurping lustily. The dish is the brainchild of chef Eric Tran, who earned his low-waste stars at Blue Hill at Stone Barns Dan Barbers temple of farm-to-table cooking in Tarrytown, N.Y. before taking Falansai over from an acquaintance late last year and making it his own. The rest of the menu is full of winners, but those duck necks are required eating, the kind of eye-opening dish that turns a new experience into a new craving. A.S.

112 Harrison Place, Bushwick, Brooklyn

I Can’t Stay Away From The Hugh A Sleek New Food Hall In Midtown East

This stylish new food hall unites 17 food and beverage concepts under one roof, with cuisines from Bangkok, West Africa, and Israel cohabitating in a spacious sky-lit atrium under a canopy of trees surrounded by eye-catching artwork.

Most of the eateries are fast-casual and well-priced, making a visit there quick and affordable. It’s currently open Monday through Friday.

Must-try: Jumieka serves jerk, roti, patties, and more delicious Jamaican cuisine.

Price: Inexpensive

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Burger At The Nomad Bar

The burger at the NoMad Barthe restaurant inside the NoMad Hotel run by the dream team behind Eleven Madison Parkconsistently ranks among the citys best and is a favorite of chefs like Dominique Ansel. The beef patty has plenty of suet and bone marrow, and comes topped with white cheddar and a house-made secret sauce. Wash it down with one of the bars signature cocktails.

For An Authentic Italian Eatery:

Carmines Best for before a Broadway show or visiting Times Square. Make sure you have a reservation.

Locations: Upper West Side & Times Square

Babbo The Olive Oil cake for dessert is a MUST!

Location: Greenwich Village

Becco A great option for vegetarians as they offer substitutions on basically all of their pasta dishes.

Location: Midtown West

Monas Pick:LArtusi in the West Village, or Eataly while not exactly a restaurant itself, Eataly is an indoor Italian marketplace and a must-see in its own right. Eataly offers various spots for pasta, gelato, cheeses, and more.

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