13 Dec NYC EATS PART ONE: THE AMERICAN FOOD LIST
New York City has more than 24,000 eating establishments this includes takeaways, delis and cafés. Therefore this is by no means a full and comprehensive list of all the places to eat in NYC… Heck I’ve been there 5 times so far and I’ve barely scratched the surface! This list consists of places I have been to and eaten at. I am a travel loving foodie (with a sweet tooth) so this is a glimpse into some of my ‘American style’ favourites.
New York is a multicultural city which reminds me a lot of Melbourne. You can eat cuisine from all over the world every day of the week for months. It’s no wonder that some New Yorkers don’t even have a kitchen in their apartment. Why would you when the world of food is on your doorstep. In this post I’ll cover what I call ‘The American’ Food list.
So let’s begin this food journey…
DELI
Katz Deli: This is an experience!! Such a real NYC feel. Home to the world’s greatest pastrami sandwich and where Harry met Sally was filmed. It’s NY’s most iconic deli. It Opened in 1888. I’ve been here twice and despite it being the place to get a great sandwich I’ve only ever ordered a plain bagel with cream cheese! Sometimes the simple things in life are often the best. My Tip: Don’t lose your ticket. It will cost you $50!
Russ & Daughters: Just like Katz it has that real NYC feel. Try the traditional Raspberry Rugelach. This fresh baked delight includes raspberries, currants, walnuts and cinnamon in an all-natural butter crust. They also opened a café in recent years which I’m yet to visit.
PANCAKES
Clinton st baking company: the best pancakes!! Voted number one pancakes many times. Make sure you get there about 15mins before they open as people tend to line up to get in here. A 30min wait for a table can be normal. I ordered the blueberry pancakes…wow…wow…wow!!
Tavern on the Green: This place is a restored Central Park icon serving American style food in an elegant setting with a courtyard and garden seating. I booked a table here for weekend brunch and the pancakes with bacon and maple syrup were great. The food here is just as good as the views and location. Looking out the huge floor to ceiling windows out onto the snow in Central Park topped it for me.
PIZZA
I Love NYC style pizza. They are big slices with not much topping but so much flavour. Once again it’s the simplicity of it that wins me over.
Lombardi’s Pizza (the first US pizzeria)…make sure you order the meatballs on your pizza…delicious.
Joe’s pizza (this was in the Spiderman movie).
Grimaldi’s Pizzeria is world famous with lines to wait for a table sometimes over an hour long (they don’t do takeaway). A little tip I discovered but have not tried yet is the pizza place next door to Grimaldi’s called Juliana’s. It’s apparently just as good if not better as it’s owned by the pizza legend Patsi Grimaldi who sold his original store along with the name!
BURGERS
The burger joint: This place is a burger bar hidden behind a curtain inside the Hotel Lobby at Le Parker Meridian hotel. Its super cool and the burgers are great but the place is small so expect a wait for a table or opt for take-out.
Shake shack: there are many locations around but my favourite and the original is in Madison Square Park. If you’re seeing a Broadway show the Theater district location makes for an ideal quick lunch or dinner spot to get your Shack burger fix. Make sure you try a concrete (flavour combo’s change with location) it’s a dense frozen custard ice cream blended at high speed with mix in’s. The Pretzel concrete (at the Theater District) would be my pick…chocolate custard, peanut butter sauce, chocolate covered pretzels and marshmallow sauce.
BAKERY TREATS
City Bakery- You must try the hot chocolate with homemade marsh mellow and pretzel croissant
Dominque Ansel Bakery- This place is more French than American but this is where the cronut was created so I’ve added it here. All the pastries here are delicious. The cronut flavour changes monthly and there is a limit of 2 cronuts per person. I’ve been there 2 times and I didn’t experience a line up for them however I’ve heard it does happen so be prepared to wait, miss out or time your visit wisely. Both times I went it was mid-morning, once while it was raining and the other time snowing. I also tried the DKA and the lobster tail and both were amazing. The cookie shot looks great but is only served later in the afternoon so I’m yet to try this.
Levain Bakery- cookies from heaven!! Seriously!! I took some with me to eat on the plane on the way home. This place is so cute and tiny and smells amazing. Be prepared to wait in line for these, however once again I did not experience a line on my visit as it had just snowed and was very cold out…yay for me!! The cookies are chunky and gooey in the middle. I tried the Chocolate chip walnut which is the most popular and the dark chocolate chip. They also sell breads, scones and brioche. Each day any unsold goods are donated to charity.
Doughnut Plant: similar to Shortstop doughnuts here in Melbourne. They are made by hand using natural ingredients. Try the crème brulee
Juniors- the plain cheesecake here is amazing. Once again it’s simple done well. I’ve been here on every visit to NYC. I always order the plain cheesecake and I’ve always eaten it before taking a photo of it. Sorry! You will just have to go try it and see for yourself!
Sigmund’s Pretzels: City Kitchen in Times Square is where you will find the best pretzels from a cute little cart called Sigmund’s pretzels. They have several savoury and sweet options such as truffle cheddar or cinnamon raison. The cart can move locations so check either their website or Instagram for details. During the Christmas season you might find them at the Union Square market.
Sprinkles Cupcakes: this is my favourite place to get cupcakes in NYC. They have great flavour combos and are the freshest cupcakes I’ve ever tried. I can’t resist the lemon & coconut. They also have a cupcake ATM at the Lexington Ave store which dispenses freshly baked cupcakes 24/7!
Magnolia Bakery: You would think this is the place for the best cupcakes but sadly no. I was disappointed by the tasteless dry experience! Instead get the world renowned banana pudding… layers of vanilla wafers, fresh bananas and creamy vanilla pudding.
BAGELS
Ess a Bagel & Absolute Bagels: Nothing like a NY bagel. Anything here is good. I crave NYC bagels.
CANDY
Economy Candy: This store is stocked from floor to ceiling with all types of candy from past to present. You really do feel like a ‘kid in a candy store’ here. It’s been called New York’s greatest and craziest candy store. You can get pretty much get any type of candy here from PEZ dispensers to gummy bears.
HOTDOGS
Here is where I confess that the only hotdog I’ve eaten in NYC was while watching the New York Knicks play at Madison Square Garden…cliché I know but it makes for a great memory for me! I’ve had 2 places on my list to try and that is Crif Dogs and Gray’s Papaya. I don’t ever plan on trying a ‘dirty dog’ from the sidewalk carts. I’m not that daring!
FRIED CHICKEN
Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken: This casual eatery by the Bromberg Brothers serves up world famous fried chicken using a simple recipe that’s all about natural flavour. I really enjoyed the crunchy outside and juicy tender inside. The flavour had a spice to it that was perfect enough not to overpower the taste of the overall dish. They also have a great range of signature sauces and honeys to go with your chicken.
Stay tuned for Part two: NYC food destinations (Markets & food courts)
Until Next time…keep living the dream X
