We love to travel, and I’ve been to NYC more times than I can count. Here are my top recs for where to eat in NYC right now.
Let me start off by saying that it’s genuinely impossible to write a comprehensive NYC food guide. There are thousands of incredible restaurants, and every New Yorker has strong opinions about which ones are the best.
So instead of trying to cover everything, these are the places we actually went on this trip, what we actually ate, and what I’d recommend if you’re planning a visit.
But first, do I have the street cred to talk about NYC food? Why yes, yes I do. I’ve spent a lot of time in NYC over the years, even did an extended stay for 10 weeks right before the pandemic, so even though I live on the West Coast, I know my way around the city pretty well. It’s one of the best food cities in the world, and what I love about it is that there’s always something new. New places pop up constantly, old favorites evolve, and every neighborhood has its own thing going on.
A quick note on portions, too. When we do a “food crawl” as we did in NYC, we share everything and walk 20,000-25,000 steps every day, which is honestly the only way to do it. You eat, you walk, you eat again.
I’ve included my honest ratings for each spot so you know exactly what to expect.
Tips for Eating Well in NYC
- Ask friends and locals. The best recommendations I got were from a friend who sent us to Nishaan for the Pakistani Chopped Cheese. I never would have found that on my own, and it ended up being the best thing I ate all weekend. Ask friends, locals, and (ahem, raises hand) bloggers who have spent time there.
- Walk between spots. New York is a walking city, and some of the best food is spread across different neighborhoods. We covered a lot of ground on foot and stumbled into great places along the way. If you’re able to walk, walk. If not, public transportation is excellent.
- Don’t skip the “tourist” spots entirely. Some of the famous places are famous for a reason. The cronut at Dominique Ansel is still incredible, and Nathan’s is a rite of passage even if it’s not the best hot dog you’ll ever eat.
- Go hungry. The portions in New York are generous, and you’re going to want to try a lot of things. We paced ourselves between spots, and I’d recommend doing the same.
Burgers & Sandwiches
1. Au Cheval — Tribeca
One of the best burgers I’ve ever had, hands down.
You’ve probably heard of Au Cheval if you follow any food accounts on Instagram. They’re famous for their burger, and I can tell you that it lives up to the hype. Get the egg on top. The burger is rich, perfectly cooked, and the kind of thing you think about for days after. We started our weekend here and it set the bar incredibly high for the rest of the trip.
My rating: 9.5 out of 10.
Instagram: @auchevaldiner
2. Nishaan (The Pakistani Chopped Cheese) — East Village
The best bite of the entire trip. Go here. I’m serious.
My favorite bite of the entire weekend was the Pakistani Chopped Cheese at Nishaan. A friend recommended it, and I’m so glad they did. It’s called the Pakistani chopped cheese, and it’s honestly one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had. Nishaan started as a food truck and won Season 18 of The Great Food Truck Race before opening their brick-and-mortar spot in the East Village. The flavors are bold, the sandwich is perfectly made, and I can’t stop thinking about it. If you go to New York and can only do one spot, go here.
My rating: 10 out of 10.
Instagram: @eatnishaan
3. Nathan’s Famous — Carts throughout the city
Not the best hot dog you’ll ever have, but you have to do it once.
I’m not a big hot dog person, so take my rating with that context. Nathan’s is a super famous hot dog stand in New York, and it was fine. Not something I’d go out of my way for, but if you’ve never had one, you should have one. It’s a rite of passage. They have carts all over the city, so you’ll probably walk right past one. If I did it again I’d get the corndog bites.
My rating: 6 out of 10.
Instagram: @originalnathans
Pizza
4. NY Pizza Suprema — Midtown (near Penn Station)
An award-winning pizza spot that actually deserves the awards.
NY Pizza Suprema has been around since 1964, and they’ve been written up everywhere. Anthony Bourdain used to go here. They have a ton of different pizzas, and it’s cool to watch them make them. I went in with high expectations and it actually delivered. Really good pizza.
A quick note on NY pizza in general. Slice places are good! But 7.5 is probably my highest rating for a walk-in pizza joint because I’m a pizza snob and prefer a Neopolitan pizza. So, go to NY Pizza Suprema if you’re in the area.
My rating: 7.5 out of 10.
Instagram: @nypizzasuprema
5. Scarr’s Pizza — Lower East Side
Still good, but not quite what it used to be.
Scarr’s Pizza is a well-known spot in New York, and I went that night hoping for the sausage pizza I remembered. I have to say, it’s not the same as it used to be. (Sorry! Ugh, I hate saying that, but I have to be honest. I liked the old one better, but I’ve accepted it and still recommended it.) They moved locations (just across the street), and things change. That said, it was still good pizza with quality ingredients (they mill their own flour, which is pretty cool). I’d still recommend it and I’ll still go back, just with slightly tempered expectations.
My rating: 7 out of 10.
Instagram: @scarrspizza
Bakeries & Bagels
6. Dominique Ansel Bakery (The Cronut) — SoHo
Yes, the original cronut is still worth it.
Some local friends surprised us on our first day there and sent us the cronut and some pastries from Dominique Ansel Bakery, which was SO sweet, and I’m so glad they did. If you don’t know, the cronut is a mix between a donut and a croissant, and Dominique Ansel is the bakery that invented it. This is the original, and it’s incredible. If you’ve been putting it off because you think it’s just hype, trust me, go get one. I’m not a sweets person, and still am giving this a 10/10 in the pastries category.
My rating: 10 out of 10
Instagram: @dominiqueanselbakery
7. Utopia Bagels — Midtown (also in Whitestone, Queens)
The best bagel I’ve had in New York, and I’ve had a lot of bagels in New York.
I’ve tried a lot of bagels in New York City over the years, and Utopia Bagels was the one. The outer crust is perfectly crispy, the inside is chewy in exactly the right way, and the scallion cream cheese was fantastic. We ordered from the Midtown location on DoorDash to our hotel near Madison Square Park, and it arrived in 15 minutes. If you’re a bagel person (and if you’re going to New York, you should be), put this one on your list.
My rating: 9 out of 10.
Instagram: @utopiabagels
Casual Dining & Drinks
8. The Little Ned — NoMad
Great cocktails and a fun bite of caviar in a beautiful setting.
The Little Ned is a nice cocktail bar inside The Ned NoMad hotel, and it’s a lovely spot if you want a drink and a small bite. The cocktails are always well-made, and we got a little caviar, which was a fun splurge. It’s not a full dinner destination, but as a place to swing by for a drink and a snack, it’s excellent. It gets packed quickly after 5 pm, but if you get there early, you can usually get a spot.
My rating: 8 out of 10.
Instagram: @littlenednewyork
9. Serafina — Upper East Side
A solid spot for breakfast or brunch when you need something classic.
We swung into Serafina for a little omelet, and it was exactly what we needed to start the day. The food is good, not mindblowing, but reliable and well-made. The service is always great and they have multiple locations in the city. It’s the kind of place you can pop into when you want something traditional and satisfying. I’d definitely eat breakfast here again.
My rating: 7 out of 10.
Instagram: @serafinanewyork
10. Jajaja Mexicana (Ha Ha Ha) — Hudson Yards (also in West Village, Lower East Side, and Williamsburg)
A vegan Mexican spot that’s fun even if you’re not vegan.
Jajaja (pronounced “ha ha ha”) is a vegan restaurant, and I’m not vegan, but I like this kind of food. The nachos were good, and the birria tacos were excellent. If you’re judging it against regular birria tacos, it’s a 6 out of 10. But for vegan food? It’s a 9 out of 10, easily. We went to the Hudson Yards location (oddly in the back of a Whole Foods), but I actually prefer the West Village and Lower East Side spots for the vibe. A great option if you’re looking for something plant-based or if you have vegan friends and want to eat somewhere everyone will be happy.
My rating: 6 out of 10 overall (9 out of 10 for vegan food)
Instagram: @jajajamexicana
My Thoughts on Eating in NYC
New York has an overwhelming number of places to eat, and honestly, that’s part of the fun. You could visit ten times and never eat at the same place twice. These are simply the places I went on this trip and genuinely enjoyed.
If I had to pick my top three from this trip: Nishaan for the Pakistani chopped cheese (10/10), the cronut from Dominique Ansel (10/10), and the Au Cheval burger (9.5/10). Those three bites alone made the whole weekend worth it.
If you’ve been to New York and have a favorite spot I should try next time, share it in the comments below. I’ll keep updating this list as we go back.
Cheers!
Want More Travel Tips?
Check out more of my best travel tips here.
The post Where to Eat in NYC appeared first on Elizabeth Rider – Modern Healthy Living.
Leave a Reply