I had the chance to spend a week in New York (Manhattan) earlier this year in spring. Thanks to my amazing friends who hosted me, here are my top 10 eats amongst a lot of other good bites. Let me preface by sharing that I definitely have a sweet tooth so there are definitely some places that are solely for desserts. But I think they’re definitely worth a visit too!
- Patiala Indian Grill – This was definitely my favorite meal of the trip! We got a tandoori mix grill, lamb biryani, shrimp saag, and naan. But honestly, I think anything would be delicious here which is crazy because the menu has so many options! Everything was super flavorful (as in spicy with spices and not just spicy heat) and I kept eating even after I was full. It was just so good! If I lived in NY, I would want to come here once a week just to try something new each time. The level of quality and flavor was comparable to the food I got to eat in the UK during my year abroad so if you know, you know!
- Glace – I was slightly doubtful, but this hot chocolate lives up to the viral hype. The hot chocolate is chocolate-ly enough (not too watery and not too viscous), the “whipped cream” is a creamy froth of creme anglaise (maybe? hard to describe but it’s so good!), and the ring of marshmallow is a perfect meringue. The whole thing is the definition of an elevated hot chocolate and is so worth the $10 price tag! Note: If you’re there in time for the frozen hot chocolate, I think it’s even better than the hot!
- Russ and Daughters – A classic for good reasons! This place was so good I went back twice in one week and got the same thing – a classic bagel and lox with scallion cream cheese. The everything bagel had a nice chew and was flavorful. The proportions of salmon and cream cheese were also perfect. You know how sometimes there can be too much of one thing and the balance is off? Not here! We also tried an egg cream, chocolate babka, cabbage salad, and potato salad the second time we came back! I definitely think the savory items (salads) are better than the sweets of all the ones we tried, but there’s so many choices in general so maybe I just didn’t get the right sweets. And by choices, I mean that the place has dried fruits, nuts, caviar, roe, soups, smoked fish, and also herring! Note: The place is definitely popular so expect a 20-30 minute wait or you can order ahead online about an hour before! There’s also a few locations so make sure to do a little research!
- Sarge’s – Another classic! Why do all the classics have so many options? We stuck to the most popular items and got matzo ball soup, blintzes, potato salad, cole slaw, sauerkraut, pastrami sandwich, and cheesecake. Honestly, everything was delicious and the service was warm as well. Note: They are also on GoldBelly if you can’t get to NY for some world-class pastrami!
- S’MAC – This was my solo adventure night and small confession, I centered it around this place just because of the photos. And now that I’ve been, it really is as good as it looks! The bubbling cheese, the cheese pull, and the actual cheesiness of the dish were sublime. They have a variety option (medium size pan) but it’s probably best for sharing as even the small option (that I got) was definitely enough for one person!
- Pio Pio 8 – What a way to start a Monday! There’s not a lot of Peruvian options in SoCal, so I was so very excited when my friends suggested this as it is one of their favorites. Must gets are Juanita’s Chicken (tender, juicy rotisserie chicken), Camarones Cuzco (shrimps in this creamy, garlicy, pepper sauce), and Chicha Morada (Peruvian spiced corn drink).
- Chip City – This was a sleeper hit for me. I had never heard of it before but it was my friend’s recommendation of another cookie shop besides Levain. Chip City makes cookies the way I love cookies – warm, gooey, and decadent. Perfect for those late night cookie cravings if you’re like me. Did you know they also have ice cream?!?! And a weekly menu so the flavors are constantly changing? Note: There are multiple locations outside of New York so it was a little lower on the list. Unfortunately, those do not include SoCal (mostly East Coast).
- Urban Hawker – This was the food hall we visited after our Broadway show but note that most places were closed by then (a little before 9). Since most places were closed, we only got to try a couple things so I would love to go back! The vibe was great, and there were quite a bit of options for Malaysian/Singaporean street food which I don’t think is very common, at least in SoCal.
- Red Rooster Harlem – A great Southern food option if you’re craving it! The decor is delightful and homey and if you’re lucky, there’s live music which always just provides the best vibes! We got crab cake, fried chicken, mac and cheese with lobster, shrimp and grits, and collard greens. For drinks, we got a pitcher of Garvey’s Punch – definitely the way to go! I think we got at least 6 glasses out of the pitcher! It had a punch (pun not intended) but was easy to drink, just sweet enough, and complimented the food well. All the food was really solid and was a nice reminder of all the Southern food I had when I lived in Texas and traveled around in the south. The dessert was fine but not as good as the savory items.
- Shanghai Time – There’s nothing that quite hits the same as pizza and dumplings after a day of flying! Although I don’t think it’s a must eat, it’s a solid option if you’re in the area and are craving soup dumplings or wontons.
Runner ups include cookies from Levain, patatas bravas from Mercado Little Spain, snack cakes (fancy “Twinkies”) from Empire Cake, chocolate babka from Kossar’s, snow sundaes from Sweet Laboratory by Hanamizuki, and the banana pudding from Magnolia Bakery.
Overall, New York City is such an amazing hub for foodies and I don’t think I ever had a bad bite. Not to say that’s not possible (as I had great local tour guides), but I also think there are other great places yet to be discovered. Hopefully, this list provides a helpful start!
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