A GLUTTON’S GUIDE TO NEW YORK

New York is ideal for a variety of trips – trips based around theatre shows, trips for aesthetes to indulge in galleries, trips to marvel at the Renaissance revival architecture… the list is pretty much endless. One thing that is definitely under-appreciated, however, is the foodie scene in the city. There are endless beautiful places for gourmands (such as yours truly) to spend an week or so, absolutely stuffing their faces with this fine cuisine – and I’m going to take a wild guess here and assume that you, dear reader, are also a self-proclaimed glutton. You might want to whip out a notebook and prepare yourself to be blessed with the best places to venture to in the city – and you can thank me later (when you’re too full to move and have nothing better to do than lazily send off comments).

Yonah Schimmel’s Knish Bakery 

Despite going out of my way to try every single type of food I’ve ever had the opportunity to gorge on, I’d still never come across knishes until I went to Yonah Schimmel’s bakery. Not only are their knishes absolutely gorgeous and perfect for filling yourself up on a budget, but they’re also ideal for eating alongside other forms of classic Jewish comfort food, such as potato lakte and homemade borscht. Their walls are full of newspaper articles and photos from the past 100 or so years, and everything about this place is super cosy and welcome.

Katz’s Delicatessen

The iconic location for where Harry met his good pal Sally, this deli is the cutest place on the East Side. It’s usually quite busy (which honestly isn’t unexpected considering the film history of the establishment), but waiting a couple minutes to be seated and served some of the nicest pastrami of your life is definitely worth it. Established in 1888, it’s also one of the oldest places in the city – it’s super cool to sit back in a place where so much has happened.

The Pickle Guys

I’m not going to lie to you – I’ve never actually been a big fan of pickles. Whenever my family would take us out for burgers, I would pick out the gherkins to avoid eating them – and yet, in NYC, I found myself sauntering over to this little old-fashioned pickle place. They offer a full range of flavours from sweet to sour – and all of them are delicious. You’re able to wander into the shop, gawp at their plethora of pickled goods, and choose which ones you want to try straight from the barrel. It’s one helluva experience, let me tell you.

carlo’s bakery

After having watched Cake Boss for the past million years (and having still not picked up the ability to even bake a simple cupcake), I wanted nothing more than to visit the renowned Carlo’s Bakery whilst in the city. It turned out to be just as epic as expected, with their baked goods both tasting and looking absolutely gorgeous. Honestly though, if I’m allowed to spout a little sacrilege – the location at Hoboken in New Jersey is so much better and prettier. And there’s a lot less people.

   

Takumi taco

Takumi Taco is located in the beautiful Chelsea Market – which is very historic in regards to the fact that it was built to host the National Biscuit Company (that’s where Oreos came from). Amongst this notable setting is this lovely little Mexican-cum-Japanese food stall. My absolute favourite thing to order at Takumi is their rice bowl, which boasts just the right amount of spice, protein, and flavour, to make you fall in love with it. I also love their burritos, as they’re ideal for taking on the go and snacking as you wander around the market itself. Be sure to check out their beautiful iced teas – especially their peach flavour.

Beecher’s Handmade Cheese

I would have mentioned this place first, had I not felt like it would definitely overpower all of the other places I visited in New York (and as you can see, there’s a lot of them). Beecher’s is hands down my absolute favourite place in the city, and no trip would be complete without spending at least a couple hours at this stunning little restaurant. I love everything about it – from the pretty interior design (namely a feature ceiling, stripped back to the bare bones), to the fact that you can see the cheesemongers doing their thing at their stations behind a glass panel, to the staff being the friendliest ever. Obviously, one of the best things to order is their charcuterie and cheese board – with the cheese being absolutely divine. Another gorgeous item that they have on offer is their Wagyu burgers, which are very tender and very delicious. Overall, it’s the best place in the city – and their array of mocktails only happen to make it all that little bit better.

Seed and mill

Having never tried halva before, I was intrigued to find that the name is derived from the Arabic word halwa (meaning ‘sweet’), and that the concept of halva has been brought all the way from the Middle East to this little market store in New York. They make traditional varieties such as pistachio and rose oil, but also offer flavours such as cardamom and sea salt dark chocolate (with the latter being my personal favourite). Each flavour is absolutely delicious, and unexpectedly moorish. Seed and Mill also offers halva with ice-cream, which is a combination I couldn’t help but fall in love with. Due to the fact that I have Crohn’s, I physically cannot digest even the concept of dairy – meaning that their vegan options are pretty convenient for me, without compromising on flavour. The staff are all super friendly and very energetic (perfect for a Saturday morning), and their Instagram account is always full of delicious-looking concoctions (it also has about 20 times more followers than me, so it’s gotta be epic).

Doughnuttery

Never have I eaten so many doughnuts before in my life. One of the best things about this place is that you get to see them deep fat fry the dough and powder them right in front of you, and there’s about a million flavours to choose from. If you’re looking to fall in love and start a love affair with a doughnut, then my top five favourites to try are:

• Chai Me to the Moon: black tea, cinnamon, cardamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and black pepper
• Purple Pig (AKA me after eating 25 doughnuts): maple, purple potatoes, and bacon
• Green Tea Buzz: green tea matcha, honey, and ginger
• PB+J: peanut butter and grape jelly (strangely enough)
• The timeless classic plain vanilla glaze with sprinkles

Lion lion

Whilst not solely a food establishment, Lion Lion is a place that I could nevertheless not resist mentioning. Not only do they serve the most delicious cocktails, but it’s also the one place in Harlem that I would actually venture to at unholy hours of the night. Going from the cold and quiet outside to a bustling and warm inside, where the servers greet you like old friends and you’re surrounded by nothing but chatty locals, it’s a pretty lovely place. The red mood lighting is perfect for a lil’ photography sesh, and the music choice is flawless.

Emporio

The only actual Italian place that I managed to visit in the whole of Nolita (Northern Little Italy), Emporio is a gorgeous little restaurant which serves the most divine pizza, cooked right in front of you in a traditional 700+ degree stone oven. It’s one of the only places that passes as serving genuine Napoli pizza, with every other one of their pizzas also being delicious. My personal favourite is the prosciutto and arugula (also known as rocket, to my fellow non-Americans) – which is designed just so that it happens to match the exact colours of the Italian flag. Coincidence? I think not. Also, let it be known that their crusts are to die for – I would genuinely purchase bucket loads of just the crust.

tacombi 

The first thing you notice about this restaurant is that it is left partly open, with the front of the place spilling out onto the street. When you walk in, you see a classic VW Campervan where you can pick up bits and bobs, before taking a seat at one of the little wooden tables to order your food. The food itself is gorgeous, with my absolute favourite being their Mexican roasted corn – which features just enough flavour to make you forget that corn isn’t usually a staple dish, and just enough spice to remind you you’re alive. Everything about this place is super laid back and chill; one of the main reasons that you will keep coming back for more.

little cupcake bakeshop

To be completely honest with you, before visiting this bakeshop I had never heard of the Brooklyn blackout cupcake – but quickly learnt that as a visitor, it’s something you really must try. They’re absolutely delicious and dangerously moorish, rendering it a combination that is sure to have you buying whole boxes. I can promise you that you won’t find a better rendition of this cupcake anywhere else in the borough.

seamore’s

Serving grub much fancier than that which you would find on the seafront in Falmouth, Seamore’s specialises in gastronome fish and chips – and will definitely raise your standards to an inconvenient high for the popular dish. On one of the walls, there’s a large instalment which suggests which fish you should order based on the fresh catches of the day. Their selection of white wines go perfectly with the dishes, and their sweet potato fries are some of the nicest sides I have ever tried. Despite being in the Little Italy district, there is something inherently British about the place – which, quite frankly, might be why I am so drawn to it.

stick with me sweets

If you’re looking for that perfect Instagram pic of bright, shiny, pretty little hand-painted bonbons, then you’ve come to the right place. Everything is very aesthetically pleasing, and the amount of variation between the different styles and flavours really makes you want to try them all. My personal favourite is their salted caramel truffle, which is the most delicious bonbon I have ever tasted in my whole entire life (and, I fear, will ever taste).

Veniero’s

Even in the dead of night, Veniero’s will be bustling with hoards of local dessert enthusiasts. It’s officially one of my favourite places in the city (along with being one of the oldest running restaurants in NYC), and everything about it is lovely – especially the stained-glass ceiling above your head. If you’re going to try a famous New York cheesecake then the only acceptable place to buy one is here, in this little busy piece of history located in the unlikely heart of Chinatown.

Oyster Bar

I had never tried clam chowder before, but I’d always been curious about what it was. When I came across this gorgeous little vaulted oyster bar in the heart of Grand Central Terminal on a food tour, I knew that I had to try their chowder – and boy, I was not disappointed. Not only is the bar super suave and pretty, but the food is gorgeous. Plus, the fact that you’re in arguably the most famous station in the world really has an appeal to it.

sidewalk food tours

One of the first food tours I happened to find myself on in the city, Sidewalk Food Tours stopped at many more places than any other company. Not only did we have the ability to try a wide array of dishes at a range of places, but we also ended up with a decent amount of leftovers – meaning that technically, this food tour kept me fed for two days.

Our tour guide, Adam, was one of the nicest people ever, and was full to the brim with fun local facts and suggestions. He was super chill and laid-back, and was more than happy to bring out more of our favourites dishes just because he could. After the tour – where he gave us leftover doughnut pieces and offered us endless gherkins – he walked us to the subway station and stayed with us until we had to leave, which was a real nice touch.

Overall, this tour felt more like hanging out with friends and snacking on a bottomless pit of gorgeous food than an organised business taking you to pre-determined stops. It was a lot of fun, and the fact that they offer several tours visiting other cool areas of the city only makes me want to go with them again.

Foods of NY

Having heard so much about the area of Nolita (namely about the gangsters and Mafia), I was very excited to be able to go on a tour here with Foods of NY. Our tour guide was a very energetic actress called Manuela Sosa, who made sure that we did not lose even a single second of focus. She was very animated and lively, and I genuinely think that this is the only tour where I didn’t drop concentration once. She was more involved in the owners and chefs of the places than on the other tours, meaning that we were able to meet everyone behind the scenes and tell them how much we loved their places personally, which was pretty nice.

When we arrived, we were handed bottles of water and a little insiders guide from FNYT, which talks about the best places to visit in the city (and also includes a subway guide which is useful) – and it was a cool touch.

The food itself was gorgeous, even if a lot less Italian than I had expected – who knew that Lolita wasn’t made up solely of pizza and pasta? Overall, it became one of the most memorable tours I’ve ever been on – and the fact that our group was made up of funny, likeminded travellers also helped further that.

Manhattan walking tour

The best part about this tour is the fact that their portions were ridiculously large – as one has come to associate with ‘Merica. I’m pretty sure that I ate about the equivalent of five full courses on this tour – and the feeling that you’re on the verge of bursting at the seams is one that you should definitely witness when on a tour devoted entirely to the consumption of food.

Our guide, Nancy, was super lovely, and seemed to know the whole city like the back of her hand. She took us on a Grand Central tour – to beautiful places filled with beautiful food. Despite it not being on the itinerary, Nancy bought us all hot beverages at a stop because a member of our group was craving a coffee – and it’s that going-the-extra-mile vibe that really made me enjoy with this tour so much. She offered us suggestions of other places to visit, and gave us directions to the gorgeous Chrysler Building at the end of the tour. Afterwards, as promised, she sent me an email filled with recaps and tips on other nice places to eat at, and it really made it a wholesome, fun experience.

And so, have you guys ever visited any of these places, or fancy following this guide and checking out each place, one after another? If so, let me know in the comments below!

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