Spending 6 days starting mid-next week. I’ve never been before. Will probably be spending most of the time in Manhattan, other than a trip to Coney Island. Will probably spend some time in Brooklyn as well, but mostly near the bridge.
So where do I go to get the full experience?
You need to define “full experience”. Are you talking 5 star restaurants? If you are from a smaller town you might try all sorts of ethnic restaurants.
I’m from Chicago. Not looking for any fine dining, looking more for the regular New york, must-haves. The hot dogs, the pizza, bagel, Shake Shack and Halal Guys, etc.
My GF is from New York, although she lives with me in Chicago now. Whenever she goes back, she can’t wait to get a knish at one of the food carts, and to eat in a diner. Any diner. She also has to have a few slices of that foldable greasy stuff they call pizza over there. Myself, I like to get a Nathan’s hot dog or two and eat in a few delis.
Puglia’s in Little Italy. They have 2 dining rooms. You don’t want the room with the little square (or were they round?) tables. You want the dining room with the picnic tables set end to end. Their house wine is the dryest Dago Red you’ll ever have, but after the second glass, it’s not too bad. When your bottle gets empty, they’ll take it out back and refill it from the barrel.
When I was stationed there, there was a Sheridan Square Diner. I don’t know if it’s still there, but it was pretty good eating.
Carnegie Deli.
I’ve never been to New York, but I’ve been to Las Vegas, and when I was there most recently I ate at the Carnegie’s sister location in the Mirage, and from that narrow experience, I can recommend it. I got a pastrami sandwich and a side of coleslaw.
The pastrami was transcendental; I mean, I’ve had pastrami sandwiches before, but I don’t think I’ve ever experienced pastrami that was as well-made as this - it was sliced thicker than you’d expect of pastrami, but not too thick, it was masterfully spiced, it was just fatty enough that you could taste it in each bite without it being tough or gristly. Calling the dish a “sandwich” is really sort of a joke - you’ve basically got two thin slices of rye bread with an entire pound of meat stuffed in between them, to the extent that the bread is more of a garnish than an integral part of the meal, and a squeeze bottle of brown mustard on the side. The coleslaw had a definite buttermilk flavor in it, which I haven’t experienced before and I really liked.
I’d like to go to New York at some point myself, and I don’t really intend on doing a lot of fine dining while I’m there (though I’ll probably stop at at least one quality steakhouse), but I do intend on eating plenty of local junk, so I look forward to reading this thread.
They also have a Shake Shack in Vegas, for the record, next door (appropriately enough) to New York New York. The burger I got was good (and cooked to medium, which I wasn’t expecting since most burger places won’t do that by default), and the veggies were very fresh. It wasn’t amazing or life-changing or anything, but it was solid. I also got a side of cheese fries which were very good - just the right level of crisp on the outside, and the cheese sauce seemed to have a sharp cheddar base which is very distinct from the typical cheese sauce that’s based on American cheese.
Which bridge? Brooklyn or Williamsburg?
Either way, you should check out Peter Luger’s Steak House in Williamsburg.
Lombardi’s Pizza downtown.
Maybe grab a burger for lunch at Shake Shack in Madison Square Park (there are others, but that’s the original…it might be closed for renovations though).
That place is a lot of fun. My college pals and I used to meet there every year around Christmas time after we graduated.
They used to have this crazy accordion player there.
It is a teeny bit touristy but I am a big fan of Sardis in the Theater District. It’s not too expensive, has a variety on the menu and feels very New York.
You also need to have a bagel and cream cheese (and/or Whitefish salad) for breakfast or lunch at least one day you are here.
For current info on street/truck/hole-in-the-wall food: Midtown Lunch. In a sort of quasi-ironic twist, midtown has stopped being quite as much of a “wasteland” as their tagline labeled it, in the time since they got started.
Sorry, the Sheridan Square Diner has been a Starbuck’s now for years.
Do your hot dogging at Coney Island, at the original Nathan’s. The chili dogs are okay. The regular with mustard & kraut is better. Don’t expect anything like a Chicago dog. And definitely order the French fries!
The best pizza in the world is (supposedly) at Di Fara’s in Brooklyn on Avenue J. Word got out about ten years ago, so expect a crowd. You can get damn good pizza all over Manhattan and Brooklyn, though, whole or by the slice.
Best bagels are supposed to be H&H in Manhattan and Terrace in Brooklyn. My favorite is the Bagel Hole on 7th Avenue, Brooklyn. Real old world boiled, dense bagels.
For deli, you’ve GOTTA do Katz’s on Houston Street, Manhattan.
And try the seafood. The sea is right here, so it’s not defrosted like most of the fish you get in Chicago.
Juniorshas great sandwiches and incredible cheesecake. Enormous portions. I’ve gone to the ones at Grand Central and Times Square (but not the original in Brooklyn) and loved it.
Deli: The 2nd Ave Deli and Katz’s are both good choices. Don’t be worried about the sandwich prices, as you will get served enough meat to impact your colon. If you go to Katz’s on the Lower East Side, you can also visit nearby Russ & Daughters Appetizing for smoked fish, bagels, and all the good stuff that goes with them, and Yonah Scimmel for knishes. Both those places are unique NYC food experiences.
Pizza: Lombardi’s is the place that started it all and still makes a good pie. They only sell pies and not slices. If you are going out to Coney Island, make sure you go to Totonno’s. There are two Little Italys in New York. The one in Manhattan is completely touristy and is only worth going to if you a) want coffee and desert after eating in Chinatown or b) The Feast of San Gennaro is going on (September 10 to September 20). Otherwise go to the Little Italy on Arthur Ave in the Bronx.
Steak: Peter Luger’s is the real deal. Don’t use their steak sauce on the steak, use it to dress the plate of tomatoes. If you go, bring lots of cash because they don’t take credit cards.
Hot Dogs: I don’t know why someone from Chicago would come to NYC to eat hot dogs, but if you must, I suggest Papaya King or Crif Dogs, if you want creative dogs. I’ve found Nathan’s on Coney Island to be a disappointment. Frankly, I think hot dogs in Jersey are better.
If you want an unusually good, if a little expensive, burger check out brgr. The rainforest is pretty incredible as far as burgers go.
Do yourself a favor: assuming you aren’t dining alone, share the pastrami sandwich (I am a fan of Carnegie Deli). Way too much food for one person. Just pay the plate sharing charge - way cheaper than two sandwiches that you end up not finishing. Might still have room for a piece of cheesecake…
Or better yet, one of you order the sandwich, the other get a bowl of matzoh ball soup. Share both. No plate sharing charge.
BTW, if you head to Katz’s (also highly recommended) Houston Street is pronounced “house-ton” - not like the city in Texas…
One other thing: in New York you almost always have to ask for the check at the end of the meal (at a table service restaurant). Generally they don’t bring it to you when they think you are done.
I went to this place when it first opened and found it severely lacking. The burgers tasted like generic frozen patties and the service was terrible. Maybe they’ve improved in recent years but they sure left a lousy first impression.
Anyway if you want a real good burger the correct place to go is Bill’s Bar & Burger on 9th Ave. Straight from the meatpackers across the street to your mouth.
Can I piggyback on this and ask for recommendations for lunch places within a few blocks or so of the Intrepid Air and Space Museum?
And if anyone has any suggestions around Liberty State Park, that would be appreciated too.
And, pardon my naivete, are there any restaurants on Liberty or Ellis Islands?
Thanks!!
There are concessions on both Liberty and Ellis, but unless you like paying a lot of money for mediocre food, you’d be better off bringing your own.
You have to cross the West Side Highway to get to the rest of Manhattan from the Intrepid. The area around there (Hell’s Kitchen) was pretty bleak when I went there 10+ years ago, with not a lot of shops or restaurants. Seems to have been been developed some since then. The best close option would be the pretty new Gotham West Market on 11th Ave and W 45th St. It’s a food court that convinced some pretty good restaurants and food vendors to open up outposts there. There are some funky ethnic eateries on 10th Ave, but you’d have to walk further.
Ding! Pizzas made one at a time by the original owner.
DINGDINGDING! Carnegie doesn’t hold a candle to Katz’s. They still make the pastrami from navel meat, unlike everybody else.