Ask anyone what you should eat in New York City, and you’ll get a familiar, almost rehearsed answer: a greasy slice of pizza, a warm bagel with a schmear, maybe a hot dog from a street cart. And look, they’re not wrong. Those things are iconic for a reason, and you should probably try them. But to stop there? That’s like visiting Paris and only eating croissants. You’d be missing the entire point.
New York isn’t just a city; it’s a sprawling, chaotic, and breathtakingly diverse collection of kitchens. It’s a city where you can eat your way across five continents just by hopping on the 7 train. Here at Cities Weekly, we’ve dedicated more hours—and frankly, more of our budget—than we’d care to admit to mapping out the city’s true culinary soul. We've argued over the best soup dumplings, debated the merits of old-school versus new-school soul food, and gotten hopelessly lost in Queens looking for a specific food truck we saw on Instagram.
This isn’t a checklist. It’s an itinerary born from experience, from trial and error, and from a deep-seated belief that the real magic of New York food happens just beyond the postcard clichés. So, let’s eat.
Day 1: History and Hipsters in the East Village
Let’s start somewhere grounded in history, but with a modern pulse. The East Village and Lower East Side are a perfect microcosm of New York’s evolution. They’re layered with immigrant history, punk rock grit, and now, a whole lot of very chic, very expensive cocktail bars.
Forget the bagel for breakfast. Instead, head to the Lower East Side and get in line at Katz’s Delicatessen. Yes, it’s famous. Yes, it’s full of tourists. But the pastrami on rye is a non-negotiable rite of passage. It’s a mountain of hand-carved, pepper-crusted meat that’s so tender it feels like an affront to every other sandwich you’ve ever eaten. The ticket system is confusing, the place is loud, and it’ll cost you more than you think a sandwich should. It's worth it. Grab your ticket, find a spot, and just soak it in.
For the afternoon, let’s get a little more current. Our researcher, Sarah, is a fiend for Taiwanese food and she basically forced the team to Bao Tea House near NYU one afternoon. We were a little skeptical, expecting just another trendy snack spot. Honestly, the pillowy softness of their steamed buns—filled with everything from braised pork belly to fried chicken—is something you have to feel to understand. It’s a perfect, handheld bite to keep you going.
Dinner is where the East Village really shines. The area is packed with tiny, ambitious restaurants. Getting a reservation can be a competitive sport, so plan ahead or be prepared to wait. We’ve had some incredible meals at places that are almost impossible to get into, like the southern Indian spot Semma. But on a recent Tuesday, we managed to snag a couple of seats at the bar at Hanoi House, and it was a game-changer. The pho is rich and complex, a world away from the watered-down versions you might be used to. The vibe is buzzing, a little cramped, and feels exactly like New York should.
Day 2: Taking the 7 Train to the World’s Kitchen
Manhattan is great, but the soul of New York’s immigrant food scene? That’s in Queens. Today, we’re heading to Flushing. The subway ride itself is part of the adventure. As you travel deeper into Queens, you’ll watch the faces and hear the languages change at every stop.
When you emerge from the Main Street station in Flushing, it’s a sensory overload. The streets are bustling, the signage is mostly in Chinese and Korean, and the air smells like a tantalizing mix of grilled meats, fried dough, and medicinal herbs. Don’t be intimidated. Your destination is one of the neighborhood's legendary food courts, like the one in the New World Mall. It’s chaos. It’s loud. Finding a table is a free-for-all. But that’s the beauty of it.
We had a team mission last fall: find the city’s best Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings). The debate got heated, centering on two Flushing giants. In the end, we landed on Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao. The delicate skin, the rich, savory broth inside, and the tender pork filling—it’s a craft they’ve perfected. The crab and pork ones are particularly sublime. You’ll probably order one basket, then immediately order another.
If dumplings aren’t your scene, or if you just want a second lunch (we support this), hop back on the 7 train for a few stops to Jackson Heights. This is the epicenter of South Asian and South American food. You can find incredible Tibetan momos at Phayul or life-altering Colombian arepas from the famous Arepa Lady.
Day 3: Soul and Story in Harlem
Food is never just food; it’s culture, it’s history, it’s community. Nowhere is that more true than in Harlem. For decades, this has been the heart of Black culture in America, and its food scene tells that story.
For lunch, you’re faced with a classic choice: Sylvia’s or Red Rooster. Think of it as the institution versus the modern icon. Sylvia’s, the “Queen of Soul Food,” has been serving up legendary fried chicken, collard greens, and mac ‘n’ cheese since 1962.
Our team is split, honestly. But if you want the unvarnished, foundational experience, you go to Sylvia’s. The fried chicken is crispy, the collards are smoky, and the cornbread is sweet. It’s pure, unadulterated comfort.
For dinner, you can dig even deeper into the neighborhood's fabric. We’ve noticed a real boom in incredible West African restaurants in the area often called “Little Senegal” around W 116th Street. A place like Le Baobab offers a completely different, but equally vital, taste of the African diaspora. The dibi lamb and thiebou dieune (fish and rice) are fantastic and provide a glimpse into the neighborhood’s ever-evolving culinary landscape.
Day 4: Beyond the Brooklyn Cliché
Ah, Brooklyn. The land of hipsters, artisanal everything, and strollers. Right? Well, yes and no. To understand Brooklyn’s food scene, you have to look past the Williamsburg caricature.
Sure, you could go to Williamsburg for an expensive avocado toast, but why would you? The neighborhood does have some genuinely great spots if you know where to look. We were blown away by the Peruvian-inspired menu at Llama Inn, which has a rooftop patio that makes you forget you’re in the middle of a concrete jungle.
But for a real taste of contemporary Brooklyn, we recommend pushing further out to Bushwick. It’s grittier, more artistic, and its food scene feels more organic. Everyone knows Roberta’s for its pizza—and yeah, it’s great—but the neighborhood’s character is better found elsewhere. We’ve had some phenomenal, boundary-pushing Vietnamese food at Falansai. Or, for something more casual, just wander around the Jefferson Street stop on the L train and check out the fantastic taco trucks. That feels more like the real Bushwick of right now.
On the other hand… we almost made this day all about new-wave Brooklyn before our editor, Mark, reminded us of the old-school magic. Head to a neighborhood like Carroll Gardens or Bensonhurst. Here, you’ll find Italian-American bakeries and pork stores that have been run by the same families for a century. Grabbing a cannoli or a prosciutto-stuffed loaf of bread from a place that has seen generations of neighbors come and go? That’s a Brooklyn experience that no trendy tasting menu can replicate.
Day 5: The Grand Finale—Splurge or Discover
For your last day, it’s time to choose your own adventure. Do you go for a once-in-a-lifetime splurge, or do you spend the day on a final, delicious discovery?
The Splurge: If the budget allows, a high-end tasting menu in New York is more than just a meal; it’s a performance. We sent a writer to Atomix for a report, and he came back a changed man. The meticulous Korean-inspired courses, the serene atmosphere, the sheer artistry of it—it’s an exploration of food as an intellectual and emotional experience. It costs a fortune and requires a reservation booked weeks, if not months, in advance. But for a special occasion, it’s unforgettable.
The Discovery: On the flip side, some of the best days are the least planned. Spend your last day just getting lost in the West Village. It’s one of the few neighborhoods that still feels somewhat residential and charmingly old-world. Pop into Faicco's Italian Specialties for an epic sandwich, grab a coffee, and just wander. Or, if it’s a weekend between April and October, brave the crowds at Smorgasburg, the massive outdoor food market in Williamsburg or Prospect Park.
So, What's the Takeaway?
After all our eating and all our research, the one thing our team can unanimously agree on is this: there is no single "best" food in New York. The city’s culinary scene is a living, breathing organism. It’s constantly shifting, with new spots opening, old ones closing, and entire neighborhoods transforming.
This itinerary is a starting point, not a bible. The real joy comes from the detours—the little bakery you stumble upon, the food truck with a long line of locals, the bar with surprisingly good snacks. The goal isn’t to check every box. It’s to leave with a full stomach and a story about that one amazing thing you ate in that one random place. And honestly? That’s why we love this city. You could spend a lifetime eating here and still feel like you’ve only just scratched the surface.
More from Cities Weekly:
- 6 Countries Where You Can Study and Bring Your Family Along
- Tamoka Dubai: A Fiery Caribbean Dining Experience on the Beach
- Dubai International Airport: Location, Facilities, and the Expansion Plans You Didn't Know You Needed
- Review of the Hilton JBR and Its Beach Club Access
- The Perfect 7-Day Dubai Itinerary for First-Time Visitors
){kind=link}