NYC has so many different cuisines to offer. It can be hard to choose just one. Here are my top 26 NYC eateries that I believe deserve recognition for their fantastic food. There is one for every letter of the alphabet! A: ABC Kitchen
Location: 35 East 18th Street, NYC
Cuisine: Organic American
Favorite Dish: Akaushi Cheeseburger with Herbed Mayo
Although I only covered 26 eateries, I tried to encompass a variety of different cuisines and dishes. I truly enjoy being able to share awesome food with you all! Please mention any restaurants that I should check out in the comments section.
After having a great meal, you can't skip dessert! Let's be real, no matter how stuffed you are, there is always room for some ice cream. NYC is home to a number of different ice cream shops and many of them put their own flare on this tasty treat. Here are a few ice cream shops that I feel are worth the extra calories:
Amorino
This cute parlor on 8th Avenue in Chelsea serves amazing gelato of all different flavors. When ordered in a cone, the gelato is scooped to look like a cute flower. If you are a chocolate lover, be sure to check out their Amorino Chocolate. They do not have toppings like most ice cream shops but they do serve macaroons that can fill the void!
This creamery is located inside of Bubby's restaurant which sits underneath the High Line. Ample Hills' ice cream as well as the toppings are made from scratch. They use hormone free milk and organic cane sugar for a natural flavor. All of their ice cream flavors are very rich and sweet. From "PB Wins the Cup" to "Nona D's Oatmeal Lace," there is a flavor for everyone to enjoy. If you can't decide which one to choose, purchase a tray of six to try a variety of flavors!
If you're ready for high energy after eating dinner, this is the place to go to fulfill your ice cream craving. All of the employees are energetic and the shop is very bright. I highly recommend ordering the "Salty Pimp" if you are one who enjoys sweet and salty combos.
With eight locations in NYC, you can find a Milk Bar whenever you get a sweet tooth. Milk Bar is known for their cereal milk flavored ice cream. The ice cream was created to taste like the milk at the bottom of a bowl of corn flakes. Aside from ice cream, Milk Bar also sells assorted cakes, truffles, pies, and cookies. They have something for everyone!
Located in Chinatown, 10Below serves ice cream inspired by the streets of Thailand. The ice cream is made right in front of you! The liquid cream is placed on a cold surface and mixed with toppings of your choice. The liquid cream begins to turn into ice cream in the blink of a eye and then is rolled and served. To see how 10Below is able to create fresh homemade ice cream in less than two minutes, take a look at this video!
It's crazy that in one city, there are so many spots serving the same dish but in such vastly different ways. The next time you feel that you can spare some room for dessert, check out one of these sweet spots! Please let me know of any shops that you feel deserve the spotlight for serving awesome ice cream.
One food that never fails at being delicious is PIZZA! No matter what hour of the day, you can always find a pizzeria open in NYC. From a $1 slice to a $70 pie covered in truffle, there is something for everyone. Here, in my opinion, are the top five pizza spots in NYC: 1. Joe's Pizza If you're looking for a classic regular slice, Joe's Pizza is the place to go. With four locations in NYC, you can be sure to find a Joe's slice where ever you are. Founded in 1975, Joe's serves an authentic Italian slice from 10 AM to 4 AM everyday. If you're in a cheesy mood, be sure to ask for some fresh mozzarella on top.
2. Rubirosa Ristorante If you're looking to sit down at restaurant that serves phenomenal vodka sauce pizza, look no further! Rubirosa is located on Mulberry Street. The menu offers a number of classic Italian dishes and an extensive selection of pizza pies. For the gluten free folks, don't fret because Rubirosa also offers gluten free pizza.
3. L&B Spumoni Gardens Located in Brooklyn, this old-school Italian spot has an indoor restaurant as well as a pizzeria. L&B Spumoni Gardens is known for its square Sicilian pizza pie priced at $17.50. After you finish your pizza, make sure to get some homemade spumoni. If you visit L&B during the summer months, give yourself some time because the outdoor seating can get packed.
4. Artichoke Pizza If you're looking for a late-night slice, this is the place. Artichoke Pizza offers an array of pizza's but is most known for its creamy artichoke slice. Artichoke Pizza has numerous locations in NYC, but more recently opened a location in Miami. If you happen to stop at the 10th Avenue location at night, be prepared to wait in line with intoxicated club-goers that are also looking for their pizza fix.
5. MAMO This upscale Italian restaurant is one of the few in NYC that serves a pricey focaccia al tartufo pizza, that features fresh white truffle. MAMO is located on W Broadway in SoHo. Unfortunately, MAMO is currently closed due to a fire that broke out on the second floor. The restaurant will reopen in the fall so make sure to keep them in mind when you get your next truffle craving!
Pizza is an extremely popular dish and NYC has so many fantastic eateries that offer it. If you think there is a pizza spot that deserves to be on this list, let me know so I can check it out! I am always looking for new places to explore.
On Saturday, July 7th, I gave Smorgasburg a chance to redeem themselves due to the mediocre experience I previously had. You can read about my Smorgasburg Prospect Park experience here. In my earlier post, I concluded by saying that I would be giving Smorgasburg another chance by visiting the Saturday event held at East River State Park in Williamsburg. I'm glad I said that because the second chance was definitely worth it. The array of food and beverages was off the charts! Here are a few vendors exclusive to the Williamsburg location that deserve recognition:
Himalayan Horizon
If you are looking to try a new street food, Himalayan Horizon has got you covered. They serve a Himalayan dish called Shabaley, which is similar to an empanada. Shabaley is a circular shaped pocket of dough that can be filled with either beef, buffalo meat, or potatoes. The sealed balls of dough are then fried until crispy, golden perfection.
Bread & Monkey
Started by a 15-year-old boy named Jack, Bread & Monkey serves strictly banana bread and banana chocolate chip bread. I was a fan of the banana chocolate chop bread. Jack says that his delicious breads always sell out before the end of the day. So make Bread & Monkey your first stop on the way in!
PopdUp
This tea vendor made its first debut on the East Coast for Smorgasburg's 2018 season. PopdUp sells cold brew teas, rather than typical cold brew coffee. The tea leaves come from a farm in Taiwan and are typically brewed for a full 24 to 48 hours before being served.
Those three vendors are just a sampling of the 100 vendors Smorgasburg in Williamsburg has to offer. I highly recommend planning a day to explore the Saturday event because you won't be disappointed! If you are thinking of checking it out, be sure to take a look at my previous post here to read my tips on how to prepare for the event.
With
the weather finally starting to heat up, this past Sunday I decided to take a
trip to Prospect Park in Brooklyn to experience the world of Smorgasburg.
For those unfamiliar with Smorgasburg, it is exactly what it sounds like, a smorgasbord. Smorgasburg is an event hosted every weekend in
Brooklyn, where different food and beverage vendors from all over set up shop
and display their funkiest dishes. On Saturdays, Smorgasburg is
hosted at East River State Park and on Sundays it is hosted at Prospect Park;
both are held rain or shine.
From
Ramen Noodle hamburgers to purple ice cream swirling out of a fish shaped
cone, Smorgasburg had it all. I was impressed by the number of
vendors at Smorgasburg, but sadly unimpressed by what they had to offer.
My first stop was to John's Juice, a juicery that avoids using cups
by serving its beverages in the fruit of your choice. After waiting on line for
30 minutes, I finally ordered a pineapple juice. By the time I put a straw in
it, there was not much left. The pineapple that the juice was poured into had a
gaping hole at the bottom of it. Big Mozz was another vendor I had
checked out but ended up stepping away from because I felt that paying $15 for
4 mozzarella sticks was outrageous. Home Frite was one of the only merchants
that I enjoyed because of my love for truffle fries.
My
overall rating of Smorgasburg was a five out of ten. Although I did
not have a blast at the Smorgasburg hosted in Prospect Park, I am
willing to give it another shot and check out the Saturday event hosted at East
River State Park in Williamsburg. I’ve heard that the Smorgasburg in
Williamsburg has received better reviews. For
those interested in going to Smorgasburg, here are a few tips to help you
prepare:
Bring cash as very few vendors accept
credit card.
Wear comfortable shoes and prepare to stand
because the lines for the popular vendors can be quite long.
Bring a blanket, towel, or sheet to sit on as
there is very limited picnic table seating.
To get there, take a taxi, Uber, or public
transportation. Do not drive as parking is extremely limited.
My experience was not entirely negative. I did enjoy most of the day relaxing and trying out all of the different treats. If you do check out Smorgasburg, please comment and let me know your thoughts! I would love to hear others experiences to see how they compare to my own.
