Where to eat and drink in New York City
The food in New York is insane. Whether it’s salty, spicy, sweet, or smothered in cheese, you’ll never forget your first bite of the Big Apple!
When I travelled New York City solo, I took full advantage of not having to impress anyone with eating delicately and went all out to find some amazing food. Here are some of my favourites:
Brunch and breakfast in New York City
Buvette (West Village)
42 Grove St, New York, NY 10014, United States
Step into this quaint French-inspired bistro and you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back into the 50s. The likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong set the tone of background jazz, which blends occasionally with the grinding and hissing sounds of the coffee machine. This place doesn’t accept reservations, so you may have to wait a little if you’re a large group, but trust me, the wait is worth it.
Luckily, I was a party of one, so I scooted straight in and ordered a Waffle Sandwich — buttermilk waffle, bacon, fried egg, gruyère cheese and a drizzle of maple syrup… Now take a napkin and mop up that drool!
Sarabeth’s (Tribeca)
339 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10013, United States
Ok, so I didn’t actually have time to visit this one myself, but I shared a cab with a New Yorker, who couldn’t stop raving about the brunch here. Top of his list were the Lemon and Ricotta Pancakes and the Almond-Crusted French Toast. That’s a good enough excuse for my second trip to NYC.
Best Bagel & Coffee (Midtown Manhattan)
225 W 35th St A, New York, NY 10001, United States
You’ve got to be pretty confident to name yourself the ‘best’ in one of the world’s biggest foodie capitals, but there’s a reason this place has a Certificate of Excellence on Tripadvisor.
The bagels here are huge! I actually skipped lunch after having a Salmon Cream Cheese and Avocado Bagel, because I was still so full — oh hi food coma!
Angelina Bakery NYC (Midtown Manhattan)
575 8th Ave, New York, NY 10018, United States
Great for on-the-go breakfasts, or on days when you fancy something sweet. Good luck trying to decide what to have though. There’s so much on offer, from chocolate, pistachio, almond, and plain croissants, to cakes filled with fresh cream and fruit.
Lunch and dinner in New York City
Rosemary’s (Greenwich)
18 Greenwich Ave, New York, NY 10011, United States
A friend of mine recommended Rosemary’s, so I popped in for lunch and had the Fusilli Alla Napoletana. This place is heaven during summer as it’s large, bright and airy. There’s a rooftop farm too, which is where a lot of the vegetables and herbs for the menu are grown. Dishes here are fresh and unfussy, it’s all about simple flavours done right.
Ellen’s Stardust Diner
1650 Broadway, New York, NY 10019, United States
If you like your dinner with a side of singing, then join the queue of tourists who wait up to an hour and a half for a table at Ellen’s. Don’t go here expecting a quiet night though. Waiting staff take it in turns to sing Broadway hits and classics from Sinatra, Elvis and so on — they get up on the tables and really give it some whammy.
On the menu are belly-busting burgers and a mac and cheese dish that’ll make your arteries quiver a little bit in anticipation. I took the latter and dived right in!
Lil’ Frankie’s (East Village)
19 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10003, United States
This casual pizza joint is great for either a quick bite, or a leisurely evening. Bear in mind, it’s cash only, but there is an ATM in the back of the restaurant. You simply have to get a pizza here, but first I would highly recommend the Whole Fire Roasted Eggplant.
Bea (Hell’s Kitchen)
403 W 43rd St, New York, NY 10036, United States
If you’re looking for a place to grab a drink or food before a Broadway show, then pay Bea a visit. The menu is mostly centred around tapas-style small plates, which makes sharing fun with friends, and keeps costs down if you’re dining solo. Inside it’s all exposed brickwork and soft lighting. Old, silent cinema films play on projectors too, giving it a nice romantic touch.
And finally…
Ice & Vice (Lower East Side)
221 E Broadway, New York, NY 10002, United States
This ice cream shop featured on the Netflix documentary series, Somebody Feed Phil. I knew I needed to pay it a visit when I went and I wasn’t disappointed when I did!
If you think Ben & Jerry’s have some cool flavours, you’ll love Ice & Vice. I had two scoops, obviously. ‘Milk Money’ (toasted milk and sea salt chocolate ganache) and ‘9AM’ (Vietnamese coffee and donut truffles) in a dark chocolate and chai wafer cone. Probably the most money I’ve ever spent on ice cream — around $10 — but undoubtedly the best ice cream I’ve ever had.
I hope you get a chance to check out some of my recommendations. Drop me a comment below if you do and tell me what you thought!
