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Apr 26, 2024 · Whether you’re into carb-heavy meals or innovative desserts, nobody does it like quite like the Big Apple. We’ve created a guide covering all the non-negotiable famous foods NYC is known for that you need to try the next time you’re visiting. So, without further ado, here are the top foods to try in New York City! Visiting New York City?
- Overview
- New York-Style Pizza
- Grandma Pizza
- Buffalo Wings
- New York-Style Cheesecake
- Pretzels
- Lobster Rolls
- Manhattan Clam Chowder
- Black and White Cookies
- Pastrami On Rye
Nothing screams "welcome to New York" quite like a slice of hand-tossed, thin crust pizza. Or a plate of spicy Buffalo wings.
a satisfying pastrami on rye. Come to think of it, New York has quite a few claims to food fame.
You can't think of New York food without one thing coming to mind: pizza! The first pizzeria in the country, Lombardi's, was opened in Manhattan's Little Italy in 1905. It's been a Big Apple staple ever since.
New York-style pizza, a culinary contribution from Italian immigrants, is a variation of Neapolitan-style pizza. It's famous for its thin, hand-tossed crust that's topped with a thin layer of tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. Since it's thin and pliable, New York pizza is often sold in large slices that can be easily folded.
Some people believe that the crust gets its signature texture and flavor from minerals found in NYC's tap water.
New York Italian Pizza Dough
Grandma pizza can be traced back to Italian-American grandmothers living in Long Island in the 1970s.
The Sicilian-style pie is has a thin crust and it's cooked in a square pan. It's cooked in a rectangular pan coated with olive oil, topped with mozzarella cheese, and finished with a layer of tomato sauce.
Since it was created by home cooks, Grandma pizza is traditionally made without a pizza oven. It's cut into square pieces for serving.
What Is Grandma Pizza and Where Does It Get Its Name?
There are several unverified origin stories for Buffalo wings, but most can be traced back to the Bellissimo family at Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York.
The chicken wings — which can be fried, baked, or grilled — are usually separated into drums and flats. The flapper (or pointer) is often discarded, but sometimes it's left attached to the flat.
There's nothing more rich, decadent, or intensely satisfying than a slice of New York cheesecake. What sets this style apart? In NYC, heavy cream or sour cream is added to the filling to create a denser and smoother texture.
New York-style cheesecake usually features a graham cracker crust and is baked in a springform pan.
One of the many things that makes New York City great? The delicious street food on every corner.
Soft-baked pretzels made their way to New Amsterdam (a settlement on the Southern tip of Manhattan Island) via Dutch immigrants in the early 1800s. The salty snack has been a street food staple ever since.
It's easier than you think to make the knotted, savory snack at home. Top them with sea salt and serve with mustard for an authentic New York experience.
Soft Pretzels With Queso Dip
Lobster rolls, lobster meat served on a grilled hot dog-style bun, is a Northeastern staple. Lobster fishing is common on Long Island, so it makes perfect sense that the satisfying sandwiches are frequently found on Long Islander restaurant menus.
Save money by making authentic lobster rolls in the comfort of your own home! Pair the satisfying sandwiches with
Manhattan clam chowder is tomato-based and contains no milk or cream, which sets it apart from its white New England counterpart.
Also unlike other versions, Manhattan clam chowder usually contains vegetables and starts with a mirepoix (an aromatic cooking base of carrots, celery, and onions).
Black and White Cookies. AuntE
Black and white cookies have a soft, fluffy, cake-like base that's flat or slightly domed at the top. Descended from half moon cookies, another popular New York treat, black and whites are topped with royal icing or fondant in contrasting flavors (usually vanilla and chocolate).
Pastrami on rye, one of the most popular sandwiches of all time, was actually born from a favor for a friend: Lithuanian immigrant Sussman Volk allowed his friend, a Romanian immigrant, to use the icebox in his butcher shop in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. In exchange, the Romanian immigrant gave Volk his recipe for pastrami.
When Volk opened one of the first delicatessens in New York City in 1888, he served the meat on rye bread. The sandwich, sometimes called "New York's signature sandwich," remains a staple in Jewish delis today. It's usually topped with spicy brown mustard and served with a pickle on the side.
- Christina Izzo
- Coal-oven pizza. Let’s get the obvious one out of the way, shall we? Whether it’s stand-up dollar slices or sit-down restaurant rounds, nowhere in America does pizza better than New York—nope, not Chicago, not St. Louis, not New Haven.
- Bagel with lox. Is a Sunday morning in New York complete without, one, a hangover and, two, a trip to the deli for a little lox-and-schmear cure-all? The specific origins of the sandwich are dubious—we know that bagels weren’t created in New York, nor was creamed cheese or smoked salmon for that matter—but the gorgeous throuple was the result of the matchmaking skills of Jewish immigrants on the Lower East Side, who concocted the dish as a kosher alternative to that other brunch favorite, eggs Benedict.
- Chicken and waffles. We know what you’re thinking—what the hell do these Yankees know about Southern-style fried chicken? Surprisingly, a lot. New York’s Harlem is the birthplace of chicken and waffles, a combo plate of deep-fried bird and deep-pocketed batter that first appeared on the menu of Well’s Supper Club in the 1930s as an after-hours meal for hungry-but-indecisive musicians like Sammy Davis Jr.
- Combo over rice. In some cities, the words “street meat” conjures images of long nights spent in the comfort of Imodium Multi-Symptom. But in New York, halal carts are a culture in and of themselves.
- New York pizza slice. Out of all the foods associated with New York, perhaps none is more famous than pizza. While creative pies made with all manner of dough, cheese, and toppings can be found throughout the city, iconic New York–style pizza consists of thin crust that’s malleable enough to be folded in half—the best way to eat the giant cheesy slices the city is known for.
- New York cheesecake. Made with extra cream cheese for a denser, richer, and creamier base, New York–style cheesecake is the ultimate version of this decadent, indulgent dessert.
- New York–style hot dog. Available from street carts and vendors throughout the city, this New York classic consists of a juicy hot dog topped with sauerkraut, sautéed onions, ketchup, and/or mustard inside a fluffy bun.
- Nathan’s Famous at Coney Island. What’s now one of the most famous hot-dog brands in the world started as a nickel hot dog stand, opened in 1916 at Coney Island.
- Pizza. New York claims to be the birthplace of modern pizza. While this fact may be up for debate, the state is definitely known for its delicious pizza.
- Buffalo Wings. Buffalo wings, a quintessential American dish, were first created in Buffalo, New York. They quickly became very popular and are still a staple on almost every bar menu.
- Pastrami Sandwich. The pastrami on rye bread sandwich is one of the most popular sandwiches ever. It was first created on the lower east side of Manhattan.
- Cronut. The cronut is one of the newer trendy New York foods on our list but it definitely deserves to be recognized. The sweet treat was created by famous pastry chef Dominique Ansel who developed the dessert in 2013.
Aug 6, 2024 · Explore the dishes that shaped New York City's dining scene, from pastrami sandwiches and pizza slices to soup dumplings and clam chowder. Find out where to eat them and why they are so famous.
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May 23, 2023 · There is no shortage of iconic foods throughout the city and state of New York, and if you find yourself there, these are the ones you need to eat.
