New York , New York , New York!!! Probably the favourite city that I have ever visited, New York has a pace, a vibe, and a beat of its own. New York has so many restaurants and so many different cuisines, I feel one won't be able to cover all the places even in a lifetime! It is really just one of the most happening cities in the world. Below I list some of the restaurants I have been to and my experience with them, I did not cover all these in one trip, it was more like 3 trips. This blog is as per my personal experience, feel free to tweak and choose as per your preferences.
Decadent Diaries Tips:
Use the Subway, it will help you get to any location for your meals fast, economically and efficiently. Download the official app after checking the MTA website, it will help you plan your trips.
Reservations are a must for popular restaurants, New Yorkers love to eat out on any day of the week.
Some restaurants are cashless so do not forget to carry your credit/debit card.
Tipping is a must in sit-down restaurants in New York. Usually, when you get the bill, a list of acceptable tips is mentioned. If you do tip lesser then the staff may ask whether everything was ok (in short asking you why you tipped less) or sometimes even give you a stern expression 😂😅. However, do check if they have applied a service charge to your bill - if yes then in most cases you do not need to tip.
1.Dominique Ansel Bakery
Dominique Ansel's signature bakery at Spring Street in Manhattan is the stuff of a dessert lover's dreams. Not only do they churn out seasonal and themed desserts which are updated every season, but they are acclaimed for coming up with some of the most unique dessert creations like the cronut (croissant + doughnut hybrid), the cookie shot, frozen s'more, blossoming hot chocolate and many more.
The cronut must either be reserved in advance or one must line up at certain times to access the same. Personally, I much preferred the cookie shot and blossoming hot chocolate compared to the cronut. I reserved the cronuts and picked them up, I didn't find them that fresh. That being said, you must check out this place because they really put a lot of effort into their seasonal dessert creations as well, it is truly mind blowing.
My Review: Must Try
2.Magnolia Bakery
Magnolia Bakery has several locations in New York and it creates some of the most indulgent cupcakes, puddings and cakes I have ever eaten. Must try items are the signature banana pudding, chocolate cupcake with cream cheese frosting, german chocolate cake and carrot cake. At least these are my favourites! There is really something to satisfy every sweet tooth and each time you enter the store it is so beautifully decorated and decked with these stunning looking cakes and cupcakes that it feels like you have entered a fantasy dream world made of cake! This place became famous even more after being featured in the SATC series but it really holds its own, the quality is simply par excellence.
My Review: Must Try
3.Joe's Pizza
Some people may say to you that there are much better pizza places to try in New York, but this is as good as it gets for me for a New York slice! Joe's pizza is a must-visit for anyone getting introduced to New York style pizza, it is loved by locals, celebrities and tourists. Oh my god, the cheese slice fresh out of the oven with its crisp edges, stringy cheese and the vibrant sauce was such a flavour explosion in my mouth, I could hear violins playing in the background as I savoured each bite. I visited the Times Square outlet and it was full of people wanting to grab the quintessential New York Slice, it was so worth it!
My Review: Must Try
4.Mangia
Some piping hot coffee, freshly made sandwiches with the best quality ingredients and some baked goods to go, that's the breakfast I ate at Mangia one day on 57th street and it was sublime. Mangia specialises in Mediterranean food ranging from pastas, salads, sandwiches and more. It is self-serve so you browse all this incredible fresh food and grab what entices you. It is again a New York experience as many eat breakfast to go on their way to work. The ambience is lovely and the smell of fresh bread is always inviting.
My Review: Must Try
5.Pick A Bagel
If there is another quintessential New York food you must try, its bagels! Chewy, fluffy, crispy when lightly toasted, filled with fresh cream cheese and a range of toppings. Pick a Bagel is one of the many places to get a good quality bagel in Manhattan. There is always a line (which is an indicator that there is good food in there!), their service is excellent, if you say lightly toasted, they give you lightly toasted, you get your food fast and fresh! My favourites are an onion bagel lightly toasted with garlic cream cheese and a sesame bagel lightly toasted with scallion cream cheese and tomatoes.
My Review: Must Try
6.Wafels & Dinges
I grew up watching videos of New York food on the Travel and Living Channel and one of the places I always wanted to visit was waffles and dinges. These food trucks all over New York serve freshly made Belgian waffles with a range of "Dinges" i.e. toppings. My favourite is the warm waffle topped with whipped cream and Nutella. One can add a bit of freshness as well by adding on strawberries etc. Biting into the warm waffle with a cloud of fresh cream and Nutella is heaven!
My Review: Must Try
7.Bistro Verde, Nordstrom
The New York City flagship Nordstrom at 57th and Broadway is a dreamy department store with floors of thoughtfully curated shopping. It also has some amazing culinary experiences, one of them being the Bistro Verde located on level 5, it is the family-friendly flagship restaurant of Nordstrom. We absolutely enjoyed the heirloom tomatoes and burrata, the tacos and the chitarra pasta with tomato sauce, roasted garlic, basil, castelvetrano olives and buffalo mozzarella.
My Review: Must Try
8.Celestine
You come for the view and stay for the food! Celestine is a Mediterranean influenced restaurant located at the DUMBO waterfront in Brooklyn, it is located just under the Manhattan Bridge and while you dine you can see some stunning views of the same and of the Manhattan skyline. We tried the Mezze platter, the wild mushroom pasta and the seasonal squash dish, everything was wonderful. The vibe and ambience of this restaurant especially during dinner time really compliment the background with the stunning views.
My Review: Must Try
9.Serendipity 3
Serendipity 3 featured in many movies and recently promoted by none other than global icon Selena Gomez, is an old-school dessert spot with a colourful ambience. They serve savoury food as well but people mainly come here for the iconic frrrrozen hot chocolate and the decadent sundaes. My favourite sundae is definitely the banana split, it has 3 different flavours of ice cream topped with 3 different types of sauces and whipped cream. If you are a sundae lover this place definitely must not be missed out.
My Review: Must Try
10.Starbucks Reserve Roastery
When Starbucks my beloved coffee brand launched their signature Reserve Roasteries in some iconic cities around the world, I was really looking forward to visiting one of them. And surely it did not disappoint. The moment you enter you are transported into an immersive experience, a willy wonka fantasy where instead of chocolate the machines are filled with freshly toasted coffee beans. You can watch the large vats of the machines toasting the coffee beans and being transported along a complex route of tubes around the establishment. They have tied up the famous Italian bakery brand Princi to provide some tantalising baked goods and freshly baked pizzas. You can sign up for the coffee tasting experiences, you can head up to the Arriviamo bar for trying some coffee-inspired cocktails, visit the scooping bar for some specially packaged Starbucks Reserve coffee roasted on-site or pick up some exclusive merchandise available only at reserve outlets. It is truly a one of a kind experience and I absolutely loved it.
My Review: Must Try
11.The Palm Court , Plaza Hotel
The luxurious Plaza Hotel overlooking Central Park is the most iconic five-star in NYC. The afternoon tea experience at the swanky Palm Court restaurant is as elegant as it gets. They have vegan afternoon tea options as well, I have no words to describe the opulence and grandeur that one feels when one experiences this.
My Review: Must Try
12.Van Leeuwen
Van Leeuwen serves up luscious ice cream scoops at its NYC and LA locations. They also serve vegan ice cream. I tried the pumpkin cheesecake flavour and the praline butter cake flavour and oh my god it was so yummy! Creamy, rich and full of flavour.
My Review: Must Try
13.Junior's Restaurant & Bakery
Another iconic food in New York is the New York Cheese cake and one of the best places to try it out is at the famous Junior's Restaurant. Diner themed with stainless steel decor and neon lights, Junior's has breakfast items, deli specialties and of course its world-famous cheesecake. Try the strawberry cheesecake, which is topped with whole pieces of juicy strawberry and the combination of the tart creamy cheesecake with the fresh sweet strawberry topping is divine. We tried the Junior's restaurant located near Times Square.
My Review: Must Try
14.Eileen's Special Cheesecake
Another popular cheesecake spot is Eileen's located in Nolita, Manhattan. It is a humble spot but let that not deceive you, it has been featured on the top NYC cheesecake list in buzzfeed. Yes, you do taste the difference, the creaminess of the classic cheesecake is on a whole other level. If you do get the chance, take out the time and visit this place.
My Review: Must Try
15.Saravanaa Bhavan
Whenever any tourist thinks of Indian food, they think of naans and curry, that's all. But Indian food is so much more diverse than that. You experience that diversity in Saravana Bhavan, you feel like you have entered a fast food restaurant located in India. It is a fully vegetarian restaurant having some crowd favourites like idli, dosas, vadas, pav bhaji, chana bhatura and more. If there is anyone who knows how to do vegetarian food, it is Indians!
My Review: Must Try
16.Breads Bakery
The bakery scene in New York is pretty exciting with brands like Breads Bakery refining the art of bread making and freshness by baking throughout the day to ensure you get the freshest possible bread. The variety of bread treats available is really large and some of my favourites are the chocolate babka and the classic croissant. It is known to have one of the best babkas in New York.
My Review: Must Try
17.Quantum Leap
Vegan restaurants have been really popular in New York as many have adopted a completely vegan lifestyle. And why not? When restaurants like quantum leap make a vegan meatball sub that tastes exactly like the meat one, it's easy to go vegan. We also tried the pancakes, vegan bacon and sausages and everything was wonderful.
My Review: Must Try
18. Butter beer Bar - Harry Potter New York
Oh yes, I am a big Harry Potter fan and when the New York store of Harry Potter opened I was extremely excited to try the butterbeer. It's basically a butterscotch based fizzy drink with a generous dollop of cream. You can also try the butter beer ice cream served there. Personally, I found it a bit too sweet but the experience of that store itself is so amazing, there is so much to see and do so I didn't mind that much. I still feel if you are a Harry Potter fan, you should try it once.
My Review: Average
19. Brooklyn Diner
So you can't come to America and not have pancakes! And the Brooklyn Diner on 57th street gives you two awesome American experiences - the most amazing pancakes you have ever eaten and the experience of a classic American Diner. We visited the diner one weekday for breakfast and it was packed! Luckily we got a seat even though we didn't have a reservation. The fluffy buttermilk pancakes were served with a wedge of butter and of course maple syrup, they were not too sweet and were just brilliant. We also had the avocado toast with the crispy corn polenta which was quite tasty. We also tried the vanilla milkshake and it's true what it reads on the menu, it is one of the best milkshakes in town!
My Review: Must Try
20.abcV
I appreciate the concept of this restaurant, they are encouraging people toward a plant-based cuisine and the place was packed so I expected big things. I had heard a lot about this restaurant, it is quite famous. However I was personally quite let down as though the dishes were innovative, I felt the flavour in them lacking. I compare it to the meal I ate at Oak vegetarian restaurant in Bath UK where they really brought out the flavour of the vegetables in every dish. The dishes at abcV were creative but not delicious.
My Review: Not Recommended
21.IRIS
IRIS is a Mediterranean restaurant on Broadway which had one of the best flatbreads I have eaten. It was a summer squash flatbread and the combination of flavours was truly fantastic. The ambience and lighting were warm and inviting and we really had a good time.
My Review: Must Try
22.Lady M
What do I say about Lady M, words cannot describe the experience of eating one of their mille crepes.
Multiple thin layers of crepe with a dash of custard creme in each layer served as a cake slice. You can feel all the layers on your tongue when you take a bite before it melts in your mouth and it is just such an out of the world experience. Nothing more to be said!
My Review: Must Try
23.The Kathi Roll Company
Expected big things out of this place, the menu is intriguing and kathi rolls are some of the most delicious roll-based foods. But didn't like the roll I tried, I felt that it had been reduced in spice to suit the local palette and in turn, the flavour also got reduced. I tried the Paneer roll, it was nothing special.
My Review: Average
24.Tiger Sugar
When this place first launched, there used to be huge lines to get these brown sugar boba pearls with fresh milk drinks. The hype may have died down but the flavour has not. It was fantastic.
My Review: Must Try
25.Milk Bar
I had watched a documentary on the founder of Milk Bar Christina Tosi and since then I wanted to try Milk Bar products. I found their milk bar pie and their cookies overly sweet. But one thing that didn't disappoint at all was their cereal bar ice cream topped with crunchy cereal. It was so creamy, milky and had a subtle flavour of the milk that is left at the end once you finish your cereal. That cereal-drenched milk flavour is there in this superb ice cream. So their ice cream is a must try.
My Review: Must Try
Check out part 2 of my article for places 26 to 50!
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