9 Quintessentially New York City Dishes and Where To Try Them in the Big Apple

Pizza is the Big Apple’s culinary lingua franca, a universal language that binds the city’s residents together. It can be a quick snack, a sit-down meal, or a late-night hangover deterrent. It can be made in traditional wood- or coal-fired ovens, served classically thin or in generous, grandma-style squares. Whether your preference is more US$2 slice joint or bougie burrata-topped pie, pizza is an NYC culinary experience everyone should have. And while you can find it everywhere, it’s well worth booking a pizza tour to taste a range of slices in one excursion.

Where to try pizza in New York City: For an old-school experience, head to John’s of Bleecker Street or Di Fara; to go new-school, try Lucali or L’Industrie.

New York City is a place that takes its carbs seriously, as its pizza and bagels go to show. Born of the city’s Jewish immigrant communities, the New York bagel is fluffy but firm, with a crisp exterior and just the right amount of chew. Traditionally available in a range of flavors (like onion, sesame, or everything), the city’s bagels can be slathered in your schmear—plain or flavored cream cheese—of choice, can come with lox, or can be used for deli sandwiches like the bacon, egg, and cheese (another New York City specialty). Book a bagel tour for an introductory taster and don’t forget your appetite.

Where to try bagels in New York City: While it’s always worth hitting up classics like Russ & Daughters, the very best bagels are found Uptown at Absolute Bagels. Be sure to ask for whatever’s hot out of the oven.

Anyone who’s seen When Harry Met Sally knows just how good pastrami on rye can be. Another Jewish deli classic—and a must-try dish in New York City—the pastrami on rye is known for its almost overwhelming proportions, stuffed as it is with a tower of thinly sliced pastrami (smoked, cured beef) and often tempered by mustard and a side of pickles. Many are so generous that half a sandwich is plenty; bring someone with you to split it (or book a food tour of the Lower East Side to sample the sandwich straight at the source).

Where to try pastrami on rye in New York City: While nowhere is better known for pastrami than the storied Katz’s Delicatessen, you can also find good examples at S&P and the 2nd Avenue Deli.

Exploring NYC gastronomy is one of the best ways to discover the city’s diverse communities and neighborhoods. Take Chinatown, one of Manhattan’s most vibrant areas—and an ideal destination for food tours. Though all manner of culinary specialties abound here, few are as delightful as soup dumplings, or xiao long bao. Delicately pleated and filled with fragrant meat and broth, they’re a perfectly warming treat. Just make sure to nibble a small hole in the top of your dumpling—you’ll want to let out the scorching steam before taking a bite.

Where to try soup dumplings in New York City: You’ll find some of the city’s most exemplary soup dumplings at Joe’s Shanghai, or a little further Uptown at Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao.

New York City loves a good cookie—for proof, just look to the beloved Levain Bakery, known for its larger-than-life confections. Still, when it comes to traditional food in NYC, the black and white cookie is the one that reigns supreme. Large and cakey—and, true to name, decorated with half chocolate and half vanilla icing—it’s been a Big Apple staple for more than 120 years, and would make a fittingly sweet conclusion to any New York food tour.

Where to try black and white cookies in New York City: The iconic Zabar’s on the Upper West Side does a great black and white cookie, as does Orwashers Bakery on the Upper East Side.

Wondering where to eat in NYC for authentic cuisine? That depends on your definition of authenticity—but it’s hard to get more iconically New York than a good, old-fashioned hot dog. A staple of summers in Coney Island and sold by street vendors everywhere, the classic NYC ’dog traditionally features an all-beef frankfurter with a snappy, natural casing, plus brown mustard, onion sauce, and sometimes kraut, though toppings can vary. It may not be the fanciest Big Apple bite, but boy, is it a satisfying one.

Where to try hot dogs in New York City: Head to Nathan’s Famous, an icon of the Coney Island boardwalk, or for a Manhattan option, Gray’s Papaya is another classic.

In most cases, you’ll smell the intoxicating fragrance of chicken over rice before you see it. An essential NYC dish to try for street-food fans, chicken over rice is a staple of the city’s many halal carts. Featuring flavorful, spiced rice topped with chopped chicken, it’s finished off with a cooling white sauce and a fiery hot sauce, plus crunchy lettuce, tomatoes, and pita slices on the side. Warming, hearty, and usually outrageously affordable, it may be the city’s best dining deal.

Where to try chicken over rice in New York City: Though The Halal Guys is now an international chain, its original cart is still located at the corner of 53rd Street and 6th Avenue, and it's still delicious. A number of competitors have also sprung up near the intersection, so you’ll have your pick of options.

Here’s a dining recommendation in New York City: Skip the tacos and try arepas instead. These thick, pillowy cornmeal cakes are enjoyed in Latin American countries like Venezuela and Colombia, and immigrant communities in New York—particularly in Queens’ diverse Jackson Heights neighborhood—have perfected the bite stateside. Whether you choose an arepa made from sweet corn or stuffed with cheese, split and filled with braised meat or with beans, you can find tantalizing examples at street-food vendors as well as sit-down restaurants.

Where to try arepas in New York City: The Arepa Lady began with a beloved street cart and has since expanded to several locations in Brooklyn and Queens, making her prized arepas easier to access than ever.

Sure, doughnuts are made all over the place—but New York City has really perfected the art form (it helps that doughnuts have been made in the city for centuries). Today’s options include cakey doughnuts and fried doughnuts, doughnuts that come in simple glazed versions and doughnuts available in all kinds of colors and flavors. To taste a number of top contenders, head on a Downtown doughnut tour.

Where to try doughnuts in New York City: Enjoy old-fashioned doughnuts at Peter Pan Bakery, try the inventive flavors at Doughnut Plant or Dough, or go vegan at Dun Well.