I return here to EAT! Seriously, there are so many delicious things to indulge in I don’t even know where to begin.

But let’s start with my top 10 best food New York City has to offer, in no particular order.

Best Food New York City – Top 10 Eats!

1) J.G Melon – NYC Hamburger

This place had me at ‘juicy hamburger, bloody marys’. FACT: These guys cook the best darn hamburgers in New York City. Better yet, get a side of cottage-fried potatoes and a thirst-quenching Bloody Mary, and you’re all set.

NOTE: These guys are old school. They accept cold hard cash only! Bring more dosh than you need, it’s hard to stop at just one Bloody Mary!

Address: 1291 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10021

Website: J.G Melon 

2) Momofuku Noodle Bar

The pork bun from this place is unbelievably good! I’ve eaten some delicious pork belly bao in my time, but this one is memorable.

Sure, they’ve got some other banging dishes to eat, but we always return to the pork bun. Unbeatable.

Address: 171 1st Ave, New York

Website: Momofuku Noodle Bar

3) Absolute Bagels

Get a taste of Eastern Europe right here. If we’re talking about the best food New York City bagels, get your fix right here at Absolute Bagels on the Upper Westside. 

Address: 2788 Broadway, New York

4) Totto Ramen

$15 for one of the best ramen noodle soups you’ve ever eaten? Yes, please! Your best food New York City list just got longer. You need to add this to the very top.

This place always seems busy, a sure sign that the ramen is top-notch.

Address: 248 E 52nd St, New York

View Totto Ramen On TripAdvisor

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5) Katz’s Delicatessen

This place is an institution here. You’ll likely find it on every list for best food New York City, so it may not surprise you it’s on mine.

There’s a lot to love about this place on the Lower East Side. The go-to food here is the pastrami on rye sandwich. It is, without doubt, one of the best sandwiches you’ll ever eat.

Does it below on the best food New York City list? For sure!

Address: 205 E Houston St, New York

Website: Katz’s Delicatessen

6) Sylvia’s Restaurant – Soul food 

They call her the Queen of Soul Food, and we agree. Sylvia has been cooking home-style food for over 55 years; that’s gotta tell you she’s doing something right. The best food New York City offers food lovers is here.

I’m always saying that love is the secret ingredient to any good dish.

Sylvia’s restaurant has poured bucketloads of that into the food here. 

If you’re craving some southern-style fried chicken, deep-fried catfish, chicken waffles or short ribs, you need to pin this one at the top of the hit list. Hands down, if soul food is your caper, then Sylvia’s restaurant serves the best food New York City has to offer.

Address: 328 Malcolm X Blvd, New York

Website: Sylvia’s Restaurant 

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7) Joe’s Pizza

The Greenwich Village institution and the best food New York City offers! Joe’s has multiple locations in NYC now, so you can always find a huge slice of real Italian pizza for which Joe’s is famous. 

You haven’t been to New York City if you didn’t grab a slice from Joe’s Pizza shop.

Address: 7 Carmine St, New York

Website: Joe’s Pizza

8) Pierogi

Have you noticed a trend here for the best food New York City line-up? 

Because NYC is such a multicultural city, we’ve tried to reflect that in the food we’ve included on this list. Many immigrants arrived years ago, and with them, they bought their cuisine and recipes. 

Pierogi from Veselka is the place you want to go when you feel like a warm hug, but of the food kind. Does that make sense? 

Veselka has been serving up consistently amazing Ukrainian food for ages now. If you haven’t tried pierogi yet (dumplings with sweet or savoury fillings, boiled or pan-fried) Same location, and same excellent taste. Don’t miss it.

Address: 144 2nd Ave, New York

Website: Veselka 

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9) Joe’s Shanghai Soup Dumplings

Best food New York City must have the best soup dumplings included. That’s my rule! Joe’s Shanghai Restaurant makes the best ones. Xiao Long Bao (better known in the West as soup dumplings) are the size of golf balls here.

My Tip: Order a steaming basket of pork xiao long bao to get your fix of New York City’s best food.

Best Food Tours in New York City

I hope you get to taste all the best food New York City has on offer. Tell us what you would add to our list of the best food in New York City?

Travel Tips for North America

We have many travel guides and tips for North America— a fascinating continent!

We love travelling in Mexico and have many food and detailed guides. Read them here. 

These top 6 travel hacks to save money are great to read when planning your travels.

Are you interested in visiting these 15 best places to travel in the USA,  the ten best foods in New York, or searching the 12 best cheap eats in Vancouver?

If you plan to travel long-term after leaving North America, these 21 cheapest countries to visit will help you make your hard-earned dollars stretch a bit further.

For food lovers, don’t miss our top 10 countries for foodies; one is in North America.

You’ll need to stay connected while travelling in North America. We recommend eSIM. They’re easy, reliable and affordable. View eSIMs for individual countries, or consider a regional eSIM for North America.

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