A vacation in the greatest city on Earth would be a dream come true for many. As the holiday season approaches, a chance to visit New York City becomes a treasure trove of possibilities. The sheer abundance of events, activities and sights is too overwhelming to cover in a single go, but at least, you can stimulate your taste buds with some of the most delicious and varied meals in the world. If you want to save some time and go straight for the hippest and most satisfying gourmet experiences, here’s the food lover’s ultimate NYC adventure.
Of course, the restaurants
Let us start off with the biggest bite of all – the choice of restaurants. The food map of New York City is a colorful palette of cuisines and cultures. If you are craving for a healthy and solid Mediterranean meal, Fig & Olive offers a whole array of dishes from Italy, Spain and France.
If you want to feel as if you are shacked up in the middle of the Alps, Baita by Birreria is a place for you. The place looks like a cozy canteen for visitors who like to pop in for a wine, warm up with salty pork and veal sausages.
A variety of exquisite meals can be a blast, but if you end up craving good ol’ sandwich bites, LaGuardia Place has brought the art of sandwich to a whole new level.
If you are in the mood for a tasty trip to Asia, Raku on East 6th Street is a place that has the most delicious udon in town, and ramen at Mr. Taka is conveniently filling on a cold December evening. Finally, if you want a solid meal that will keep you full for the most part of the day, stop by Insa on 328 Douglas Street for a delicious, juicy Korean barbecue (and a karaoke sing-off maybe).
Let’s talk about catering
Of course, New York City is nothing without the options to tweak the dining experience to your own idea of comfort. If you are renting a fabulous apartment and you feel particularly lazy that night, why not bring all the wine and dine glamour to your four walls?
With the endless number of top-notch NYC catering options that will leave you spoiled, the professional caterer will do all the work and it is up to you to deal with the rest. There are no boring queues and lengthy lines to ruin your appetite.
Most of these catering options come with modifiable course lineups that can be staggeringly rich – from cold chops and cocktail picks to warm bites, and wholesome family meals. It goes without saying you can limit yourself to fish, vegetarian or vegan banquets if you want.
The marketplace adventures
If you are spending a short time in New York City, why not feel like a true New Yorker? First of all, you need to stroll down the streets in search for the food market. Thankfully, New York has numerous food markets that are perfectly equipped with every delicious fruit and vegetable under the sun.
Most of them are in Manhattan, where you can literally stumble onto an amazing organic market after five or ten minutes of strolling about. However, you can find a few stray markets in Queens – New World Mall Food Court and Queens Crossing – as well as in Brooklyn – renowned Gotham Market at The Ashland, Berg’n and Industry City near the Upper Bay.
With all the necessary groceries in the bags, you can finally go to your temporary home and whip out pots and spatulas to begin your own private cooking session.
Take a chance on a food truck
Life in New York City can be quite hectic. So, it is probably safe to guess that your short stay will be just as speedy and filled with various activities. People tend to start taking it all in only after they have returned home. If you are a type of person who likes to move around and save time on all activities except sightseeing, taking a chance on one of New York’s iconic food trucks is a must.
Even if you are a person who enjoys low brow cuisine, you have to eat out at least once – otherwise, it is as if you haven’t been in New York. Eddie’s Pizza Truck will satisfy you enough and leave room for a thirst-quenching jug of beer or a cocktail. Tacos Morelos will offer you amazing midnight snacks, and a nice pita wrapped around juicy meat from Souvlaki GR will keep you buzzed throughout the evening.
Of course, these suggestions are not doing justice to all of the amazing restaurants and chow spots in New York City. If you are in the mood for an adventure, you can go out with your friends or family on an unpredictable gourmet journey throughout the night. You are bound to come across interesting places to eat around every corner. What’s life without some culinary risk?
