Food To Try In New York City, USA

1. A “BEC” (Bacon, egg and cheese)

Start your day with a moreish feast. It may not be the healthiest way to welcome the sunrise, but there’s no denying the popularity of a BEC - or, to break down the acronym, a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. These breakfast concoctions are popular across the US, but New York - which is famed for its sandwiches, bagels and other street food - has naturally put its own stamp on this signature dish. And, what’s more, for a staple that features three key ingredients, the variety you can find is surprisingly diverse. For a start, do you prefer your eggs scrambled, poached or fried? And what about the bread? Do you take it on rye or in a bagel? And then there’s those that swap out one of the three key ingredients for another - particularly the bacon, should you prefer a vegetarian option. This means no two BECs are exactly the same.

Bec

Address: 148 8th Ave, New York City, NY 10011-5154

Website: Bec

Opening hours: 7am to 4pm (weekdays); 8am to 5pm (Saturday and Sunday)

Average price for two people: 11 to 30 USD

2. Pastrami

This seasoned meat, which is typically beef but can be produced using other animals, is another foodstuff that has become a quintessential New York dish despite its origins on another continent entirely. Pastrami actually hails from eastern Europe and Turkey, but it was introduced to Americans during a wave of migration from Romania in the 19th century. Families from Romania and elsewhere in eastern Europe brought their traditional recipes with them and the country then swiftly adopted those traditions as their own. Today pastrami is a popular go-to ingredient for a whole host of sandwiches - and, as already mentioned, New Yorkers love their delis.

Eisenberg's Sandwich Shop

Address: 174 5th Ave, between East 22nd and East 23rd Streets, New York

Website: Eisenberg’s Sandwich Shop

Opening hours: 7.30am to 6pm (weekdays); 9am to 5pm (Saturdays); 10am to 3pm (Sundays)

Average price for two people: 11 to 30 USD

3. Hot dogs

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Now you’re talking! Americans and New Yorkers take their hot dogs very seriously. This ubiquitous street meat is a right of passage for any visitor to this bustling metropolis. The history of these fast food treats stretches back to the German frankfurter sausage - but the classic sausage in a bun recipe is thought to have originated among German emigres in the US midwest. There are competing theories as to who was first to bring the dish to the public, but there’s no denying it was a hit. Since then it has become deeply embedded in American culture. Indeed, hot dogs and baseball have become something of a match made in heaven, with countless movies conveying an almost religious reverence on a hot dog at a baseball ground. The love is mutual, with many a baseball stadium having a ‘signature’ dog. And, naturally, the city of New York has brought its own take to proceedings - the New York style boasting a sauerkraut sausage topped with a spicy brown mustard and onions.

Crif Dogs

Address: 113 Saint Marks Place, New York, 10009-5161

Website: Crif Dogs

Opening hours: Midday to midnight (Sundays to Thursdays); Midday to 2am (Fridays and Saturdays).

Average price for two people: Under 10 USD

4. Pizza

This is another dish that is popular around the world but which is held in particular reverence in New York. Pizza may trace its origins back to Italy, but waves of Italian migration in the 19th and 20th centuries brought the dish across the Atlantic. Indeed, America’s very first pizzeria opened its doors in New York in 1905, making it the birthplace of the modern US dish. Unsurprisingly, it was a massive success and there are now countless pizzerias from which to choose. And, as befits the city where pizza was first introduced to the US masses, New York even has its own signature style of pizza, which boasts a thin pliable crust that’s foldable for easier consumption.

Joe's Pizza - Carmine St

Address: 7 Carmine Street, New York, NY 10014-4441

Website: Joe’s Pizza - Carmine St

Opening hours: 10am to 4.30pm (Monday to Saturday); 10am to 4am (Sunday)

Average price for two people: Under 10 USD

5. Dollar slice

And, sticking with the delights of a good pizza, the Dollar Slice is another innovation that New York has brought to this popular dish. As the name suggests, these individual slices of pizza have traditionally been sold for a single US dollar. Fittingly, for a metropolis that styles itself as the city that never sleeps, the Dollar Slice owes much of its popularity to its convenience as a food that can be consumed on the go. So, if you don’t have time to sit down and tuck into an entire pizza, or simply have a hunger pang while out exploring the city and need something to plug that hole, you’ll want to consider giving one a whirl.

99 Cents Pizza

Address: 1723 Broadway, New York, NY 10019

Opening hours: Open 24 hours

Average price for two people: Under 10 USD

6. Meat over rice

Say hello to a dish with seemingly endless variety and on which entire food empires have been built. New York’s melting pot of cultures from across the world means there is a dizzying array of ‘meat over rice’ recipes from which to choose in the city. Fancy a little chicken? Done. How about some lamb? You’re in the right place. And get the recipe right and you can be onto a huge winner. The Halal Guys are one such example. Started as a single New York street food cart as recently as 1990, its signature dish of chicken meat over rice became so popular that today the company operates dozens of restaurants in cities across America. Now, that’s what you call living the American dream.

The Halal Guys

Address: West 53rd Street and 7th Avenue, New York, NY 10019

Website: The Halal Guys

Opening hours: 11am to 11pm (weekdays) 11am to 2am (weekends)

Average price for two people: Under 10 USD

7. Shackburger

And speaking of the American dream. Say hello to another fast food treat which exploded onto the New York culinary scene as recently as 2001. The Shake Shack began as a single hot dog cart but in just 14 years has rocketed to global dominance - with no fewer than 130 outlets within America and another 70 in countries around the world. And what is the reason for such success? Well, if I say that queues at the original Shake Shack in Madison Square Park can stretch to an hour at the height of summer, it’s a safe bet that the quality of the food is a big, BIG reason. And the Shackburger is a signature dish - a burger that promises ‘maximum flavour’ from simple ingredients and is often accompanied with crinkle-cut fries.

Shake Shack

Address: South-east corner of Madison Square Park (close to Madison Avenue and East 23rd Street)

Website: Shake Shack

Opening hours: 7.30am to 11pm (weekdays); 8.30am to 11pm (Saturdays and Sundays)

Average price for two people: 11 to 30 USD

8. Bagel

Say hello to a dish that is so closely associated with the city that a ‘New York bagel’ is a globally recognised name. Yes, the bagel is another food that doesn’t originate from the city - it actually has its roots in the Jewish communities of Poland - but boy has New York, and its famed deli culture, taken it to its heart. These hand-made dough rings are produced using yeasted wheat, and there are a great many different varieties available - from poppy bagels to sesame ones. New York’s version, which is famed for its puffy and moist crust, contains more salt and malt than some other varieties.

Best Bagel & Coffee

Address: 225 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001

Website: Best Bagel & Coffee

Opening hours: 6am to 4pm (weekdays); 8am to 2.30pm (Saturdays); closed on Sundays.

Average price for two people: Under 10 USD

9. Black and white cookie

Otherwise known as the half-and-half cookie - for somewhat obvious reasons - these striking confections are a popular taste sensation that combines vanilla and chocolate for a sweet treat. New York ‘born and bred’ their culinary creation is widely believed to have occurred at a city bakery around the mid1920s. A huge success, they swiftly gained wider popularity. Indeed, US soldiers craving a little taste of home took them overseas during the 20th century, introducing numerous other nations to the chocolate and fondant delights. And, as if to cement their reputation as a true New York treat, they have been referenced in a number of Manhattan-set TV series.

Russ & Daughters

Address: 179 East Houston Street, New York, NY 10002

Website: Russ & Daughters

Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Mondays to Wednesdays, and Fridays to Sundays); 8am to 7pm (Thursdays).

Average price for two people: Moderate

10. New York cheesecake

Cheesecakes are a true global success story. Countries all over the world have adopted the dish and come up with their own local twist. And New York is no exception - indeed it has given its name to one of the most famous examples of culinary art. The New York-style cheesecake has won legions of fans thanks to its rich and creamy texture and its decadently dense consistency - all of which come courtesy of its sour or heavy cream. Naturally, there are plenty of eateries in which to pick up a New York cheesecake during your visit - so it’s time to go exploring and pick up one or two… or possibly three or four. Yum.

Eileen's Special Cheesecake

Address: 17 Cleveland Place, New York, NY 10012

Website: Eileen’s Special Cheesecake

Opening hours: 9am to 9pm (weekdays); 10am to 7pm (Saturdays and Sundays)

Average price for two people: Under 10 USD

So many culinary delights

A city as big as New York, and with an equally vast reputation for culinary inventiveness, means just one thing - you’ll be in food heaven during any visit to the Big Apple.