When thinking of New York City, it won’t take you long to start thinking of all the food! There is an abundance of great food in this city, so while I could list many places to go check out I have decided to talk about just 4 things that I think are a part of the iconic food list in NYC and where I found the best version of it.
1. The burger
Image source: Bareburger
The burger is a big one. You will be hard pressed to go anywhere in the US and not find a burger on the menu. While it’s a very loved item to Americans, for many foreigners such as myself, they can seem to be a bit bland. America has often kept the humble burger simple, with a meat patty, cheese, sauce, pickle, and if you’re lucky some lettuce, tomato and onion. So, while the Shake Shack has blown up in NYC for having the best burgers (and don’t get me wrong, they are really good) they still are a very simple and traditional burger made in that fast food way. Down in the finical district you will find Bare Burgers, my top pick for burgers in NYC. Not only do they have a really diverse menu of all the amazing things that can go into a burger, there is a lot the option to build your own burger where you have a large selection of protein (yes – not just a beef patty), sauces, cheese, vegetables and fruit. What many Australian would be familiar with, this is where you can get your bacon, avocado, pineapple, relish and all the other good stuff that you love. This place isn’t just great because of the variety that is on their menu, but also because of where every ingredient comes from. Everything on the menu is organic and from no GMO crops. This is something that really is a breath of fresh air. The quality of all the mass-produced foods in America is really concerning, not only for the welfare of the animals and workers involved but also you as the consumer ingesting these foods. Bareburgers list where everything is sourced and how it is sourced. For example their boar is wild caught in Texas, the beef is from grass feed cows, smoked products are nitrate-free, the sauces use only organic free range eggs, the cheese is from cows that are pasture raised and rGBH free (this is a hormone that is injected into cows to take them produce more milk and banned in 7 countries), the list honestly goes on. The variety, great taste, and quality produce are what make this place my favourite burger joint in NYC.
2. The bagel
Image source: Timeout
You haven’t been to New York if you haven’t had a bagel there. I was in east village one morning and saw a line coming out of a bagel place called Black Seed. While I had previously had a lot of good bagels in NYC, I couldn’t pass up a line of locals – it had to be worth trying. Oh, and it was! This place gave me the best bagel I have had. The smell alone will lure you in, from the street you can see the baker rolling and boiling them. They are all hand rolled and wood fire baked, not to mention extremely fresh.
3. The ice-cream
Summer in the city requires an ice-cream and there is nothing quite like Odd Fellows. With their flagship store in Brooklyn and a secondary smaller store in East Village, these guys make some seriously good ice-creams! Completely creative and wacky daily flavours that are sure to peak your interest and not disappoint. From trusted combos like chocolate caramel peanut and lemon meringue pie to surprising combos such as spicy pineapple or lemon rosemary olive oil. This is ice cream for adults at its best! Go there, get an ice-cream and smile !
4. The shake
Image source: Shake Shack
In Australia we would call it a thick shake, in the US it is only called a milkshake, and its thick! So, since they know how to make the best thick shake, there are lots of places you can get amazing shakes from. However, I am going to suggest that you try one at the Shake Shack. Why? Well like Odd fellows they have seasonal shakes that are creative and unique. They also have frozen custard, which is a whole other thing! Their Peanut Butter shake is my ultimate favourite, just be sure to not order a big meal with it, as it will catch you like surprise and you will wish you didn’t consume all that dairy! Oh and simular to Bare Burgers they work hard to source their ingredients from organic, local and sustainable growers. Win, win. Scattered all through NYC you will sure run into one in no time.