Be it a local burger joint, cosy cake bakery or a colourful candy store, New York truly has a selection to suit a wide range of culinary tastes. Yet the ardent traveller doesn’t always have time to sit down and dine for hours on end (nor pay a small fortune to do so). If you are looking for a quick bite “on the go” in between all your sightseeing and NY hustle, here are several places to eat in New York.
This is our best to-go selection from our updated New York city guide, momondo places. Download it now for free for your iPhone.
Bubby’s
Bubby’s burger joint is a Tribeca institution
A Tribeca institution for over 25 years, Bubby’s is an established spot that runs on one rule: defending the American cuisine. You’ll see this phrase written at the restaurant, signifying that everything you order is fresh. Their burger meat comes from nearby organic farms. Breads and pies are baked on-site. All juices and lemonades are pressed to order.
The staff sport collared flannels or other classic gear, which compliments their genuine demeanour of treating you as guests of a country kitchen. Amidst a backdrop of exposed brick adorned with a collage of framed sketches, the décor complements the comfort of the food that is served. Bubby’s is open 24 hours, making its booths ideal for midnight chats and pancakes.
Where: 120 Hudson St.
Tel: +1 212 219 0666
Nearest station: Franklin St.
Doughnut Plant
Fancy a doughnut?
Doughnuts – a special and popular treat in the United States. Almost impossible to avoid this deep-fried sugar-coated bread on a trip to the US, so just indulge in this American specialty.
Perhaps you know them from the Dunkin’ Donuts franchise back home, which carries the slogan ‘America runs on Dunkin”. However, the fried pastries are also available in more sophisticated versions, and Doughnut Plant on Grand Street is one of the best of its kind. Here you can get doughnuts in many classic and improbable flavours, from chocolate to pineapple and the signature crème brulée. Quality is top notch, but the sugar shock is inevitable.
Where: 379 Grand St.
Tel: +1 212 505 3700 ext. 379
Nearest station: Delancey St.
Sugar Sweet Sunshine
Sugar Sweet Sunshine has the best cupcakes in New York
Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery sells what could be considered by foodies as the absolute best cupcakes in the city by far – small delectable muffins with colourful and abundant frosting. Prices are friendly and so is the atmosphere. As a valuable bonus, there is rarely a ridiculously long queue! It’d be hard to go wrong with whatever cupcakes you choose whether it’s Lemon Yummy or Oreo Cookie. The bakery is combined with a small café, wrapped in floral wallpaper and full of fun furniture, making it worth staying to taste your purchases.
Where: 126 Rivington St.
Tel: +1 212 995 1960
Nearest station: Delancey St.
Economy Candy
Having a sweet tooth? You’ll probably like Economy Candy
Children and adults alike, urging to satisfy a sweet tooth, have flocked to Economy Candy since 1937 – an old-fashioned sweet shop with sweet temptations, literally, from floor to ceiling. Buy PEZ dispensers or mixed bags of jellybeans in assorted flavours and all colours of the rainbow. For many Americans it is the sense of nostalgia that draws them to this store that sells loads of brands they used to know from their childhood.
For the rest of us visiting this little shop, it is quite the experience to see all this candy you’ve only ever dreamed of! You can also buy quaint piggy banks and mint pastilles in boxes with wacky slogans. The store may not be for health freaks, but it is definitely worth a visit.
Where: 108 Rivington St.
Tel: +1 212 254 1531
Nearest station: Delancey St.
Shake Shack
Have a burger feast at Shake Shack
It is not possible to find food that is more American than burgers, shakes and hot dogs, and this is exactly what is on the menu at the Shake Shack. Celebrity chef Danny Meyer is the man who created this burger bar in 2000, which is so successful that it opened up branches all over the world since. The original location is in Madison Square Park, but you’ll have to brave the hour-long queue in order to get a burger and some chips.
Our tip is to check out the Upper East Side branch, which is less busy and more spacious. The burgers themselves provide an excellent reason to stop by, but if you’re not particularly hungry, then go there simply to get a ‘concrete’. It is a soft ice cream mixture stuffed with lots of delectable goodies like brownie pieces. It is to die for!
Where: 154 East 86th St.
Tel: +1 646 237 5035
Nearest station: 86th St.
Amy Ruth’s
Amy Ruth’s famous waffle with fried chicken is a must when eating in New York
‘Soul food’ is full of calories and is extremely heavy in the stomach, but it tastes amazing and is visible proof that the African-American food culture is flourishing in Harlem. As an alternative to the Harlem landmark Sylvia’s on Lenox Avenue, give Amy Ruth’s homestyle Southern cuisine a go on 116th Street, where the locals meet over huge food portions.
A giant waffle with fried chicken and a good layer of syrup is the restaurant’s most popular dish. However, the menu also offers healthier dishes with various sides, which are served in small bowls. Settle in and get comfortable, for there is no better place in town than Amy Ruth’s for some good ol’ comfort food.
Where: 113 West 116th St.
Tel: +1 212 280 8779
Nearest station: 116th St.
Eataly
Eataly is literaly an Italian food emporium
Attention foodies! Prepare for sensory overload as you step into an Italian heaven. At Eataly, all aspects of Italian culinary culture converge under one gigantic roof. Comprising an entire block, Eataly is a stunning emporium with salami hanging from the ceiling, meticulously displayed pastries, and a glitzy espresso bar. The quality of each of their products, be it gelato, meats, seafood, homemade pasta, or artisan cheeses is top notch. Crave a glass of wine while shopping? You’ll have plenty of Tuscan vineyards to choose from.
It’s crowded, but that’s part of the charm – just like a lively market in any bustling Italian city. So come join New Yorkers as they celebrate their love of Italy’s finest; just make sure you’re hungry when you arrive.
Where: 200 5th Avenue
Tel: +1 212 229 2560
Nearest station: E 23rd Street/ Broadway
Russ and Daughters
Russ and Daughters has prepared and sold delicacies for generations
Through four generations, Russ and Daughters has been synonymous with high quality and gourmet. The Jewish family owners offer everything you could eat on a bagel. Once upon a time, there were plenty of these appetiser shops, but today, Russ and Daughters is one of the few left.
Smoked salmon with cream cheeses in every imaginable flavour on freshly baked bagels are just some of the many delicious foods with which you can delight your palette here in this historic store that dates back to 1914.
Where: 179 East Houston St.
Tel: +1 212 475 4880 ext. 1
Nearest station: 2nd Ave.
Bakeri
The cakes and sandwiches at Bakeri are hard to beat
Bakeri is well hidden, but extremely popular with the locals. The coffee is inexpensive yet good, and the delicious, fresh bread is kneaded and baked right in front of you. The Norwegian bakery at Wythe Avenue is truly in a class of its own. The cinnamon snails and the special “School Breads” are highly recommended. The latter can best be described as a cream bun with extra cream, icing and coconut.
It may sound like a bit too much, but taste them before you judge. There are also sandwiches and whole wheat bread items on the menu if you’re in the mood for something healthy. The style is simple and pleasant: white tiles and staff dressed in blue is in accordance with the simplicity of the homemade delights.
Where: 150 Wythe Ave.
Tel: +1 718 388 8037
Nearest station: Bedford Ave.
Zabar’s
Indulge in Jewish delicacies at Zabar’s
Of the higher classes of New York’s society, many will only shop at Zabar’s. It is a Jewish market and café specialising in premium quality ingredients and freshly baked bread. The store is stuffed with freshly cut meats, cheeses, and olives. The store is also filled with loads of nooks and crannies (and customers, too).
Stop at the bakery and buy a bagel. The round bread with a hole in the middle comes in a myriad of varieties at Zabar’s.
Where: 2245 Broadway
Tel: +1 212 787 2000
Nearest station: 79th St.
