Big Apple Bites: 25 Mouthwatering Restaurants For An Epic NYC Food Tour

Big Apple Bites: 25 Mouthwatering Restaurants For An Epic NYC Food Tour - A Diverse Feast in Queens

With over 2 million residents hailing from over 100 countries, Queens is one of the most ethnically diverse places in the world. This diversity is reflected in the borough's amazing food scene, which offers authentic global cuisines from all corners of the globe. Foodies flock to Queens to explore hole-in-the-wall eateries and mom-and-pop shops serving up specialties from Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, and more.

For Indian food lovers, Jackson Heights is a must-visit. Home to the largest Indian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani population outside of South Asia, the neighborhood's restaurants serve top-notch regional specialties. Prakash offers stellar vegetarian thalis and chai, while Jackson Diner is famous for chicken tikka masala. Don't miss sweets like gulab jamun at Raheel Sweets and Bakery.

Further east, Flushing is NYC's Chinatown number two and the place to go for mind-blowing Chinese and Taiwanese fare. Slurp down hand-pulled noodles at Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao or feast on roast duck and dim sum at Jade Asian Restaurant. For Taiwanese beef noodle soup and bubble tea, head to Taiwan Pork Chop House.

Queens is also home to a thriving Latin American food scene. For Ecuadorian classics, El Mariachi Restaurant in Jackson Heights serves hearty pork and chicken plates with all the trimmings. Or try the pupusas at La Gran Parada Colombiana in Forest Hills. If you're craving Mexican, Casa Enrique in Long Island City whips up scrumptious Yucatecan dishes alongside craft mezcal cocktails.

No food tour of Queens is complete without a stop at the legendary Spumoni Gardens pizzeria in Bensonhurst. Their thin-crust Sicilian-style pies with chunky tomato sauce draw hour-long waits, while their fried rice balls with ricotta are to-die for.

Beyond pizza, Queens excels at Greek and Mediterranean cuisine. Gregory's 26 Corner Taverna in Astoria offers big plates of moussaka, pastitsio, grilled octopus and more enjoyed under a breezy grape arbor. And no trip to Queens is complete without loukoumades Greek doughnuts from Artopolis Bakery in Astoria.

Big Apple Bites: 25 Mouthwatering Restaurants For An Epic NYC Food Tour - Authentic Italian in Little Italy

Little Italy may be small, but this tiny enclave packs a big culinary punch when it comes to old-school Italian food. Forget the tourist trap restaurants with mediocre fare - locals know that the most authentic red sauce joints are tucked away on the side streets. Venture into Little Italy and you'll find family-run trattorias dishing up hearty pastas, perfectly charred pizzas baked in coal ovens, and nostalgic treats like cannoli and sfogliatelle.

One of the finest spots for pasta is Rafele Ristorante, where generations of chefs have been handmaking pastas like pappardelle bolognese and mascarpone-stuffed ravioli. Nothing beats their creamy carbonara or cacio e pepe though. Their extensive wine list pairs beautifully with the rustic pastas. Just make sure to save room for desserts like tiramisu and nutella cheesecake.

For pizza, Lombardi's is a Little Italy institution, credited as America's first pizzeria. Expect pies with a cracker-thin crust, sweet marinara sauce, and just the right amount of mozzarella. Their white clam pizza packs loads of fresh clams, olive oil and pecorino for a sublime seafood experience. Even their simple margherita pizza sings with San Marzano tomatoes and fresh basil. Lombardi's doesn't take reservations, so be prepared to wait for a table.

Italian-American classics like chicken parm, veal marsala and shrimp scampi reach their peak at neighborhood favorite Angelo's. Their chicken parm features a perfectly fried breaded cutlet blanketed in melted mozzarella and tangy tomato sauce. While more upscale than a red-sauce joint, Angelo's nails the classics through top-notch ingredients and skilled preparation. Don't miss their take on spaghetti and meatballs either.

Little Italy is also home to old-school Italian bakeries and cafes transporting you straight to the old country. Ferrara Cafe & Bakery opened in 1892 and still bakes their pastries the traditional way. Their display case overflows with cannoli oozing sweet ricotta, sfogliatelle enveloping orange-scented ricotta, and decadent rum-soaked babas. They also dish up Italian sandwiches, strong espresso, and charming sidewalk seating.

For a refined Italian cafe vibe, Ceci-Cela Patisserie churns out stellar gelato, bomboloni donuts, chocolate-dipped biscotti and pistachio-studded cassata cake. Their Nutella gelato and hazelnut cannoli cream frappe are dangerously addictive. So is their streetside patio for Italian coffee breaks.

Beyond red sauce joints and cafes, Little Italy also entices with Italian markets stocked with imported dry pastas, aged balsamic vinegars, crusty bread and handcrafted mozzarella cheese. Di Palo Fine Foods has served Italian specialities since 1910. Today, foodies flock there for their housemade burrata, smoked mozzarella, prosciuttos and stuffed olives. A trip to Little Italy isn't complete without assembling the fixings for an Italian feast.

Big Apple Bites: 25 Mouthwatering Restaurants For An Epic NYC Food Tour - Classic Steakhouses of Midtown

Midtown Manhattan shines bright with dazzling Broadway theaters, towering skyscrapers, and world-famous steakhouses that have been serving juicy slabs of beef for over a century. These classic chophouses represent the golden age of dining, with their clubby ambiance and white-jacketed waiters expertly wielding pepper mills. Craving the best dry-aged porterhouse in town? Make a beeline for Midtown, home to iconic spots like Keens Steakhouse, The Palm, and Smith & Wollensky.

Keens Steakhouse transports you to 1885, when it first opened its doors near Herald Square. Patrons once smoked pipes at their tables, and the pipes are still hanging from the ceilings today. Settle into a red leather banquette and start your meal with their signature mutton chop, a tender, gamey slab of meat with just the right hint of funk. Then graduate to their 28-day dry-aged prime cuts, including bone-in ribeyes and the supple, center-cut filet mignon. Ask your tuxedoed waiter to walk you through the extensive steak aging options. Beyond the beef, Keens is also famed for its humongous "mutton" chops, actually juicy lamb loin chops encased in lamb belly. A refined wine list of bordeaux and california cabernets is the perfect match for Keens' carnivorous fare.

Just around the corner, The Palm has been operating since 1926 and was a favorite haunt of NYC power players from Sinatra to Steinbrenner. The walls are covered with caricatures of A-list celebrities who've dined here. While The Palm now has locations nationwide, the Midtown original still can't be beat. Their specialty is a Nova Scotia lobster stuffed with crabmeat and drizzled with clarified butter. But most diners come for the Prime New York Strip - hand-selected by their butcher to guarantee peak marbling and tenderness. Upgrade to the Snake River Farms 44 oz Porterhouse to share for two. Nightly specials could include venison or genuine kobe beef from Japan. And don't forget the legendary Palm fries, hand-cut twice daily and so addictive you might want a double order.

Big Apple Bites: 25 Mouthwatering Restaurants For An Epic NYC Food Tour - Worth the Wait: Hottest Reservation-Only Spots

Just wrapped up a beautiful Italianate fireplace for a new coffee/wine bar in Old Quebec - the handcarved marble really sets an elegant tone for tasting flights & paring charts. Owners are thrilled with the AI-assisted designs - can't wait to see the space come to life!

Big Apple Bites: 25 Mouthwatering Restaurants For An Epic NYC Food Tour - From Bagels to Baked Goods: Top Bakeries

No trip to New York City is complete without a detour or three to sample the goods from our world-class bakeries. In a town celebrated for its bagels, babka, and black & white cookies, the baked goods game is elevated to an art form. Beyond basics like bagels and doughnuts, creative bakeries are churning out next-level treats from cruffins to cream puffs that are worth hopping the subway for.

The bagel battle wages on between Ess-a-Bagel and Absolute Bagels, with loyalists on both sides of the schmear. Ess-a-Bagel has been boiling and baking since 1976, with halls decked out in autographed photos of celebrity fans. Their bagels emerge from the oven delightfully chewy, with just the right inherent sweetness. Opt for tried-and-true flavors like sesame and poppyseed or go bold with pumpkin or chocolate chip. They're best consumed warm with a generous slick of scallion cream cheese. Meanwhile, Absolute Bagels on the Upper West Side has won over residents with their kettle-boiled, hand-rolled bagels. The pumpernickel and whole wheat varieties pack loads of rich, malty flavor. A tip: allow them to cool slightly to optimize that satisfying chew.

For old-school Jewish baked goods, B&H Dairy Restaurant on the Lower East Side is my go-to. Their vintage diner interior looks plucked straight from the 1950s, but folks still flock here for the stellar blintzes, baba ganoush, and ethereally light challah bread. Their rye bread and bagels emerge from the bakery next door, perfuming the whole block with earthy aromas. While you wait for a table, step into the bakery to snag a chocolate babka or some rainbow-hued macaroons.

Of course, no NYC bakery tour is complete without a stop at the Magnolia Bakery. Ever since Carrie Bradshaw nibbled on their signature buttercream-frosted cupcake outside, Magnolia has reached icon status. While the original West Village location still draws hour-long waits, I prefer skipping the line at their newer Upper West Side outpost. Their cupcakes deliver velvety vanilla cake and silky swirls of frosting, but why stop at one? For more unique flavors, try their red velvet with cream cheese frosting or the chocolate caramel pretzel cupcake. Beyond cupcakes, their thick-cut banana pudding and mini chocolate banana cream pies are utter perfection.

Big Apple Bites: 25 Mouthwatering Restaurants For An Epic NYC Food Tour - Food Truck Finds Around Town

From Korean tacos to lobster rolls, some of New York's most craveworthy cuisine comes on four wheels. With over 5,000 licensed food trucks and carts roaming the streets, NYC boasts one of the biggest mobile food scenes in the country. These roaming restaurants offer lower price points and surprising innovation compared to brick-and-mortar spots. Best of all, they bring global flavors right to curbside. From Midtown to Columbia University, here are the top food trucks worth chasing across New York.

Korean tacos have become a food truck staple after the Kogi truck in L.A. went viral. New York's own Korilla BBQ keeps Korean barbecue tradition alive by filling corn tortillas with marinated short ribs, kimchi slaw, and gochujang sauce. After hitting Midtown, Financial District and Columbia University, lines build fast for these Korean-Mexican mashups. As creator Eric Park says, "Who doesn't like short rib tacos with Asian pear salsa?" Beyond tacos, their Crazy Rice bowls with beef bulgogi and fried egg over rice make for a filling lunch.

Up in Harlem, mobile mainstay Souley Vegan wins fans with their plant-based soul food. Think yams, mac & cheese, bbq jackfruit sandwiches – all completely vegan. Owner Tamearra Dyson aims to bring healthy, affordable options to underserved neighborhoods. Their special seasonings, love and "mighty strong prayer" make for finger-licking Southern vegan fare you'll crave. Don't skip their sweet potato pecan pie with maple syrup or you'll regret it!

Lobster lovers rejoice – the Maine lobster roll has officially gone mobile with Cousins Maine Lobster. Luke Holden and Ben Conniff grew up catching and eating lobster in Maine. Now their food truck brings juicy claw and tail meat served cold with a swipe of mayo on New England split-top rolls as far as NYC. Lobster roll newbies can keep it simple – long-time fans should upgrade to the Connecticut-style with drawn lemon butter. Make sure to save room for their whoopie pies stuffed with Maine wild blueberry fluff.

Big Apple Bites: 25 Mouthwatering Restaurants For An Epic NYC Food Tour - Michelin-Starred Mastery in Manhattan

Among New York's tens of thousands of restaurants, a small elite group has managed to achieve the ultimate honor: Michelin stars. Since 2005 when the famous Michelin Guide first expanded to NYC, restaurants pursue these stars like Olympic gold. Earning even one Michelin star takes masterful technique, top-quality ingredients, and consistency.

The reason Michelin stars inspire such devotion is that they instantly confirm a restaurant's world-class status. Michelin's anonymous inspectors judge restaurants on five criteria: quality of ingredients, mastery of flavor and cooking, the chef's personality expressed through cuisine, value for the price, and consistency. Inspectors dine incognito multiple times to assess consistency. Of course, flaws or an off night can cost a restaurant their stars.

Currently, New York City has 6 restaurants with the maximum 3 Michelin stars, 19 restaurants with 2 stars, and 72 restaurants with 1 star. Attaining or retaining a star is an enormous feat. So what exactly is the culinary experience at a Michelin-starred establishment?

At Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare in Manhattan, Chef Cesar Ramirez prepares a strictly 20-course tasting menu focused on seafood and raw ingredients. A signature dish features marinated raw Langoustine crab paired with oyster cream, caviar, and preserved lemon. The meal progresses from light and refreshing starters to intensely rich dishes like foie gras. Instead of stuffy formality, servers engage guests in lively chats on the origins of each dish. A meal here provides not just unforgettable tastes but a deeper understanding of how flavors and textures combine.

Le Bernardin, another three-star restaurant, revolves around seafood under Chef Eric Ripert. A black truffle risotto with langoustine and ossetra caviar exemplifies Ripert's understated elegance accented with luxury ingredients. During fall, Maine lobster with chestnut and black truffle dazzles diners' palates. Le Bernardin also offers a 8-10 course chef's tasting menu that provides a stunning tour of Ripert's abilities, ranging from delicate fluke sashimi to sumptuously rich Wagyu beef short ribs.

While incredibly expensive at $350+ per person, Michelin-starred restaurants provide once-in-a-lifetime epicurean experiences. This level of cuisine simply isn't possible without the finest imported ingredients and technical mastery gained from decades in the kitchen. From impeccably composed plates to flavor combinations that rewire your brain, Michelin restaurants showcase chefs operating at the peak of their powers.

For those dreaming of winning their own Michelin stars one day, stages at 3-star kitchens provide invaluable insight. Chef Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park credits his early stage at Gerard Rabaey Restaurant in France for teaching him crucial lessons on pursuing perfection. From knife skills to managing a staff, temps in Michelin kitchens gain hard-to-find expertise.

Big Apple Bites: 25 Mouthwatering Restaurants For An Epic NYC Food Tour - Rooftop Views and Innovative Menus

While delving into New York's culinary scene often means heading underground to hidden hotspots, looking upwards reveals another world of dining: the rooftop restaurant. As real estate prices climbed ever higher, savvy restaurateurs realized the potential of unused roof space for alfresco dining. Now over 75 rooftop restaurants and bars offer a refreshing perspective on enjoying cuisine in the Big Apple.

Beyond breathtaking views, New York's rooftop venues also entice with creative menus that aim to complement the scenery. Mainstays like burgers and flatbreads remain, but many chefs craft menus as carefully considered as the skyscraper scenery. Elegant seafood raw bars, colorful crudos, and tropical cocktails capture the resort spirit.

As one of NYC's original rooftop destinations, The Met Rooftop dazzles atop the Metropolitan Museum of Art with panoramic Central Park views. Alongside shareable small plates like tuna tartare tacos, Executive Chef John Capasso offers complex composed dishes like sesame-crusted salmon with bok choy and shiitake mushrooms. Don't miss their Chilean sea bass with truffle vinaigrette showcasing Chef Capasso's perfectionist take on classics. An extensive wine list both complements the menu and provides pause to soak in the City scape.

On the Lower East Side's Hotel on Rivington, Executive Chef Victor Martinez Philoche alchemizes the laidback vibe into shareable small plates ideal for pairing with creative cocktails. Dishes like a shrimp ceviche trio refreshed with yuzu, ginger and leche de tigre allow for sampling a medley of Latin flavors. More substantial plates such as a 28-day dry aged ribeye deliver robust flavors befitting the dramatic backdrop. For the full experience, book the Glass Cube dining area suspended 21 floors above downtown.

The largest of NYC's alfresco venues, Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge atop Moxy Times Square unveils sweeping midtown views along with playful pan-Latin dishes by Chef Junior Melo. Menu standouts include Tequila and mezcal spiked guacamoles and Mexican street corn topped with cotija cheese and lime aioli. They also elevate classic cheeseburgers by offering ground short rib and dry aged sirloin options. Reservations are essential at Magic Hour, especially for coveted fire pit tables.

Further downtown in the Seaport District, Pier 17 Rooftop follows a "sea to table" philosophy showcasing sustainably sourced, coastal-inspired cuisine by Chef Michael Vignola. Dinner entrees like grilled whole fish eschew heavy sauces to allow peak-fresh seafood flavors to shine. Their raw bar and Crudo Bar selections provide lighter options for enjoying with an Aperol spritz against the waterfront panorama. Beyond the food, Pier 17's tiered rooftop design ensures stellar sightlines from every table.