How to Find the Best Food and Drink in NYC

One of the reasons many people choose to visit New York City is for the food and drink. There are many different types of cuisine and establishments to seek out, from 50-year-old hole in the wall cafes to new and trendy restaurants and bars. Finding the best places to eat and drink can be tricky in such a big city. How do you avoid the tourist traps and discover memorable places that you'll want to return to? Here's how you can find the best places in eat and drink in NYC to make your trip to the city one of the tastiest you've ever had.

Explore Different Neighborhoods

Food and drink in New York is diverse, with a wide range of different things to choose from. If you want to discover lots of different things, it's a great idea to explore different neighborhoods. You'll find varying experiences in different places, from the origin of the cuisine to the cost. Of course, there are a huge number of neighborhoods to cover, so the best thing to do is find a full guide. You'll discover Mexican, Puerto RIcan and Dominican in Harlem, Italian in Long Island City, and Chinese aplenty in Flushing.

Be Open to Different Cuisines

Keep your mind open when you're exploring cuisines throughout NYC. You never know when you might discover something interesting. You might want to start by having some typical New York dishes, but don't limit yourself in any way. Apart from some of the usual suspects like Mexican and Thai, you're sure to discover some cuisines you've never had before. If you're happy to wander around instead of pre-selecting somewhere to eat, you might discover somewhere really surprising. Of course, food and drink aren't just categorized by country or culture of origin either.

Check Business Listings

If you're not sure where to start, checking local business listings can help you out. Find restaurants, cafes, delis, grocery stores, and more by looking online. Some sites, like TripAdvisor or Yelp, will give you lots of different listings with reviews. Other websites are more specific if you want to find something in particular. The World Tea Directory will help you to find cafes, tea stores and other places to get quality tea in New York City and around the world. Use listings to find not just places to eat and drink, but anywhere to buy food and drink to take away too.

See What's Popular with Locals

The best way to find out the best places to eat anywhere is often to find out where the locals go. There can be some good places marketed toward tourists, but the best and most authentic places are the ones that local people love. Of course, there are thousands of places to eat and drink in NYC, so where do the locals love? The best thing to do is often to just step out the door and take a look around to see where the locals are going. Pick a local bodega for a greasy breakfast. Try somewhere like The Halal Guys or Arepa Lady for a real taste of diverse New York.

Don't Just Dine In

Restaurants and cafes are great, but dining in isn't the only available option. You can also get street food, take out, and even pick up some ingredients to make your own food. New York is famous for its delis, and specifically its Jewish delis. Check out places like Katz's Delicatessen, where not only can you get a sandwich when you visit, you can get their pastrami, salami and other products shipped nationwide. So if you get a taste for them, you could even continue enjoying them at home. There are also food halls and markets, like the newest North 3rd Street Market.

Look for Different Price Points

You might want to set a budget and try to eat and drink as cheaply as possible when in NYC. But if you have a higher budget, don't let that limit you to only eating in more expensive places. You'll find excellent fine dining and middle-marketing places, but you can also find plenty of fantastic places that are more affordable too. If you are looking for something at the higher end of what's available, two Michelin-starred French restaurant Daniel is the highest rated fine dining restaurant on TripAdvisor.

Read the Latest Reviews

Asking local people for recommendations is always a good idea. However, in the absence of local people to ask, perhaps when planning your trip, the internet is the next best thing. Reading the latest reviews will help you identify the best places to eat and drink in NYC. Of course, there are reviews on sites like TripAdvisor. However, you can also get a lot of value from reviews by local magazines and blogs. For example, Eater New York has the latest news about openings and plenty of recommendations.

Seek Out the Best Dishes and Drinks

Another great way to find the best food and drink in New York City is to search for certain dishes. You can find lots of great recommendations for things to try and where you should go to get them. For example, try the 25 dishers that First We Feast recommends for all out-of-towners. They recommend everything from The Black Label Burger at Minetta Tavern to oysters at Grand Central Oyster Bar.

Find the Best Places for Snacks

A full meal keeps you going, but sometimes you just want a drink and a snack. These days, how at home your snack is on Instagram is often a good way to pick where to go first. Some favorites include the Cronut, which originated at the Dominique Ansel Bakery and The Rainbow Bagel from The Bagel Store in Williamsburg. Then there are poké bowls, the Hawaiian dish available from many places throughout the city, or you can head to The Raclette in the East Village for piles of gooey cheese.

Seek out all of the best NYC places to dine and drink and create an unforgettable stay.

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