What To Eat With 24 Hours In New York

New York is the city that never sleeps, so get ready to go! There's lots to do and even more to eat. With cuisine that is genuinely culturally diverse (you can probably eat your way across the world in this one city) and classic standbys that scream classic New York to visitors, the Big Apple is a food lover's dream. You can live here your whole life and never exhaust the cuisine, but with one day you can do your best to sample a few of the city's best and most beloved dishes and cuisines.

We've come up with a food tourism guide that touches on a bunch of New York City's iconic spots as well as some lesser-known places that are just as tasty. From pizza slices to steakhouses to speakeasy-style bars, we've sourced our list from native New Yorkers, best-of lists, and enthusiastic forums. We're covering Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. All of these boroughs bring their own unique personality to the kind of food you will find. From places to splurge on to spots for budget friendly fare, we're got it all. Twenty-four hours is not nearly enough time to scratch the surface of New York City's food scene, but if it's all you've got, it's good enough. Just prepare to catch a wink on the subway and enjoy a few cups of coffee. 

It's the breakfast of champions: a New York bagel and cup of coffee. It's also the catalyst for deeply-felt arguments across the city. What actually are the best bagels? Light and fluffy with some chew, or smaller and more dense? How big should the bagel hole be? And where are the best spots? For classic bagels with lox and cream cheese, you can't go wrong with Russ & Daughters. This Lower East Side institution has been around since 1914 when the Russ family, Jewish immigrants from Poland, opened the store. Another classic bagel shop is Ess-A-Bagel, founded in 1976. Head to the Upper West Side for Absolute Bagels, a simple shop that was founded by one of the workers of Ess-A-Bagel. Bagel Hole in Park Slope is small, cozy, and no-nonsense. Head over to Tompkins Square Bagels for a huge selection of toppings and specialty sandwiches, including a bacon, egg, and cheddar that will make your tastebuds happy. Tompkins is also known for its French toast bagel, a truly fabulous creation.

You can usually get a solid, regular black coffee at any bagel shop. For more speciality options try Devoción, Porto Rico Importing, Ninth Street Espresso, and La Cabra. The Stumptown outpost in the West Village looks like a fancy, old library. But if you want to get a real New York experience, take your bagel and coffee to a bench in a public park and do some quality people watching. 

Pizza is life in New York City. It's the perfect food to grab while you're on the move. Everyone has a neighborhood favorite shop and a place they're willing to travel to on special occasions. Yes, there is the famous New York-style pizza, which is usually large, chewy, and foldable (basically, perfect for walking with or eating while standing up). But there are also different choices depending on what you like. Joe's is a classic New York-style place that has a few outposts and is reliable. The sauce is sweet, the cheese is stretchy, and they also make good Sicilian slices. But if you want to venture out for some truly special pizza, get ready for a long subway ride to outer Brooklyn to visit L&B Spumoni Gardens. This place is legendary for its history and Sicilian style pizza, which has pleasingly springy dough. When owner Louis Barbati was killed in 2016, rumors swirled that the murder had something to do with a food feud regarding a stolen recipe, but authorities recently concluded it was a botched robbery attempt.

Other places New Yorkers like to get a slice from include Mama's Too, Scarr's, L'Industrie, and Rizzo's, among countless others. One thing to keep in mind: throughout the city, you'll see tons of places that offer a dollar slice — use your best judgment. We're not here to knock dollar slices, especially if you're hankering for pizza after a long night out. But let's just say there are plenty of other options that are less risky in terms of quality. 

There's a sign in Jackson Heights, Queens that reads, "The Whole World In One Neighborhood." It's one of the most diverse neighborhoods in New York City, and it's thought that about 160 different languages are spoken there. With a large immigrant population from all over the planet, the vibe is beautifully chaotic and vibrant with the smells of foods from different cultures melding together as people rush around going about their day. 

In particular, Jackson Heights has a large Southeast Asian population, and there are a lot of Nepali and Tibetan restaurants making delicious regional cuisine. Go for lunch and try the momo — dumplings that can be stuffed with chicken, beef, or various vegetables. Every local has their favorite spot, but a few names keep popping up: Red Panda, Phayul, Bhanchha Ghar, and Momo Crave. If you love spicy foods, make sure you get all the hot sauce and chutney you can — the flavors and heat are so perfectly blended. On a cold day, enjoy soups like thentuk, thukpa, or dal bhat. 

It's time for small bites and refreshments — why not enjoy a taco and some Topo Chico or Jarritos (or something stronger)? The West Coast is known for its taco scene, but New York City has tons of both casual and upscale Mexican spots serving tacos. However, locals say many of the best tacos come from food trucks or tiny shops. One place that consistently tops best of lists is Los Tacos No.1, which serves traditional carne asada, pollo asado, adobada and nopal tacos and tostadas. The line can be long, but it's worth it — and the taco artists are efficient. Folks also love Taco Mix, a no-nonsense spot in East Harlem that serves tasty pork, vegetarian, and shrimp tacos (among other options). Taqueria Ramirez is popular in Brooklyn, with a focus on tripe. Get yourself a Mexican Coke, too.

Don't want to eat standing up or want a cocktail with your tacos? Fonda serves up taquitos, flautas, and other yummy snacks during its happy hour. Its cocktail menu has creative margaritas like the Spicy Blood Orange and the Rosalita — a frozen hibiscus concoction. They're also got an excellent tequila and mezcal list. And speaking of mezcal — maybe you want to focus more on cocktails and try a flight at mezcal-forward bars like Mayamezcal or The Cabinet. 

Soak up some old-school vibes at a classic white-tablecloth steakhouse that's probably been around for over a hundred years. This is your time to go back in time and enjoy a perfectly prepared steak with comforting mashed potatoes, bright green asparagus, and a generous glass of red wine. Get a wedge salad to start things off and something chocolatey and warm to finish up. In particular, Keens Steakhouse, which is near the Empire State Building, has been in service since 1885 and has an amazing history. Keens used to be one of the places where famous actors, playwrights, and NYC illuminati hung out at the turn of the 20th century. Its famous pipe club included Teddy Roosevelt, Babe Ruth, Albert Einstein, and J.P. Morgan among many, many others. In fact, today the steakhouse has the largest collection of churchwarden pipes in the world — and they surround you while you dine. It's like a steakhouse met a museum.

Other stalwart steakhouses in the Big Apple include the more casual Knickerbocker Bar & Grill in the West Village, Gallagher's in the Theater District, Peter Luger in Williamsburg, and of course Delmonico's in the Financial District. Known for its "Delmonico Steak," Delmonico's has been around since 1837 at 56 Beaver Street and was a prime Gilded Age food hot spot. In fact, it was one of the first places that printed menus! 

Looking for craft cocktails in a glamorous setting? You're spoiled for choices in New York. Gorgeously decorated bars serving interesting and unique drinks are just about everywhere. Head downtown if you're really overwhelmed. Death & Co, one of the pioneering bars of the mixology trend, opened its flagship location in the East Village in 2007. The bar now has four different locations across the country but it's still dark and moody, and the cocktails are elegant. For those wanting something bitters-focused, there's Amor y Amargo. A fun spot is Please Don't Tell, which everyone knows is behind the phone booth at Crif Dogs on St. Mark's. This bar, which helped usher in the speakeasy bar trend in the early 2000s, remains at the top of best-of lists. For a no-menu experience, go to Attaboy and tell the bartender what you're dreaming of. In Queens, Dutch Kills gets great reviews for its creative cocktails.

Hotel bars are also a great place to get cocktails in they city. For some nostalgia, check out Lobby Bar at the newly revamped Chelsea Hotel (or Hotel Chelsea). It may not look like it did when artists like Patti Smith, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Edie Sedgwick and countless others made the hotel their temporary home, but it's still a great spot to soak up the history. For Upper East Side swank, Bemelman's Bar at The Carlyle Hotel has been experiencing a renaissance. 

The night is still young, and there's nothing better than fried food to keep you happy. Head to Korea Town (K-Town) which is roughly located around 32nd Street and 6th Avenue. Here, there are many stores and restaurants open late, so you can go shopping for some awesome Korean skincare products, grab some snacks, and enjoy the energy of this bustling, brightly-lit neighborhood. 

Also famous for its numerous karaoke spots, K-Town is a great place to bring your friends for sing-alongs. Want both Korean fried chicken and karaoke? Check out Turntable LP Bar & Karaoke for pickled vegetables and kimchi, chicken with three different sauce options, and soju. (Turntable also has other music venues if you're craving its fried chicken but don't want to sing, like its Chicken Jazz spot.) Other Korean fried chicken spots that draw rave reviews include bb.q chicken NY K Town, Anytime Kitchen, and casual chain Bonchon. 

New Jersey might be famous for its diner scene, but New York also has a bunch of no-fuss spots where you can get some nighttime coffee, hash browns, and bask in the harsh, neon lights. Diners are prime spots for socializing when it's late but you don't want to go home. Tick Tock Diner has classic retro looks and is open 24/7. Coppelia is a Latin diner with Cuban fare, also open 24/7, with breakfast all day plus milkshakes and homemade ice cream. Kellogg's Diner in Williamsburg, a prime spot for late-night recaps, went bankrupt last year, but just reopened with Tex-Mex cuisine as the focus. While it's not open around the clock yet, that's the eventual plan. 

And there are of course New York's classic dive bars. Thinking about ordering one more drink before calling it a night? Check out 7B Horseshoe Bar aka Vazac's. This bar has been the backdrop for lots of TV shows and movies, including "Russian Doll," "Jessica Jones," "The Godfather: Part II," "Rent," and "Law & Order." Want some country tunes on the jukebox? Skinny Dennis has got you covered. At Rocka Rolla in Williamsburg, put some money in for heavy metal. For a bar with Irish flair, go to The Dead Rabbit. It's actually too nice to be called a dive, but downstairs you can get no-nonsense drinks, and it purportedly offers the best Guinness in the city.

Anyone who lives in New York City knows this is not close to an exhaustive list of the offerings. Ideally, you'd have more than 24 hours to get a real taste of New York City's food scene. What about hot dogs? Soul food? Caribbean cuisine? Jewish delis? Arthur Ave? Halal carts? Chinatown? Here's where we try to cram in the rest of the most representative places. 

For hot dogs, go to Gray's Papaya — they have spots all over the city. If you're down in Brooklyn by Coney Island, Nathan's Famous is a must-go — for the hot dogs as much as the experience of walking on the boardwalk. Sylvia's in Harlem has been around sine 1962. The founder, Sylvia Woods, who passed away in 2021, was called "The Queen of Soul Food." For Caribbean food, folks rave about The Islands in Crown Heights. The line is always long at Katz's Deli, but the pastrami is worth it. For authentic Italian food, look no further than Arthur Ave, the Bronx's Little Italy. Check out Dominick's and Roberto's for a sit-down meal or grab an olive loaf from Sicilian bakery Madonia, which has been around since 1918. For halal, take it from Rahim Hashim, who has a blog dedicated to mapping halal carts all over the city — he likes Mido's at West 18th Street and Sixth Ave. For traditional dim sum brunch, Golden Unicorn in Chinatown has a full menu and tons of room.