My Trip to NYC - The Food.

Let's start with the most important, the food. Obviously. Before I left for NYC, I had completed my first full week of no dairy, no wheat, no sugar. Well that went right out the window as soon as I stepped off the plane, although I was definitely more conscious and limiting of my choices.

I had a list of places researched in advance, but the most intriguing thing about NYC is just strolling the streets and discovering one of a kind stops. So while I will share my favorite must-have places to eat, I encourage you to just stop in a cafe that looks delicious just because it happens to be near you. We did this frequently and it paid off every time.

THE SWEETS

Ladurée - Upper East Side - Macarons

I had never heard of macarons before reading blogs. But if you follow any serious trendy blogger (whether it be online or through instagram), they are always snapping photos and bragging about Ladurée. I had to see what all the fuss was about. Before going, I did my research on what flavors to choose. Apparently pistachio is the "it" flavor, similar to the red-velvet of the cupcake world, so that was on the list. Then of course chocolate and vanilla. We ventured over to the Upper East side after a long shopping trip down fifth avenue, a stop in at Tory Burch (which is very close to Ladurée), and before visiting the Met - more on all that later. I can honestly say that after all the fuss and hype, these adorable little sandwiches lived up to their praise. The vanilla was BEYOND. In Rachel Zoe terms, I died. In addition to pistachio and chocolate, we also tried the caramel butter which was quickly named my second favorite. Nothing comes close to the vanilla. It left my tastebuds craving for days. After returning home, I even researched getting them shipped (HA!) to Texas. 

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Serendipity 3 - Upper East Side - American food

Serendipity 3 was one of the few incredibly touristy places we indulged in. First lesson to be learned, put your name down and then go shopping at Bloomingdales (right down the street). There is always, always, always, a wait and absolutely nowhere inside to sit and wait for your table. And if you want to go at night, say a prayer and make a reservation because it is intense. There was a three hour wait at 3pm on a Saturday. Who eats at 3pm?! But for all the hoops you have to jump through, it's a must visit. The food was good, but for all the hype and wait, I should have been orgasming at the table circa Meg Ryan in Sleepless in Seattle. Good, but no orgasm. Honestly, you are really there for the ambiance (like the Andy Warhol designed menus - see above) and the dessert. 

Oh the dessert. The dessert is where the magic happens. We got the frozen hot chocolate, but the sundaes I kept spying at other tables looked good enough to eat. Like so good I wanted to steal a bite when they weren't looking. It's just plain fun. Touristy, expensive fun.

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Ferrara - Little Italy - Italian Bakery

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. So when in Little Italy, eat cannolis. My friend and her family found this bakery by chance on their last trip to NYC. Every single time I mentioned New York, someone brought up this bakery. If we didn't go, they were going to kill us. It was divine. They had a vast assortment and it's the perfect place to stop in and enjoy coffee + dessert. I loved the chocolate covered cannolis.

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Magnolia Bakery - Bloomingdales - desserts

If you venture over to Bloomingdales, you can't help but be pulled in by Magnolia Bakery (If Bloomingdales isn't your forte, they have four other prime locations as well). This was another blogger proclaimed favorite, so we couldn't resist the urge to stop and test it out. We split a red velvet cupcake which was different than any I have ever tried before. The icing is reminiscent of homemade whipcream. NOM. I also hear that the banana bread pudding and cheesecake are to die for.

MEALS

Every morning we stopped in for breakfast somewhere new. It was so fun just to stroll, randomly pick a place, and then enjoy an omelette alongside the company of all the real new yorkers rushing off to work. Side note: in Texas, there is usually a little coffee bar set up for you to add your own sugar and milk. Definitely not the case in New York. "Do you want room for cream?" is code for an inch of dumped half and half by the server. "Sugar?" is code for dumping tablespoons of real sugar while you are helpless to stop. So if you take your coffee a certain way, you have to offer that up. Don't be the dummy who ends up with overloaded sugar and whole milk when you really just wanted some skim milk and splenda. You will feel incredibly dumb returning to the counter explaining your mistake. And when you apologize immensely, they will really know you're a tourist.

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Shake Shack - Upper West Side - Burgers and Hot Dogs

I had seen this in a billion romantic comedies. Yes, that was my only reasoning in hunting down Shake Shack. 

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Thankfully, my ridiculousness paid off. It's an affordable modern option to shakes, burgers, and hot dogs. The burgers have a nod to In-N-Out but are much tastier and less like fast food even though that's really what it is. The crinkle fries are a must. They are all over the city, but from what I read (I could be wrong) the Upper West side option is the only one with inside seating. 

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so so good.

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Paesano of Mulberry Street - Little Italy - Italian

We happened on to this place and were pulled in by a little man promising this was the best Italian food in New York (you can expect this from any of the fifty restaurants packed on to the streets in Little Italy). The only reason we stayed, apart from the affordable price, was a couple walking out talking to each other and saying the same thing. The olive oil on the table for dipping bread was some of the best that I have ever had. We ordered pesto gnocchi and it was the perfect lunch on a freezing cold afternoon. This may not be the best Italian food in Little Italy (I can't even pretend to make that statement when this is the only place we went) but the atmosphere was incredibly sweet and the food was more than I could have asked for, especially considering the low price tag. At the end we were told that the gentleman across the room bought our meal, so that made the trip to Paesanos even more magical. 

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2 Bros Pizza - Flat Iron - $1 pizza

This was the most frequented stop during our trip. Gigantic, savory, ONE DOLLAR pizza. We would stop every night before returning to the hotel and chow down on a slice while laying in bed. They are all over the city, so I highly recommend this... especially if you enjoy it in your pjs from the comfort of your hotel room.

Honorable Mentions

Of course, not pictured, is the street food. You HAVE to try a hot dog and pretzel. No other will ever compare to a New York pretzel with mustard.

Hershey store - It's in Times Square and just a fun place to stop. We bought these and ate two huge bags during our trip. What makes it worse is that they were a souvenir that never quite made it to the family member. oops.

Places I Didn't Make It To

Levain bakery - I hear they have the best chocolate chip cookies. Sadly, it started snowing and we got completely sidetracked.

Friedman's Lunch - Megan told me that this was a must-see, but we just never made it in time. It's at the top of my list for next time.

Others: Fig and Olive, Murray's Cheese Bar, Teuscher, Public, Rubirossa pizza


Have any NYC suggestions? Let me know in the comments!