What to eat/do in NYC?

May 29, 2018 9:56 PM

Going to be in NYC again during a week in June (Tuesday - Thursday, no weekends). Looking for suggestions for food and architecture-specific things!

I'm going to be there for a few days and will be free-ish 10AM - 3PM on a Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. I also have a couple hours on Monday too. I'm a big fan of food and would love suggestions on food, preferably things that can be eaten solo, and isn't too far of a trek from central/lower Manhattan.

FOOD:

I love eating but I'm going to be dining solo this time. I can also eat a lot if it's spaced out properly. I'm open to pretty much all food options EXCEPT Asian because I already get enough of that where I live (plus it's cheaper over here). I'm also a huge fan of sweets, fried chicken, and pretty much everything unhealthy as well lol. To give you an idea of my tastes:

I'm a big pizza fan and plan to pop over to Joe's Pizza but am open to new similar reccs that serve NY Style by the slice! (Not a fan of kitchy pizza places like Artichoke tho).

I totally fell for that Buzzfeed "Worth It" video (it's def led me astray before tho) and got a Gramercy Tavern $31 burger and it was really good so I'm thinking about going back there as well.

I think I'm going to brave the crowds this time and get a bagel + lox at Russ & Daughters.

I've done a few rounds at Chelsea Market before but prob will give it a pass this time around.

I've also done one of those "free" (you pay with a tip) walking tours before but I was pretty disappointed with the options besides the one amazing biyali place.

ARCHITECTURE:

I'm planning to do that AIA 2.75 hour architecture boat ride. I know AIA is having a conference in June but I won't be attending that.

I've done the audio tour at Grand Central Station, which was amazing and would love more opportunities like that. I actually prefer audio tours too esp. with the weather getting hotter it's easier to dip out and hit pause.

I missed signing up for the Federal Reserve Bank tour :('

All suggestions welcome thanks!

posted by bluelight to Travel & Transportation (21 answers total)

Best answer: Russ & Daughter is great but there are plenty of good bagel places without lines. I'm not even one of the people with strong opinions but like...go to Ess-a-Bagel on 3rd ave or Bergen Bagel if you're in Brooklyn. They're all going to be good. Russ & Daughter does have particularly good babka, though, so I dunno. Plus if you're down there you're near Yona Shimmel and can get a knish. So maybe go. It's just that places with long lines are often kind of a nothing-burger. (That cupcake place that started having hour-long lines after it was on Sex & the City, anyone?)

I know it's a chain now but as far as sweets the first thing that comes to mind is the tres leches donut at Doughnut Plant.

I haven't lived there in five years, though, so I'll let everyone else take it from there.
posted by Smearcase at 10:29 PM on May 29, 2018

Er, are a drag to stand in line at and are often kind of a nothing-burger. I obviously don't think Russ & Daughter is. I seem to be conflating a bunch of feelings about places to eat in NYC.
posted by Smearcase at 10:30 PM on May 29, 2018

if you want to go for fried chicken then try Fuku (https://eatfuku.com/). There are a few of them spaced out across the city.
posted by alchemist at 10:44 PM on May 29, 2018

What sort of budget are we talking about for meals?
posted by praemunire at 10:59 PM on May 29, 2018

Response by poster: Let's say under $100, esp since I'm only going for lunch no dinners. I wouldn't be opposed to a long tasting menu if you really think it's worth it, it's just that I tend to enjoy those experiences more with company...but sometimes if the food is amazing I won't care either way!
posted by bluelight at 11:14 PM on May 29, 2018

I have yet to be truly satisfied with any fried chicken in the city. If you find great fried chicken here, please memail me. (The Korean fried chicken just doesn’t scratch the itch that I feel, but if there isn’t Korean bbq near you, and it might set you right, there are lots of well reviewed places in the 30s).

I do like Dino bbq for meats and I also like Hill Country for both meats and live music at night (maybe for your next trip).

The ess-a-bagel I like is on 1st ave at 19th, in one of the Peter Cooper/Stuyvesant Town buildings. On Tuesdays at 5 there’s knitting! Large selection of spreads. Staff is just the right mix of curmudgeonly and sweet.

Eataly at like 24 and broadway might be an enjoyable answer to Chelsea Market. I don’t find the rooftop restaurant to be amazing but there is a good selection of lunch options downstairs. And the packaged food selection is very Italian. They have a gelato counter downstairs as well.

I heartily recomend Donut Plant as well. If there isn’t a Paris Baguette near you, stop in there for a slice of green tea cake. Not too sweet, very nice in summer.

Cafe Mogador is a pleasant place to have lunch on a weekday.
posted by bilabial at 3:45 AM on May 30, 2018

I love Atla. Mexico City style eats with interesting ingredients. The Flaxseed chilaquiles are amazing. It gets crowded after 12:30.
posted by Morpeth at 4:46 AM on May 30, 2018

Best answer: The Woolworth Building has tours. Also, check out Big Onion tours - their slant is history, but something might call to you. In case you come back on a weekend, keep in mind the Municipal Art Society. They have an extensive list of architecture tours.
posted by AMyNameIs at 5:25 AM on May 30, 2018 [4 favorites]

Russ & Daughter is great but there are plenty of good bagel places without lines. I'm not even one of the people with strong opinions but like...go to Ess-a-Bagel on 3rd ave or Bergen Bagel if you're in Brooklyn

Ess-a-Bagel on 3rd Avenue definitely has lines.

(I am not an expert on New York bagel establishments, but I happen to have stayed at a hotel around the corner a few times, and waited in those lines.)
posted by madcaptenor at 5:57 AM on May 30, 2018

Best answer: It might be worth it to check out some of the newer food halls like Urban Space (43rd and Vanderbilt near grand central) or Gotham West Market (11th ave and 44th). If you are willing to make the trek to Brooklyn, DeKalb Market Hall is also legit (especially for BK Jaani - Pakistani bbq). The Food Halls generally have pretty good options (for example, you get a Roberta's Pie from Urbanspace instead of having to go to Bushwick - also if you have not had Roberta's yet, it absolutely has to be on your pizza list). Motorino in the east village has incredible pizza and does a lunch special as well.
posted by something_witty at 6:16 AM on May 30, 2018

Best answer: Oh! I almost forgot - this might be a bit out of your budget, but Culinary Backstreets does a food tour in Queens that has been on my list of things to do in the city forever. We have done food tours with them in Istanbul, Athens, and Barcelona, and I am now only going to travel to places where they do food tours.

This might be a good way to see a different part of the city, plus experience some fantastic food.
posted by something_witty at 6:18 AM on May 30, 2018 [2 favorites]

Best answer: If you're a sweets person, and you find yourself in the East Village, Veniero's on 11th between 1st and 2d is old-fashioned Italian pastry, and very good of its kind. It's mostly a bakery, but there's an attached cafe where you can sit and eat.
posted by LizardBreath at 7:10 AM on May 30, 2018 [1 favorite]

Oh my god yes. Go to Veniero’s and get the torta di mandorle.
posted by Smearcase at 7:22 AM on May 30, 2018

Best answer: Russ & Daughters hasn't had a line any of the weekday morning times (9:30-11) I've stopped by. And the bagels are good, but the bialys are better, and I might scrap both for the latkes. If you swing by the store, the raspberry rugelach are outstanding. I also buy the Australian soft licorice there and eat it while walking around.

I'm an ice cream snob, and the stuff at Ice and Vice is fucking I N C R E D I B L E. It's super-creative and weird and perfect and so, so, so good. It's on par with the ice cream I've gotten at the end of a Michelin-starred dinner, and my husband and I have occasionally gone there in the dead of goddamn winter, hats and gloves and scarves, to eat it.

If you want good ice cream, but don't care for ~~ creativity, Laboratorio del Gelato is outstanding, and close to Russ & Daughters.

Supermoon Bakehouse is CLEARLY chasing after the power Instagrammer, but their baked goods are actually delicious.
posted by joyceanmachine at 7:30 AM on May 30, 2018 [2 favorites]

Emily (in the West Village) is a very good Detroit-style pizza. You'll need to make reservations now or else settle for off-hours. That also brings you into a charming neighborhood, with Murray's Cheese around the corner, as well as a not bad little bookstore (Book Book), and Grom, which is a high-end gelato chain. For me, Grom is all about the grapefruit sorbet, which is only available seasonally, but most people I know like their gelato offerings.

I know there's a guided tour of the Woolworth Building, but I don't know if it's any good. A reason for going is that the building is being converted into condos, and so who knows how long tours will continue to be available.

Joyce Gold does history tours that are well-regarded; you can check to see if any of her scheduled tours line up with your availability.
posted by praemunire at 8:13 AM on May 30, 2018

Halal Guys
posted by eotvos at 8:58 AM on May 30, 2018

I know you said no asian food, but Xi'an Famous Foods is really something else, especially the spicy cumin lamb.
posted by so fucking future at 10:27 AM on May 30, 2018 [1 favorite]

There are so many excellent pies in NYC but Petee's toasted almond chess pie might be the best one. Do recommend.

Friends have said good things about the brunch/lunch at Jack's Wife Freda, and Poco is another nice weekday breakfast/lunch spot.
posted by halation at 12:48 PM on May 30, 2018

Arthur Avenue in the Bronx thinks so much of itself that it has its own website. I worked with some people who felt food wasn't special unless it came from AA, but I've never been there.
posted by SemiSalt at 2:08 PM on May 30, 2018

Jonathan Waxman's restaurant, Barbuto, is pretty good, and is just a short walk from the Whitney.
posted by essexjan at 8:50 AM on May 31, 2018

I just got back from my first visit to NYC a month ago!
Instead of going to the top of the Empire State Building, do the art tour and Top of 30 Rock instead. Amazing art and history of the buildings then a really great view of both the Empire State Bldg and Central Park!
Food! Check out the old time diners: Lexington Candy Shop, Eisenberg’s Sandwich Shop
Bubbys for breakfast with best pancake ever! And it's right around the corner from the Ghostbusters Fire Hall
Apollo Pizza @ 55 and 8? was pretty good.
Sophia’s in Harlem for fried chicken and waffles
posted by drinkmaildave at 9:47 AM on May 31, 2018