When it comes to New York foods, most people think of bagels, pizza, and cronuts.
However, there are plenty of other great culinary options in the Empire State, as well.
For instance, NYC is famous for its cheesecake. Plus, it’s hard to beat a loaded hot dog from the Big Apple.
And those are just a few examples of fine New York cuisine.
Because it’s on the coast, it’s a great place to find seafood, specifically clam chowder.
New York chefs are also experts at cooking a good steak. And, of course, their cocktails are on point.
Whatever you’re looking for something typically New York or just a decadent dessert – this list has you covered.
Keep reading for 20 of the absolute best New York foods.
1. Classic New York Cheesecake
Anyone who says “It’s just a cheesecake” about New York cheesecake has never had it.
New York cheesecake is the creamiest, silkiest, smoothest cheesecake there is.
The crust is rich and crumbly, and there are no cracks in the luscious filling.
It also has the perfect balance of sweetness and tanginess that’ll make you groan with pleasure.
It takes a bit of time to get right, but you can’t rush perfection. Plus, it’s not difficult to make at all, just a bit time-consuming.
Even if you’re a 100% newbie chef, you should be able to make this with no problems.
2. New York-Style Cheesecake With Strawberry Glaze
Here’s another excellent recipe for New York-style cheesecake. However, this one also comes with a sweet and sticky strawberry glaze.
It’s a simple mixture of fresh strawberries, water, cornstarch, butter, and sugar. But simple doesn’t mean plain; this stuff is delicious.
It adds a dash of fruity sweetness to the tangy cheesecake. However, it doesn’t detract from the cake’s natural yumminess.
3. New York Style Pizza Dough
The first thing to know about this recipe is that it makes pizza dough only. New York’s famous pizza dough is thin and crispy but tender, chewy, and foldable.
Once you get the dough recipe down, you can use it to make any pizza you want. It’s actually a pretty simple one, too.
It uses just six simple ingredients and takes about 20 minutes to prepare and bake. You’ll need to give it plenty of resting time, though (a whole day!).
4. New York Pizza
And here’s the same great New York pizza dough recipe, but with cheese and sauce!
Honestly, I’m sure you could have figured out how to turn that dough into cheese pizza without my help.
In case you needed a complete pizza recipe, though, here you go!
5. New York Style Hot Dog
Lots of cities have street vendors selling hot dogs. Still, none of them come close to New York-style dogs.
They’re more than just succulent hot dogs and warm buns.
You’ll also top them in sauerkraut, spicy brown mustard, and homemade onion sauce. They’re flavorful, filling, and a little bit messy.
Luckily, the mess is just part of the fun!
6. New York Crumb Cake
New York crumb cake features a soft, fluffy, buttery cake layer with an indulgent topping.
The cake itself is tasty enough, but the topping knocks it out of the park.
You’ll make it with granulated and dark brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, butter, and cake flour. It’s almost like a spiced streusel topping but better.
The crumbs are enormous, and unlike a streusel topping, they’re so soft. They’ll almost melt in your mouth the moment they hit your tongue.
Serve them with a hot mug of tea or coffee for an extra special treat.
7. New York-Style Bagel
Tender, chewy, and easy to make, New York-style bagels are the ultimate in homemade bagels.
They use five pantry staples and take just 40 minutes (plus resting time) to make.
They freeze well, too. So if you’re making them, make a couple of big batches.
When you get ready to use them, thaw them out and top them with your favorite bagel toppings.
8. Classic Reuben Sandwich
There’s nothing quite like a reuben sandwich.
It’s spicy, tangy, and overflowing with corned beef, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut.
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If you’re looking for the perfect comfort food, look no further than this delicious sandwich!
9. New York Sour
This is a colorful, triple-layer drink. It combines whiskey, lemon juice, egg white, simple syrup, and dry red wine.
It’s the perfect combo of sweetness and tartness, and it gives you a nice burn going down.
People love it because of its multi-hued appearance, but it tastes phenomenal, too.
And if you’re not a big fan of super sweet drinks, don’t worry. This one is dry enough not to seem like you’re drinking pure sugar.
10. New York Strip Steak with Garlic Butter
Pan-searing your steak with a bit of garlic butter is the only way to cook it. Of course, you can fix it however you like.
Nevertheless, I’m telling you – pan-seared with garlic butter.
That’s the way to do it right, and it’s precisely how this recipe does it.
Using this recipe, you’ll need only five ingredients (plus salt and pepper). It takes less than 30 minutes to cook four strip steaks, and each one is perfect.
The steaks are golden-brown with juicy, tender pink centers.
Additionally, they have just the right amount of buttery, garlicky goodness. If you aren’t cooking your steaks this way, you’re doing it wrong.
11. New York White Pizza
New York white pizza uses the same pizza dough recipe above. However, you won’t find any pizza sauce on this one – hence the name.
Instead, the topping is all about the cheese.
It uses three different kinds: mozzarella, ricotta, and Pecorino Romano.
It features the wonderfully thin and crispy New York pizza crust and is supremely cheesy.
What’s not to love?
12. New York-Style Bacon Egg and Cheese Sandwich
If you love a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich, wait until you try the New York version! It still features crispy, salty bacon, melted cheese, and a tasty egg.
However, instead of a biscuit, you’ll load it all onto a buttered bagel.
Add salt and pepper, and you’re all set. It’s a protein-packed, super hearty breakfast in less than 15 minutes.
13. NYC Chocolate Chip Cookies
NYC chocolate chip cookies are soft, chewy, and full of gooey chocolate chips.
They’re what every chocolate chip cookie should be, only much thicker.
These bad boys are huge, and even though they’re 100% homemade, they take only 32 minutes to make.
(You’ll need to let the dough chill for about an hour, though.)
Put these on the table with a tall glass of milk. It’ll transport everyone back to their childhoods.
14. Spicy Chicken Riggies
Those outside of New York may not be familiar with spicy chicken riggies. However, it’s a classic New York dish that all natives know and (most) love.
In terms of comfort food, it’s right up there with fried chicken and chicken noodle soup. Of course, this dish is much spicier than either of those.
It features tender, juicy chicken and hot peppers in a rich, creamy sauce.
The pasta is chewy and soaks up the spicy sauce, and the whole dish is unbelievably filling.
Plus, it combines three of my favorite things: pasta, cheese, and tomatoes. With those ingredients, you know it’s going to be good.
15. Asiago Cheese Bagels
In case one homemade bagel recipe isn’t enough, here’s another. And for this one, you’ll smother each one in Asiago cheese and a bit of honey.
That might seem like a weird combination, but trust me, it’s divine.
If you already love Asiago bagels, you’ll adore these. But, if you’ve never tried them, you’re in for a treat.
16. Levain Bakery Blueberry Muffins
You can whip up a batch of these sweetly tart blueberry muffins in less than an hour. They’re soft, crumbly, and oh, so buttery.
You’ll make them with more than two cups of fresh blueberries, so the blueberry flavor is intense.
Top them with a sweet, sugary topping for extra decadence.
17. New York Strip Roast
If you’re in the mood for a thick, succulent New York strip but don’t like garlic butter – what?! – this is the recipe for you.
Although I love garlic butter, I have to admit that this recipe is excellent, too.
You’ll only need four ingredients to make it: strip roast, sea salt, pepper, and steak seasoning.
It’s juicy, salty without being too salty, and insanely flavorful. The outside is beautifully brown, but the inside is warm and pink.
18. Manhattan Clam Chowder
This unusual clam chowder is tomato-based (instead of cream-based). It’s also full of bright tomato- and garlic-rich umami flavor.
Unlike many clam chowder recipes, this one isn’t thick and heavy.
Instead, it’s light but filling, and it lets the clam flavor take center stage.
It’s also full of veggies for a healthy, well-balanced meal. And don’t forget the oyster crackers!
They’re as much a part of the chowder as the chowder itself.
19. Homemade Pastrami
Homemade pastrami takes four days to make.
However, the cooking process isn’t complicated, and you cannot beat it for flavor. It has a slightly crispy, insanely herby outer crust.
However, the inside is tender and moist and just as full of flavor as the crust. Eat it by itself or stack it on a sandwich. Either way, you won’t be disappointed.
20. Buffalo Wings
When talking about New York foods, we cannot forget buffalo wings.
(For those of you who don’t know, buffalo wings were invented in Buffalo, New York. That’s where they got their name.)
These oven-baked wings are saucy and spicy. Simply put, they taste fantastic. And they’re even better with a side of homemade blue cheese dipping sauce.
Whip these up for your next party or get-together. You won’t have to worry about leftovers.
20 Famous New York Foods
Ingredients
Instructions
- Select your favorite recipe.
- Organize all the required ingredients.
- Prep a New York food in 30 minutes or less!
