10 NYC Foods So Iconic, Missing Them Should Be a Crime

When you’re in the Big Apple, there’s more than just sightseeing to do – you’ve got to eat like a true New Yorker. From iconic street food to legendary restaurant dishes, NYC offers some unforgettable eats that you simply can’t miss. Trust me, as someone that’s lived in New York almost my entire life, skipping these foods should be practically illegal.

Person holding up two hot dogs in front of a bridge.Photo byPhoto credit: Shutterstock.

Bacon, Egg and Cheese on a Roll

This NYC breakfast staple is more than just a sandwich; it’s a morning ritual. Found at nearly every bodega across the city and, its simplicity belies its perfection. It’s the quintessential New York start to the day, beloved for its hearty filling and on-the-go convenience. The classic uses American cheese and a fried egg but you can doctor it up however you like. True New Yorker’s will order a “baconeggandcheesesaltpepperketchup” all in one breath.

Dirty Water Dog

The quintessential New York hot dog, known affectionately as the “Dirty Water Dog,” is a street cart favorite. These hot dogs, simmered in salt water and served in a fluffy bun are a testament to New York’s rich street food culture. Grab one with sauerkraut and mustard for the full experience.

New York Cheesecake

Rich, creamy, and velvety, New York Cheesecake is a dessert icon. It’s denser than its counterparts, always with a graham cracker crust and often served plain to let its luxurious texture shine. Junior’s in Brooklyn is famed for it, offering a taste of New York’s sweeter side.

Pastrami on Rye

A towering sandwich of spiced, smoked pastrami on rye bread is a New York deli classic. Katz’s Delicatessen is legendary for this, serving up slices so tender and flavorful, they’ve become synonymous with the city’s deli scene. It’s a must-try for any meat lover. Corned beef is a close runner up.

Bagel with cream cheese.Photo byPhoto credit: Shutterstock.

Bagels

New York bagels, with their perfect chewy exterior and soft interior, are in a league of their own. Whether you go for a classic cream cheese schmear or a full-on lox and capers arrangement, places like Ess-a-Bagel and Russ & Daughters are bagel institutions. New York bagels are so iconic, anywhere you go in the USA will advertise “NY Bagels” as if any other bagel just won’t do. Delis in Florida, where droves of New Yorkers spend the snowbird months, actually claim to import NYC water for their bagel making.

Pizza

Arguably, New York City is the pizza capital of the world, although places like New Haven, Connecticut like to try and contest it. From the thin, crisp crusts of its famous slice joints to the wood-fired pies in Brooklyn, pizza is an integral part of the city’s food identity and the complete opposite side of the pizza spectrum from Chicago’s deep dish. No visit is complete without folding a slice of classic New York-style pizza.

Egg Cream

Contrary to its name, the New York Egg Cream contains neither eggs nor cream. This fizzy drink made with chocolate syrup, milk, and seltzer water is a nostalgic sip of old New York. It’s a sweet reminder of the city’s simpler times and classic diners.

Chopped Cheese

A lesser-known but fiercely loved NYC sandwich, the Chopped Cheese, or sometimes just Chop Cheese, is made with ground beef, onions, and melted cheese on a hoagie roll, often compared to a Philly Cheesesteak. It’s a Harlem delicacy, best enjoyed from a local bodega.

Black and white cookies on a plate.Photo byPhoto credit: Shutterstock.

Black and White Cookie

This iconic cookie, half-frosted in vanilla and half in chocolate, is a New York bakery staple. Bakeries like William Greenberg Desserts have perfected it. Travel upstate and they call them half moon cookies, but city-goers will probably look at you like you have three heads if you call it that.

Cronuts

The Cronut, a croissant-doughnut hybrid, caused a sensation when it was first introduced by Dominique Ansel Bakery in SoHo. It’s newer to the food scene than the other classics, but based on its reception with fans lining up early every day to taste them, it’s not going anywhere any time soon and has earned its way onto the list.