Josh and I recently traveled to New York City for his birthday and while we were there we tried all the food we could get our hands on. We loved it all but there were 8 spots we felt are MUST TRY places for anyone traveling to the big apple because they were AMAZING, not to mention “instagrammable!”
1. Empanadas from Nuchas Food Truck
Nuchas is an Latin American inspired food truck serving empanadas. I first heard about Nuchas when I was watching shark tank and the food looked intriguing to me through my television so I knew I had to give it a try. With three New York locations, and one conveniently posted up in Times Square, we stopped over while shopping to get a bite of the deliciousness. I had the Italian sausage empanada and it was bursting with flavor. The flavor was full of Italian seasoning and a light marinara sauce that was coated with warm Italian sausage. The size was perfect for a light bite, but I would get more than one if I was planning on having it as a meal. Each empanada ranges from $3.99-$4.99 with options for shipping and bulk ordering. Empanada options include but are not limited to short rib, Italian sausage, ham and cheese, shiitake curry, Argentine, and chipotle chicken. For more information check out their site here.
Instagram- @nuchasnyc
2. Sweet Churros with Coffeed
The flaky delicate warm churros from sweet churros with coffeed are a must have when in Times Square. These hand crafted and made to order churros are sure to make your taste-buds swoon. Aside from being amazing in taste, they are also aesthetically pleasing as when you get two, they come shaped in a heart. Perfect for those foodie photogs. They have several options to choose from, pictured above are what we had which was the chocolate & almond crunch churro and a plain churro, but there was nothing plain about it. From coffee, ice cream churro combos, and sampler boxes…sweet churros is destined to satisfy your sweet tooth. Check them out here and in NYC Times Square.
Instagram: @sweetchurrosnyc
3. Pastrami Sandwich from Katz Delicatessen
Located in the lower east side, if you don’t stop at Katz while in NYC, have you even lived? Pastrami is a NY staple and I knew I wanted the best so I sought out Katz to see if they lived up to their hype. The hype is real, simply the most buttery yet smoky melt in your mouth pastrami on a fresh soft rye bread immersed in mustard. While waiting in line, the cutters offer you a taste of the pastrami and they accompany your sandwich with pickles and a somewhat pickled cucumber variety. The sandwich will cost you around $21-$22 but it is worth every cent and big enough to share. Katz offers a variety of different foods and also offers food service for those who prefer a waiter. Whats even more neat? #impracticaljokers filmed here!
Instagram: @katzdeli
4. Pancakes from Clinton Street Baking Co
Within walking distance from Katz’s is a little ma & pop gem of New York that put me in foodie bliss with their pancakes, Clinton Street Baking Company. With a line out the door to be seated, we knew we were in for a treat. We sat atop the bar and watched as lattes were poured and pancakes were made right before our eyes. I had the blueberry maple butter pancakes and Josh had the chocolate chip maple butter pancakes. The first bite into the pancake was unforgettable. The pancakes were fluffy yet savory and full of a buttery taste complimented by sweet blueberries and powdered sugar. The chocolate chip pancakes were just right, and had the same buttery taste without an overpowering amount of chocolate. Clinton Street Baking Company serves a great range of breakfast food and is open for dinner, because who does not love breakfast for dinner? I do! Check them out here!
Instagram: @clintonst_sg
5. Street Tacos from Otto’s Tacos
Being from Texas, tacos are the way to our heart and we have pretty high standards when it comes to taco Tuesdays. We were not disappointed by Otto’s. We walked right in and ordered a couple of chicken street tacos without guacamole, a carne asada taco, and a shrimp taco both with guacamole. As well as chips and salsa that came with both a red sauce and a green sauce. After we took our photos for the gram, we then ate the food. Flavor heaven! The tacos were full of flavor from the cilantro, onion, fluffy corn tortillas, and the marinated meat. I really enjoyed the flavors of the carne asada and have to say that was my favorite. The atmosphere of the restaurant is great as well with great music and cold beer. Whether you’re in the west village, east village, hells kitchen, or upper east side…stop in to Otto’s for some amazing tacos or taco bowls! To check out their menu, visit them here.
Instagram: @ottostacos
6. Blend On The Water
I found Blend On The Water when I was seeking a birthday dinner for my husband that was going to embody more of a local neighborhood feel and that would provide great cocktails and bites to eat. This restaurant is located on the water in Queens/Long Island City, and has an industrial yet fine dining vibe to it. We started at the bar while we waited for our table and I had a cocktail called “La Medicina” that is pictured above. AMAZING. It has scotch, whiskey, rosemary honey syrup, guava, and ginger lemon. It was crafted so well with a single large ice cube and garnished with a roasted lime which played in to the hints of spicy flavor the drink had. For an appetizer we had the Crispy Arepas, which were full of Latin flavors with hints of cilantro and lime atop braised short ribs and a cornbread style pastry below the ribs. Garnished with cotjia cheese. We then had the Camarones Al Ajillo and the Lomo Saltado. Both very good and a place we will go back to when we are in NYC again. If you are staying in Queens or want to go out for a nice dinner without paying tourist prices, I recommend checking them out here.
Instagram: @blendonthewater
7. Goblet from Sugar Factory
The watermelon patch goblet designed and tasted by Pitbull, so do I even need to write anything else? #Dale. The drink will run you $39 but you will leave feeling like you got your money’s worth. The sugar factory is a super cute place and has locations all over, with a bunch of menu items ranging from drinks, food, and sugary desserts. I loved that the drink was an event for my husband and I, as the bartender poured the drink over the dry ice and gummies overloaded the glass. It was the perfect dessert with a buzz. To find a sugar factory in NYC or see all the creative things their menu offers, check them out here.
Instagram: @thesugarfactory
8. NY Style Pizza from sLICe Pizza
I apologize for the photo with missing slices, it was that tempting we couldn’t wait. Being raised in Chicago I was very curious what made New York Style pizza different from pizza in any other state and I still have not figured out the differentiating factor but the slices were huge. We found sLICe that is located in Long Island City and it was really good pizza. Not only were the slices very large, the ingredients were not skimped and the pizza pie was full of toppings. Our NY Style pizza dreams were fulfilled. To order from sLICe, check them out here.
Follow me on instagram for more food spots & our travel adventures, @thesilverwifestyle
xoxo-TheSilverWifeStyle
The Silver Lifestyle 