Last week KitchenAid flew me to New York City for their #kitchenaidretreatnyc to show us around town and visit the Food52 office for a cooking demo with Chef Marcus Samuelsson! I had so much fun hanging out with these amazing bloggers: Aida Mollenkamp of Salt + Wind, Downshiftology, A Brown Table, Anne Sage, Heather Christo, Cotter Crunch, Life Made Sweeter, House of Harper, Wicked Spatula, and Christiann Koepke.
SEE ALSO: Mammoth Lakes Travel Guide: Where To Eat, Stay & Do
The Food52 office in NYC was absolutely stunning, and we had the privilege of playing with all of KitchenAid’s newest appliances like the French Door Platinum Interior Refrigerator with PrintShield™ Finish (it has a built-in cheese tray!), Pro Line® Series Blender, Cold Brew Coffee Maker, and the produce sheeter (releasing in August!).
We had a jammed pack food tour of NYC but you know I had to add in a couple of spots of my own – 20 extra spots to be specific. Here’s how I dined at 29 restaurants in 3 days in New York City!
DAY 1
Table of Contents
9AM: DIRTY FRENCH
I stayed at The Ludlow Hotel so I grabbed a quick and light breakfast downstairs at Diry French.
180 Ludlow St, New York, NY 10002, dirtyfrench.com
10AM: MORGENSTERN
When in NYC, all black everything – including your ice cream. I had the black ash ice cream and Vietnamese coffee pictured above. The black ash wasn’t that tasty so I’d ordered a different flavor next time.
WHAT TO ORDER: Black ash ice cream
2 Rivington St, New York, NY 10002, morgensternsnyc.com
11AM: COOKIE DŌ
Double scoops of cookie dough at dō – the lines can be long but they’re so worth it.
WHAT TO ORDER: Chocolate chip, salty & sweet, heavenly, and confetti.
550 LaGuardia Pl, New York, NY 10012, cookiedonyc.com
12PM: CARBONE
Carbone was the first stop on the Butter and Egg Road food tour by restaurant consultant Ivy Ackerman. If you’re looking for a personalized tour of NYC for personal or company trips, I highly recommend reaching out to Butter and Egg Road.
Walk into Carbone and feel transported back to 1958 with the black and white checkered tile. Ask to sit in the rear room if you can – the tables are small surrounded by brick walls to remind you of the Little Italy eateries. We only sampled the tableside mozzarella that is made 10 minutes after you order it but the locals say it’s a spot that everyone should go to at least once in NYC.
WHAT TO ORDER: Mozzarella
181 Thompson St, New York, NY 10012, carbonenewyork.com
1PM: PIG BLEEKER
Walk down the street to Pig Bleeker for upscale smoked meats in a comforting space. Don’t indulge too much on the smoked and fried chicken – we have a full schedule of eating ahead.
WHAT TO ORDER: Smoked & Fried Whole Chicken with Cheesy Grits & Honey
155 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10012, pigbleeckernyc.com
3PM: DANTE
A step back into time at the 100-year-old Village institution Dante – this legendary circa-1915 cafe is now a registered New York City landmark. Stop in for their legendary negroni.
WHAT TO ORDER: Negronis
79-81 Macdougal St, New York, NY 10012, dante-nyc.com
5PM: LA NEWYORKINA
Fany Gerson always knew she wanted to share and celebrate the amazing frozen treats and sweets of Mexico so she opened up her own Mexican ice cream shop in New York City. You can taste her labor of love in her paletas, Mexican ice cream, chamoyadas, cookies, pastries, and cake.
WHAT TO ORDER: Get a frozen paleta (passion fruit is my fav) and a mini scoop of Mexican ice cream.
14 W 19th St, New York, NY 10011, lanewyorkina.com
7PM: NOM WAH TEA PARLOR
Dim sum for dinner? Yes please. Dine at Nom Wah Tea Parlor on Doyer’s Street – this 200 ft long street is in the heart of Chinatown was known as “murder alley”. Nom Way Tea Parlor is located in the “The Bloody Angle” – the site of numerous gang street battles and murders. Experience the history (now very safe) while stuffing your face with dim sum.
WHAT TO ORDER: Pan-fried dumplings, original “OG” egg roll, and shrimp rice roll.
13 Doyers St, New York, NY 10013, nomwah.com
8:30PM: APOTHEKE
Belly full of dim sum? Don’t leave Doyer’s Street just yet. Right next door is Apotheke – part bar and part chemistry lab, this cocktail bar is inspired by the absinthe dens in 19th century Paris. The cocktails are killer. I wish I had time to stay longer and try more than one. I had the Siren’s Call – gin, roasted seaweed, cucumber, squid ink, fresh ginger, and black smoked sea salt rim. I’m not a cocktail connoisseur but this cocktail was complex and delicious.
9 Doyers St #1, New York, NY 10013, apothekenyc.com
9:30PM: PULQUERIA
One more bar before we leave Chinatown. Head next door to Pulqueria, an underground Mexican joint serving up creative cocktails and nibbles. Try asking for an iced coffee and they’ll hand you a coffee spiked with mezcal.
10PM: NOM WAH
You can’t go to bed without getting dessert – satisfy that sweet fix at Nom Wah. The oolong ice cream, peanut butter and chocolate ganache balls, and passion fruit sorbet was soo good. Need something salty? Order the smoked and fried dates stuffed with duck.
WHAT TO ORDER: Oolong ice cream, peanut butter and chocolate ganache balls, and passion fruit sorbet.
22 Orchard St, New York, NY 10002, nomwah.com
11:30PM: MISSION CHINESE
I was in bed already in my hotel room around 11pm when I had a craving for Chinese food. The freezing walk through the rain to Mission Chinese food for their Koji fried chicken Hainanese style with butter lemon hot sauce and cocktail served in a traditional Asian bowl was totally worth it. Let’s just say I slept real good that night.
WHAT TO ORDER: I’m sure everything on their menu is good.
171 E Broadway, New York, NY 10002, missionchinesefood.com
DAY 2
9AM: RUSS & DAUGHTERS CAFE
Jewish comfort food for breakfast at its finest, Russ & Daughter’s Cafe on Orchard Street is a celebration of its iconic 100-year-old appetizing store. Order the classic with gaspe nova smoked salmon, cream cheese, tomato, onion, and capers.
WHAT TO ORDER: The Classic, matzo ball soup, and coffee.
127 Orchard St, New York, NY 10002, russanddaughterscafe.com
**The Ribbon is located by Central Park so I’d walk off breakfast and make room for lunch.
11AM: THE RIBBON
Met up with @coffeeandchampagne for lunch at The Ribbon by Central Park. $24 for 3 deviled eggs reminds you that you’re in New York City but the buffalo style cauliflower was good.
20 W 72nd St, New York, NY 10023, theribbonnyc.com
1PM: LEVAIN
NYC’s famous chocolate chip cookies that weigh more than a softball.
167 W 74th St, New York, NY 10023, levainbakery.com
Photo on right: @stuffbeneats
3PM: BLACK TAP
I’d tap that unicorn milkshake at Black Tap. Surprisingly there was no line when @stuffbeneats and I went. Adding Black Tap’s burger & fries to my list of things that I wish I ate. Next time NYC, next time.
WHAT TO ORDER: Burgers, fries, and milkshakes.
529 Broome St, New York, NY 10013, blacktapnyc.com
Photo on left: @stuffbeneats
4PM: TAIYAKI
Taiyaki was the the top of my priority list of Instagram-worthy things to eat in NYC, and it didn’t disappoint. The matcha and black sesame ice cream was the perfect pairing to a soft and crunchy taiyaki pastry.
WHAT TO ORDER: Straight out of Japan – matcha + sesame ice cream with mochi balls.
119 Baxter St, New York, NY 10013, taiyakinyc.com
5:30PM: KATZ
Katz was my first real meal in NYC and it was life changing. When you go into the restaurant, they hand a ticket that you take up to the counter to order your meal. $20 for a sandwich? That’s so expensive I thought and almost left. Decided to get the pastrami sandwich anyway, walked outside, took a bite – holy crap. I stood on the sidewalk outside Katz for 10 minutes just stuffing my face.
WHAT TO ORDER: Katz’s Pastrami Hot Sandwich
205 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002, katzsdelicatessen.com
8PM: NEW TERRITORIES
Hong Kong style bubble waffles are in New York City! Dark & Stormy pictured above – bland ash bubble waffle, banana chocolate pie ice cream, hot fudge drizzle, banana chips and cream rose.
WHAT TO ORDER: Dark & Stormy and Unicorn Parage milkshake
190 Orchard St, New York, NY 10002, newterritoriesnyc.com
9PM: RED ROOSTER
Chef Marcus Samuelsson is serving up good ol’ soul food in Harlem at his restaurant, Red Rooster, and it’s really good. Why can’t we have this in Austin?!
WHAT TO ORDER: Brussels sprouts, and fried yardbird.
310 Lenox Ave, New York, NY 10027, redroosterharlem.com
11PM: IPPUDO
If you’re waiting in line for 2 – 3 hours for Ippudo or any ramen shop in NYC, you’re doing it wrong. Go right before they close. Even if it means eating two dinners like I did. Ippudo does closed at 10:30pm on Sundays.
WHAT TO ORDER: Pork buns, and any of the ramen
65 4th Ave, New York, NY 10003, ippudony.com
DAY 3
8:30AM: DOUGHNUT PLANT
Start your day with coffee and creme filled doughnuts from Doughnut Plant.
WHAT TO ORDER: Crème brûlée, peanut butter & banana creme, & wild blueberry.
379 Grand St, New York, NY 10002, doughnutplant.com
9:30AM: THE BUTCHER’S DAUGHTER
You’ll need to fuel your day with some healthy food so take a ride over to The Butcher’s Daughter. The location on Kenmare is in walking distance but the Hudson location is more Instagram-worthy and less crowded. How do I know? I went to both.
WHAT TO ORDER: Spinach egg bowl and liquid vitality elixir shot.
581 Hudson Street, thebutchersdaughter.com
11AM: DOMINIQUE ANSEL BAKERY
If you want to famous cronut – you’ll have to hustle and go here before 10am. If you want the famous cookie shots, go at 3pm. If you’re like me and didn’t do my research beforehand, you’ll have to settle for the DKA (Dominique’s Kouign Amann), chocolate chip cookie, and blooming hot chocolate.
WHAT TO ORDER: Cronut, cookie shots, DKA, chocolate chip cookie, and blooming hot chocolate.
189 Spring St, New York, NY 10012, dominiqueansel.com
12PM: MILK BAR NOLITA
If you don’t like doughnuts and prefer cereal, you should go to Milk Bar in Nolita for breakfast (it opens at 9:30).
WHAT TO ORDER: Cereal milk soft serve
246 Mott St, New York, NY 10012, milkbarstore.com
**I went back to the hotel to check emails and take work calls but I’d take this time block to explore the local shops like Le Labo, Steven Allen, etc in Nolita. Or take a cab and explore the MET (Metropolitan Museum of Art), my fav museum in NYC.
3PM: SOFT SWERVE
This purple soft serve immediately caught my eye on Instagram so it was on the top of my priority list in NYC. The purple soft serve is ube, which is a purple yam. If you’re not into ube, Soft Swerve also has coconut, matcha green tea, and black sesame.
WHAT TO ORDER: Ube soft serve with chocolate cone
85B Allen St, New York, NY 10002, softswervenyc.com
5PM: THE TUCK ROOM
Take a cab down to South Street Seaport to The Tuck Room, a modern speakeasy with an inventive cocktail program and sophisticated small plates by James Beard Award-winning chef Sherry Yard. While you’re there, try asking award-winning master Adam Seger for his collection private collection of spirits in the hidden laboratory behind the bookcase. Oh, and ask for the liquid nitrogen bottle service.
WHAT TO ORDER: spiced + sweet pork belly wraps, stuffed avocado, and plenty of cocktails.
11 Fulton St, New York, NY 10038, thetuckroom.com/menu-newyork/
8PM: ANFORA
Start your night at Anfora for killer cocktails and bar snacks.
34 8th Ave # A, New York, NY 10014, anforanyc.com
10PM: EMPLOYEES ONLY
You know it’s going to be a great night when your date takes you to Employees Only, rated the top bar in NYC and one of the best cocktail bars on Earth. The bar was closed for a private event but of course, he’s a regular so the bouncer lets us in.
Don’t you dare order wine or beer at this bar – this ridiculously popular “secret” speakeasy only employs the best mixologists in NYC and the world. Just ask the mixologists for their favorite cocktails and let them take you on a journey all night long.
510 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014, employeesonlynyc.com
11:30PM: MR. TAKA RAMEN
Just when you’ve stumbled out of your last bar on a cold NYC night, where do you go? You go get a steaming bowl of spicy ramen at Mr. Taka Ramen. The shop closes at midnight so make sure you get in before 11:45pm. It’s located on ALLEN STREET – no thanks to Google Maps that make me walk around in circles.
170 Allen St, New York, NY 10002, mrtakaramen.com
** I was in NYC from Monday evening to Saturday morning but most of those days were work days so I did combine the restaurants into 3 days.
