662280 Sun Oct 25 18:28:56 -0700 2009 24 18 Manhattan 0 5130412 I am going to be in new york for only two days (sat/sun) for work and want to focus on foods that I can only get in NYC or that are best in New York. I am from San Francisco so have access to a lot of great Asian, Mexican and Central American restaurants so am looking for something a little different while in the Big Apple. Many thanks! Sun Oct 25 18:28:56 -0700 2009 80723 lexvegas 1 5130441 there is a really similar post floating around out there somewhere - it is called "don't leave NYC without eating..." or something like that - has tons of info! Sun Oct 25 18:42:06 -0700 2009 5130412 119220 pizzajunkie 2 5130445 thanks very much - will look for it. Sun Oct 25 18:43:12 -0700 2009 5130441 80723 lexvegas 1 5130457 This link will allow you to see NYC menus by location and cuisine. The city is a United Nations of restaurants so you'll be able to find anything that strikes your fancy. Last time I was there we went to Spoonbread and had memorable Southern food. Sun Oct 25 18:50:55 -0700 2009 5130412 159317 greygarious 1 5130715 Katz's for pastrami (and please don't go in there and order a turkey sandwich!) Would also say smoked fish (Barney Greengrass, Zabar's, Russ & Daughters), maybe knishes and even hot dogs (Gray's Papaya). The other thing I think of as "different" in NYC is our bread products -- bagels & pizza. Must be the water! Maybe you have this in SF, but I love how eclectic a single street can be here. On St Mark's (I think) there's a block with a dumpling place, and a hummus place, etc., all different "specialties" all in one area. Or in the West Village, you'll find Murray's Cheese, Amy's Bread, Cones Ice Cream, and John's Pizza, all within a block or two. Find a block like that and eat from one end to the next! Sun Oct 25 20:56:05 -0700 2009 5130412 23719 JMJD 2 5133073 I like JMJD;s choices,,,interestingly alot of people from outside New York never heard of a knish,,, katz's round knishes are more to my taste than the square ones,,, and up the street is Yonah Shimmel's who used to ge famous for knishes. A Sabrett hot dog from the umbrella stands on the street is worth trying. Go to Gem Spa on St mark's place and get a New York egg cream ( soft drink),,,,, In addition to gray's , I like Papaya King. Definitely have pizza here, there is no pizza in SF that compares to NY pizza. Depending on the type of pizza you like, Chowhounders all have their favorite different places... but there is regular good Ol nyc slice pizza ,,for that I recommend Ben's on spring st. For thin crust pie I like Lombardi,,,but definitely try the pizza at Grand Daisy or Sullivan St especially the potato pizza. Pierogies at Ukrainian home or even Veselka ,,i dont think they have those out West. A PorterHouse steak at Peter Luger or if in manhattan maybe Wolfgangs,,,,Do you have falaffel in SF i dont recall if not try one here,,,,,Definitely get a fresh Bialy at teh bakery on GrandSt off Essex i forget the name, Ny bagels are the best too maybe at H&H, Chopped liver from Katz's, or egg barley from 2nd ave deli, You may have sushi in california but on W4th st there is sushi with west indian flavors at Aki, the chef is japanese but was a chef in I think Jamaica for several years, Try a Pinelle from Fernando's(italian chick pea fritter), Shoe leather and halvah from russ and daughters, a Sour pickle from Gus's, Rugalach from Russ and daughter or zabars, A burger at Big Nick's, its real NY diner "hamburger hamburger" a definite ny experience, If it were summer on the lower east side you can get a scraped ice with syrup from hispanic street cart, If you see Tate's chocolate chip cookies in a store (formerly Kathleen's from the Hampton's) try them they are different and amazingly good, Try some curry goat or oxtails at Golden Crust ( there are better but these are good) I dont think you have that type of food in SF, Enjoy Mon Oct 26 17:33:39 -0700 2009 5130715 118604 foodwhisperer 3 5136551 I think SF does have some solidly good pizza. What it doesn't have is coal-fired pizza. For that, I do not recommend Lombardi's (SF has better pizza than that) but do recommend Patsy's in East Harlem or Arturo's on Houston St. in the Village. Wed Oct 28 00:57:27 -0700 2009 5133073 17058 Pan 2 5134327 There was an article in the Jerusalem Post recently about efforts to preserve the traditional deli. It mentioned that pastrama was a method of cooking poultry in Romania. Beef was available in the US. So the method was adapted to pastrami. So pastrami is native to NYC in this way. Similarly, corned beef was adopted by Irish immigrants. The quality of NYC bagels and pizza have been attributed to the quality of the drinking water supply. Does anybody make egg creams? This is a drink of milk, vanilla syrup and seltzer primarily. Oyster Bar at Grand Central Station. Tue Oct 27 08:40:35 -0700 2009 5130715 268231 MahatmaKanejeeves 3 5135309 The egg cream is the quintessential NYC drink. It is made with *chocolate* syrup (Fox's U-bet being the chocolate syrup of choice), milk, and seltzer. Other syrup flavors, like vanilla, can be used. But chocolate is traditional. Ray's Candy Store, Gem Spa, and the Times Square location of Junior's are places which, imo, make excellent egg creams. Tue Oct 27 13:36:58 -0700 2009 5134327 13867 RGR 4 5137028 Vanilla is just as traditional as chocolate. Wed Oct 28 07:49:52 -0700 2009 5135309 12484 MVNYC 1 5130724 Halal chicken/rice. Sun Oct 25 21:00:43 -0700 2009 5130412 10509 E Eto 2 5135254 An enthusiastic seconding of this suggestion. Halal lamb/chicken rice carts are unique, delicious and inexpensive. Tue Oct 27 13:18:32 -0700 2009 5130724 10131 Chandavkl 1 5131580 Don't Leave NY Without Eating... http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/610739 Best pizza http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/648483#4988973 NYC for visitors: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/597021 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/610107 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/604369 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/605545 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/603298 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/589834 I highly recommend RGR's self guided Lower East Side Gustatory tour: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/493333 Best brunch: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/598414 Best street food: http://nymag.com/restaurants/features/33527/ http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/653353 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/636263 See also midtownlunch.com and streetvendor.org/vendys for the Vendy awards. Best of the Union Square Greenmarket M, W, F, S, 8am-6pm, but earlier is better, Saturdays are biggest http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/549751 Best foodie shopping: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/585538 http://www.chow.com/lists/edit/33 http://www.chow.com/lists/edit/924 Best chocolatiers: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/645011 Mon Oct 26 09:10:03 -0700 2009 5130412 10936 kathryn 2 5132174 Thank you so much for all the great advice! Mon Oct 26 12:04:49 -0700 2009 5131580 80723 lexvegas 3 5132268 You're welcome! BTW if you're looking for good Neopolitan style pie I really have loved my two visits to Motorino East Village. Mon Oct 26 12:34:59 -0700 2009 5132174 10936 kathryn 1 5133628 Ray's on Ave. A by Tompkins Square Park for an egg cream Pastrami at Second Avenue Deli Kossar's for bialys , then go down the block and get some donuts at the donut plant (not necessarily "new york style", but you won't find most of the flavors anywhere else) Sable (fish) at Russ and Daughters Momofuku pork buns (the style of bun is not exclusive to NYC, but it's a delicious signature dish) Momofuku Milk Bar compost cookie Do you have good porchetta in SF? If not, I'd get a sandwich at Porchetta, it comes on a wonderful local Sullivan Street Bakery roll Mon Oct 26 21:57:16 -0700 2009 5130412 132418 hungrycomposer 2 5135963 Second the Momofuku compost cookie. And their crack pie! Also, don't miss the Chocolate Show from Friday, Oct. 30 to Sunday, Nov. 1 http://www.chocolateshow.com/home.php?titre=2&id_code=2 And the 50 Best Dishes in NY thread might be of interest http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/443609 Have a great visit! Tue Oct 27 18:03:11 -0700 2009 5133628 1093353 fm1963 3 5136407 Thank you all - this is great. Tue Oct 27 21:40:47 -0700 2009 5135963 80723 lexvegas 2 5136556 Katz's is better for pastrami, unless you insist on really lean pastrami, in which case, 2nd Av. Deli might be better. 2nd Av. Deli also has good tongue sandwiches, but wow are they expensive! Wed Oct 28 00:59:06 -0700 2009 5133628 17058 Pan 3 5137135 The only time I've gotten lean pastrami from 2nd Ave. deli it was tough and not very tasty. I always request it "rich, not lean, sliced thin". If you compare fatty pastrami at Katz's with lean pastrami at 2nd Ave., Katz's will win. If you compare the good fatty stuff at both places, I think 2nd ave. will come out on top. Visiting both and comparing the two would be a real local experience. Wed Oct 28 08:15:06 -0700 2009 5136556 132418 hungrycomposer 4 5139473 My experience is otherwise: Katz's wins. And my preference is always for juicy pastrami. It's my mother who orders it lean. Thu Oct 29 00:33:35 -0700 2009 5137135 17058 Pan 5 5142115 To be honest, it's been ages since I went to Katz's, and I haven't been to the new 2nd Ave Deli, maybe the quality has changed. God forbid I should stray north of 14th street, I seem to be in a perpetual state of composer house arrest and don't leave the neighborhood (E Vill.) Thu Oct 29 22:53:50 -0700 2009 5139473 132418 hungrycomposer 6 5143654 Yeah, that goes back several years. It might be time to either go back to Katz's and try the new location of 2nd Av. Deli or retire that opinion. :-) Fri Oct 30 13:19:32 -0700 2009 5142115 17058 Pan 1 5137616 Faicco's is an Italian Deli in Greenwich Village. Their rice balls and their Italian Sub seem very NYC. Wed Oct 28 10:59:41 -0700 2009 5130412 14446 NAtiveNewYorker 2 5153893 Peter Luger's Brooklyn, bring lots of cash. Tue Nov 03 19:24:27 -0800 2009 5137616 1120007 drosstogold