Local Flavor: where to eat and drink in Manhattan

14.06.2024 - 19:53 / lonelyplanet.com

Jun 14, 2024 • 8 min read

Finally: the big bad list of where the locals actually think you should eat in Manhattan. I couldn’t build this list alone; like every New Yorker, our NYC-based staff have plenty of strong opinions on where to find the best bites and sips in what we believe to be the greatest city in the world. This is a Manhattan-only list, but we have another list for Brooklyn if you’re basing yourself on the other side of the East River. So, let’s skip the chitchat and get into the first course.

Note: This is a reservation-first city, so check how far in advance popular restaurant reservations open, and be flexible with your timing. If you don’t snag one at first, sites like Resy and OpenTable will give you the option to opt into getting notifications when last-minute tables open up, which happens more often than you’d think.

AKA, bagels. Not always, but why visit NYC and not eat one bagel when you have an overwhelming list of options? You’ve got staples like Barney Greengrass on the Upper West Side, a classic Jewish deli where lox and sturgeon are the specialties. Tompkins Square Bagels is an East Village favorite for its sheer variety of bagels and shmears (such as apple cinnamon, scallion with bacon, and espresso). Seating is limited, so take it across the street to enjoy in the park. If you like your bagel on the chewier side, Apollo Bagels or PopUp Bagels (get the salt bagel) are fantastic options. Keep in mind that when you’re going for a superior New York bagel, you’ll most likely have to face a very long line to get it. But these places know what they’re doing – it will be worth the wait.

If you’re all bagel-ed out, an egg sandwich on a cheddar buttermilk biscuit from Kerber’s Farm in the West Village will keep you fueled for exploring the city all morning.

America might run on Dunkin, but NYC runs on your favorite local coffee shop. And those coffee shops most likely double as bakeries. In the East Village, stop by Smør Bakery for Scandinavian-style pastries and coffee. Smør has a restaurant where you can enjoy a long brunch, but the bakery side next door is perfect for a grab-and-go situation (two words: cardamom bun). Not far from here, there’s also Librae Bakery, a Middle Eastern bakery with really exciting seasonal flavors, like spinach artichoke cheese dip danishes, chamomile rhubarb scones and poppyseed lemon croissant monkey bread.

Breads Bakery is an essential New York bakery that you’ll find at several locations Uptown, Midtown and Downtown. I've run into many of our staff stopping here before work. Their lattes are my favorite, and I like to pick up one of their spinach burekas or a loaf of sourdough on my way home. The Hungarian Pastry Shop in Morningside Heights