Busy and brimming with different activities to indulge in, New York is a city that never sleeps. And the food is a huge part of its local culture. So if you’re a New Yorker and you’re away from home, we’re pretty sure you can relate to this roundup. From Jewish New York-style deli to authentic New York cheesecake, here are nine foods the New Yorkers miss most when they’re not in the Big Apple.
Bagels. A staple in New Yorkers’ breakfast menu, bagels are popular because of their versatility. You can simply pair the bagels with butter or plain cream cheese, but they can also be presented more elaborately: Bagels with veggies and flavored cream cheese, bagels with lox, bagels with chives.
Jewish New York-style deli. You can find deli meats almost anywhere in New York. And they can be used to create sandwiches and burgers. Jewish New York deli, in particular, have a certain striking appeal because of the meat’s smokey flavor. Pastrami sandwiches are considered the symbol of the classic Jewish New York deli.
Specialty burgers. There are ordinary burgers. Then there are specialty burgers: towering and spruced up with layers of mouthwatering ingredients and concoctions. In New York, you’ll find different kinds of these burgers. Pizza burger, deli burger, Angus steak burger — all made to satisfy your meat-and-bread cravings.
Buffalo chicken. Boasting a unique tangy and spicy taste, buffalo chicken is the go-to appetizer of many Americans. This dish is available in different levels of spiciness. And if you’re scouting an authentic buffalo wing, NYC is definitely the place to be.
Hotdogs. Apart from New York style deli meals, you’d also find many New Yorkers treating themselves to addicting flavors of this popular street food. Like burgers, hotdogs have also evolved from being a lump of simple processed meat on a stick to more experimental versions. Case in point: Deep-fried hotdogs wrapped in bacon, complete with fries and spicy cream mustard.
Lox. Lox refers to a fillet of brined salmon. You can find this as a main dish (e.g. Smoked fish platter) or as an ingredient to other meals. In addition, there’s a scramble that contains lox and onions. As mentioned earlier, you can also pair bagels with this salmon fillet.
Pasta with marinara. New Yorkers are also pasta lovers. And marinara is one particularly popular pasta sauce in this part of the US. Many restaurants who have this on their menu also typically offer another well-loved food: pizza marinara.
Egg sandwich with cheese, bacon, or ham. Like bagels, egg sandwiches are commonly consumed by New Yorkers — for breakfast and for snack time. If you want to have your sandwich to be fully loaded, you can add ham, bacon, or cheese, or all three.
New York cheesecake. New York cheesecake is the no. 1 dessert for New Yorkers. Even when you visit other places, you’d surely find a cafe or two offering this cake. However, nothing tastes quite like the authentic one that you can only find in the Big Apple. It’s oozing with cream cheese goodness, smooth, dense — and like home, simply comforting.
If you miss real NY food from a New York style deli, check out what we have for you at Chutzpah Deli. Visit our website to see our menu and order online!