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This is not a light day.
This is not a sensible day.
This is a “book a flight and bring elasticated trousers” kind of day.
New York City might be one of the greatest food cities in the world, which makes narrowing it down almost impossible. But if you had one day – one glorious, slightly unhinged food-filled day – this is exactly how we’d do it.
From flaky pastries in SoHo to late-night cocktails with serious personality, this is our ultimate NYC food itinerary. Every item has been personally tested by our expert palettes.
Seven stops.
Zero regrets.
Let’s eat.
☕ Breakfast – Lafayette Grand Cafe & Bakery
We’re starting strong. No compromises.
Lafayette is one of those places that makes you feel like you’ve accidentally wandered into a Parisian cafe – except you’re in downtown Manhattan and everything is dialled up a notch.
Order the Eggs Royale. Add a chocolate croissant. Question whether all future breakfasts will now feel disappointing.
🌮 Savoury Snack – Los Tacos No.1
A tactical move. And a necessery one.
Los Tacos No.1 is fast, loud, and outrageously good. The kind of place where you grab a taco, eat it standing up, and immediately consider ordering a second.
Simple. Messy. Perfect.
Pro Tip: Keep it simple, don’t explore the menu too heavily, order 3 tacos. 1 Carne Asada, 1 Pollo Asado and 1 Adobada. Maybe bring a friend.
🥪 Lunch – Katz’s Delicatessen
This isn’t lunch. This is a New York institution.
Katz’s pastrami on rye is stacked to a level that feels borderline aggressive. Juicy, salty, chaotic – in the best possible way.
You will leave full. You will not regret it.
Pro Tip: The queue at Katz’s Deli moves fast, and you are expected to order fast, so research goes a long way. A pastrami sandwich with mustard is a good starting point, the turkey sandwich is also sneakily good.
🍰 Dessert – Eileen’s Special Cheesecake
Just when you think you’re done…you’re absolutely not.
Eileen’s does cheesecake properly – light, creamy, and somehow still manageable even after Katz’s. It’s far enough away from Katz’s that you’ll have plenty of time to walk off that mega sandwich.
This is your “we’ll share one” moment. You won’t.
We found Eileen’s Special Cheesecake in Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Eatlist, along with some amazing NYC recommendations.
🍌 Sweet Treat – Magnolia Bakery
Yes, it’s famous. Yes, it’s worth it.
The banana pudding at Magnolia is the kind of dessert that makes you pause mid-bite and reassess your life choices – mainly why you haven’t been eating this every day.
Smooth, sweet and dangerously easy to demolish.
🦞 Dinner – Aqua Boil
Time to rally. Dinner is not optional.
Aqua Boil is loud, messy, and ridiculously fun. Seafood in a bag, or dumped on the table, gloves and bib on, sauce everywhere – this is not a refined dining experience, and that’s exactly why it’s brilliant.
I seriously can’t praise Aqua Boil enough, we were lucky enough to find it towards the end of our trip and returned the very next day. Totally customisable seafood boils, and an inexpensive menu, not to mention gloriously fruity cocktails.
Come hungry. Leave victorious.
Pro Tip: Hell’s Kitchen is an absolute gold mine for foodies looking for something a little different from NY pizza or white table clothed steakhouses. Visit multiple times, you can pretty much find any world cuisine in Hell’s Kitchen.
🍸 Evening Cocktails – Friki Tiki
You’ve earned this.
Friki Tiki is pure chaos in the the best way – piano bar energy, tiki cocktails, and a vibe that escalates quickly after one drink.
It’s the perfect place to toast a day very well spent.
Pro Tip: The cocktails at Friki Tiki are STRONG!!!! And expensive, so if you are not looking for a wild night, set a budget and drink water in between cocktails.
Or not! 🍹
Seven stops. One day. A completely unreasonable amount of food.
Would we do it again?
Immediately. ☕🌮🥪🍰🍌🦞🍸
If you have any unique NYC food recommendations, let us know in the comments below.
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