Does Joe's Pizza Live Up to the Hype? And Other Foodie Finds
In the final edition to my New York 2024-25 series of posts, I'll be deep-diving into some of the best (according to my personally qualified sensitive taste buds) food joints in New York City – and some not-so-impressionable ones as well.
Whenever I travel, I love mapping out restaurants and food places in advance on Google Maps. It helps guide the entire day's itinerary. I was super happy to find out that a new friend I met while in Amsterdam did the same thing, especially when solo travelling.
In first-world countries where food is in abundance, it can be a challenge to hone in on the truly special joints that make you believe good food is all you need in life.
I grew up with Asian food at the forefront, so you'll notice on this list that I've included a lot of non-Western options I taste-tested during my time in NYC for the Martha Graham Winter Intensive.
At the same time, that doesn't mean I don't enjoy a good pizza or hamburger once in a while. There's a method to the madness of "comfort food," and even I couldn't leave the city without attempting Joe's Pizza.
Without further ado, here are my recommendations (or not) for food in New York City:
The Best of...
The Best Bagel
A friend recommended Bagel Pub to me. Its 6th Ave. location is a short 15-min walk from the Martha Graham School for Contemporary Dance; it's also the highest-rated out of all of them.
There was construction going on around the façade when I visited, but the interior was spacious, homey, and classic. The real treat was, of course, its bagels. I'm not a big bagel eater, though it seems to be a source of national pride for locals.
Bagel Pub isn't joking around. Their bagels are large, juicy, and flavourful, with so many customizable options for bread and toppings. The place is undoubtedly popular, so you have to snatch a seat quickly. I had a blueberry bagel with eggs, avocado, bacon, and tomatoes – plus a side of tuna to boot. I was stuffed!
The Best Health Food
For a country that's infamous for its obesity epidemic, I discovered the best health food store I've ever eaten at: OverGreens Salads & Juice.
Finally, a place that doesn't just boil their broccoli for two minutes and call it a day! Their broccoli was tender, seasoned, and bursting with flavour (and I love broccoli, so I would know). I went to the location nearest me, at 501 Myrtle Ave.
The manager, after seeing me take photos of the menu and storefront to remember, ran out to offer me a free pop and reminded me to leave a good review. Gladly!
The Best Hot Dog
This one's up for debate, but underneath Chelsea Market is a meat stand called Dickson's Farmstand Meats who sell, amongst other things, the alleged "best hot dog in New York."
It's cheap, simple, and indeed good value for your buck. No complaints.
Everything Asian
Your Homey Japanese Takeout
750 Myrtle Diner: Japanese Kitchen & Grocery is a tiny convenience-store-like joint in Brooklyn. They feature imported Japanese snacks and drinks (including sake!), along with a takeout service for ramen, rice bowls, and more in a fusion European-Japanese fashion.
I got the chicken katsu rice bowl to take home, and the first bite I took sent me to heaven and back. The fried chicken was tender in all the right spots. (I will admit that not all of the chicken was the same level of juiciness – not sure if this was due to the cooking or the cold).
They do have a little patio space outside, but it's way too cold in the winter to use it.
I highly recommend this place for any of your Asian cravings.
Homey Chinese Cuisine
After a few days, I was really missing my mom's homemade cooking (she's an absolute great cook), so I sought out the closest Chinese restaurant with high ratings and found DunHuang Miss Noodles.
It's a quiet mid-size storefront, but it had one of my favourite restaurant dishes: Szechuan hand-shredded, stir-fried cabbage – often hard to find in areas without a strong Chinese community. This dish is also often served over an iron pot with a fire going underneath. It's spicy and has too much oil for its own good (but so good).
I also tried their Lanzhou noodles and potato fries. Nothing can beat my mom's cooking, but DunHuang is a solid option for a nice, relaxed dinner in the store or at home.
An Intimate Japanese Sit-Down
Kamisama Ramen literally translates to "God Ramen," so there are a lof of high hopes there. I ordered a spicy ramen and a side of chicken wings.
In hindsight, I should've ordered a bento set instead because ever since I tried the magnificent tonkatsu ramen in London, England, ramen's been (mostly) ruined for me. That's not to say the ramen wasn't good. I'm sure they have a 4.7 rating on Google Maps for good reason.
However, the chicken wings were great and saucy. As with most Japanese restaurants, the service was impeccable, and the interior was comforting and so, so aesthetic.
A Cute Dessert Café
Right next to Kamisama Ramen on East 14th St. is Uluhuluh. If the name doesn't make you squeal in delight, the desserts sure will. I couldn't resist their sunny side-up matcha latte.
What does that mean? It's a creamy matcha latte with a little egg on top – not a real one. At least, I don't think so...? Either way, it was adorable and very filling.
The biggest issue I had with Uluhuluh is that I ordered too much. I wanted to try the main entrées as well as all the desserts. The food itself wasn't the greatest, but it was more than passable – just a little too salty for me.
I also ordered a matcha cake, not realizing that it would literally be a whole cake. Per Western cuisine, it was too sweet for me after the first few bites, but I can see its appeal to populations who grew up with more sugar in their diets. I'll forgive myself for falling for the dango and red beans included on the cake.
The other caveat is that Uluhuluh is quite expensive. The matcha cake, despite being smaller than a regular birthday cake, cost me $18. I recommend coming here with friends, so you can share everything. Otherwise, keep to the fun takeaway drinks.
A big bonus, however, is that my waitress was super sweet and willing to make conversation with me, and that made my wallet feel a bit comforted.
Gourmet Japanese Sweets
In the heart of central Manhattan on 5th Ave. is a bright Japanese sweets shop called K. Minamoto. Have you figured out by now I love Japanese cuisine? The pastel patries called me in like an electron to a proton.
If there's anything I trust, it's the quality and standard of authentic Japanese confections. Their craftsmanship, especially if you go to Japan, knows no bounds.
At K. Minamoto, you'll find jelly, chocolate, mochi, pudding and more. There are gift boxes and pre-packaged sets perfect for the holiday season or as gifts.
It is a little pricey, though, but you can never really go wrong with spending your money on this if you have the room to spend.
Bubble Tea in New York
Of course I had to try out at least one bubble tea shop in the city. My local friend took me to her recommended spot, JOOY TEA SHOPPE at Union Square. I loved it. The drinks and juices were fresh and appealing, and the sugar level (i.e. no sugar) was just right.
Classic Comfort Food
Breakfast with Buddies in Brooklyn
Back in Brooklyn, we have the Bklyn Blend. Rather than a restaurant, it's more like a social house. Tons of locals show up in the mornings for a plate and some laughs with friends. There was even one of those group outings where you meet people from an app for the first time happening when I was there.
My breakfast plate was large and satisfying, though I was lucky to get a spot to sit down at all.
A Space-Inspired Diner
Galaxy Diner struck me as comfortable, homey, and unique for its decor. They had red and green Christmas lights up as well when I went, making the night sky ceiling all the more festive.
I didn't take any risks with my food order, just a classic eggs, sausage, and potatoes – and it was pretty good! If you like looking up at the star-studded sky while dining, this is an easy option for comfort fare in central Manhattan.
Mom's Kitchen and Bar
As a send-off on my last morning in New York City, my childhood friend and her fiance brought me to Mom's Kitchen and Bar for breakfast. I'd been crashing on their couch for the past week, and this was the first time we could actually get together for a meal.
Funny allusions aside – you'll see Strawberry Shortcake on the walls and the PowerPuff Girls on your menu – the food was pretty decent and more than enough to supplement a good chat and drinks. I ordered the protein plate for my meat cravings.
It seemed fitting that Mom's would be my final bite in NYC, after which I was heading home to my own's mom's cooking.
New York Novelties
The Cutest Coffee Shop
"Llama, llama, red pajama hollers loudly for his mama," is what you'll be feeling once you enter Hungry Llama. The only location of its brand right now, this is truly a New York find that you won't want to pass out on.
The interior is large and airy but still intimately cozy. The llama decor everywhere really highlights its commitment to providing a warm space for people to work, chat, or just sip a cup of coffee while watching the snowfall outside.
This cafe is also close to Martha Graham School for Contemporary Dance, so it's popular with the students and staff.
A Hip, Urban Food Hall
Urbanspace Vanderbilt Market is a large food hall with both ground and upstairs seating featuring local and boutique food stands. Here, you can find everything from bao buns to salads to beer.
It's also a good place to put your feet up to rest if you've been sightseeing in the city for a while, making it perfect for solo travellers.
Broadway-Collab Cookies
In the heart of Broadway is a little cookie store called Schmackary's. They offer the "official cookie of Broadway est. 2012." Their cookies are inspired by various Broadway shows like Wicked, and my local friends have all given them rave reviews.
Apart from these collaborations, they also have regular cookies in unique flavours. I tried out a spicy one that was large and crumbly. I didn't think they were the best cookies I've ever tried, but then again, my tastes veer toward the East. I still think it's an amazing concept and definitely worth checking out for its novelty alone.
I would go back another time to see if a different cookie may change the game for me.
Line Up for Joe's Pizza – if You Dare
I almost gave up on Joe's Pizza.
Another tourist and new friend gave me the intel on Joe's Pizza, that it's supposed to be the best thin-crust pizza in the state. Well. What should I do, then, if I don't particularly like thin-crust pizza?
I just think thin-crust pizza doesn't possess that hard bite I require in my favourite foods – the texture that will really put my teeth and jaw to work. But I decided to give Joe's Pizza a try, since I'd be there for two weeks anyway. Surely it shouldn't be hard to order a slice.
Cue the lineup.
You wouldn't believe it unless you saw it for yourself, but the lineup for Joe's Pizza on Broadway at basically any time of the day goes all the way around the block. After two attempts passing by the Broadway store on different days, I decided to try my luck at another location in Lower Manhattan.
It was late at night in the winter, so thankfully there was no line outside, but the store was no less crowded and noisy than any of the other locations. I don't know how Joe's Pizza got to be so famous in the first place, but the work of influencers has only served to heighten their popularity. The walls are scattered with Polaroids of celebrities at their joints.
I was tired and couldn't handle the crowds, so I ordered mine to take away. Once at home, I finally tried what all those people lined up for hours to eat.
It was ok.
I didn't find it glorious or anything; it was pizza. It's very hard to get pizza wrong, but it is significantly harder to make a good pizza great. Joe's Pizza didn't do that for me, but I admit that by the time I got home, the pizza was cold, and my verdict may have been unfairly skewed by external factors.
Conclusion
These are the standout spots and highlights of my trip to the Big Apple. Of course, I visited many grocery stores as well, and I was impressed by the array of options available – especially for protein drinks and kombucha. My recommended ones are Lincoln Market, D'Agostino Grocery Store (their hot food takeout is surprisingly good!), and Trader Joe's. Grocery stores are always an option if you're for lack of a good place to eat in New York.
If you really want to feel like a local, just buy a hot dog at the many stands around the city and sit by the sidewalk to eat it. Even in winter, there are many food trucks selling their sandwiches and burgers by the roadside – ideal for early risers or office workers needing a quick meal without the fuss.
In classic American fashion, a lot of the meals I ate in New York were big, sugary, and probably loaded with calories. But, in a way, what would my New York experience be otherwise?
