What to eat and drink in New York State

Sure, New York Metropolis hogs all the eye, however you’ll discover excellent eating and ingesting locations all throughout the Empire State. Seafood eating places in Lengthy Island, farm-focused gastropubs within the Hudson Valley, and microbreweries and iconic snack-serving pubs on the sting of a Nice Lake are all a part of the good New York meals expertise.

New Yorkers love selection, which means you’ll by no means run out of choices regardless of what number of weeks (or years) you keep. Listed below are a number of the finest foods and drinks experiences in New York State. 


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Cease in Chinatown in Flushing, Queens, as you discover international delicacies in New York Metropolis’s largest borough © efenzi / Getty Pictures

Eat your manner across the globe in Queens

New York Metropolis’s largest borough by measurement at roughly 109 sq. miles, Queens is sort of 5 instances bigger than Manhattan. Its huge neighborhoods additionally boast better ethnic range than almost any equally sized space on the planet. Anybody in search of genuine international delicacies ought to head to Queens, the place you’ll discover the whole lot from Tibetan momos (dumplings) to Ethiopian siga wot (beef stew). The subway will get you anyplace it is advisable to go, which means you may cross continents for the mere value of a MetroCard. 

The place to strive it: Head to Taverna Kyclades in Astoria for the town’s finest Greek fare. Alongside Roosevelt Avenue, you’ll discover all kinds of Latin meals vehicles, together with Mini Picanteria El Guaquileño, the place you may have the Guayaquil favourite of encebollado (fish stew). Additional east, Flushing boasts New York’s largest and finest Chinatown. The New World Mall has dozens of distributors promoting Uyghur-style lamb, Korean bibimbap, Vietnamese pho, Peking duck, Thai road meals, boba tea and rather more. 

A New York style margherita pizza slice held by a hand along a New York City street
Crispy skinny crust and enormous slices are necessary attributes of New York-style pizza © James Andrews / Getty Pictures

Chew right into a slice of brick-oven pizza

Total books have been dedicated to New York’s well-known pizza, which might be the preferred meals within the Empire State. In 1905, Sicilian immigrant Gennaro Lombardi was the primary to introduce the dish to the area when he opened a pizzeria in Manhattan’s Little Italy district. New York prides itself on pizza with a skinny crust, a fair thinner layer of sauce and the best high quality components, that are finest fired up in a brick oven. 

The place to strive it: You’ll discover legendary pizzas throughout the 5 boroughs of New York Metropolis, from Juliana’s in Brooklyn to Zero Otto Nove in the Bronx. After all, you needn’t be within the Huge Apple for an ideal Italian pie. It’s nicely definitely worth the prepare experience as much as Rhinebeck, the place you’ll discover Pizzeria Posto serving genuine pies fired up in a wood-burning oven. 

Take pleasure in farm-to-table eating within the Hudson Valley 

North of NYC, within the fertile Hudson Valley, wood-paneled taverns and imaginative gastropubs make good use of the agricultural bounty of the world. Farm-to-table meals of all varieties may be discovered throughout the area. Image domestically sourced pork, brightly coloured heirloom greens and foraged components mixed to create menus that change by the season – and typically by the day. 

The place to strive it: Practically the whole lot is grown or raised onsite at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, among the best eating places in New York State. There isn’t any menu at this two Michelin star eating room, only a multi-course feast primarily based on no matter is recent that day. Wm Farmer & Sons within the city of Hudson has a first-rate seasonal menu, and you can too ebook a visitor room above the restaurant. 

Autumn landscape of Seneca Lake and vineyard in the heart of the Finger Lakes Wine Country, New York
The sprawling vineyards within the Fingerlakes resemble these in Germany’s Rhine Valley © arlutz73 / Getty Pictures

Sip New York’s most interesting wines within the Finger Lakes 

In western New York, the rolling hills are sliced by 11 lengthy slender our bodies of water referred to as the Finger Lakes. With its cool local weather and quick rising season, the area is just not not like Germany’s Rhine Valley and is equally sturdy in off-dry whites akin to Riesling. There are quite a few vineyards to discover, many with tasting rooms the place you may study all in regards to the area’s wines. 

The place to strive it: Tucked alongside the densely forested shore of Cayuga Lake, the waterfront Sheldrake Level Vineyard has a fantastically set tasting room the place you may pattern award-winning Riesling, pinot gris and chardonnay wines. Over in glowing Seneca Lake, you’ll discover the pioneering Hermann J Wiemer Winery with intensely flavored Rieslings. 

Folks enjoy a casual meal at a clam shack in East Hampton, New York.  The diner, located on the road to Montauk, is a popular lunch spot in the Hamptons.
Old fashioned clam shacks just like the Clam Bar at Napeague are widespread lunch spots © Kirkikis / Getty Pictures

Have a seafood feast on Lengthy Island 

Aptly named Lengthy Island (certainly the longest island within the decrease 48 states) has a shoreline of golden seashores and seaside cities, the place you’re by no means removed from a meal of fresh-off-the-boat seafood. Outdated-school clam shacks, meals vehicles doling out lobster rolls and award-winning waterfront eating rooms are all a part of the culinary largesse. Whether or not you’re on a highway journey from Manhattan to Montauk or simply spending your time in a single or two locations (the Hamptons, Greenpoint), you may have a sea-centric feast every single day of the week and by no means run out of choices. 

The place to strive it: The no-nonsense Clam Bar at Napeague is a Lengthy Island basic and a must-visit when out on the jap a part of the island. Keep away from the lunchtime rush (noon-2pm) when the crowds are thickest. On the dockside restaurant of Claudio’s in Greenport, you may slurp domestically sourced North Fork oysters earlier than delving into seafood combo platters.   

Discover the craft beer scene in western New York 

Two waterfront cities in western New York have change into prime locations for brewery lovers. Close to the northeastern tip of Lake Erie, Buffalo is residence to just about 50 craft breweries, together with beer-minded bars the place you may style all kinds of basic and cutting-edge brews. Whilst you’re on the town, do not forget to strive the Buffalo wings, which had been invented on the Anchor Bar again in 1964.

Simply south of Lake Ontario, Rochester has a legendary beer scene and is residence to the Genesee Brewery, one of many oldest regularly working breweries within the USA. It is value planning your journey round Rochester’s Flour City Brewers Fest. The August competition options breweries from throughout New York State, in addition to native meals and dwell music.

The place to strive it: In Buffalo, Community Beer Works is a small-batch nano brewery with an ever-changing lineup of revolutionary beers, plus nice meals with advisable beer pairings. Rochester’s much-loved Swiftwater Brewing Company calls itself a farm brewery and makes use of recent and seasonal components at any time when attainable. 

Vegetarian and vegan diners

New York is a comparatively simple place for vacationers who keep on with plant-based diets. You’ll discover vegetarian eating places throughout the state, in addition to loads of purely vegan eateries. Many high-end locations that after served few meatless dishes now have many extra choices for vegetarians.

NYC’s Eleven Madison Park, a 3 Michelin-star winner, even went vegan in 2021, a transfer which will encourage different eating places nationwide to discover the thought of making completely plant-based menus. Additionally value testing is the Backyard Cafe within the charming Catskills city of Woodstock for some recent vegan eats (all of their components are natural!).