One of my favorite things to do on a nice summer day, like today, is go explore New York City, and specifically the food!! The city has an amazing food scene, with a new cuisine at the turn of every block. There are areas with specific cuisines such as Little Italy and Chinatown, yet at the same time, while walking around the city, it isn't surprising to see a Vietnamese shop next to a Peruvian restaurant. It's hard to decide what is worth indulging, in the city, when there are so many options, so here are some of my favorite:
1. Indikitch
Nestled in the flatiron district, Indikitch is one of my favorite NYC finds! I often feel so overwhelmed when I order at an Indian restaurant and get a heaping bowl of curry, instead Indikitch provides a balanced meal. My favorite meal is a “feast,” which comes with a main course/curry, rice, dal, a side salad, and naan. All of the ingredients are all-natural and GMO-free. Also, a big plus here is that the service is great and everyone is very friendly.
2. Dominique Ansel Bakery
This West Village bakery has done a good job of innovating new goodies, from the famous cronut to frozen s’mores. I personally could not wait to visit the bakery to get a Chocolate Chip Cookie Shot. It’s a perfect combination of cookies, milk, and chocolate! The bakery only sells these starting at 3pm, but even if they’re not available, you can never really go wrong at Dominique Ansel! The New York Post has even proclaimed Chef Ansel as the “Willy Wonka of NYC.”
3. Grom
A few blocks north from Dominique Ansel, also in the West Village, is Grom. Using 100% natural ingredients, this gelato shop knows how to balance the smoothness and flavors. In fact, the chain itself is based out of Turin, Italy and has branches all of the world, including NYC, LA, Paris, Jakarta, and Dubai. My favorite flavor is Tiramisu, which has little bites of lady fingers. And, for being someone who usually doesn’t like Pistachio, I have completely changed my opinion thanks to Grom!
4. Potatopia
I love stopping by Potatopia right before my way home from the city. The restaurant is essentially a “Chipotle” for potato-lovers, and really, who doesn’t like potatoes?! There are some premade combinations, but I like to make my own. First, you start by picking your protein, and next the type of potato—there is everything from curly fries to baked potatoes. You then load up your potatoes with as many toppings as you want, cheese, and a sauce. There are so many options, and I’m convinced that you can never really go wrong!
5. Arancini Bros
I actually stumbled across Arancini Bros as I was walking out of Herald Square. For a month of the summer, Urban Space NYC has brought delicious food stalls to Greely Square. I got three arancini balls: pizza- filled with marinara and gooey mozzarella, bianco – injected with flavorful pesto and mozerella, and their famous Nutella stuffed arancini. All three bite-sized balls were delicious! If you can’t make it to the Urban Space Broadway Bites, you can find the Arancini Bros storefront in the East Village.
