New York, New York: The Big Apple, The City That Never Sleeps, The Five Boroughs or perhaps the most important (and the one I made up), The City I Spent $300 In For Food Over The Course Of 3 Days And Never Regretted A Penny.

I recently took a trip to New York City to visit my best friend. She is very accustomed to the city lifestyle so we never do too many touristy things when I visit. I wanted this trip to be mostly, if not only, about the food scene of the city.

New York City really does have some of the best food in the world, and I got my little taste of it last weekend. I have compiled a list of all the spots I ate my way through during my stay. Of course, there are hundreds of delicious restaurants all around the city and my list is merely skimming the surface, but here goes nothing:

1. Le Pain Quotidien

This place serves as a bakery and coffee shop and restaurant with French style cuisine. There are many locations all around the city. It's a perfect place for a quick lunch or pit stop for coffee and a croissant without breaking the bank, and it's way better than any old Starbucks.

2. Max Brenner

Being as this place is a restaurant, chocolate shop and has scrumptious desserts, it's easy to get confused on what its real purpose is. But make no mistake people: You better save room for dessert. I went for dinner and had a wonderful tomato and mozzarella panini, but it was the mouth-watering dessert menu that I stayed for. Between their chocolate pizza, nine different milkshake options, sugar waffles, crêpes, fondue, sundaes and other sweet treats like tiramisu and chocolate cake, I had a really tough decision to make. But I played it safe and went with a s'mores sundae. Yes, it was $14 but no, I do not care, nothing will ever beat that sundae.

3. The Standard

I recommend going to The Standard for brunch and ordering the brioche cinnamon sugar donuts (pictured above) for an appetizer. In fact, once you eat those and enjoy a cup of coffee, you can leave knowing you'll never have a better donut. But I stayed, and I got the Nutella and strawberry waffles for my meal (I have an insane sweet tooth if you haven't noticed). I couldn't finish them because they were so deliciously rich, but I have never tasted a better waffle with oiled up chocolate that comes from a jar. The Standard offered a variety of foods on their brunch menu, ranging from almond-crusted french toast to grilled tuna. There is something at The Standard for everyone.

4. Amorino

Holy gelato with an ice cream macaroon on top. I don't think I have to defend this choice but I will anyway. Amorino serves the infamous flower style gelato on a cone. They let you choose as many flavors as you want, and you can add a macaroon with gelato sandwiched in the middle to sit pretty on top of your cone for a small fee. I went with a three flavor trio of vanilla, tiramisu, hazelnut and you better believe that I put a coffee macaroon on top. It was the perfect mid-afternoon treat.

5. Dos Caminos

With their exotic interior design and famous guacamole that they make fresh in front of you, if you're looking for Mexican cuisine in NYC, you shan't pass this place up. The drinks are strong and tasty, the food is fresh and the atmosphere is relaxing. What more could you ask for?

6. Two Hands

When the end of my trip neared, I was ready for some healthier options as I'd spent most of the weekend gorging myself with sugar, so Two Hands was one of my favorite stops. The coffee is what stood out to me the most, as it had blueberry undertones. My friend got the ice chai latte with almond milk and said it was one of the best she's ever had (and this girl has a had a lot of chai in her day, believe you me). As far as the food goes, it was a great brunch that left me feeling full for most of the day. I had the bacon and egg sambo with avocado: a breakfast sandwich with sweet tomato relish. I didn't even know I liked tomato relish until I tried this heavenly thing. Their menu had a plethora of vegan and vegetarian options as well, and I hear their avocado toast is some of the best.

7. Big Gay Ice Cream

Every other ice cream cone you try after one of Big Gay's will be unsatisfying, so get ready for a lifetime of disappointment. They've got cones, sundaes, shakes, floats, ice cream sandwiches and a shop that's full of flamboyant memorabilia. The Salty Pimp is my favorite cone. It's covered in chocolate with soft-serve vanilla ice cream underneath and has salted caramel hidden within. Delectable is an understatement.

8. Serafina

Fast, tasty Italian food that will make you feel like you're in Italy, especially when you butcher every single word on their menu. I had the penne alla vodka, called something else that I can't remember nor pronounce, and it was in front of me within eight minutes of me giving my order to the waiter. I had the tiramisu for dessert, and it was without a doubt the best I've ever had. Oh, and the waitstaff is incredibly good-looking and friendly, so that's always a plus.

9. Juice Press

OK, so I am in love with this place. If I lived in NYC I would have a serious spending problem with their raw oatmeal. Juice Press offers a fridge full of healthy options like pre-packaged food and juices in their store, but they also make organic smoothies. The raw oatmeal they sell is seriously like crack and it tastes like cookie dough. Finally, a way to trick yourself into being healthy!

With only nine stops on my list, I ate a lot less than I thought I did, and my bank account is definitely thanking me for that. New York City has a fun and thriving atmosphere with plenty of things to do, and plenty of places to eat at. Needless to say, if I lived there full time I would be 300+ pounds. Thanks for a great weekend, New York City!