on eating through new york city
on eating through new york city
and an homage to beli, the best app for foodies
i’ve kept a log of every place that has graced my taste buds since i graduated college in june 2022, which exists on a platform called beli.
as of today, i have reviewed 643 restaurants, cafes, bars, and dessert parlors around the world. some call me the beli queen. some say i eat a lot. others simply rely on me to send them food photos. i happily report that all these assumptions are correct.
so as duty to you, my people, i will hereby spill the tea ☕️ —my takes, thoughts, and expensive taste on where to eat if you’re ever in the city.
but first, a profile on my taste palette
as a spicy indonesian girl with manadonese heritage, i have a high spice tolerance. i want to say that my third-world-trained stomach is made of rocks, but my sordid affairs with málà dry pots beg to differ.
i can’t name you my favorite food, but i can’t say that i dislike particular foods, either…except papaya flowers, blue cheese, and licorice. i am definitely more of a salty than sweet tooth. and though i don’t eat beef, i love the gelatinous crunch of cow tripe, trotter, and lung. i was raised on my ma’s chinese diet, after all.
safe to say that i’m an adventurous eater, and this list encompasses just that: a food experience that is authentically “new york”—to me, at least—outside of the classic places everybody knows about (e.g., Carbone, Tompkins Square Bagels). this is also the hardest list i’ve had to curate in my life.
in last place, #643 Gitano Island (0.5)
Governors Island
something must’ve blown up in the kitchen because our party didn’t receive food for three hours—yes, you heard that correctly. we got so drunk because all we received for our 6:00pm reservation were three giant pitchers of cocktails and a tiny plate of guacamole.
this place holds a special place in my heart because of the liquid courage that enabled my friend (hi, megan!) and i to complain in the nicest way possible, saying hey, we are reasonable people, but waiting three hours for tacos is pretty insane. the kind server—bless their heart—was so understanding and compensated our drinks, which is why Gitano Island is a 0.5 and not 0.
you better bet the shake shack after this clown fest received a 10.0 rating.
#10 Forma Pasta Factory (8.1)
Greenpoint, Brooklyn
affordable handmade pasta in new york?! look no further.
the minute you stand in line, you see pasta of all shapes and sizes getting kneaded shaped and boiled and tossed in decadent sauces. fast casual, made-to-order pasta isn’t a novel concept, but having it for just $12 in new york definitely is.
Forma Pasta Factory’s short menu, in addition to its $16 seasonal specials, already has plenty for you to chew on, but once you’ve satisfied your pasta tooth, get the chocolate budino for your sweet one.
#9 Angelo’s Coal Oven Pizzeria (8.5)
Midtown on 57th & 7th, not to be confused with Angelo’s Pizza on Broadway
i learned of this place from dave portnoy’s—the barstool sports owner—side gig “one bite,” where he reviews pizza across the nation, and Angelo’s was rated 9.3/10, the highest in midtown manhattan.
don’t sleep on this place if you have $30+ for a new york pizza! its crust is perfectly charred and crisp, its toppings fresh, its dough at just the right thinness, tangy and bouncy in all the right places. though you absolutely should snag a dollar slice in the city, you won’t be disappointed with this luxurious upgrade.
#8 Russ & Daughters (8.7)
Lower East Side
how do you think the lox bagel come to be, if not for Russ & Daughters?
this kosher deli has been sitting proud since 1914, serving fish and roe and flavored spreads like you’ve never seen before on fresh bagels. think sable, sturgeon, smoked salmon, and cream cheese; whitefish, baked salmon, horseradish dill cream cheese, and wasabi flying fish roe. think all of that decadence sandwiched in a chewy hot bagel.
dropping $20+ on a bagel seems outrageous, but i promise the quality and taste more than make up for the splurge. split it with friends, or just don’t go everyday—i’m here to recommend food, not manage your money.
#7 Thirteen Water (9.3)
Alphabet City
there isn’t a shortage of omakase spots in the city, ranging from the sushi master Masa at $750pp or los angeles transplant Sugarfish at $43pp. if you want quality omakase that doesn’t break the bank, however, check out Thirteen Water, where you get thirteen quality bites in one hour, at only $75pp.
i particularly commend Thirteen Water for its innovative, quality toppings: salmon nigiri topped with fresh tomato; toast with wagyu (mine was subbed out for otoro) and uni; shima aji with scallion oil and fried garlic. each bite is technically complex, unique, and tasty. you will leave stuffed but craving more.
*brownie points to Thirteen Water’s sister restaurants Shinn West & Shinn East, which offer 13 delicious courses for $69pp
#6 Pranakhon (9.4)
Union Square
when i heard that this restaurant snagged a spot on the michelin guide within its first year of opening, i knew it warranted a visit, and i was right.
there is no shortage of thai restaurants in the city (there’s one in almost every block in Hell’s Kitchen) but Pranakhon stands out over the others. each dish, from its crab fried rice and tom yum to classic staples like green curry and pad thai, is crafted to perfection. a vegetarian friend from bangkok (hi, aryan!) said that this was the most authentic place he has been to in new york.
i’ve been twice at this point, and i am yet to return to try their famed street food-style appetizers. but how can i pass up the freshest, tastiest, and coziest steamed fish in the city, one that rivals Fish Cheeks’?
#5 Nubiani (9.4)
Koreatown
as a non-beef eater, my bbq plate largely consists of juicy pork cuts, which Nubiani delivers on every time.
this restaurant offers generous servings of amazing banchan and a server standing by to grill their decadent meats for you, giving you the largest bang for the hefty price tag. their marinated pork and jowl are my personal favorites, but you really can’t go wrong with any of their cuts, and don’t forget to snag their seafood pancake and perilla oil buckwheat noodles if you still have room.
the ventilation at Nubiani is so good that your clothes don’t reek of meat and charcoal, which definitely earns extra brownie points for those of us who hate having to wash our hair after every korean bbq meal.
#4 Cosme (9.7)
Flatiron
the genius behind mexico city’s Pujol, enrique olvera’s hip upscale mexican spot Cosme is hot, innovative, and tasteful; my party found ourselves scraping the bottom of each plate.
definitely come with a bigger group to sample more plates, because each one has its own unique flair, but be sure to make room for dessert, especially chef enrique’s famous cornhusk meringue.
#3 Misi (9.8)
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
not only does Lilia’s trendy sister restaurant—in my opinion, Misi is far better than its predecessor—it also houses yummy pasta dishes, it also houses the best olive oil gelato i’ve had in my life (yes, better than Salt & Straw’s).
at Misi you will be graced by a new american spin on your comfort italian food: swiss chard with basil, pine nuts, and fiore sardo; sheep’s milk ricotta occhi with bottarga; a chickpea pappardelle with rosemary, garlic, and lemon.
i rated this place for its charm and uniqueness, quirky flavors that are quite unique to new york…unless you buy Banza for your chickpea pasta fix, perhaps.
#2 Jua (10.0) *
Flatiron
until i moved to the city, i never realized that korean fine dining is scarce outside the city. that was before i found Jua, which holds a special place in my heart.
through its $140 seven-course prix-fix menu, Jua manages to spin home cooking with korean luxury (does the oxymoron make sense). think a cozy jook—the way my great-grandmother used to make it—topped with foie gras; a shrimp tartare dip with fried spotted prawn as “bread”—a take on the familiar cracker-and-smoked-fish dip i’ve loved since childhood; and a strawberry sorbet with yogurt ice cream that tastes like a classy strawberries and cream.
although you can definitely find great plates in other titans of korean fine dining (e.g., Atomix, Jungsik, Oiji Mi), Jua always holds a piece of my heart.
#1 Francie (10.0) *
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
when you snag a reservation at Francie, bring your biggest appetite and let the courses take you on a journey through europe.
though famed for its dry-aged crown of duck for two—and rightfully so—Francie boasts stellar pasta dishes, like its conchiglie with clams and bacon, and agnolotti with suckling pig and cracklins. you can taste and feel the team’s care and passion in each dish, and i promise you will leave satisfied and wanting more.
honorable mentions:
Ume (9.9), Williamsburg
cute concept of diy handrolls with amazing quality fish
noreetuh (9.7), East Village
unique hawaiian cuisine with killer fried chicken
Joe’s Steam Rice Roll (8.6), Upper West Side / Flushing
for rice rolls drenched in peanut sauce and chili oil and all that goodness
there is literally no way all of this can occupy my brain’s limited real estate, so i highly recommend downloading beli, if you, like me, need a tool to keep track of your big girl food adventures and the memories associated with each bite.
another thing you can have in your pocket is great friends, who will try new places and share a strong love for food with you, just like mine 💖
thank you for stopping by,
<3 tasha