How to Eat and Explore NYC Like a Local

New York is a gorgeous city with so many things to see and even more things to do. However, it is also huge, which means that if you don’t know what you’re looking for, you could waste an entire day wandering around. This is why it’s best to go prepared. With that in mind, if you want to truly experience the best side of this amazing city, here’s how to enjoy it like a local.

Visit Chinatown

Chinatown is one of the largest markets in the city, and it’s always filled with people. Here, you can see the Chinese playing Mahjong, their traditional game. Moreover, there are also many karaoke bars, if you’re into this kind of entertainment. The most important thing to do here, though, is to take the opportunity to try the local cuisine. Even if you’ve had Chinese food before, the food here is on a whole different level. All in all, it’s definitely a nice way to spend an evening since Chinatown is unlike any other part of the city.

Grab some pizza

New York is home to some of the most delicious pizzas in the USA, you just need to know where to find them. For example, there is Roberta’s in Brooklyn, which prepares some of the finest wood-oven cooked pizzas. The atmosphere is quite hipster-like, so if you’re looking for hot and delicious pizza in a cool and relaxing atmosphere, this is the place to be. John’s Pizzeria is another pizzeria you should consider. It’s famous for brick-oven pizzas prepared in the tomato-pie style. It was ranked as one of the ten best pizzerias in the USA, and once you try the pizza here, you’ll easily see why.

A slice of pizza is my best friend on a tiring afternoon.

Go on a cruise

There are many ways to see New York from the water, like going on sightseeing tours and dinner cruises. There are also many excursions, and there is a New York Water Taxi as well. Going on a cruise would allow you to see the city from a different perspective. It would also be a great way to get closer to the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, and other famous sights. You can also visit the Staten Island, and take some fantastic photos of the Statue of Liberty and the amazing skyscrapers of this breathtaking city.

Think about catering

New York has some fantastic catering services, so if you’re planning a party in the city, make sure to choose the right catering company for your needs. For example, Alchemiq offers catering in NYC that is guaranteed to fulfill all your wishes. They are very creative and professional when it comes to their food, and they offer mixology services as well. They use only the freshest local ingredients, so have no doubt that the food would be delicious, and your celebration would be a success.

Go on a ride

If you’re not a fan of long walks but you still want to experience the atmosphere of the city and be a part of the crowd, consider cycling. It is fun, and it doesn’t cost much, so it’s a great way to move around the city, especially if you want to go off the beaten path and see some less famous places. It’s also the best way to commute if you want to enjoy the nature and take some amazing photos at the least expected locations. Finally, there are also many a bit more famous and very scenic routes, so cycling along those routes is also a good way to relax and just soak in the atmosphere.

Bagel

One thing is for sure – there’s no such thing as a bad bagel in New York. It’s one of the city’s staple foods, so you should definitely try them. Bagels are usually eaten for breakfast, but once you see how good they are here, you will want them all the time. After all, they can be prepared in so many different ways and flavors, even if you were to eat just bagels, you still wouldn’t manage to taste every type there is. When it comes to the places where you can try them, there’s pretty much a bagel shop around every corner, but one of the best ones is Murray’s Bagels. Their bagels are hand-made, crunchy, and so delicious, you are bound to come back for more.

If you love traveling, New York is a city that should be on your bucket list. There are so many things to do here (visit imhonyc.com/ to learn more), which is why it’s a popular destination and home for many. It’s diverse, beautiful, and always awake, so you can rest assured that you can never be bored here. So, pack your bags, plan your itinerary, and have no doubt that you’ll have the time of your life.

Guest Post by Peter who is a travel editor at Men-Ual magazine. Beside blogging he worked as a travel journalist for many publications around UK & AU. Follow Peter on Twitter for more tips.

26 thoughts on “How to Eat and Explore NYC Like a Local”

NYC looks amazing. What a great post showcasing where to go. I hope to visit myself one day.

Glad you mentioned cycling here. Even though it’s a little scary to many people in the city, at least you’ll earn your foodie treats… 😉

Caitlin
glutenfreedairyfreefitness.com

How cool! Thank you for this post! If I ever make it to NYC, I will definitely need to check these places out!

So much to see and do in NYC … it’s hard to figure out what to do first! I’m torn between the pizza and the walk through Chinatown!

I was born and raised in New York. I haven’t lived there in years, but I miss the bagels and pizza almost every day. Lol.

This is great to know!! Next time I go to New York I’ll have to check these off my bucket list! 🙂

China town always has good food and cheaper, no matter which Chinatown in the world. You have a great list of good food in NYC.

It’s the pizza that I like the most It has always been my favorite. No matter what style

New York is somewhere I would LOVE to visit! It seems like it has great food options. I’ve heard about Chinatown non-stop, and that the pizza is amazing! Hope I can try it someday!

I grew up in this area and the pizza and bagels are a must! Surprisingly never made my way to Chinatown for some reason, though.

Nice post and I do have a nice read about this article that showcasing different places that you can visit when you are in NYC.

I love New York !!! Such a great place to visit any time of the year! Great Post!

This is an awesome write up. You highlighted some great places that our NYC has to offer!

I do love NYC, but have thus far only done majorly touristy things like visit the statue of liberty and go to a Broadway show. These are great recommendations! Chinatown sounds like great fun…I’m all about karaoke!

NYC looks amazing. What a great post showcasing where to go. NYC has great food options. I’ve heard about Chinatown non-stop, and that the pizza is amazing!

I love NYC! I had a friend who lived there and we visited her all the time. I definitely agree that you should try the pizza, bagels, …and cheesecake!

Been wanting to visit NYC for the longest time! I definitely would go on a food crawl given the chance to explore this city. 🙂

I love NYC and this is making me want to go back even more. I may have to look at going back to try out some of these tips.

I’m not a fan of cities, but when I went to college in Nyack, many of us students visited NYC on occasion. It is a fascinating place and you’re right: authentic Chinese food, pizza, and bagels … oh my! SO good!