In a city that loves to eat out as much as New York, what makes a food truly iconic? Adulating fans come and go, and lines around the block aren’t necessarily indicative of staying power. Given the city’s vast culinary scene, memorable bites can also be found on most streets. It’s somewhere in the combination of these things—great taste, high popularity, and the ability to maintain both of over time—that we consider worthy of icon status. There are some dishes that simply define New York, and punctuate everyday life for locals while also dominating the must-see lists of Big Apple visitors.
Our roster considers a vast spectrum of dishes ranging from the porterhouse steak from Peter Luger, which symbolizes the platonic ideal of a New York City steakhouse, to fresh-off-the-griddle bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches, from whichever bodega is closest when you need it most. The city’s most memorable bites are unveiled from silver cloche and crinkled tin foil alike, some requiring reservations months in advance and others ordered on a whim in the dead of night.
Below, we asked our New York City-based editors for their picks of the most iconic foods in New York City. Some have their fame sealed in silver screen history, while others forgo the glitziness and are better known through word-of-mouth. For foodies seeking to explore New York by fork, knife, spoon, and even your bare hands (bring your hand sanitizer) consider breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert served.
Read our complete New York City guide here, which includes:
How we choose the best restaurant dishes in New York City
Every dish on this list has been selected independently by Condé Nast Traveler editors who have visited that restaurant and tried the food themselves. Our editors consider both high-end and affordable eateries, and weigh stand-out dishes, location, and service—as well as inclusivity and sustainability credentials.
Liz Clayman/Peter Luger Steakhouse
Porterhouse steak at Peter Luger Steakhouse
Near the underway of the Williamsburg Bridge, Peter Luger is a long-time steakhouse known and loved deeply by NYC locals and visitors alike. Somehow, even after all the hype and all the years, it still feels like a New York essential: With white tablecloths and spot-on waiters who’ve seen it all—it’s no secret that the iconic joint offers up some of the best porterhouse steak in NYC. One side: a New York strip; the other: the fillet—and a center T-bone runs through the middle of the steak. Only serving USDA prime beef, Peter Luger’s porterhouse is cut from a short loin and comes out sizzling, sliced thick, and swimming in its own fat. With crusty edges, perfectly charred, its center stays pink and soft, somehow still structured. Rather than turning to sauces, swipe your meat through the juices pooling at the bottom of the plate. And by the way, the basement of Peter Luger is known to host its long dry-aging room—which ensures its dry-aged porterhouse upkeeps its earthy taste and not-too-tender status. —Jessica Chapel, commerce writer
