Top 3 Places to Eat in NYC (a Foodie’s Paradise)!

food·ie

ˈfo͞odē/

noun informal

a person with a particular interest in food; a gourmet. Aka: everyone, really!;-) Right?!

I don’t know if you’re anything like me, but I like to plan where to eat just as much as I like to plan what to do when traveling. I always have a few restaurants on the list of possibilities, then stay flexible if I find something that looks better. One thing to keep in mind, when planning where to eat, is trying to pick places that are located in the same area you might be exploring. For instance, we knew we were going to be exploring Central Park, the Chelsea neighborhood (particularly the High Line area), and the infamous Times Square. So, here are my top places to eat in those areas: 
(below photo by @rtisanmusic)

  Central Park Eats

My first recommendation is definitely a NYC favorite and I wouldn’t mind finding myself there every time I pay a visit. During our visit this past month, we heard about the tragic news that happened recently in Paris. Somehow, it just seamed fitting to show support by dining at this little Parisian gem, Maison Kayser, located on 1800 Broadway at 58th Street just before the west corner of Central Park (Check their website for other NYC locations). Maison Kayser was founded in Paris in 1996 by a fourth generation artisan baker, Eric Kayser. In 2012, the first Maison Kayser opened in the United States, more specifically in New York City. If you happen to do brunch here, I would recommend either their eggs Benedict or the Parisienne dish…an organic egg, smoked ham, mushroom, and Gruyere cheese masterpiece! Simply delicious! Make sure to save room for one of their delicious French pastries or café or both! Life’s too short, eat the carbs!! (unless you’re gluten free, then…I’m sorry)

Travel Fun Fact: A “Boulangerie” means that bread and other baked goods are mixed and baked on site all day. 

  Chelsea Eats (near the High Line) 

If you find yourself hungry after exploring the High Line (a park built on an abandoned railroad), you might want to try out the next place on my list… Artichoke Pizza, located on 114 10th Avenue in the Chelsea neighborhood. I read about this place on several travel sites and we just happened to stumble upon it while exploring the area. I was excited to try it and my taste buds were super glad we did, so yummy! This is also where I found that the combination of not eating breakfast, walking around in the bright sun, drinking one (yes, I said one…I’m a lightweight) glass of Prosecco, plus a sip (yes, a literal sip) of my husband’s whiskey, then taking an allergy pill was a very very, I repeat very bad idea!! Let’s just say there are pictures that involve me trying to eat an over $100 chocolate turkey in Greenwich Village and one of me brushing my hair in the middle of a store somewhere in Chelsea (laughing hysterically) that I didn’t even recall happening! *eyes widen with a hint of embarrassment* Seriously, if I didn’t have the pictures to prove these events took place, I would have thought that my husband and friend were completely making this crap up! What I do remember is that I had a great time laughing, gaining a fab ab workout in the process, and that I can still take a few good photos without having complete feeling in my legs, haha! Just keep one foot in front of the other, one foot in front of the other…my literal thoughts while wandering around the streets of NYC! Does anyone else’s legs start to fall asleep after having a drink?? Anyway, the pizza was great (especially the artichoke one) and the NYC memories I now have were just an added benefit;-) thanks Artichoke Pizza!

Travel Tip: Check out Artichoke Pizza’s site to see where to find other locations…Greenwich Village, East Village, and more. 

  
Times Square Eats

Last but not least, is a place that’s great to take the whole family (seriously, it has family style servings) called Carmine’s. Carmine’s is a great Italian restaurant near Times Square. If you plan on taking in a Broadway show and are looking to find an affordable yet nice place to eat with great tasting food, I would definitely recommend this place! I love their chicken Parmesan and the serving fed our family of four perfectly. 

Travel Tip: If you don’t want to wait to be seated, make reservations ahead of time…it stays pretty busy. Also, Carmine’s is perfect for both casual and semi-formal dress and we have found that many locals prefer this place.

Hope you all get a chance to try out these places, that are sure to please any foodie. If you do, please let me know what you think! Also, for a great place to enjoy a drink with an unexpected New York City view, try Michael Jordan’s located in Grand Central Terminal. The $14 chocolate martini was worth every penny. Read more about my visit to Grand Central Terminal and more in the following link…Top 5 Places to Explore for Free in NYC!

Do you have any foodie favorites in NYC? Please share them with us in the comments below:-)