Food Lover’s Simple Guide to Ethnic Foods of New York City



Nowhere in the world has a representation of diverse groups of people as large as New York City. Imagine 193 countries represented in the city that houses The United Nations Headquarters.

There are many sides of New York City to experience, learn and enjoy. Visitors have thousands of options of combining the many different attractions in this city and a wide selection of enticing restaurants… from authentic ethnic food to a fusion of cosmopolitan flair.

It’s the most ideal place for a food lover who is looking for a quick getaway and who loves diversity in food, culture and cooking. According to the New York Times,  a century ago, Israel Zangwill popularized the term in his play, “The Melting Pot” referring to New York. Today New York has evolved into a greater crucible of race and ethnicity than 100 years ago.

To help you plan, here are five diverse foods you could add into your food tour in New York.

Chinese Foods
Manhattan Chinatown has the highest concentration of Chinese in New York with thousands of authentic eateries for any budget. A plate of fried rice with a meat and vegetable combo could cost anywhere from $6 to $15 depending on where you eat. You almost can’t go wrong with any restaurant that has a crowd during lunchtime.

New York Magazine has a list of Chinese Restaurants in Chinatown.

Authentic New York Pizza
Most New Yorkers boast about their pizza places. In fact there is a pizza joint on almost every corner you turn in New York City and the other boroughs. Where would you go for the best of the best?

According to Viator, there is none other than Grimaldi’s Pizza in Brooklyn. A place frequented by the late Frank Sinatra. Even the first lady, Michelle Obama was there. Try the thin crust Neapolitan-style pizza.

Opa! Greek Food
Fire up your taste buds and get ready for Greek sensation in Astoria Queens. Whether you fancy just a gyro platter or a full course that includes saganaki and charbroiled octopus, Astoria will satisfy a food lover’s choice of the Greek food experience.

Check out Ammos Estiatoria Astoria on Steinway Blvd.

Indian Cuisine
Jackson Heights, Queens has an influx of first generation Indian and Pakistani immigrants. You can smell the spices as you walk up the stairs of the subway train station.

One restaurant to try is Mehfil Indian Cuisine.

Korean Barbecue
A taste of Korea can be experienced in Manhattan at Bann Restaurant and Lounge. Take a look at this video where a non-Korean chef is cooking authentic Korean food.



That is the fusion…. the melting pot and excitement of New York City.

You can’t possibly savor every cuisine in New York City in a short visit. The city could be quite overwhelming if you have never been to a huge city. The noise, crowd, speed and vastness of it all may pose a threat if you are caught unprepared.

Here are 2 quick tips to help you prepare for the trip:

Know the time difference. If you traveling from Europe, Alaska or West Coast, the time difference means your stomach needs food at different times compared to the locals. Here is a Travelmath tool to help you calculate local time.

For example, there is a 4 hour time difference between Fairbanks, Alaska and New York City.

Location of a restaurant. It is easy to get confused with New York City if you do not have proper bearings of the different boroughs and suburbs. If you are going to Astoria, Queens, click on Places on Travelmath and type in Queens, New York. You will get a map of Queens and know exactly where Astoria, Queens is located for your Greek Food adventure.

Have a safe trip to New York City, the city that never sleeps. Got questions? Please leave a comment below and let us know how we can help.




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