New York City street food cart – photo by Thomas Dwyer on Flickr CC
Eating Your Way Around the Big Apple: Best Street Food in New York
New York City is one of the most pedestrian-friendly cities in the United States. In most parts of New York, the sidewalks are packed with foot traffic. Whether you are a resident on your way to catch the subway to work or a tourist exploring this vibrant city, chances are that you would be in the mood for a quick bite at some point.
New York being a virtual smorgasbord of cultures and ethnicities, you are liable to find delectable choices lining the street almost everywhere you go, filling the carts of street food vendors.
So as you stash your luggage and gear up for a day of sightseeing, enjoy a quick falafel sandwich to go or pick up a piping hot corn dog, to relish on a park bench, from any one of New York’s abundant multicultural selections.
When you think of New York City street food, the first image that you might conjure up is a hot dog, popularized by characters in sitcoms and movies that are set on its busy streets. While the hot dog does remain iconic, the city is now famous for many other types of ethnic cuisine available in a hand-held form, which makes it easy to enjoy them while you are on the move.
Here are a few of the most popular street foods that New York City’s bustling street food scene has to offer.
The ubiquitous pretzel is hard to miss in New York. Carts are festooned with hanging pretzels, plain or salted, and served to you piping hot or at room temperature. The soft version of this snack which finds its roots in southern Europe, is popular and is one of the most convenient fast foods to grab and eat on the way to your destination. A few fancier versions of the pretzel have a chocolate glaze or a dusting of cinnamon.
NYC bagels – photo by iamsdawson on Flickr CC
The bagel is another staple street food in New York. It is a popular choice at breakfast carts. This baked treat was brought over by the Jewish communities from Eastern Europe and Poland. The New York-style bagel is considered to have a distinct taste due to the unique blend of minerals in the city’s water supply. It is boiled in water, baked on cedar boards and dusted with dried onion, garlic, poppy seeds or sesame seeds. It is also enjoyed with a spread of cream cheese, commonly called “schmear”.
Pizza by the slice is best enjoyed hot from a cart, served on an aluminum foil. You can enjoy the classic cheese pizza, or if you are a bit more peckish, a slice loaded with pepperoni. A fresh slice with hot melting cheese and red tomato sauce, loaded with the topping of your choice, is sure to tempt you to stop for a quick lunch at one of these carts uptown or on Wall Street.
calzone – photo by matt on Flickr CC
Strombolis and calzones are two more delicacies of Italian origin, which refuse to be completely outdone by the pizza in terms of popularity.
A stromboli is a cylindrical roll of dough that is filled with cheese, cold cut meats or vegetables and baked. It was invented by the Italian-American community in Philadelphia.
A calzone typically has the same fillings as a stromboli, but is folded flat. It originated in Naples.
Knishes are another throwback to the Jewish community of Eastern Europe and popularized by Jewish immigrants to New York. A knish is a baked turnover that is filled with mashed potatoes or spinach. It can also contain ground meat, buckwheat kernels or cheese.
Falafel and shawarma carts offer you a taste of Middle-Eastern, North-African, or Turkish cuisine. Falafels are seasoned and ground chickpeas deep-fried into small balls. The street food version is served in a pocket of unleavened bread called pita, moistened with a creamy sauce.
Shawarma finds its roots in the Ottoman Empire of Turkey. Sliced meat, typically lamb or mutton, is stacked and slowly rotisseried. Thin slices are then shaved off the stack and served in wraps with a middle-eastern sauce like tahini.
These two delicacies are among the more recently popularized street foods in New York.
souvlaki – photo by futureshape on Flickr CC
Souvlaki and gyro are savories that have been made popular by the vibrant Greek community in New York.
Souvlaki comprises cubes of meat skewered and roasted on a grill. Traditionally made of pork, it can be made from any type of meat today.
A gyro is similar to shawarma and consists of rotisserie meat slices served in a pita bread with vegetables and a Greek sauce like tzatziki.
Caribbean cuisine is a sought-after street food choice in New York. Well-known carts serving up delicacies from Jamaica, Trinidad and the Bahamas dot the financial district, midtown and various other parts of the city. Jerk chicken, curry chicken, oxtail stew, and fried conch and fried plantains are a few of the desirable menu items.
Noodles and stir fry dishes will take your taste buds on a flavorful trip to the far east. Innumerable vendors serve up a wide variety of East Asian and Southeast Asian preparations. The cuisine is as diverse as the region, with several different types of cuisines originating in each country. A few of the popular street food versions are dumplings that could be baked or fried, noodles that could be Hunan-style or Schezwan-style, stir-fried meat and vegetables, all flavoured with a variety of sauces and spices.
tacos – photo by thedlc on Flickr CC
Tex-Mex and authentic Mexican street food has taken a foothold in New York, giving serious competition to its counterparts in the southern United States.
Tacos, burritos, chimichangas and many other dishes can be savored from reputed carts in Jackson Heights, East Village and many other areas.
For dessert, enjoy piping hot churros, in which some carts specialize.
Arepas, from northern South America are pancakes made from corn and are another taste of Latin America in New York.
Chestnuts, maybe not roasting on an open fire, but hot and deliciously smoky, nevertheless, spread their inviting aroma during the cold and festive holiday season in the city. Grab a warm paper bag of these seasonal munchies on the go.
Waffles, donuts and crepes, with carts specializing in each, satisfy your sweet tooth. Vendors have elevated these desserts to a higher level with their creativity.
Waffles are smothered with chocolate sauce, whipped cream, ice cream, bananas, hot fudge and other toppings. A savory version with bacon has also made its way into the list of popular items.
Crepes filled with berries, proprietary blends of syrups and sauces, and other sweet and savory enhancements are also available from crepe stands.
New York City has been a melting pot of cultures ever since the first immigrants arrived on its shores. From the older ethnic specialties to the more recently popular ones, New York’s startlingly wide range of street foods is a testament to its ever-evolving diversity.
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Hi! I'm Lash, an American nomadic world traveler who's been traveling solo since 1998. I’m passionate about traveling the world nomadically and then sharing it all with you. I hope to inspire you to travel the world, to entertain you with tales from the road, and to help you reach your travel dreams. Welcome! 
