5 of the Best Places to Eat in New York City

It's the beginning of a new year and the wanderlust is setting in! Jacob and I are already looking into places to travel to this year, our guilty pleasure. Honestly, once you catch the travel bug, there's really no going back! To help rein in my wanderlust lately, I've been reminiscing about some of the amazing places I've already traveled to, including New York City! If you have plans to visit the Big Apple this year, this post is definitely for you.

Back in 2016 we went on a trip to New York City with Jacob's family. My whole entire life I've dreamed of visiting New York City and seeing the Empire State Building, walking through Central Park, and enjoying a huge piece of New York cheesecake. It was amazing to finally experience the city in person, and not just watch it in movies.

On our trip, I finally got to try that cheesecake I've always wanted...and more! The food in the Big Apple does not disappoint. If you're planning on visiting NYC soon, I highly suggest you try these 5 restaurants during your trip. Seriously, promise me that you'll skip the chain restaurants, and you'll eat where the locals eat instead. After all, they always seem to know where the best food is!

One of my absolute favorite parts of New York City is Shake Shack. I think I had it at least 3 times during our week long trip. Shake Shack has a unique history, as it started as a small hot dog cart in Madison Square Park, but has since exploded into one of the most popular fast food joints in New York.

You can never go wrong with a classic ShackBurger, amazing crinkle-cut fries, and a rich, creamy concrete. Just the thought makes me hungry! The best thing about Shake Shack is that their concrete and shake flavors are unique to each Shake Shack location, and they rotate new flavors in every week, so you'll be able to try something new each time you visit.

New York City is home to some of the best pizza in the country, hands down. And the popular Brooklyn pizzeria, Juliana's Pizza, certainly lives up to this name. While Juliana's usually has a line-stretching out the door during the lunch and dinner rush, it's well worth the wait. In fact, Juliana's was even rated the best pizza place in America by TripAdvisor in 2015! So, it really is that good!

I'll admit, Juliana's certainly isn't cheap ($19-32 for a pizza), but it is quite possibly the most amazing slice of pizza you will ever try. While all of their pizzas are irresistible, you certainly can't go wrong with a slice of classic Margherita, it's to die for.

If you're a fan of "You've Got Mail" (or even if you're not!), you will love this quaint restaurant located on the Upper West Side. Made famous from the movie, Cafe Lalo serves a wide selection of desserts, salads, sandwiches and more.

With a variety of cakes, pies and tarts displayed in a glass case under the counter, it can be overwhelming to pick just one thing to try! I enjoyed a piece of the chocolate Oreo cheesecake, but I also hear the red velvet cake and key lime cheesecake are amazing as well.

Another restaurant made famous by "You've Got Mail", Gray's Papaya makes a mean New York hot dog! This is a great place to grab a cheap bite to eat while exploring the city, plus it's open 24 hours a day, all year-round, to fill those NYC hot dog cravings whenever they hit!

In addition to hot dogs, Gray's also serves a variety of fruit juices and a few pastries to please your fancy.

I absolutely love New York City's Little Italy! As a huge fan of the country of Italy, I naturally was drawn to this part of NYC. But, with so many pastry shops and restaurants located in this part of the city, it's so hard to decide on just one. One of the most famous Italian bakery's though is Ferrara. Ferrara has been around since 1892, so you know it must be worth a try.

I thought Ferrara's cannoli and lobster tail were absolutely delicious, but they also have a HUGE variety of desserts to choose from so you can totally choose what your heart desires!