When we first planned our trip to NYC, we knew there was going to be a lot of good food and the further into planning we went, the more we realized there weren’t going to be enough meals in the day to cover them all. So here are the places we did try:

Xi’an Famous Foods

We landed in time for a late dinner in NYC and walked to this noodle house nearby. It’s a chain of a few restaurants that’s well known for their hand-pulled noodles. They have a large menu and good options for vegetarians as well. If you’re looking for something casual and tasty, I’d highly recommend this place. 

Citizens of Chelsea

This breakfast spot was buzzing with people and wafting smells of freshly made coffee on Sunday morning. I loved the bright, sunbathed interior and warm wood tables. We both ordered the shakshuka which had a welcome twist to the typical shakshuka we’ve had or made before. Coffee was tasty as well and smooth just how I like it when I do have coffee. If you’re planning to drop by, plan on a wait, but it’s reasonably short!

Very Fresh Noodles

We came across this place in Chelsea Market where there’s a variety of stores and restaurants to get a quick bite to eat. After our first full day walking the city and covering almost 10 miles, we welcomed a hearty meal at Very Fresh Noodles. They recently had a soft opening and were perhaps the busiest spot in Chelsea Market that night. The beef noodle soup I ordered was delicious and fast. While you wait for your order, you can watch them hand pull noodles and cook in front of you. For vegetarians, my husband loved their vegetarian noodles and broth. 

Via Carota

This truly was the best pasta we had in the city, hands down. Even their salad, though deceptively simple looking was amazing. They had really good ingredients including hand made pasta (see a theme?) that can stand on their own. We ordered their leafy green salad and cacio e pepe to share. The portions are on the smaller side, but we were intentionally saving some room as we prepared to nibble and eat all day. They have many appetizers and pastas to choose from. If you’re visiting NYC, I’d make sure this place is on your list!

Vinegar Hill House

We met with my husband’s cousin and her boyfriend here in Brooklyn. It’s a very cozy neighborhood spot that’s great for special occasions. We loved the ambiance and food here. It’s a little out of the way, but totally worth a visit. 

Ivan’s Ramen

We had to drop by this ramen place in East Village after watching Chef’s Table. It’s a twist on the traditional ramen. We’d recommend making reservations ahead of time as it’s a very popular spot. Or come by around 5pm for walk in seating.

Divya’s Kitchen

While exploring East Village, we dropped by Divya’s Kitchen. They have great vegetarian comfort foods that are tasty and healthy. We ordered their seasonal khichuri dish and loved it so much, we wanted to try and recreate it at home. They have a cookbook you can buy at the restaurant or online here.

ABCV

My husband’s cousin somehow got us reservations at this vegan restaurant by the famous chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, which offers seasonal plates to share, tonics & cocktails. The most memorable dish we had their was their hen of the woods fried chicken. It was the best vegetarian chicken we’ve had and we’d go again. From reviews online, several people love the cauliflower dish as well. Highly, highly recommend this place. I found a simplified version of the cauliflower recipe here and want to try and make this when we get home!

Perry St

We dropped by here for some amazing desserts and drinks made by our cousin’s boyfriend Mac. While I love stealing sips of alcohol from my husband, I’ve never been able to finish a glass on my own. I had the best nonalcoholic drink here and loved the other alcoholic drinks our group had as well. Definitely a treat I’ll remember for a long time.