DeRusha’S GUIDE TO NEW YORK CITY
With a son attending NYU: here are our favorite bagels, slices, restaurants and bars
As a Minneapolis food writer, whenever I visit New York City I can’t help but wonder how anyone manages to cover the Manhattan food scene, let alone the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island! Restaurants around every corner, new cocktail bars everywhere. We mainly end up in the Greenwich Village area, some Chelsea, some Midtown too. This was last updated in October 2025.
NEW YORK CITY BAGELS
Russ & Daughters: icon, more than 100 years old, amazing family, amazing story, just wonderful.
Ess-A-Bagel: also iconic, Ess-A-Bagel does it right.
Utopia Bagels: Some of the finest bagels we’ve had in NYC, great sandwiches here too.
Popup Bagels: controversial, as they’re not traditional bagels, but they’re tasty. (rip and dip, not sliced)
NEW YORK CITY PIZZA
Scarr’s Pizza: white grandma pie, hot boi, excellent
L’Industrie Pizzeria: get the burrata pizza
John’s of Bleecker Street: since 1922!
Prince Street Pizza: sicilian style squares
RESTAURANTS
Thai Diner: old school looking diner with glorious flavorful Thai food
Lord’s NYC: English bistro food - surprisingly awesome
Blue Box Cafe: Breakfast At Tiffany’s - Daniel Boloud in an amazing environment
Xi’an Famous Foods: Hand pulled noodles
ilili Restaurant: Lebanese traditional recipes in a luxe midtown room
Mokyo: Korean in a tapas style.
NEW YORK CITY BARS
Superbueno: Mexican-American cocktail bar (get the mole negroni), It’s Tales of the Cocktail Foundation Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar 2024 and #2 of North America’s 50 Best Bars of 2024 (dropped to 12 in 2025)!
Katana Kitten: Japanese-inspired flavors, super-friendly staff. North America's 50 Best Bars - #12 and World’s 50 Best Bars | April 23, 2024
Please Don’t Tell: PDT is hidden behind a phone booth in a hot dog joint Crif Dogs. The OG of fancy speakeasy bars.
Employees Only: opened by hospitality veterans as an industry hang two decades ago
Double Chicken, Please: Casual vibe up front, sit-down cocktail tasting menu experience in back. Get a reservation or wait in line! #1 North American Bar in 2023
Attaboy: No reservations, no menu, line up at 5pm and hope to get in!
COFFEE SHOPS
La Cabra Coffee: $14 pourover, why not?
Kolkata Chai Co: Instagram famous and worthy - great chai here.
HOTELS
Sixty LES: Near Russ & Daughters, Superbueno, and NYU - this has been our home base for Seth drop-offs in the fall!
Kimpton Eventi: Near Midtown, close to Times Square and everything
