107 dyckman st (btwn Nagle & Post Ave), New York, NY
Latin American Restaurant · Inwood · 64 tips and reviews
Chris L: A sandwich, but instead of bread, the insides (the best ones are filled with cheese, shredded chicken, or pork) are held together by two giant smashed, fried plantains.
Chris L: Debate all you want about the best burger in town — this one is at the top of the list. Plus, it’s called the Royale With Cheese! Also on site: “bacon picklebacks” and a nice garden in the back.
27 Eldridge St (btwn Canal & Division St), New York, NY
Noodle Restaurant · Chinatown · 24 tips and reviews
Chris L: The deliciously chewy, slippery peel noodles at Sheng Wang, a mostly tourist-free noodle shop on Eldridge, are hand-cut with a knife so that they end up in jagged uneven strips.
18 E 16th St (btwn Union Sq W & 5th Ave), New York, NY
Bakery · Union Square · 335 tips and reviews
Chris L: Breads’ version of Babka tastes less like dried-out coffee cake and more like challah French Toast, delicately striped with super-high quality chocolate.
Chris L: This DUMBO bakery sustained serious damage after Hurricane Sandy, and was forced to close for almost a year. They’re back up and running now, and their almond croissant makes New York a better place.
65 Bayard St (btwn Elizabeth & Mott St), New York, NY
Ice Cream Parlor · Chinatown · 450 tips and reviews
Chris L: Sesame Seed is the ice cream flavor you never knew you needed. Soy Sauce flavor is sometimes available here, too — it tastes surprisingly like salted caramel.
Chris L: swin·gle [swin-guhl] (n.): A frozen key lime pie dipped in chocolate, on a stick. Best enjoyed with a view of the Statue of Liberty from a pier in Red Hook.
Ethiopian Restaurant · North Slope · 67 tips and reviews
Chris L: Here’s what you do: go with four people, order the $60 combination, which gets you basically all of the restaurant’s best dishes for $15 a person.