Welcome to Instagrammable America, where we scour the states for the best places to eat and drink, because if you didn’t gram it, did you even try it? When it comes to the city that never sleeps—New York City—there are endless #foodporn pics to take everywhere you turn. From street meat carts to Michelin 3-star restaurants, there’s obviously no shortage of dishes to Insta, but knowing where to go and what to snap is half the battle.
There are dim sum gems, ramen havens, instantly recognizable burgers (and burger joints), pizza parlors so famous they’re now taking over airports, macaroni mainstays and yes, even rainbow bagels and slushies served in floating unicorns. In a world full of like-obsessed eaters, it’s shoot first, eat next. Behold our list of Manhattan’s top spots you should start with, if that’s your goal.
The Burger Joint’s Unfussy Burger & Bag o’ Fries
There are burger temples in the city where the patty and bun business is really taken to the next level. The Burger Joint is not one of these. Graffiti’ed walls and a cardboard sign with the most basic (yet delicious) options rounds out the list of reasons to visit the always solid operation. Order the burger = go home happy.
Catch Steak’s Snickers Baked Alaska
This is not a drill: Catch Steak‘s Snickers Baked Alaska has toasted meringue, warm caramel peanut filling, chocolate cake and flaming whiskey—and yet it’s somehow gluten-free.
Artichoke Basille’s Pizza Artichoke Slice
Run, don’t walk, to Artichoke Basille’s Pizza for their namesake slice, which has artichoke hearts, spinach, that good good cream sauce, mozzarella and Pecorino Romano cheese.
Ramen Lab’s Chef-Driven Noods
Ramen Lab is a pop-up ramen shop that lets chefs battle it out for the best ramen award. So while the dishes and toppings are ever-changing, the Instagram opps remain the same: aplenty.
Sadelle’s Bagels & Lox
You know you’ve achieved bonafide New Yorker status when instead of witnessing Sadelle‘s brunch-worthy lox towers splashed across your feed, you’re actually there, in the flesh, indulging in a plateaux-style smorgasbord of smoked salmon with all the fixings.
Momofuku Ssäm Bar’s Country Ham
Heaven is a place on earth when you’re at Momofuku Ssäm Bar ordering house specialities like their bone marrow, topped with country ham and x.o. marmalade. But then again, you really can’t go wrong with anything there—the food or the photos.
Los Mariscos’ Fried Fish Tacos
The debate over NYC’s best tacos can literally start a war. So, we’re just going to leave this pic right here and say indoor food truck Los Mariscos makes some pretty epic tacos and you should get involved—on or off Insta.
Jing Fong’s Dim Sum
As one of Chinatown’s most notable dim sum spots, Jing Fong is worth braving the banquet hall vibe to get to the tasties on the carts.
Black Seed Bagels Rotating Collabwich
Oh you know, just your regular pizza-meets-bagel mashup, courtesy of Black Seed Bagels and Mama’s TOO! #SoNewYork
Taiyaki’s Waffle Cones & Unicorn Floats
Taiyaki is a Japanese fish-shaped cake filled with red bean paste or custard, but this NYC hot spot has taken the meaning to a whole new level with their Insta famous menu of fishy waffle cones and slushies in floating unicorn cop holders.
Marea’s Octopus & Bone Marrow Fusilli
What pasta dream are made of. Transport yourself straight to Italy, by stepping foot inside Marea and eating this legendary bowl of red wine braised octopus and bone marrow fusilli.
Barbuto’s JW Chicken
Barbuto loyalists will be happy to know the city’s most famous chicken (named after chef Jonathan Waxman) is back in action, in its new Manhattan home at 113 Horatio Street. The ultimate roast chicken with salsa verde sauce—it’s classic comfort food all the way.
Wild Ink’s Crab Rangoons
We’re pretty sure Wild Ink is cheating with this crab claw vessel, in which they serve their beloved snow crab rangoon dumplings in (at the Hudson Yards Vessel), but we don’t care. We’re still here for them.
Eggslut’s Egg Sandwiches
With a name like Eggslut, it’s hard not to get noticed, but this breakfast sandwich go-to makes weekend mornings definitely worth waking up for.
Don Angie’s Lasagna Pinwheels
Don Angie‘s pinwheel-style casserole situation that made lasagna cool again—thanks to husband-wife chef team Scott Tacinelli and Angie Rito. A do-not-miss when in the West Village.
