2 days · food-lovers · New York City
A weekend of strategic eating in New York. This plan involves a lot of walking between meals and some critical decisions about what to order. Come hungry.
**DAY 1 — Lower East Side & Chinatown**
**Breakfast (9 AM):** Russ & Daughters — classic bagel with nova, cream cheese, tomato, onion, capers. Eat it on a bench in Seward Park.
**Mid-morning snack (11 AM):** Walk to Chinatown. Nom Wah Tea Parlor for a few dim sum items (the shrimp dumplings, the pan-fried roast pork bao, one egg custard bun). Don't fill up.
**Lunch (1 PM):** Katz's Delicatessen. Pastrami on rye, cash for the carver, take a pickle. Share one sandwich — they're enormous.
**Afternoon coffee (3 PM):** Walk off lunch through the Lower East Side. Stop at Devoción Coffee or Partners Coffee.
**Dinner (7 PM):** Make this the headliner. Carbone in the West Village (classic Italian-American splurge, book 30 days ahead) or Xi'an Famous Foods if you want it casual and cheap.
**Dessert (9 PM):** Levain Bakery (they have an evening crowd) or walk to Little Italy for a cannoli at Ferrara's.
**DAY 2 — Brooklyn Food Day**
**Breakfast (9 AM):** Take the subway to Williamsburg. Bagel at Bagel Store (rainbow bagel photos) or Leuca for a proper sit-down.
**Late morning (11 AM):** Smorgasburg if it's Saturday (April-October). 100+ vendors on the waterfront, sample small from 3-4 of them — ramen burgers, cheesesteak dumplings, bespoke donuts.
**Lunch (1 PM):** Di Fara Pizza in Midwood (long walk/subway but worth it) or Lucali in Carroll Gardens (lunch is easier than dinner). This is your pilgrimage pizza of the weekend.
**Afternoon (3 PM):** Ice cream crawl: Ample Hills in Gowanus → Van Leeuwen in Park Slope. Or walk through Brooklyn Bridge Park and find Ample Hills' Pier 5 outpost.
**Pre-dinner cocktail (6 PM):** Bar Pleiades, Maison Premiere, or Leyenda — any of Brooklyn's top cocktail bars.
**Final dinner (8 PM):** Peter Luger Steakhouse (reserve weeks ahead). The porterhouse for two. Creamed spinach. Bacon appetizer. Go big.
**Key rule:** Share everything. Order less than you think. Always save room for one more bite.