[title]
Iconic eats in New York just hit different. Of course, we do the gamut of pizza, burgers, and hot dogs galore so incredibly well that people travel in just for a taste. However, the great thing about New York is that our icons reflect the diverse cultures and cuisines found throughout our city. Meaning our excellent eats dabble in shredded pork and steak tacos to Jamaican patties that draw a crowd. Hungry for more? Of course you are. Here are some essential New York dishes that can be found inside Time Out Market, Union Square.
RECOMMENDED: The 35 best restaurants in NYC right now
Fornino
The iconic NY dish: pizza
What to order: Lombardi ($23)
Michael Ayoub was well aware of his city’s love affair with a good slice. So when the Brooklyn native decided to open his own pizzeria, he knew he had to knock it out of the park. Twenty-plus years later, it's clear that his hybrid Neapolitan and New York pies, dubbed Neo-Neapolitan, are a certified hit. Try the best of both worlds by ordering the Lombardi with prosciutto, arugula, mozzarella, Parmesan and fresh shavings of lemon zest.
Kam Rai Thai
The iconic NY dish: fried rice
What to order: Crab Meat Fried Rice ($20)
When my dad first brought home a steaming box of fried rice, let's just say it was my go-to order for years to come (and still is to some extent). And I am here to tell you that Kam Rai Thai’s interpretation of it is easily one of the best I’ve had. And that's because their Crab Meat Fried Rice is uber generous when it comes to its portion of sweet, flaky crab, so much so that it almost made me feel like I was at a crab boil instead of a Thai restaurant. The dish is made even sweeter with fried egg, scallions and fragrant jasmine rice.
Kebabwala
The iconic NY dish: kebabs
What to order: Paneer Kebab ($10)
The best food in the city doesn't require four walls. Seriously, if you happen to take a walk outside, you can find some of the city's best patties, smoothies and dumplings handed straight out of trucks and street carts. Chintan Pandya also has a love for street eats, particularly partial to the scenes he found touring across India. To that end, he's introduced the same energy of a night market to NYC with Kebabwala, chargrilling some of the best kebabs in town. All of his skewers are excellent finds, but his chile powder and garlic-marinated Paneer Kebab goes a step above most, using fresh-made paneer, made in-house, every day.
Lori Jayne
The iconic NY dish: burgers
What to order: LJ Burger ($10)
There’s nothing more American than a burger. And Lori Jayne does theirs up quite nicely. A favorite from their time in Bushwick, the LJ Burger comes with a tangle of sweet, caramelized onions and a swirl of their signature LJ sauce, all on a plush Martin’s roll. Oh, and each bun has the addition of a thickle, aka the thickest pickle. We suggest adding their vinegar-brined fries to complete the experience.
Patty Palace
The iconic NY dish: the Caribbean patty
What to order: Curry Chicken ($15)
Caribbean patties just go hand in hand. And how could they not? They are the size of your hand after all. Well, unless you get an order from chef Kwame Onwuachi. Recreating his favorite afterschool snack and then some, Onwuachi’s turmeric-tinged patties come with ginger-cabbage slaw, drizzles of jerk BBQ and a vibrant green seasoning aioli, all encased in a massive and glossy coco bread. Turns out the patty can be a two-handed affair.
Taqueria El Chato
The iconic NY dish: tacos
What to order: Al Pastor Taco ($6)
You can say that New York is not highly regarded for its Mexican food. Although, how about you check out Taqueria El Chato and get back to us? Gerardo Alcaraz and Chris Reyes' taqueria gives us serious standing when it comes to our stake in the cuisine, and it all starts with their Al Pastor taco. To prep it, Alcaraz layers thin slices of pork belly and flank steak on the slowly rotating vertical spit known as the trompo. The meaty and fatty bites are balanced with chopped onions, cilantro and a sweet pineapple slice.
Paninoteca by Anthony
The iconic NY dish: an Italian sandwich
What to order: Prosciutto Union Square ($17)
Anthony Valois has a certain affinity for making magic happen between two slices of bread at his Staten Island sandwich shop. And it seems he has done it yet again, this time in Manhattan. Creating a whole new lineup of sammies for sampling, we are particularly fond of the Prosciutto Union Square, but not just because he made it specifically for us (OK, it does add to our favoritism a little bit). This simple sandwich still stuns with fresh mozzarella, sun-dried peppers, basil and drizzles of EVOO and balsamic vinegar.