Rachel Pelz

The Lower East Side’s food scene is as diverse and dynamic as its history. Brushing up against Chinatown and Little Italy, it’s the sort of neighborhood where you can find the best New York deli just steps away from some of the city’s best sandwiches. Snack your way through some of the city’s best ice cream shops, order a slice of unparalleled pizza, and soak in the living history of New York City one bite at a time.  RECOMMENDED: See the full guide to Lower East Side

We’ve tried all of NYC’s best bakeries and restaurants to find every dessert that’s worth a sugar rush. Whether you’re craving chocolate, an ice cream cone or a plate of cookies with milk, New York has the very best ways to satisfy your sweet tooth. Try some iconic NYC sweets—cheesecake, Italian cookies and Magnolia Bakery’s banana pudding will always make the list—and then wander your way through the five boroughs to uncover glistening jellies, olive oil gelato and pandan rice cakes.  RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best restaurants in NYC

Diners are an iconic part of New York City’s history. Beloved by regulars and tourists alike, the very best diners in NYC are where old New York meets new culinary traditions. While NYC is known for some of the best fine dining in the world, you just can’t beat a hot cup of coffee poured into a white mug in a greasy spoon. These 21 diners are slinging sandwiches, burgers and egg creams that are more than just a meal; they’re a view into the past and future of NYC.   RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best restaurants in NYC

Can’t live without your morning joe or an afternoon pick-me-up? These coffee shops and cafés offer some of the very best iced coffee, lattes and cappuccinos in New York City. With cases of pastries that rival the city’s best bakeries and menus that include inventive cocktails after dark, our favorite coffee shops are anything but ordinary. Grab your buzz to-go or take a seat and order brunch—you’re gonna need to get properly caffeinated to make the most out of your day in NYC.  RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best restaurants in NYC

Need a new first date destination, an after-work decompression spot or a local dive where everybody knows your name? Our list of the city’s best happy hours is here to help you find a new favorite way to fill those awkward hours between work and dinnertime. With deals at local dives and scene-y cocktail lounges alike, our favorite bars in NYC offer all different ways to get drunk on a dime.  RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best bars in NYC

Looking for a new spot to watch the big game? Our list of NYC’s best sports bars includes rowdy beer halls, low-key hangs with craft brews, some of NYC’s best dive bars and even a bar dedicated to all things Canadian. Whether you need a weekly place to root for your footie team or just want to drink a few great brews with friends, we’ve rounded up our favorite places to shout at a really big TV. RECOMMENDED: See all of the best bars in NYC

The dumpling is a perfect food. Lovingly wrapped in dough and filled with a sweet or savory center, every culture has its own satisfying version: Vietnamese bánh bột lọc, Chinese xiao long bao and Russian pelmeni are all among New York City's offerings. Some dumplings are among our favorite cheap eats, too, so you can plan a soup dumpling crawl of the five boroughs and still have plenty of dough left over. RECOMMENDED: Find more of the best restaurants in NYC

Some nights you just want to grab a bite at a great restaurant or down a quick drink at a bar. But other nights—like when you’re celebrating a special occasion, planning to pop the question, or just trying to apologize for that thing you did—you need to go all out. While a casual pizza date can be every bit as romantic (remember where you shared your first pepperoni pie?), we’re here to guide you to the very best spots for wining, dining and wooing. These are the most romantic restaurants in NYC... now go get ‘em, Tiger! RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best restaurants in NYC

New York cheesecake is an NYC institution. Take a bite of the fluffy, cream cheese-based treat—with or without a crumbly graham cracker crust—and find yourself transported back to the New York City of one hundred years ago. As the best desserts in NYC continue to change with the trends, a slice of creamy, classic cheesecake is always on the top of our list. Stop by one of the best bakeries in NYC for a slice, or make your way to one of New York's best delis, where they’re still serving up gigantic cheesecakes that taste the way they did in the 1930s. Whether you want the classic taste or a new take on the New York tradition, we’ve found the 16 best cheesecakes in all of NYC.  RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best restaurants in NYC

Little Italy, once a sprawling immigrant neighborhood, now technically only occupies three blocks of Mulberry Street, but the history and reach of its red sauce joints can be found in nearby Nolita, Soho and Chinatown.  When its streets are crowded with tourists, Little Italy can feel a little overwhelming. Which storefront has the best cannoli, and where can you really get the best slice of pizza in New York? We’ve rounded up the absolute best restaurants in Little Italy so you can find sandwiches piled high with capicola, heaping plates of old-world pasta and the best bakeries for cannoli and pignolis.  Whether you’re in the neighborhood for The Feast of San Gennaro or the nearby New Museum, this is your no-fail guide to Little Italy dining.   RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best restaurants in NYC

In a city filled with some of the world’s very best bars, the Lower East Side’s nightlife manages to stand out. With clubby spots ideal for dancing, a cutting-edge cocktail bar scene and some of our favorite dive bars in New York City, there’s a bar stool waiting for you around every corner.  Our list of the Lower East Side’s best bars makes it easy for you to pick the perfect place for a first date with your crush, after-work drinks with your coworkers or an all-night party that lasts until Sunday brunch.  RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the Lower East Side

Tacos have it all: Portability, versatility and the ability to be filled with an endless array of crackling meats, gooey cheeses and eye-wateringly spicy sauces. Our list of the city’s very best tacos includes traditional tastes from our favorite Mexican restaurants, affordable options (how else can you get satisfying cheap eats for under $3?) and trendy dishes from fine dining hot spots. With out-of-the-way taquerias serving up juicy al pastor, a Bushwick tortilla factory serving the city’s best chorizo and a beach-side spot for fresh fish tacos, we’ve made it easy to plan your city-wide taco crawl.  RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best restaurants in NYC