The Best Fluffy Pancakes recipe you will fall in love with. Full of tips and tricks to help you make the best pancakes.
We love going to New York City. It’s such a diverse city with endless things to do, iconic sights to see, and, let’s be honest, some of the best food in the world. You can find just about any type of food you want at any hour of the day or night.
If you’re planning a trip to NYC, this New York City food weekend itinerary shares a few things we’ve learned along the way, plus exactly how we mapped out our January weekend trip, from where we ate to what we’d do again next time.
Before You Go: Tips for Planning a NYC Trip
1. Have a plan (but don’t overdo it)
Please don’t go to New York City without a plan. The city is huge, and transportation between neighborhoods and boroughs can eat up your time fast if you’re not prepared.
Our best approach:
- Make a list of everything you want to do
- Group activities by neighborhood
- Assign each neighborhood to a specific day
Want to see a Broadway show? Lock in the time and date first. Want to eat at a specific restaurant? Check hours, locations, menus, and whether reservations are needed. Museums? Always check hours and special admission days.
There are also several NYC attraction passes that include places like:
- Empire State Building
- Top of the Rock
- The Met
- MoMA
- Statue of Liberty
- 9/11 Memorial
If you plan to visit multiple attractions, a city pass can save a lot of money, but balance is key. Leave room to wander, rest, and pop into a random deli or pizza spot that catches your eye.
2. You can do NYC in a long weekend
You don’t need a full week to enjoy New York City. Our ideal trip is:
2 nights
3 full days
We like to fly in early on Day 1 and fly out late on Day 3. Staying somewhere central (like Times Square) makes it easy to move around and maximize your time.
3. Always check the weather
NYC weather is unpredictable, and winter wind between buildings is brutal.
This trip included:
Heavy snow
Wind
Rain
Freezing temperatures
Layers and comfortable walking shoes are non-negotiable. My warmest outfit included:
Wool leggings under Columbia hiking pants
Wool long-sleeve shirt
Goose down vest
Columbia raincoat
Swiftwick socks
Waterproof trail running shoes
Sock cap
I stayed completely warm and dry, even in snow!
4. Take advantage of the subway
The subway is cheap, efficient, and goes almost everywhere.
Why it’s easier than ever:
Apple Pay tap-to-enter
Apple Maps transit directions
Clear routes and timing
It’s $3 per ride, no matter how far you go. We usually take the subway from LaGuardia into Manhattan, but since we arrived late in the day this time, we opted for an Uber.
5. Where to stay
Stay centrally located near where you’ll spend most of your time. Manhattan is ideal, but Brooklyn is great too if that’s your focus.
We stayed near the Empire State Building at Embassy Suites Downtown, just south of Times Square. The room was small (because NYC), but perfect for our family setup. While Embassy Suites is known for breakfast and evening drinks, they were extremely crowded, so we skipped them after the first try. NYC has way better food anyway.
Our NYC Weekend Itinerary
Friday: Arrival + Tacos & Pizza
Flight: Southwest | 4:50pm–8:10pm into LGA
Hotel: Embassy Suites
60 W 37th St, New York, NY 10018
60 W 37th St, New York, NY 10018
Dinner: Los Tacos No. 1
Since we arrived late, by the time we got checked into the hotel, it was after 9:00 PM. I had already checked restaurants in advance to see what would still be open near where we were staying.
One of the places we really wanted to eat was Los Tacos No. 1, so we went there right after dropping our bags in the hotel room, and it did not disappoint.
There are multiple locations across Manhattan, but I would highly recommend trying this place. They serve authentic tacos on corn tortillas topped with cilantro, onions, and an avocado sauce that is super spicy but absolutely delicious. The location we went to was close to Times Square and had no seating at all, just stand-up bars where you eat as soon as your tacos are ready.
They prepare the tacos fresh when you order, and they also have:
- Chips and salsa
- Chips and guacamole
- A salsa bar
The tacos were phenomenal. We ordered:
- Steak tacos
- Chicken tacos
- Roasted cactus tacos
All of them were delicious. We also got chips and salsa and chips and guacamole. The guacamole was incredible, some of the best guac we’ve ever had. The salsa was also good, but very spicy.
They had Mexican Coke, Mexican Sprite, aguas frescas, and plenty of other drink options. We kept it simple and ordered two tacos each so we could walk around downtown afterward and see if anything else caught our eye before heading back to the hotel.
After tacos, we walked through Times Square, and of course, on a Friday night, it was bustling as always. While walking around, we found a pizza place called Made in New York Pizza and stopped in to grab a slice each.
- My husband got the meat-lovers slice
- My son got pepperoni
- I got the margherita
It was pretty good, but definitely not the best pizza we had in New York City. There are also tons of little pizza stands where you can walk up and grab a $1.99 slice. We didn’t try those, but they were always busy.
After walking around Times Square and loading up on tacos and pizza, we headed back to the hotel to get some sleep before the busy Saturday we had planned.
Saturday: Brooklyn, Snow, & All the Food
Morning Plans (and a Golden Diner Detour)
Our son wanted to try several different pizza places, New York delis, and a very trendy restaurant called Golden Diner. We decided not to eat breakfast at the hotel because it was insanely overpacked and honestly, nothing really looked that great.
We jumped on the subway and headed down toward Brooklyn, where we planned to spend most of the day. Since it was Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, the subways were packed. Most of the time we didn’t get a seat and just had to hold onto the standing rails as the train took off.
We decided to try to get into Golden Diner for breakfast even though we couldn’t get reservations for brunch. We got off the subway near Golden Diner in Chinatown and walked over. It didn’t look too busy, but there was a sign on the door saying they were done taking walk-ins until 11:15 AM.
At the time, it was only 9:15 AM, and they told us that if we waited until 11, we’d still be looking at a couple of hours’ wait. We definitely didn’t want to waste half the day standing outside, so we decided to move on and head toward Brooklyn instead.
Manhattan Bridge → Dumbo (with a Market Stop)
We were very close to the Manhattan Bridge, so we decided to walk across it to Dumbo and see if we could find a bagel spot along the way.
On our way to the pedestrian walkway, we spotted a really cool Asian market and decided to stop in. It had multiple floors and a little bit of everything Asian, definitely worth walking through.
The walk across the Manhattan Bridge took a while because it’s long, and it started snowing while we were crossing. It was absolutely freezing with the wind coming off the river, but we made it across in under an hour.
Once we reached Dumbo, it was nearly 11:00, so we decided to skip breakfast altogether and go straight to lunch.
Dumbo Views & DeKalb Market Hall
We walked down to the park in Dumbo to take in the views from the shoreline, which were incredible. You get beautiful views of Manhattan and the Manhattan Bridge from there. After snapping a few selfies, we walked back up to DeKalb Market Hall, a food hall in Brooklyn with lots of great options.
Lunch at Katz’s Delicatessen (DeKalb Location)
We originally wanted to go to Katz’s Delicatessen on Manhattan, but we knew the lines would be long. Luckily, there’s a Katz’s location inside DeKalb Market Hall with a limited menu, so we went there instead.
For lunch, my son and I split a Reuben. It was piled high with pastrami. You can choose pastrami or corned beef, and we went with pastrami and sauerkraut. The sandwich was delicious, though I’ll say the meat-to-sauerkraut ratio was off for me. I would’ve preferred more sauerkraut and cheese compared to the amount of meat, but I’d still absolutely order it again (just with extra sauerkraut next time).
My husband ordered the brisket sandwich, which was a little dry. Both sandwiches were close to $30 each, almost $60 total, but they are definitely large enough to split.
The sandwiches came with fresh-packed pickles, which were interesting but not my favorite. Very salty, not very vinegary, basically just a whole salty cucumber.
Vintage Shopping in the Snow
After lunch, my son wanted to go to L-Train Vintage, which has locations all over Manhattan and New York City. We walked to the Brooklyn location, which was about a 30-minute walk.
When we walked outside, it started snowing some of the biggest flakes I’ve ever seen. It was beautiful, but also a little slick.
We spent about an hour walking around the store, looking at clothes and shoes. My son found a like-new Columbia ski jacket for just $10! They had really cool pieces and great prices. If you’re into vintage shopping, I’d highly recommend checking them out. There are locations everywhere.
F&F Pizza (Worth the Walk)
After the vintage shop, we walked another 30 minutes (still in the snow) to F&F Pizza in Brooklyn. Seating was very limited, and all the pizzas were displayed at the front where you picked your slice.
One of their specialties is clam pizza served with lemon, which sounded interesting, but not what I was in the mood for.
- My husband got a meat slice
- My son got pepperoni
- I tried the Sicilian slice
The Sicilian slice was thick and square, topped with cheese, tomato sauce, and Castelvetrano olives, and it was absolutely delicious. This was my favorite pizza of the entire trip. Their dough is sourdough and tasted almost like focaccia, paired with an incredible tomato sauce and salty olives. My mouth is watering just writing this.
Drinks at Luana’s
After pizza, we walked by a cute little tavern called Luana’s and decided to stop in for drinks to warm up.
- I had a limoncello spritz
- My husband and son both had old-fashioned drinks
Everything was delicious and gave us a nice break from the cold before heading back out.
Evening Plans: Golden Diner (Round Two)
Earlier, I mentioned Golden Diner, definitely check Yelp and Resy if you plan to go. They recently started taking reservations, and it’s insanely popular.
It’s a tiny hole-in-the-wall diner that seats maybe 50 people. I tried to get reservations the week before we left and had no luck, so I set a Resy alert. A reservation finally popped up for Saturday night at 9:00 PM, which was much later than we wanted, but I didn’t want to miss the chance, so I booked it.
After leaving Brooklyn in the late afternoon, we headed back to the hotel to rest before dinner. After a quick nap and a drink at the overcrowded manager’s reception, we went to Grand Central Terminal to walk around. It’s cool to see the clock and ticket booth, but we were done in about 30 minutes.
Little Italy Stop (Unplanned but Hungry)
We took the subway down to Little Italy, which is right next to Chinatown, but arrived too early for our Golden Diner reservation. Since we were hungry (again), we stopped at an Italian restaurant called Sofia’s.
We ordered:
- Three lemon drop martinis
- One order of arancini
The bill was over $100. Also, fair warning, as you walk down the street in Little Italy, you’ll get bombarded by people trying to pull you into their restaurants. I made the mistake of making eye contact and felt guilty walking away. Next time, we’ll pick a place ahead of time and go straight there.
Golden Diner (Finally!)
After our expensive snack, we walked to Chinatown for our 9:00 PM Golden Diner reservation. We couldn’t get in until exactly 9:00, and I was honestly a little skeptical given all the hype.
I ordered the Thai Cobb salad with spicy peanut dressing, fresh vegetables, soft-boiled eggs, and crumbled bacon, very good.
But Golden Diner is known for breakfast items, and that’s definitely what you should order.
- My son got a huge breakfast burrito with bacon, hash browns, refried beans, egg, and pico
- My husband got the breakfast sandwich with bacon, eggs, and a square hash brown on a brioche bun
- He also ordered the home fries, which tasted like Taco John’s potato oles
The absolute star of the meal, though, was the honey butter pancakes. Hands down the best pancakes I’ve ever had. Thick, fluffy, and covered in salty honey butter. Our waiter told us there’s soy sauce in the honey butter, which totally makes sense.
If I ever go back, I’d order only the pancakes.
If you can’t get into Golden Diner, a good backup option is Golden Huf in Manhattan, where you can still get some of their popular items, including the pancakes.
End of a Very Long Day
After all that food, we headed back to the hotel around 11:00 PM. We clocked over 30,000 steps and roughly 15 miles of walking in the cold, snowy weather.
We were exhausted, stuffed, and definitely dehydrated (alcohol doesn’t help). Lesson learned: drink more water, take breaks, and don’t overdo it in New York City. Try to eat at normal times, stay on some kind of schedule, and balance all the pizza and sandwiches with salads or smoothies.
Sunday: Mass, Greenwich Village & One Last Italian Meal
We woke up Sunday morning feeling just plain horrible, and it was freaking freezing outside. We walked down to church to go to Mass. One of the nice things about New York City is that there are beautiful Catholic churches everywhere, and this one was just a five-minute walk from the hotel.
It turned out that the Mass was completelyin Latin, and the priest faced away from the congregation, which was a little different than what we’re used to. Even so, it was still very beautiful and a meaningful way to start our final day in the city.
Breakfast Reset: Playa Bowls
After Mass, we went back to the hotel to pack up and get ready for another day in New York City. Since we had eaten so unhealthy the day before, we decided smoothies sounded like a good breakfast option.
We went to Playa Bowls, just down the road from the hotel. My husband and son both got smoothies, and I ordered a bowl of protein oatmeal topped with bananas and walnuts. It was delicious and helped us reset a little before heading into another full day of food.
Greenwich Village & Faicco’s
We took the subway down to Greenwich Village, which was just a short ride from Times Square and definitely closer than Chinatown. Our first stop after breakfast was Faicco’s in Greenwich Village.
This was the most important food stop in NYC for us because my son remembered from our last trip that he saw someone eating a chicken pesto mozzarella sandwich there. He said that was the one thing he wanted to make sure he had on this trip.
We got in line inside the tiny, packed deli, and he ordered his sandwich along with two arancini balls, one rice ball and one prosciutto ball. My husband and I split them, and they were both incredible. We all tried the sandwich, and it was absolutely delicious.
The bread was crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. The chicken cutlets were cooked perfectly, and it was loaded with mozzarella and pesto. It was completely over-the-top in the best way and easily one of our favorite bites of the entire trip.
Wandering Greenwich Village
After eating, we walked around Greenwich Village. Even though it was rainy and cold, we loved visiting several of the local shops. There was a small print shop that my son spent quite a bit of time in, along with a neat coffee and tea shop, though I don’t remember the names of either.
Greenwich Village is probably one of my favorite areas of New York City. It’s very quaint, with lots of small local delis, restaurants, cheese shops, and vintage stores. It doesn’t feel nearly as overwhelming as Times Square.
If you have the time, I highly recommend booking a food tour through Greenwich Village. There are some amazing restaurants there, and a food tour lets you try small bites from multiple places, a great way to experience some of the city’s best food in a short amount of time.
The Morgan Library (Free Sunday Admission)
After walking around Greenwich Village, we were still exhausted from the day before. We went back to the hotel for a quick rest before heading out again.
My son wanted to visit The Morgan Library, and I had discovered online that on Sundays they offer free admission between 3–5 PM for the main areas of the library (excluding special exhibits). That worked perfectly for us since we were mostly interested in seeing the main rooms.
When we arrived, we simply told them we were there for the free admission, and they let us walk right in, no questions asked. Otherwise, they would have sent us to the ticket counter, so it’s definitely good to check those free admission times in advance.
The library was incredibly cool. It was Morgan’s personal library and included multiple rooms with tall walls of books. It was very old and elegant, and I was especially intrigued by an entire wall of Bibles. There was also a lot of Christian artwork, including images of Jesus and Mary and other religious artifacts. It really was beautiful.
It was also very crowded, so we walked through fairly quickly, took it all in, and then headed out.
Dinner at Eataly Flatiron
One of the main things I wanted to do on this trip was visit Eataly. I love Italian food, and the New York City location is an incredible grocery store with multiple restaurants and cafés inside.
You can visit their website to view all of the restaurants, menus, and specials, and you can make reservations for many of them. We had reservations at La Pizza & La Pasta, so we made our way from the library to the restaurant for dinner.
It was about a 15-minute walk from the hotel, which gave us plenty of time to enjoy dinner before heading to the airport.
They told us that all of the food and groceries they sell are imported, nothing comes from the United States. I ordered the tagliatelle with Bolognese sauce along with pan rustica bread and olive oil for dipping. The bread was perfect, just like what you get in Europe.
We also ordered a Caesar salad to share. My son ordered lasagna, and my husband ordered pizza. The pizza was thin-crust with incredibly flavorful sauce. I personally prefer a crispier crust, and this one wasn’t crispy at all, but I know that’s not New York style. Even so, the flavor was amazing.
The Bolognese was perfect as well. The pasta was fresh and cooked al dente, and the sauce was rich and flavorful with pork, beef, tomato, and cream. We also split a bottle of Italian wine, which paired beautifully with everything we ordered.
Heading Home
After dinner, we made it back to the hotel just in time to grab our bags and catch an Uber to the airport. Our flight ended up being delayed, and we didn’t get home until around 2:00 AM.
It definitely wasn’t a restful vacation, but it was an incredible one. We experienced some amazing food and made great memories, and we’re already making a list of places we want to try next time we visit New York City.
Where We Ate, Walked & Wandered
Friday Night – Arrival & Times Square Eats
Los Tacos No. 1
Multiple locations across Manhattan
(We visited the Times Square area location)
(We visited the Times Square area location)
Made in New York Pizza
Times Square
New York City, NY
New York City, NY
Saturday – Brooklyn, Dumbo & Chinatown
Golden Diner
123 Madison St
New York, NY 10002
United States
New York, NY 10002
United States
Manhattan Bridge
Pedestrian walkway connecting Manhattan to Brooklyn
DUMBO
Brooklyn, NY
DeKalb Market Hall
445 Albee Square W
Brooklyn, NY 11201
United States
Brooklyn, NY 11201
United States
Katz’s Delicatessen
(DeKalb Market Hall location – limited menu)
445 Albee Square W
Brooklyn, NY 11201
445 Albee Square W
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Original Location:
205 E Houston St (corner of Ludlow St)
New York, NY 10002
Lower East Side
205 E Houston St (corner of Ludlow St)
New York, NY 10002
Lower East Side
L-Train Vintage
Multiple locations throughout NYC
(We visited a Brooklyn location)
(We visited a Brooklyn location)
F&F Pizza
459 Court St
Brooklyn, NY 11231
United States
Brooklyn, NY 11231
United States
Luana’s Tavern
Brooklyn, NY
Sofia’s
Little Italy
New York, NY
New York, NY
Sunday – Mass, Greenwich Village & One Last Meal
Holy Innocents Catholic Church
135 W 31st St
New York, NY 10001
United States
New York, NY 10001
United States
Playa Bowls
Multiple NYC locations
(We visited a location near our hotel)
(We visited a location near our hotel)
Faicco’s Italian Specialties
260 Bleecker St
New York, NY 10014
Greenwich Village
United States
New York, NY 10014
Greenwich Village
United States
The Morgan Library & Museum
225 Madison Ave
New York, NY 10016
Near the Empire State Building
New York, NY 10016
Near the Empire State Building
Eataly Flatiron
200 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
Chelsea / Flatiron District
United States
New York, NY 10010
Chelsea / Flatiron District
United States
Grand Central Terminal
77 Park Ave
New York, NY 10017
United States
New York, NY 10017
United States
