New York City's Most Iconic Foods in 24 Hours | Epic Food Journeys with Mark Wiens | Nat Geo

Welcome to New York City, where the food has as much character as the people. This is one of the most diverse cities in the world, and you can taste it in every meal. Oh, that hits the spot. I've got 24 hours to eat. From street food, Wow. to historical institutions. Phenomenal. We're going to meet the dynamic people and uncover the food that represents New York City. Welcome to New York, the Big Apple. A city that makes you feel like anything is possible. On the east coast of the United States, this has always been America's front door. For centuries, immigrants from around the world have arrived here, shaping the city into one of the most diverse places on Earth. Today, millions of people call it home, speaking over 700 languages and representing nearly every culture imaginable. And that diversity shines brightest in the food. It's 8:00 a.m. New York City is already buzzing. But I'm in a quiet neighborhood in Brooklyn, and I'm going to start with something every New Yorker would want to wake up to eat. [music] I'm excited. It's bagel time. And Stephan here, I love it. It's a full open kitchen. They're making the bagels fresh. You can see the steam. They're boiling the bagels. And they bake them right here on spot in a woodf fired oven. Oh, it looks amazing. Some say it's the unfiltered New York City water that gives the dough a chewy texture and makes them so delicious. But there's one fact that can't be argued. The average New Yorker eats 111 bagels each year. Nearly one every three days. Bagels are a staple. That's a heavy bag. And I'm gonna grab the first table I see to dig in. Two different bagels. Yeah, that's significant. Oh, that is heavy. And then Oh, this one is cold. This one is hot. This must be the breakfast bagel. We'll start with that. Unwrap it. Oh, and you open it up. That's not a sprinkle of poppy seeds. It's an entire crust. And then the best part is when you do that sandwich reveal and the bacon in there sandwiched between the eggs, the runny yolk. That is a work of art right there. Okay, here we go. Oh, that first bite is just unbelievable. You sink your teeth into the bagel. You've got that crust of poppy seeds. You have that chewy texture of the bagel. So, you've got that crunch, that saltiness of the bacon, the ooziness of the cheese, and the yolk just melting it, binding it together with that egg. Okay, let's try the the next bagel here. On this one, I got the everything bagel. They're generous with all those toppings. Look at the bagel. Just entirely crusted with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, maybe onions. Oh, that aroma is incredible. The reveal of the classic New York bagel. Just loaded with cream cheese. There's tomato. There's smoked salmon. with that salmon, the creaminess of that cream cheese, the onions, and the tomato just provides enough acidity and freshness to balance all the richness of that cream cheese. Absolutely quintessential New York City. Breakfast was extremely tasty. And it's midm morning. I think we still have time before lunch for a little midm morning pickme up. Step inside. You're immediately greeted by a fully loaded cabinet of many different varieties of cheesecake. And keep going down the line. There's so many different goodies to try. Opened in 1950 by Harry Rosen, Juniors is a New York dining institution. Their menu is huge, but it's their legendary New York style cheesecake that's made them famous and that's brought smiles to customers for generations. Hey Mark, welcome to Juniors. Thank you very much. Original New York cheesecake. Cup of black coffee. Breakfast of champions. Nice. Is this the original? That is the original. Hasn't changed in 75 years. Sponge cake on the bottom. Cream cheese, fresh eggs, sugar, heavy cream, a touch of vanilla, blended with a paddle attachment, baked in a water bath, untouched in 75 years. Enjoy that original cheesecake. I got a big surprise for you later. Thank you. You're welcome. Here we go. The original since 1950 cheesecake. And you can just see how fluffy it looks with that perfect golden top. Oh, it has a firmness to it, but you can still feel the softness. You can actually see the juiciness. And if you look on the inside, you see the crumbliness of that cream cheese as well. that is so classic. It's so good. It's perfectly creamy. The essence of the vanilla in there. And I really love that crust because it almost just kind of blends in with the cheesecake itself. It becomes one with the cheesecake of perfect harmony. and to follow that with a coffee. It's the perfect combination. Time to loosen your belt. Allan's about to roll out the Empire State Building of all cheesecakes. Mark, here's your surprise. New Yorker cake shake. Strawberry milkshake. Strawberry cheesecake. A cake shake. Oh, it's a tower. It is a tower. Something my grandfather could have never imagined. 75 years ago when he started this restaurant and he said, "If we're going to be a great restaurant in Brooklyn, we have to have great cheesecake." He went around New York tasting and testing different cheesecakes. He liked the consistency of this, the bottom of this, and they put it all together. He and his first baker, I Peterson, and that recipe hasn't changed in 75 years. Knock yourself out. Enjoy. I can't even believe this. It looks like you need to handle with care before it topples over. We could have a cheesecake avalanche. something you almost want to just do a full rotation and analyze. It needs a strategy. It's like a buffet of cheesecake in a single milkshake. It's a cake shake. Here we go. Let's see what happens. It's structurally sound. Guaranteed you're going to get cheesecake all over your face. And now I want to go in with a the straw to eat and drink at the same time. Think it's my first time ever to take a bite of cheesecake and wash it down with milkshake. I'm in the South Bronx, which is home to a major Puerto Rican community. And there's one legendary man with a machete who we've been trying to contact for weeks, but we haven't been able to get through. So, we decided to just show up. We're about to arrive and let's see what happens. Yeah, for over 20 years, Anel Gimenez, known on the streets as has gained a reputation for serving some of the best Puerto Rican roasted pork or lechon in the city. Every weekend, a crowd of loud and happy devotees flock to his stall for a meal that often turns into an allout party. Wow. It's a mountain fully loaded. That's the way we roll. You're a nice guy. Beautiful guy and you deserve it. To [laughter] Thank you. Thank you. All right. When you think you've seen a lot, think again. South Bronx La Piran. He is a character. He's an entertainer. He's like a man of the community. And what I love about him is he just draws everybody in. You'll see people literally from all walks of life. And one of the amazing things is he doesn't just serve leon, but it's the full Puerto Rican spread with rice with today we got octopus. Today we got shrimp plantain on top and then he just drenches it in this unbelievably aromatic garlic sauce. It is massive. This is like a a family platter in one dish. How do we go about this? I think we just start digging in with that rice with the octopus. Rice on the bottom. There's onions all over it. M that octopus. It's salty. It's juicy. Has an incredible flavor infused with onions. Look at these shrimp. Oh wow. Look. So garlicky with that like chili coriander tomatoey flavor encased into every shrimp. The rice is on the bottom just absorbing all of that juice. All the sauces part everything. And then we have half of this is loaded with a lechon. Huge piece of lechon. It's falling apart. If you shake it, it will fall apart. Oh wow. That's unbelievably juicy. It's all a secret recipe definitely. But the spices, you taste the black pepper. There could be like some oregano in there with that garlic drizzled on top. Not even drizzled, drenched in garlic. That takes it to the next level. But the skin, just look at how much garlic is on that skin. The skin is puffy. It's so crispy. That garlic, that chili sauce with the vinegar contrast the richness. It's phenomenal. Absolutely phenomenal. This is a an award-winning meal. and represents the diversity, the community of New York City here in the South Bronx. I'm on my way to a restaurant [music] that's been open since 1888. And if you love food, this place should be at the top of your list. Welcome to Cats's Delicatess. And then step inside, you are entering a Jewish deli landmark. Founded in 1888, Cats's Delicatessin is a staple of New York's culinary DNA. And their famed pastrami is cured for up to 30 days to give it its signature flavor. I've been dreaming about this pastrami sandwich ever since I was here last time. It's just a pile of steaming pastrami. It's monumental. Look at how much meat is pressed between two thin slices of rye. One of those sandwiches where you almost need to brace yourself before you take that first bite. Oh. Oh, wow. And there's like 20 layers of meat, but when you sink your teeth into it, it just slices through that meat like butter. That saltiness, that brine that's been embedded into the muscles of that brisket. And then steamed, smoked, the layering of the flavor ensures that no piece of the pastrami goes unseasoned. I like to kind of take a bite of pastrami then chase with a pickle. Delicious, salty, really juicy. Pairs so well with that oily, rich pastrami. You can also add more mustard. I love mustard. M. This is a mandatory food stop when you're in New York City. Next up, I'm going to eat something that represents New York City in one slice. You come inside the doors and just this cloud of pizza hits you. It smells so good. Hello. How you doing? Good. Very good. Yeah, I came to eat some New York pizza. You came to the right place. How about a plane and a Sicilian? That's our signature slices which started the pizza business. A Sicilian on a plane and a soda. Yes. Sounds good. Let's go. Established in 1973, Luigi's Pizza is a Brooklyn favorite, representing the true heart and soul of New York City's pizza culture. My father came here with no money and my mother's father, they both came to America. They had a dream. They had no choice but to make it work. So they worked in sweat [music] shops and pizzeras and a cemetery. My father shoveled snow in the winter until he bought the building and here we are today 52 years later going forward. Wow. Incredible. Thank you. Now we're going to do the old salute. Okay. Amazing. Oh, look at my son. [laughter] Salute. Oh yeah. Yes. Salute. Salute. Salute again. This slice is my goto slice. That is unbelievable. Yeah. Crunch. No, no goo, no gum. It's just fluffy, crispy on the bottom with that beautiful tomato sauce and the perfect amount of cheese. And then onto a a slice, a New York slice. Oh, look at the thinness, the evenness of this. Again, that crust. And when in New York, do you fold? You fold. Fold the slice. Cheese, tomato. Mhm. wow. Both of them absolutely outstanding. I don't think there's any food that represents, encompasses, that's a symbol of New York more than a slice of pizza. Ahad, thank you. Yeah, appreciate it, man. Thank you. Pizza is epic in New York City, but there's another food that's been an icon for more than a century. A humble staple of New York's street corners. Something affordable and fast. I'm talking about you, Tube Steak. But when it comes to street food, right in the heart of Manhattan, there's nothing more affordable and more tasty than a hot dog. So, I'm standing right outside of the Met. I love the busy atmosphere. And this is where you're going to find one of the best hot dogs in New York. Dan Rossy's hot dog empire once spanned hundreds of carts across New York before vendor crackdowns left him with only a few. Today, known as the hot dog king, he's a symbol of the hustle and struggles of New York's street vendors. Okay. Oh, I can't wait. It's a heavy dog right there. the juiciness of that jumbo dog. That contrast of the sourness, that acidity from the sauerkraut. The hot dog is just a timeless classic. This is something you want to be eating on the streets. I'm in Harlem and next up, [music] I'm going to go eat one of the most comforting meals you can imagine. Sylvia's is a long-standing restaurant in Harlem serving up some of the greatest soul food in the city. Opened in 1962 by Sylvia Woods, the list of diners has included everyone from former US presidents to athletes and musicians. Chef Marcus, grandson of Sylvia, is now in charge of the kitchen. And he's kept the original recipes. staples like their legendary fried chicken, barbecue ribs dripping in sauce, collarded greens sauteed with smoked turkey, and oh yes, macaroni and cheese. What a meal. You can feel the heat from that fried chicken. Freshly fried. I'm going to pick that up. the juiciness of that fried chicken and then that seasoning. Oh, it's so good. And if you were to break this apart, you're going to just see how juicy it is. Oh, and the steam. It's also fried perfectly, so it's not dried out, but I think I will add a little bit of that Sylvia's kicking hot sauce. add that to the fried chicken because that combination is guaranteed to be delicious. Oh yeah. Oh, that hits [music] the spot. Oh, that hot sauce is good. That vinegar kick, that cayenne pepper, I think. Oh, that's good. Move into some of the collared greens. M. You can taste that rich complexity of the collar greens themselves. [music] And next up, going to move into the ribs. These smoky ribs. Oh, these are juicy. They're well caramelized. Oh, that smokiness goes all the way to the bone. They're tender and fatty. They have that smoked crust on the outside. And that barbecue sauce is superb. And next up for the mac and cheese. Oh, it's creamy. It's cheesy. The butteriness, the cheesiness, then that macaroni just melts in your mouth. An incredible meal in the heart of Harlem. Crowded, noisy, and alive at all hours. Manhattan's Chinatown attracts food lovers from around the world. [music] Freshly handmade in the back, Meleiewa's famous pineapple buns are so popular, they fly off the shelf almost instantaneously after each batch is pulled out of the oven. The bakery aroma and just the crowd of people going all the way down the sidewalk. Check it out. Here we have the pineapple buns. Oh, just nestled in that box. They're beautiful. Look at this. Fresh out of the oven. You got that crust. And here we go. It's heavy, actually. You've got that sweet topping, the fluffy, gummy bread. Then inside it has that sweet pork. It's juicy. It's saucy. And actually, they're called pineapple buns because it resembles a pineapple, but actually there's no pineapple in it at all. It's like a custard baked on top of the bun. Delicious. Classic. Doesn't get more popular than this. Something you have to try in Chinatown. I love the energy, the buzz, and of course the food. And this place is famous for their skewers. Grilled Chinese skewers. They have a whole list over here. There's probably like two dozen different things you can order from. I'm going to get some of those lamb sticks. Okay, right off the grill. Got some of the lamb skewers. Got a chicken skewer. Oh, the lamb is juicy, full of flavor. Then you got that chili and just lightly dusted in cumin as well. Then I also got some of the Oh yeah. Hot and fresh again, right off the grill. Chinatown. Oh, it's really good. Definitely the lamb though. That's the highlight. It's dinner time and a friend has recommended a spot to try America's most classic dish, New York City. Let's see what you got. [music] I love this atmosphere and what a contrast. What a world of difference from the energetic streets of Chinatown. [music] Ask New Yorkers where to get the best burger in town and Manetta Tavern, originally opened in 1937, will likely be top of the list. The burger is thick. Look at that thing. It's almost meatball formation. cheddar cheese melted all the way down the sides and served overflowing with fries. Oh, here it is. The burger has arrived in all its glory. It is glistening with the melted cheese on top. And look at the thickness of that patty. Oh, immediately you feel that the bun is really soft. It's toasted. It looks buttery. And it looks like it's just going to be perfect to cradle in the thickness of that patty. Oh, that meat just melts in your mouth. Cooked medium rare. It's so juicy. It has the perfect like melted cheese on top. It's a perfect ratio as well because the bun is soft. It just absorbs that burger meat juice. And look at the interior of that. I think actually I was so excited to try it I didn't even look on the inside but I think there's there are I think there's caramelized onions in there. These sweet caramelized onions with that melted cheese just embedded into the patty. And if you chase that bite with a little bit of the pickle spear delicious. And then for the fries, those fries are amazing. You can taste the freshness of the potatoes fried until crispy. Fantastic. If you love burgers, this is a place you have to try when you're in New York City. This is going to take a while. Just a few blocks from Time Square, there's a street food stall that attracts thousands of hungry diners every night. Serving food that's rooted in their own culture, but transformed by New York's streets into something you can't get anywhere else. Okay, so the line goes all the way down the block to the intersection. And everyone's here to eat at the halal cart. Adele's famous since 1987. When you get to the front of the line, just illuminating in the carts. They're just chopping up the combination. There's chicken, there's lamb. It is a production and it is nonstop. Let me see if I can get my whole order. I got the adults famous, but they started off with salad, then bread. I went with the red spicy rice. Then I got a combination of chicken and lamb. Then I got raw onions, then the white sauce, and the spicy sauce, and I think there was barbecue sauce, and then fries all on top of that. It's a mountain. It's heavy. There's nothing greater to be eating late at night in New York City than this right before me. And I'm just going to go right in. There's like an entire puddle puddle of sauce at the bottom there. And I think that's lamb on my first bite just coated in that sauce. the wait in line all the way to the cart was totally worth it. That tender lamb, the white sauce, it's like a swirl of all those sauces. It's salty. It's a little bit spicy. It has a hint of sweetness to counterbalance. Now, I'm going to go into for more of the Oh, I found the rice finally. There's chicken. There's rice. Oh, it's hot. Oh, that rice. It's so fragrant. It's so fluffy. The chicken is marinated, so it's really soft and juicy. And if you watch them as they cook it, it just continually like smolders, but the chicken is kind of frying, sautéing, and steaming all at the same time. I mean, all of those spices just infuse incredibly juicy and flavorful, even after eating all day long. That hits the spot. Eating your way through New York City is like opening a door to the entire world. This is a city that never slows down. 24 hours a day, you're guaranteed to find someone making something mouthwatering with a million stories to tell. [music] Thank you for watching and good night from New York City. Hit it one more time. GO. ALL RIGHT.