Liberty bagel
One way I wanted to embrace the New York culture whilst visiting was by trying a bagel, but not any old bagel, a thick New York style bagel with cream cheese. Open research I came across ‘Liberty Bagels’, this franchise flooded tiktok – claiming to be the best bagel in New York City.
When the door opens, you are faced with rainbow bagels on the walls. The rainbow bagels are what they are bets known for, and they pride themselves on being the home of the rainbow bagel. In the counter they have an array of cream cheeses ranging from classic, blueberry and peanut butter, other filling options are available such as tuna, chicken, and cheese. Not only is the choice of filling incredible, and hard to just to pick one, then the choice of bagels is crazy. You can have everything, garlic, cinnamon and many more. They have preselected bagels and fillings to make it easier to choose, or you can create your own.
I tried a cinnamon bagel toasted with blueberry cream cheese, which was heavenly. The flavours complimented each other so well, and I wish I could eat it every day. I also tried the classic everything bagel with cream cheese, which is worth all of the hype it gets. I would highly recommend Liberty bagels, it was my favourite place to eat throughout the whole trip, so much so I made my mum get liberty bagels four different times!!!With railsandrollers.com, you'll have the tools and resources you need to make your next adventure unforgettable. Let us help you explore the world like never before.
Bubba Gump
Centred in the middle of times square, this is a Forest Gump themed restaurant that resembles scenes from the film. The menu is not the healthiest, with warnings of high sodium levels, saying that I ordered a prawn Ceaser salad and fries, and of course the largest diet coke I had ever see. The ultimate girl dinner!!
If you love Forest Gump, this is definitely a must visit for you, but if you’re not that fussed, you can definitely find a better American diner to visit.
Cha Cha Matcha
We visited due to all the photos and recommendations over social media, and I was personally very excited as I saw multiple social media stars visiting, however it did not live up to the hype.
The interior was very aesthetic and instagramable, with the main colour of choice being pink. So that is definitely a selling point. The matcha was delicious, but it was the rest of the menu that let the café down. The baked goods were stale, and you could have got nicer from a supermarket, honestly. Also, the didn’t offer decaffeinated coffee as an option, which my mum only drinks, and all options bar water contained caffeinated coffee, including smoothies and their specialities. Whilst this is understandable for a small independent café, but for a chain with lots of options this was rather disappointing.
The magnolia bakery
This was a very underwhelming experience, my mum and I were very excited for a mid-morning sweet treat as she had scheduled in time to visit this bakery. When we walked in the set up was confusing as there was two different tills, one where you order and one where you pay. Once we figured this out, we looked at all the treats and tried to pick one. This was a hard chore, as everything looked so delicious, I choose a blondie brownie, and my mum a carrot cake cupcake. These were by far the best sweet treats we have ever had. I would highly recommend visiting, but just to lower your expectations as it isn’t as physically amazing as it seems.
Smith and wollensky
This is a classic, old school American steakhouse, and it must be added to your itinerary. Think white table clothes, photos on the wall, and wine bottles stored everywhere.
Whilst I should be reviewing the steak… I had the salmon for obvious reasons. It was delicate and had a rich, flaky texture, paired with creamy buttery mash, it truly was a meal for kings. The service is second to none, and the waiters are constantly checking on you and refilling your drinks.
Ellen’s stardust diner
No words…this is somewhere everywhere must visit, it’s the only diner like this. The selling point is, all of the staff are wannabe Broadway stars who haven’t made it yet, so during their shifts they sing songs and engage with the guests. The vibes inside are unmatched. They have a bucket go round to tip to a charity that pays for the staff to have singing, acting and dancing lessons!
Not only was the entertainment great, but the food was also delicious. We went at breakfast time, so I had cinnamon pancakes and my mum had classic waffles. The plethora of menu items raining from pancakes to savoury items such as breakfast burritos, means it is hard for even the fussiest eaters not to find something. The staff were very welcoming and kind, so this is somewhere you should definitely go on your trip.
Sadelles
Now, this was the place I was most excited to go to, and it did not disappoint. Two words, bagel tower. This is a must visit location in NYC, with the likes of Kylie Jenner often brunching here.
Yet again, the menu is very vast, but they are known for bagels. you can have multiple different toppings like, cream cheese and salmon, tuna melt , egg or more!! Of course, there are also sweet treats available like French toast! The staff are friendly and from the moment you walk through the door you are greeted with a warm smile and top notch service.