With apologies to the many thousands of talented cooks and chefs toiling away in this city’s kitchens, we must note the most memorable food we’ve eaten this year hasn’t been inside a dining room. It’s been shared with friends standing on a corner, snatched from a takeout bag at a park, or unwrapped and messily dribbled onto a bench. This is no knock against proper restaurants, but when the most exciting development to come along recently at an establishment like Eleven Madison Park is the arrival of an alfresco croissant pop-up (Bake It Nice), it’s a testament to the joy of great food without any pomp and circumstance. Maybe the act of sitting down to a meal has begun to feel stultifying — “Have you dined with us before?” comes across less like a helpful inquiry and more like a threat to explain the concept of “appetizers” — or perhaps it’s that low overhead and a ravenous dining public happy to seek out whatever food appears on TikTok afford a greater range of creative expression. While the weather is warm and New York is at its most walkable, we’re choosing to focus on the food right in front of our faces: the crisp-rolled lumpia Shanghai, icy watermelon slushies, oversize Swedish hot dogs, and pork-stuffed Vietnamese doughnuts being slung from carts, counters, stands, and windows all over town. Consider this hit list to be the jumping-off point. It’s not an exhaustive catalogue of all the street food in the city — how could it be? — but it’s made up of our absolute favorite snacks, drinks, and meals right now; many are brand new, while some have flown under the radar for years. In every single case, they are perfect for gulping down on a sidewalk somewhere this summer. —Alan Sytsma
1.
A Bottle of Gazpacho From Mercado Little Spain
Soup that’s bright and smooth enough to sip straight from the bottle — and enriched with enough olive oil to count as a snack. 10 Hudson Yards; littlespain.com
2.
The Savory Vietnamese Doughnut at Banh
Banh tieu is a Vietnamese doughnut that’s used here like a kaiser roll, sandwiching quail egg, nubbins of pork crackling, rounds of sausage, pork floss, pâté, scallion oil, and a fat plug of turmeric sticky rice. It’s best enjoyed with a tall, fruity litchi slush. 942 Amsterdam Ave.; banhny.com
3.
A Full Banchan Spread From Little Banchan Shop
Whether you’re at the Long Island City original or the new outpost at Pier 57, there is perfect picnic food to be had: dried radish, crunchy and dressed in gochugaru; assorted pickles, including thick slices of onion and pepper; smooth eggplant; and a potato salad supercharged with Korean mustard. Multiple locations; littlebanchanshop.com
The Best Summer Food and Places to Eat in NYC This Year
4.
A French-Fry Sandwich From Merguez & Frites
All sandwiches are improved by the addition of French fries. At this bite-size North African takeout shop, soft bread is stuffed with two snappy links of grilled merguez, a little harissa, and punchy sauce algérienne, plus a fistful of fries that are more creamy than crunchy. 40-06 25th Ave., Astoria; instagram.com/merguez_and_frites
5.
DIY Pani Puri From Thelewala
These puchka, or pani puri, don’t come pre-assembled; instead, the fried spheres (the puri) are whole with their fixings. It’s up to you to excavate a hole in the top to fill with potato masala, then drizzle in tamarind water (the pani). The flavors and textures come together like a good song. 112 Macdougal St.; thelewalany.com
6.
Cold Sesame Noodles From Ivan Ramen
The chewy sesame noodles from this LES ramen shop (and its Downtown Brooklyn ghost-kitchen counterpart) are deeply savory, with no peanut-butter sweetness. They’re topped with shredded chicken that’s dyed red and made fiery with chile. Multiple locations; ivanramen.com
7.
A Gas-Station Smashburger From Smacking Burger
Where Chelsea meets the Village, a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Mobil station is home to the city’s most curious new burger grill, a minuscule operation — next to the candy racks and coolers filled with Gatorade — that specializes in Oklahoma City–style onion burgers overflowing with melted cheese and sweet horseradish sauce. 51–63 Eighth Ave.; smackingburger.com
8.
Blue Takis Elote at Doña Zita
In front of this outdoor Mexican restaurant famous for its overstuffed tortas is its stand selling mangos on a stick and elote, which you can get with the classic toppings or — better — the IYKYK version that’s rolled in a choice of crushed chips. Go for the tangy, fiery, heavily pigmented blue Takis. 1221 Bowery St., Coney Island; donazita.com
9.
Some Thai Crackers From Khao Nom
The krong krang krob — peppery, sweet-and-salty fried crackers — stand proud among the world’s best chips, be that Korean honey-butter or sour cream and onion. They’re sticky from the caramelized palm sugar and coconut milk. 42-06 77th St., Elmhurst; instagram.com/khaonomnyc
10.
Sizzling Skewers at Caravan Uyghur Cuisine
Uyghur cooking is defined, in part, by its world-class kebabs: Order lamb ribs, which are fatty and lush on the inside, charred and crackling on the outside, and seasoned with the unbeatable mix of cumin and chile. 60 Beaver St.; instagram.com/caravanuyghur
The New Ice Cream That Must Be Eaten
11. The tiramisu flavor at Pamina (461 Sixth Ave.; paminadolcegelato.com), a bubbly new gelateria, does not skimp on the (gluten-free) ladyfinger cookies.
12. Soursop at Mr. P’s (1397 Nostrand Ave., Prospect–Lefferts Gardens; instagram.com/mrpsicecream) is bright, sunny, vegan, and possibly even healthy.
13. Deep-fried caramel-pecan cornbread from Thick (208 Graham Ave., Williamsburg; getthickbk.com) will fight against a spoon with every bite. Let it melt a little first.
14. Celery gelato from Juice Generation (multiple locations; juicegeneration.com) is part of the smoothie chain’s long-overdue line of ice creams.
15. Glace went viral for its crazy hot chocolates; the Fluffernutter sundae is available only at its just-opened midtown food truck (Rockefeller Ctr.; glaceny.com).
16.
The City’s Best Shawarma at Zyara
Freshly baked laffa is tightly wrapped around shawarma just shaved from the spit and a holy trinity of pickles, crunchy cabbage, and toum. Then it gets brushed with drippings and brushed again, after which it’s pressed down on the griddle. 25-53 Steinway St., Astoria; zyararestaurantnyc.com
17.
Chicken for a Picnic From Fat Fowl
Roast chicken in the summer? Yes — specifically, one treated to a lavender brine with rosemary, thyme, garlic, allspice, and Scotch-bonnet peppers. The skin is blackened in spots, like jerk; it’s ideal for shredding and sharing with friends in Fort Greene Park. Dekalb Market Hall, 445 Albee Sq. W., Downtown Brooklyn; thefatfowl.com
18.
A Heaping Hot Dog From BonBon
Every Sunday, a stand outside this TikTok-famous Scandinavian candy warehouse sells griddled overlong franks covered with sweet Swedish mustard, bottled rémoulade, crunchy fried onions, pickled cucumber slices, and chives. It costs $6, which is a bargain for a dog that is so thoroughly topped. 66 Degraw St., Red Hook; bonbonnyc.com
The New York Chicago-Dog Showdown
Who’s the best at dragging their dogs (all-beef Vienna sausages, of course) through the garden?
The loaded $8 Chicago dogs at both (19.) Dog Day Afternoon (multiple locations; dogdaybrooklyn.com) and (20.) Bobbi’s Italian Beef (228 Smith St., Cobble Hill; bobbisitalianbeef.com) stick to tradition with their toppings: pickle spears, tomato wedges, yellow mustard, electric-green relish, celery salt, and tiny sport peppers.
The winner is Bobbi’s: A back-to-back taste test revealed more generously distributed toppings and warm, pillowy poppy-seed buns owing to a quick steam after ordering.
21.
A Deli Container of Watermelon Slush at A&N Fruit Store
The city’s best soft drink is a lidded quart container of blitzed watermelon and ice — fitted with an extra-wide straw for rapid consumption. 25 Canal St.; no website
22.
Stridently Un-Soggy Fish and Chips at Make My Fish
The peppery dredge on the catfish at this no-frills counter creates a light crust that never falls off, even as the food sits in its paper bag while you take it to its final destination. 120 W. 116th St.; makemyfish116.com
23.
A Chicky Sandwich From Salty Lunch Lady’s Little Luncheonette
A giant, juicy chicken meatball is smashed into a seeded roll and made even messier with paprika mayo, charred onions, arugula, and — true to the counter’s name — extra-salty feta cheese. 565 Woodward Ave., Ridgewood; saltylunchlady.com
24.
Sugarcane Juice at Nha Trang One
There is usually a line at Nha Trang One’s sidewalk window for the freshly pressed juice an employee prepares to order. The grassy nectar can be enhanced with kumquat, pineapple, and other fruit, but most people opt to take it straight. 87 Baxter St.; nhatrangnyc.net
25.
Hainan Chicken Rice From Lou Yau Kee
This food-court vendor hawks an exceptional poached chicken, smooth and tender, with chicken-rich rice and a side of broth. A friend, a Singaporean cook, says that its sauces — salty and sweet dark soy, prickly chile, and invigorating ginger — taste like home. Urbanspace Union Square, 124 E. 14th St.; instagram.com/louyaukee
26.
A Roll at Kolachi
Bless the single-dish restaurant, a place that knows its strengths. Kolachi, in a little one-room box, makes only paratha rolls, a Pakistani street snack that’s little more than a deliciously greasy fried paratha filled with grilled chicken or beef, chutney, and onions, wrapped in a picnic-festive bit of checkered parchment and ready to be eaten on the road. 130 First Ave.; kolachirolls.com
Three Less Expected Pizzas
27. The louche little slice of $3.50 pizza at 99 Cent Village Pizza (333B Sixth Ave.; no website) that’s decorated with crisscrossing stripes of hot sauce and ranch is not pretending to be better than it is. It’s also not pretending to be on the menu: Order one when a pie appears on the counter.
28. It was a Staten Island–born pizza snob, of all people, who convinced us to finally try the Detroit-style pizza from Jet’s (multiple locations; jetspizza.com). “It just hits,” he said of the chain’s extra-crunchy, deep-dish pie.
29. The Roman-style fried zucchini slice at Impasto (373 Waverly Ave., Clinton Hill; impastonyc.com) deploys zucchini in two ways: as thin, dark-fried rounds and blended into a sauce that lines the airy bianca base. It’s dotted with gobs of fresh mozzarella and big basil leaves.
30.
Crispy, Creamy Bacalaitos at the Freakin’ Rican
These salt-cod fritters are one of the better ways to bide your time between beach days. The supremely crunchy edges guard a soft, salty interior. 4306 34th Ave., Long Island City; thefreakinricanrestaurant.com
31.
The Etna Mess at Archestratus
Its café has closed, but this food-focused bookstore will continue its tradition of making weekend-special trifles — sponge, cream, and jammy fruit inside a plastic cup — that change with the seasons: One recent flavor was bright apricot in orange caramel with whipped ricotta. 164 Huron St., Greenpoint; archestrat.us
32.
German Fried Chicken at Schaller & Weber
Schaller & Weber hot dogs are all over town, but the best thing the company makes — fried chicken — can be found only at the UES shop. The crust is thicker and crunchier than what you’ve had before, creating a completely protective shell around the meat. 1654 Second Ave.; schallerweber.com
33.
Pastéis de Nata From Lisbonata
The lines at this Portuguese egg-tart stand have become the topic of the season for Fort Greene farmers’-market loyalists. This probably has something to do with the extra-crisp butter crusts, the softer-than-expected middles, and the lovely boxes that make them ideal gifts. Raspberry is excellent, but even the original is great — especially when dusted with an optional shake of cinnamon. Multiple locations; lisbonata.com
34.
A Sushi Platter for the 2:43 to Poughkeepsie From Joji Box
Headed out of town on the Metro-North? Skip the Grand Central Shake Shack and duck into One Vanderbilt’s basement to pick up an order of sushi from this high-end omakase counter. Tuna rolls, pieces of salmon or yellowtail, and a stack of edamame are all fresh and beautiful and boxed up with as much care as a new iPad. 1 Vanderbilt Ave.; jojiboxnyc.com
Eight Perfect Bites in Chinatown
35. Ganjang and egg bap — runny eggs over purple rice with cabbage, sesame oil, and an obscene amount of seaweed — at Sobak. 51B Canal St.; instagram.com/sobak.han.
36. Crispy lumpia Shanghai and guac — a new classic combo, we say — at Mucho Sarap. Canal Street Market, 265 Canal St.; sosarapnyc.com.
37. The cheung zai bao (or hot-dog bun) at M&W Bakery. 25 E. Broadway; no website.
38. Beautiful mooncakes stuffed with floral white-lotus paste and black sesame at New Golden Fung Wong Bakery. 41 Mott St.; no website.
39. The jiggly steamed roast-pork cheung fun from Sun Hing Lung Co’s takeout window. 58 Henry St.; no website.
40. The har gow — translucent dumpling wrappers stuffed with shrimp and diced bamboo shoots — from Wu’s Wonton King. 165 E. Broadway; wuswontonking.com.
41. A four-piece order of earthy-sweet pork-and-shrimp shumai in yolk-yellow wrappers from Mei Lai Wah. 62 Bayard St.; meilaiwah.com.
42. Flaky, crispy, too-easy-to-overlook tuna buns at Fay Da Bakery. 83 Mott St.; fayda.com.
43.
A To-Go Container of Peel-and-Eat Shrimp at Lobster Place
The shrimp is as simple as it gets: plump, moist, and seasoned generously with Old Bay. The appeal is the packaging: Chilled with a lemon wedge, any order can be ready for the beach when you are. Chelsea Market, 75 Ninth Ave.; lobsterplace.com
44.
A Vegetarian Cubano From Cuban Shack
Long-cooked jackfruit is the main ingredient in these meat-free Cubanos, draped in sweet sauce and spilling out of the pressed roll. Swiss cheese adds heft while little sticks of fried potato are tucked in for crunch. 75 Hoyt St., Boerum Hill; cubanshacknyc.com
45.
A Bowl of Beef Curry at Burmese Bites
Until recently, the only place to regularly get Myo Thway’s food was at the Queens Center Mall. He’s now improving the lunch fortunes of midtown office workers, who can make a weekly habit of his beef curry, thick with gravy and made elite by the addition of balachaung, a spicy, salty, chunky fish-based condiment. Mona Kitchen, 310 E. 44th St.; instagram.com/burmesebites
The Five Best Beef Patties
A flaky larded crust filled with seasoned meat: These hand pies may be the world’s most perfect food. Here are our favorites.
46. The spicy beef patty at Tosh’s (at the Williamsburg and Prospect Park Smorgasburgs; toshspatties.com) is a hand-laminated, turmeric-stained pastry filled with slightly crumbly beef flecked with garlic and orange pepper for significant, fruity heat.
47. The crust on the spicy beef patty at Puff’s Patties (812 Nostrand Ave., Crown Heights; instagram.com/puffspatties) is tender, while the searingly spicy filling is saucier than most.
48. The Guyanese patties at Sybil’s (132-17 Liberty Ave., Richmond Hill; instagram.com/sybilsliberty) look like mini-pies: Rich shortcrust is rolled into tart pans and domed over a filling that favors aromatic spices over hot pepper.
49. Juice oozes out of fork holes poked into the shatteringly flaky crust of the oxtail patty at M&P Caribbean Delight (753 Flatbush Ave., Prospect–Lefferts Gardens; no website).
50. The Haitian beef pâté at Immaculee Bakery (1411 Nostrand Ave., Prospect–Lefferts Gardens; immaculeebakery.com) is all about the rustic, layered crust that is simply folded over a small scoop of sweet-and-spicy ground beef.
51.
Mexican Sorbet From Nieves Cortés
Fidel Cortés Jr. is the Limón Ice King of Bushwick: Across from Maria Hernandez Park, he sells nieves de garrafa that’s hand-churned with a paddle for a smooth texture and pure fruit flavor. Options rotate: There may be cooling melon with small cubes of fruit or creamier pineapple; other days bring mango, watermelon, lime, or the “famous” dragonfruit. Outside 282 Knickerbocker Ave., Bushwick; instagram.com/fideljr87
52.
A $2 Whoopee Pie From Millport Dairy
The Amish farmers of Lancaster County sell these traditional whoopee pies in several flavors, including the classic chocolate cake (rich and moist) as well as pumpkin. Good for a snack when you’re dropping in to pick up some of the dairy’s Greenmarket-famous eggs. 2583 Broadway; no website
53.
Panamanian Chinese Skewers at Thao’s Family Table
On Sundays, the couple behind this new boardwalk business is making the case that Panamanian Chinese barbecue is what’s been missing from Rockaway Beach with sweet and juicy party wings, each one skewered and grilled until it’s a glistening rusty shade of orange. Locations vary; thaosfamilytable.com/location
54.
The Over-the-Top Venezuelan Sandwiches at Codigo 58
The Pepito 58 is a sandwich in sicko mode: three types of meat (chunks of beef with a hint of lime, plus chicken and bacon), slices of tomato and shredded lettuce, a blanketing of cheese, and four sauces (ketchup, mayo, mustard, and cilantro garlic). It’s outrageous, one of those sandwiches that teeter on the edge without going over. 204 Bushwick Ave., East Williamsburg; instagram.com/codigo58bk
Our Favorite …
55.
… Sandwich.
“Rolled beef” — according to the slicers at Prospect Butcher (multiple locations; prospectbutcher.com) — is an “old Jewish cousin of pastrami,” a bit milder and intended to be eaten cold. It’s peppery, fatty, made in-house, and delicious when laden with Swiss, slaw, and watercress.
56.
… Sub.
We begged, but the folks at L’Industrie (multiple locations; lindustriebk.com) won’t make their chicken-Caesar hero — loaded with shredded romaine — any easier to order. You just have to line up when they post to Instagram. Once acquired, everyone will want to share.
57.
… Sando.
You’ll be tempted by the classic chicken cutlet on squishy milk bread at Postcard (31–33 Carmine St.; postcardbakery.co), but the real summer pick is the dessert-y fruit sando, a tender, crumbly cake of a sandwich stuffed with sweetened cream and heart-shaped strawberries.
58.
A World-Class Bagel Without the Schlep at Utopia Bagels …
Whitestone’s world-famous bagels have landed in Murray Hill, where the hordes descend to experience outer-borough bagel bliss. A bit of scallion cream cheese is all they need. 120 E. 34th St.; utopiabagelsny.com
59.
… Or the Worth-the-Hype Instagram Bagels at Apollo Bagels
Social media’s favorite bagel shop is finally open all day, every day in the East Village. The plain, sesame, and everything options — no cinnamon-raisins here — are indeed as light and crusty as their reputation would lead you to believe. A tight menu ensures the inevitable line moves quickly. Salmon and dill is the sandwich we see most often our on feeds, but we’re partial to an everything bagel topped with cream cheese and a couple of slices of red, ripe tomato. 242 E. 10th St.; apollobagels.com
60.
Guava-Soaked Ribs From Cocotazo
Messy, sticky ribs are a rite of summer. This Puerto Rican stall in East Harlem’s La Marqueta has a championship-caliber spread: four pork ribs slathered in guava barbecue sauce, fruity but not too sugary; succulent sweet plantains; a scoop of potato salad; and plenty of rice with pigeon peas. La Marqueta, 1590 Park Ave.; cocotazocateringllc.com
61.
An Einspänner at Ten Thousand
Absurd iced coffee topped with sweetened cream so thick that a barista scoops it from its metal container, then garnished with a line of cocoa powder: It tastes like tiramisu. Multiple locations; 10000coffee.com
62.
A Piroshki (or Two) at Sofreh Cafe
A companion café to Nasim Alikhani’s excellent Persian restaurant, Sofreh, debuted a block away this spring. You may be tempted by chickpea cookies and almond confections in flavors like orange blossom and jasmine, but we like the baseball-size piroshki, golden turmeric pastries that are thick like knishes. They may be filled with cumin-scented beef studded with raisins and peas; or kale, mushrooms, and feta. Either one makes for a filling lunch, washed down with Alikhani’s sweet cucumber-and-mint sharbat cooler. 216 Flatbush Ave., Park Slope; sofrehnyc.com
63.
A Bag of Buñuelos at Seba Seba Bakery
Spheres of chewy cassava-cheese bread are the perfect thing to snack on while roaming Jackson Heights, debating whether you’ll next want to eat some ceviche at Mariscos el Submarino or Birria-Landia’s world-famous tacos. 83-03 Northern Blvd., Jackson Heights; instagram.com/sebasebabakery
64.
Salmon Onigirazu at Tokuyamatcha
Made to order with a hefty portion of warm rice, onigirazu fall somewhere between traditional onigiri and a sandwich. Wrapped in plastic, the salmon avocado (one of the most popular options) holds up especially well if you’re taking it to eat later. 627 E. 6th St.; tokuyamasalon.com/cafe
65.
A Should-Be-Viral Pastry at ALF
In a city filled with overstuffed sweet croissants, the buttery and brown leek-and-béchamel pastry (it’s a Danish, not a croissant) is a savory standout. Chelsea Market, 75 Ninth Ave.; alfbakery.com
Are Biscuits the Next Croissants?
They’re fluffy, buttery, and beautiful.
66. The weekend-only BEC from Wheated (905 Church Ave., Flatbush; wheatedbrooklyn.com) is stacked inside a biscuit that bakes up over two inches tall before it’s split open.
67. The square buttermilk biscuits from Harlem Biscuit Company (2308 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd.; harlembiscuitcompany.com) are at their best in the bakery’s John Lewis sandwich: stuffed with hot fried chicken breast, coleslaw, and sweet pickles.
68. The bun-size, dome-shaped biscuits at Norma’s Corner Shoppe (59-02 Catalpa Ave., Ridgewood; normascornershoppe.com) are craggy on the outside and soft within. They sell out, so go early and order a Ranchero sandwich with egg, beans, cheddar, and salsa.
69.
The Pork Katsu Burger at Chef Katsu
The “burgers” made by Katsutoshi Machida — Chef Katsu himself — are nearly six inches high, a crisp-fried pork cutlet (marinated first in shiro koji for tenderness and flavor) on a soft brioche bun, topped with julienned cabbage for shredduce-like crunch and a sticky-sweet miso sauce. 143 Greene Ave., Clinton Hill; instagram.com/chefkatsubk
70.
The Baja Fish Taco at Haab
“Taco” is possibly a misnomer for this massive piece of beer-battered fish, properly slathered with habanero mayo and chunky mango salsa. Somehow a corn tortilla contains it all, but just barely. 202 Leonard St., Williamsburg; haabnyc.com
71.
Tacos Árabes From Santa Ana Deli & Groceries
This dim corner deli is a shining star and a largely unheralded destination for a Pueblan specialty known as tacos árabes: a flour tortilla overflowing with strips of pork, sliced white onion, and a smoky chipotle salsa, kept in check by some extra-creamy avocado. 171 Irving Ave., Bushwick; no website
72.
And for Dessert … Sakura Parfait at Cha-an Bonbon
At some point this summer, skip the plain ice cream and go big: This parfait is a full-on dessert with layers of agar, warabi mochi, and cookies surrounding a swirl of hojicha soft-serve. 238A E. 9th St.; chaanteahouse.com
