According to McKinsey, in 2023, New York City welcomed 62 million visitors. The city also expects its visitation rate to exceed pre-pandemic levels by 2025. Furthermore, the report says that the Big Apple’s tourists are going for more than just the city’s classic sights; many are also gearing toward food-related activities.
If you belong to that group, consider visiting the best Lower East Side eateries. Offering some of the top must-try food in NYC, some of these establishments have been around for over a hundred years. So, a trip to these spots won’t just satisfy your inner food lover; they’ll also give you a taste of the vibrant downtown neighborhood’s rich history.
Read on as our team at Nice Guy Tours created this food guide Lower East Side visitors like yourself should find handy during your trip to NYC.
Katz’s Delicatessen
Katz’s Delicatessen (or “Katz’s Deli”) isn’t just one of the best restaurants Lower East Side residents and tourists alike love (and you would, too). It’s also the oldest and most iconic, having served pastrami sandwiches since its establishment in 1888, per the Tenement Museum. Nowadays, they serve around 15,000 pounds of pastrami sandwiches weekly.
However, Katz’s Deli serves more than just its famous pastrami-on-rye sandwiches; it’s also popular for other meats, like corned beef, salami, brisket, and hot dogs. If you’re craving Jewish specialties like knishes, honey cakes, or latkes, this eatery is right up your alley. They also sell bagels, rye, and frankfurter rolls, among many others.
Katz’s Deli is at 205 East Houston Street and is accessible via NYC public transportation, such as the subway or bus.
Russ and Daughters
Another oldie but goody (or should we say, “goldie”) is Russ & Daughters, serving high-quality Jewish comfort food. We say oldie because their history (per their official website) traces back to 1904. At that time, its founder, Joel Russ, started peddling herring from a pushcart in Manhattan’s Lower East Side neighborhood.
Russ then opened an appetizing shop (on a lease) on Orchard Street in 1914. In 1920, he moved the shop to its current location, 179 East Houston Street.
Russ & Daughters is an “appetizing shop” that undoubtedly delivers. It serves lox sandwiches and NYC-style bagels with top-quality ingredients like smoked salmon and cream cheese. It also serves caviar, babka, latkes, and kugels, just to name a few.
With such a rich, delicious history, Russ & Daughters should be on your checklist when planning your NYC trip.
Kossar’s Bialys
If this is your first time encountering the word “bialys,” you should stop by Kossar’s Bialys to try it out. Just to give you an idea, though, it’s a traditional bread roll with origins from Białystok, a city in Poland, and is a vital part of Polish Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine. It’s like a combination of the best things about a bagel and an English muffin, with a deep depression in the center of the bread.
In that depression go fillings that give bialys their unique cultural identity. At Kossar’s Lower East Side location, you can choose from various fillings or spreads, like cream cheese and turkey, and salads like white fish, tuna, or chicken.
According to the official website of Kossar’s Bialys, its first store, then located at 22 Ridge Street in the Lower East Side neighborhood, opened its doors to the public in 1936. Today, it’s at 367 Grand Street and three other NYC locations (Hudson Yards, Upper East Side, and Upper West Side).
Doughnut Plant
While you can find doughnuts (or donuts) everywhere in the U.S., were you aware that the first ones appeared in Manhattan, NY? As Britannica.com explains, the history of doughnuts in the U.S. traces back to 17th to 18th-century New York, known then as “New Netherland.” According to the encyclopedia, Dutch immigrants brought them over.
Fortunately, you don’t have to look far and wide for delicious donuts when visiting Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Doughnut Plant, an independent New York City-based bakery created and founded in 1994, can satisfy your artisanal doughnut cravings. While it may be “younger” than the first three Lower East Side eateries discussed above, it’s still a must-visit and eat-at, as it’s where many original and innovative doughnut recipes started.
For example, this is where the world’s first Crème Brûlée doughnuts and those with glazes made of seasonal fresh fruits and nuts originated. It’s also home to the rose-shaped Doughflower and Wonder Wheel, the famous ice cream sandwich made of cake made of doughnuts.
Doughnut Plant now has multiple New York locations, but if you’re in or near the Lower East Side, you’ll find their shop at 379 Grand Street.
Vanessa’s Dumpling House
If you’re craving Chinese food, there’s no better place to get some than Chinatown, bordering the Lower East Side. It’s also where you’ll find Vanessa’s Dumpling House, launched and started by Vanessa Weng in 1999. Since its opening, Vanessa’s became a household name and has grown to become one of the best Lower East Side eateries.
Vanessa’s menu consists of Beijing-influenced foods, with the highlight being its fresh, handmade dumplings. Vegetable, vegan, chive and pork, shrimp, and spicy beef fillings are just some of the restaurant’s variations on the traditional Chinese dish. The dumpling pastries, coming in different colors, are also a feast for sore eyes.
The eatery also serves other delicious items, such as homemade noodle dishes, sesame pancake sandwiches, and wanton soups. Its Lower East Side/Chinatown shop is at 118A Eldridge Street.
Want to Try All These Lower East Side Eateries?
From Katz’s Deli to Kossar’s Bialys and Vanessa’s Dumpling House, these are just some of the best Lower East Side eateries to try when you visit NYC. If you want to see and test their offerings on the same day, consider joining Nice Guy Tours’ Lower East Side Walking Food Tour. We typically include these must-try restaurants (and others) in our tours of the area.
Our founder, Dante Mercadante, launched Nice Guy Tours in 2014, but he became a licensed NYC Sightseeing Guide in 2012. With his local knowledge and background in acting and stand-up comedy, he makes every tour memorable and fun.
Call or message us to book or learn more about our food tours!
