The big apple: dining in New York City

New York knows how to eat. From all-American delis serving subs piled high with sliced meats to luxurious dining rooms serving the very finest modern haute cuisine, this is one city that knows its onions.

Thanks to varied immigration over the years New York is home to people from around the globe and the dining scene here reflects this cosmopolitan mix in menus and on tables from Manhattan to the outer boroughs. Whatever you fancy New York is sure to provide, seven days a week and in many cases 24 hours a day.

But how do you know where to go? With so much choice it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and New York holidays can all too easily become a hunt for the perfect Italian or the most authentic Chinese. Most New York hotels offer a concierge service to help guests find their way in the big apple so asking for dining recommendations at the concierge desk is a great way to find out what’s hot while you’re in town.

If you prefer to get out there and discover the city for yourself there are some sure-fire locations to head to depending on what you’re looking for. If Chinese is what you’re after head to Chinatown, below Canal Street, for delicious wonton soup, salt-and-pepper squid or pork fried noodles. Try Peking Duck House on Mott Street for what many (including Ed Koch, allegedly) say is New York’s best crispy duck or tuck into dim sum at the New Silver Palace on Bowery Street. For Italian try the East Village where Motorino Pizza on East 12th Street has just won Best New Pizzeria in the Time Out Eat Out awards, or for Indian head to Indian Row (6th street between 1st and 2nd avenues) where Banjara stands out for its eclectic mix of curries and tandoori dishes and its unhurried, friendly service.

No stay in the States would be complete without a great steak and New York has some of the best steakhouses in the country. In Gramercy Park try the modern yet comfy BLT Prime where the centrepiece is the dry-aging room in the middle of the restaurant and the menu includes all the best cuts from fillet to New York strip, served with your choice of nine different sauces. Over in the West Village the Strip House is the locals’ favourite, known for its seductive décor, perfectly aged steaks and delicious side dishes, which include creamed spinach with black truffles.

For something even more upmarket the city has its fair share of celebrity chefs with Gordon Ramsey serving up exquisite modern dishes inspired by his three Michelin-starred Chelsea restaurant at The London on West 54th Street and Nobu Matsuhisa offering superlative (and world famous) Japanese cuisine at Nobu on Hudson Street. Of course desserts at these top restaurants are divine but no visit to New York would be complete without a good old-fashioned New York Cheesecake. Theories abound and arguments rage about where the best is to be found but our vote goes to Two Little Red Hens on 2nd Avenue on the Upper East Side where Christina Winkler’s cheesecake is “the very definition of a phenomenal New York cheesecake” according to the New York Times. High praise indeed, and very much deserved.

There’s so much choice in New York that you may find yourself eating morning, noon and night – so loosen that belt and remember, if you eat it on holiday, it doesn’t count.