mscmkr

Where are some of the best places for street food in NYC? I am looking to try many different types of food from all over the city. Give me a few of your favorites so I can make a good list for my upcoming trip.


Thanks everyone, mscmkr

Gekko

Street food? From vendors? In general, if you want a "dirty water dog," you'll find one on just about any corner.

mscmkr

ok, I know there is a ton of great ethnic food choices sold off the street carts all over the city. Also, I have read on the net that there is a bunch of great stuff like dogs and pizza and that kind of thing. I would like to know where your everyones are.

Im a definite foodie and love to try knew things. One thing that is really New York is the street food, (at least i think it is) and i would love to find the best.

Thanks everyone, mscmkr

Gekko

Seriously, you'll find the street vendors everywhere.

But if you're visiting New York, this is not the food you want to eat.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/art...?artid=1497573

Aduchamp1

I think there is a more romancatized ideal about street food in NYC than there should be.

I am sure there are a few superlative vendors but I prefer inexpensive indoors.

nytraveler

I think you're a little bit confused.

Most street food is mediocre at best - just due to the the conditions under which it is served. The only thing I ever get is a real pretzel - which is to be eaten with mustard. (I know some people like chestnuts off a cart - not my favorite -and usually sold only in winter.)

If you want to try real New York casual food go to Grey's Papaya for a hot dog (a storefront - not a cart).

And I can't even begin to understand how you could sell edible pizza off a cart - where would you bake it? (See below for a bunch of options on best pizza in NY - again all casuale restaurants.)

persimmondeb

I'm partial to those kebabs that many vendors sell, but keep in mind, it is mystery meat (usually mutton, occasionally goat). No matter what the sign claims, it is NOT beef. I don't think I've ever seen pizza on one, and I wouldn't want to eat it if I did. Pretzels are good, and I am one of the people who like chesnuts, although you will probably not see them in the springtime. You occasionally see falafel off a cart, and that's usually a good bet. I like the hot dogs too, especially with onions, but none of this stuff is terribly sanitary, so if you are the kind of person who is made crazy by things like that I would avoid the carts.

bmw732002

When in town and looking for a little WURST. I head over to

55th just off 5th for the Famous

"Hallo Berlin" Wurst Cart!

They have fun names like:

Audi Wurst, Mercedes Wurst and my favorite the BMW Wurst!!

Aduchamp1

Or you an go the Hallo Berlin restaurant itself on 10th Ave.

NeoPatrick

I love walking through the city about 9 in the morning when all those street vendors start sauteeing their peppers and onions and mystery meat. The smell is wonderful, but I suspect most people aren't buying their lunch from those carts until about noon, after they've been sitting there cooking (and even being attacked by flies) for another three hours or so. No thanks.

bmw732002

Street food usually goes hand and hand with 'good value'.

On special ocassions, when the weather was nice, I would head up sixth avenue and grab a "Hallall chicken flaffel from a vendor on 52nd and head up to the Park for an "ala Carte" experience! Has not killed me.........yet!

Someone ruined it for me when we were passing a stand on a 'cold NYC day" and they wondered:

" Where do these guys go to the bathroom??"

Gives a whole new meaning to "dirty water hot dogs"!!

MikeT

Heresy. Street food is great in NYC, although you often have to leave Manhattan.

In my experience, street vendors are no less unsanitary than a sit-down restaurant. Hundreds of thousands of people eat street food in NYC everyday, and the hospitals aren't full of sick people.

The best collection of street food is actually in Queens, in Jackson Heights. Latino food on one block, Indian and Pakistani on the next. Great Halal stands everywhere.

Here's an article in New York magazine

http://nymag.com/restaurants/features/33527/

travlingirl

My fiance and I enjoy the Hallal food cart just South of the Hilton New York on 6th and 53rd.

While staying at the Hilton, we noticed lines until at least 2am. After trying it one night we realized why. Locals on line drove/rode in from Brooklyn and from all areas of the city for this tasty food.

For about $5 you get meat, rice, pita, yogurt sauce and salad.

However, with that said, this is the only one we eat at due to walking up on various other carts and seeing the vendor hack up a lung and wipe it on his pants - no hand washing or anything!

I agree with Grey's Papaya on the dogs.

Enjoy your stay.

Aduchamp1

MikeT

Which vendors did you like?

Dohlice

The Jianetto pizza trucks are actually very good. The pizza ovens are ON the truck. They only do squares and be prepared to wait in line. It is strange to wait in the street for a pie to come out of the oven! They have other things too like stuffed shells and ravioli. I haven't tried that but they're often sold out of those things. There's always one downtown near Wall and (I think) Front Street. There's a lot of bad pizza in Manhattan, you really can't just walk into any old place. There's a truck that sells Trini food up the block from there that's supposed to be good but I haven't had that. For downtown "street meat" the carts on Wall and Pearl and on William Street behind the big Chase plaza haven't made me sick. Now that I think of it there is a whole line of carts in front of Chase, too (behind 140 Broadway). There's a big variety there. Knishes are hard to find, a lot of hot dog carts have them on the list but don't actually make them. There's a good truck on Whitehall Street for Sausage and Peppers, hot dogs, knishes and cheese steaks. That truck is like being at a Brooklyn Feast without the fistfights!

offlady

You may be disappointed with the street vendor foods. Don't buy the hot dogs for sure. Knishes are mystery meat. I've bought roasted chestnuts in the winter, but very pricey. There may be gelato sold in the summer. There is nothing special about the pretzels. The only thing I will buy is coffee and a donut but only if it is early in the morning. There is much better fare elsewhere in the city. Enjoy the various delis, pizzarias, and restaurants the city has to offer instead.

Dohlice

Knishes are potatoes, no mystery there!

MikeT

I loved Sammy's Halal in Jackson Heights. I also had a great chorizo taco underneath the train tracks near the Roosevelt St. Station.

The Indian food at Washington Sq. is also quite good. I've also had good Halal at 50th and 7th Ave.

Aduchamp1

Knishes are mystery meat? You have the wrong religion. They might look and taste like third base and some may have a green lining, but I have never seen one made of meat.

nytraveler

Knishes have no meat. The standard is potato. Or yuou may see something exotic - with mushrooms or spinach or something - but NO meat.

But - to get decent ones go to a real deli - not some guy standing on a corner.

Street food is NOT good. It's just cheap and fast (the latter being of most importance to many New Yorkers).