Best Foods to Eat to Celebrate National New York Day

Every city, or state, seems to be known for specific types of foods. Chicago is known for its pizza. Philadelphia is known for Philly cheesesteaks. So, what about New York state? Is the Empire State known for specific foods? The answer to that is yes! There are quite a few best foods to eat when you are on vacation in New York. One of the easiest ways to try them all is to book a vacation there and celebrate National New York Day.  

Best Foods to Eat to Celebrate National New York Day 

Bagels 

You haven’t tried the best bagel in the world yet if you haven’t had one while on a family vacation in New York City. The bagels in New York City are crunchy, dense, and huge. Most bakers in New York City roll their bagels via a twisting and shaping method. Then they boil them in water and malt syrup before baking. The result is the crunchy, yet chewy, bagel New Yorkers have come to love.  

There are quite a few local bagel shops in New York City. So, while you are on a family vacation in the City for National New York Day, you will want to pop into a few until you find your all-time favorite.  

New York Cheesecake 

The cream cheese in cheesecake was invented in Chester, NY. While the most popular brand of cream cheese is Kraft’s Philadelphia, this dessert is still a best food to eat in New York. You can order New York cheesecake in almost any diner and restaurant throughout the state.  

Beef on Weck 

Beef on Weck was invented out in Buffalo. The dish Beef on Weck is a kaiser bun, topped with caraway seeds and salt, that is piled high with roast beef. The next step is beef au jus poured over the top and served on the side. Add a little horseradish and you are all set. If you are going to try this dish, please be out in Western NY. The rest of the state just doesn’t make it as good. 

The Garbage Plate 

The Garbage Plate was created in 1918 at Nick Tahoe’s in Rochester. The current owner of the restaurant had the name, Garbage Plate, copyrighted in 1992. This dish is meat, potatoes, and other side dishes all piled high on one plate. The best place to eat a Garbage Plate is in Rochester. However, you can find different versions of the Garbage Plate all around the state.  

Thousand Island Dressing 

Thousand Island salad dressing was invented up in the Thousand Islands in New York state. There are a couple different versions of the story. One version is the chef for George and Louisa Boldt, the owners of Boldt Castle, forgot the salad dressing one day when they were out on their yacht. He improvised by mixing mayonnaise, pickle relish, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce together. You can purchase Thousand Island dressing anywhere. However, if you are on a family vacation in the Thousand Islands for National New York Day, you must try it at LaLonde’s Inn. They use one of the original recipes.  

White Hot Dogs 

A few different hot dog manufacturers make white hot dogs. In New York, the best white hot dog is a Zweigle’s. They have been around since 1925 and are only served in Western New York. People in the state are known to drive quite far to purchase these hot dogs or order one at a restaurant.  

Sponge Candy 

It is not known where sponge candy was originally made. Nowadays, you can only find it in Buffalo, NY. This is a crunchy toffee with toasted molasses flavoring. It is covered with chocolate. This candy needs to be kept in cool temperatures with very little humidity. That may be one reason why no one outside Western New York has heard of this candy before. They can’t ship it anywhere!  

Spiedies 

Spiedies are sandwiches made from chicken, beef, pork, or lamb. The meat is placed on a skewer and marinated in a Spiedie sauce. The skewers are placed on a spit so the meat can be grilled. The bun is then used to pull the meat off the skewers before being served. There are no other toppings, but the sandwich is delicious as is. This sandwich was first made in Binghamton by Augustine Iacovelli in 1939. It is still one of the best foods to eat in New York today. Try it for yourself to celebrate National New York Day!  

Salt Potatoes 

Salt potatoes were created in Syracuse. During the 1800s, the Irish salt miners would take bags of small potatoes to work and boil them in the saltwater near the mines. Since the skin is left on the potatoes, the result is crispy skin and creamy inside. You will mainly find salt potatoes in Central and Western New York.  

Buffalo Wings 

You can’t take a family vacation in Buffalo and not try a few Buffalo chicken wings. While the wings are best in Buffalo, the rest of the state has learned how to make amazing chicken wings too. So, try them anywhere while on vacation in New York for National New York Day. 

Knishes 

Knishes have been sold on the streets of New York City since the 1800s. These puck-shaped delicacies are normally filled with cabbage, sweet potato, caramelized onion, and potato, or blueberry and cheese.  

Frozen Custard 

Another Rochester favorite is frozen custard. The best place to get frozen custard is Abbotts. You can find Abbotts down on Charlotte Beach, which is on the shores of Lake Ontario. There are a couple of other locations in the city, but the best is the original location.  

Grape Pie 

When you take a vacation in the Finger Lakes, you must try their grape pie. Monica Schenk started selling these pies at the side of the road back in the 1960s. Now, she makes approximately ten thousand grape pies each year through her shop, Monica’s Pies.  

These are the best foods to eat to celebrate National New York Day. If you haven’t taken the time to try any of them yet, I can help you find the best places to eat everything during your family vacation in New York.  

So, are you ready to book a family vacation in New York?  

If you said yes, I would like to invite you to schedule a planning session with me by clicking here. When you click on this link, you will be taken to my digital calendar to schedule a time that is convenient for you.  

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