If you are lucky enough to have a fridge at your accommodation, then bringing your own lunch is the way to go: I cut up an apple, bring a water bottle, and depending on the extent of the trip, I also bring a sandwich and a protein drink. Then I am good until dinner; particularly when I have attended TV screenings, it is great to have some apples to munch on when you get out of there. Sure, you can eat out, but I have not yet eaten anywhere super memorable besides at Katz deli on the corner of E Houston St. and Ludlow St. It is noteworthy because of the history of the place; built back in 1888, it is one of the earliest delis in NYC, and during WWII they sent salamis to the boys in the army. This is also where the infamous fake-orgasm scene from when Harry met Sally is filmed! It is super noisy and crowded - but iconic! My deceased friend took me there years ago, which makes it extra special to me.

One thing to keep in mind for my non-American readers is tipping – for us coming from Europe, and Denmark in particular, where nobody tips – it can feel a bit like a nuisance – but don’t worry – you get used to it! However, while tipping at a restaurant or bar seems reasonable, in the US, you actually tip anybody who provides a service; therefore, be ready to tip taxi drivers, hairdressers, wardrobe staff, etc. So, to give an example: when you enter a restaurant and see a $15 burger – that means tax and a tip of ideally 20% will be added. Choosing what to tip is up to you, but if you intend to return, nothing less than 15% should be acceptable. There are different ways of doing it easily. Some people double the tax amount, and I usually tip 20% - here, you simply double the price and move the comma, so if it is $22, the tip is $4.40. Following the pandemic, when particularly restaurant staff has suffered a lot, there seems to be a bit of a trend of also tipping if you get take-out food – but this is, of course, at your own discretion. One thing to keep in mind, which I fell for once when I was too tired to pay attention, is that if you share the bill – split it in half – the restaurants often put the suggested tipping amount at the bottom of the receipt and offer the calculation for you – thank you – but if you don’t have your wits around you, you may not notice that the suggested tips are for the total bill and not just your half – which once resulted in me way over tipping. Alas, you learn as you go, right?

Pizza is a big thing in NYC, and you only have to walk off a few streets, then you find a place that sells slices – keep an eye out for prices and quality, though. Locals have very different opinions about what constitutes good pizza (like everywhere else!) – so it can be difficult to recommend something. I will say that the best pizza I have had in NYC was at Eataly on the top floor of the Oculus train station (there is a second restaurant next to Madison Square Park if you are mid-town!). The stone oven-baked crust was terrific – ahhh… my mouth is watering just thinking about it (but then I LOVE pizza).

If you can afford it, I have been told that the Rainbow 🌈 room at the top of the Rockefeller is worth a visit. I have yet to do that! But for some of us, it is iconic from movies like Sleepless in Seattle ❤️ with a nice view of the Empire State Building. However, there are loads of rooftop bars if that is your thing, so search for those if you just want a view of the city with your meal.

The bottom line is that there are good restaurants everywhere; as a rule of thumb, in any big city, restaurants near touristy places generally cater to people who will likely never visit again and do not necessarily care about the quality. Just a few streets off, you can find something much better. Being one of the most diverse places on the planet, any ethnic food you can think of will be here. A quick google search will give you the most recent recommendations for the best places to eat good food, but you might need to make reservations in advance. Notably, at the Upper Eastside, on Broadway just north of Columbus Circle, you will find many nice (and expensive) restaurants.

If you are looking for sweets – the Lavain cookies, have been voted best in NYC (https://levainbakery.com/). Crunchy yet chewy. One of these days, I want to go for afternoon tea which will include an array of delicious treats – then I will update here with recommendations. If you have an affinity for something Danish, there are the Danish bakeries: Ole and Steen: Lagkagehuset, which are in a few locations in Manhattan. Non-sweet: then Aquavit is a Danish gourmet restaurant that might be worth visiting. If you crave a steak with bearnaise sauce (another Danish thing…), then Balthazar is the place for you.

As for 'true' supermarkets, there are really only Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, mainly known for carrying their own brands (with exceptions…). You might find a Costco in the suburbs, but that is usually irrelevant if you visit for a short time as they sell in bulk. Suppose you want conventional things like Coca-Cola or Fritos. In that case, you must visit small independent stores, drugstores (e.g., CVS or RiteAid), or at Target (a cheaper department store with select groceries), or order on Amazon through Fresh.