10 Best Foods Originated in New York City

5. NY Bagels. The NY Bagel craze started when Jewish immigrants settled Manhattan and the surrounding areas. They brought with them a quick baking bread that originated in Poland. Shortly after, Bagel Bakers 338, a union, was formed in NYC to control the bagel bakeries in early 1900 NYC. Because you had to be a union member to produce bagels in NYC during that time, the technique for making bagels was standardized. Today it is the single most popular breakfast food in NYC. See New York City’s 10 Best Bagel Shops

4. Manhattan Clam Chowder. Thank the Italians in New York City for this tomato based version of clam chowder. It was also once called Coney Island clam chowder and Fulton Market Clam Chowder. Tomatoes soared in popularity during the mid 1800s. This prompted NY cooks to add tomatoes instead of milk to clam chowder. It was known as Manhattan Clam Chowder by the 1930s. See New York City’s 10 Best Bowls of Clam Chowder

3. Hot Dog. In the 1870s, German immigrant Charles Feltman, started selling sausages in rolls in Coney Island, Brooklyn. In 1916 Nathan Handwerker opened his hot dog stand, Nathan’s Famous, in Coney Island. It quickly became the most famous hot dog in America and his original hot dog stand still exists in Coney Island today. See NYC’s 10 Best Reasons to Go to Coney Island

2. Delmonico Steak. The Delmonico Steak was referred to was the best cut of beef available when it was introduced in the 1800s. Often called a New York Strip today, this famous steak cut started in the 1840s or 1850s at Delmonico’s in New York City’s lower Manhattan. I funny note about this type of steak cut today is that no one passed down instructions on the exact cut of beef used, it is merely speculated in today’s restaurants. See New York City’s 10 Best Steakhouses

1. NY Style Pizza. America’s love of pizza all started in 1905 when Gennaro Lombardi, a Naples baker and was issued a license for a pizza shop on 53 1/2 Spring Street. He had a coal-fire oven installed and stayed open from 7am to 4am daily. Here made the ingredients fresh daily for his pizzas and trained many of the future NYC pizza shop owners in the art of making his pizza. See NYC’s 10 Best Pizza Restaurants