60 Hour Foodie Weekend in New York City in Residence at Moxy Times Square

There are a lot of reasons to visit New York. Some people go to sightsee. Some folks think the shopping’s pretty incredible (ok, who am I kidding…. I’m one of those people). Then there are others that go for the food. Of course if there’s time enough you can go for all three. But, for one weekend only, I devoted all of my energy to discovering a highlight reel of New York City Foodie moments to share with the masses. I’m not going to lie. It was tough. There were pizzerias, bakeries, ice cream parlours, pancake houses, seafood restaurants, Mexican restaurants and more, all on a list that had been put together months in advance. The only restriction was the fact that we only had 60 hours to cover it all. I had roped in my best friend from Washington, D.C. to come up to the city for the weekend and help me in conquering the foodie feast that is New York City. In the end, we barely scratched the surface of our list. It’s clear that a repeat trip is needed. But, in the name of research, I think we did well in finding ten places to feature. Let’s just say the sign of a good foodie trip is not being able to button your jeans at the end of it. So, let’s kick in, shall we?

Let’s start with where we stayed, as this choice was definitely part of our foodie conquering plan. The Moxy Times Square has only just recently opened doors, but it’s already become a destination for people looking for a place to stay as well as those looking for hip new places to eat. They have five venues featuring the most elaborate food and drink combinations I’ve ever seen in New York City, which we’ll touch on below in our foodie guide. It must be mentioned that this is one of the nicer hotels I’ve stayed in New York, as it didn’t leave me with a gapping hole in my wallet. These are rooms that are affordable, funky, fun and ideally located for anyone visiting the city that wants to be in the thick of it. It has an urban and chic attitude, with a focus on making guests feel high end without making them feel bankrupt. They’d rather you save your money for one of the most outrageous cocktails of your life up on the rooftop. Let me just say this…they have a sharable cocktail that comes in a giant disco ball. Is there anything else you could want in life? They also have rooms that are perfect for people sharing. Their double double is my personal favourite. And if you’re visiting with kids, they’ll adore the bunkbed rooms. Basically, I’m throwing this on your radar as it’s a hotel worth having in your little black book for any future New York visit. Be warned that this is not your high-end luxury hotel. This is hipster town. Moxy is for the young at heart. But, having stayed at some of New York’s finest hotels, I can say I was absolutely comfortable here and would definitely stay again. Here are a few pics from our stay:

Now, who’s ready to dig into the ultimate New York Foodie guide? We’ll start with our first afternoon in New York. We decided to skip dinner and instead go for sweet treats to keep us buzzing. I was dealing with serious jet lag so the following fixed me right up:

Cha Cha Matcha

If you love a Matcha tea latte, this needs to be your first stop. Heck, even if you don’t like a matcha, you need to pop in here. Just order the Matcha Chai Tea and you’ll barely taste the Matcha at all. Cha Cha Matcha is a scene. It’s pink walls and palm tree decorations are instagram heaven. The coffee cozies, the wordy napkins and the matcha tea decorated toppers on all the coffees make this a place for just about everyone who wants a social hit on their hands. There’s even a pink neon sign. Now just try and tell me this place wasn’t designed with social shares in mind.

Milk & Cream Bar

I like to think I know my way around ice cream. Ben & Jerry are, after all, the two men in my life that have always brought me great joy and satisfaction. But, there was nothing that could have prepared me for Milk & Cream. This is a place where breakfast comes to life. You choose your breakfast cereal of choice, in fact choose a few, and they not only mix it into your ice cream but they also artfully arrange the toppings on the swirl itself. I went for fruity pebbles and fruit loops with vanilla ice cream and I swore at that moment I’d never look at breakfast cereals the same way again. This is a must! 

Supermoon Bakehouse

I’ll be really honest here and tell you that we simply popped into Supermoon Bakehouse, but didn’t order anything. At this point we had eaten so much it seemed as if we were already on a sugar high that would last the rest of the evening. Supermoon’s chic marble countertop, which is always perfectly organised with bits like Peanut Butter and Jelly Doughnuts and Ferrero Rocher Croissants, is almost too perfect for my liking. Everything is ultra organised and feels almost clinical. Even the futuristic takeaway boxes are out of this world. But, I have it on good authority that they deliver on taste, so I’m recommending this for anyone that’s dying to try something different next time they are in NYC. 

Egghead

Our first morning in NYC, we ate in the hotel at the famous Egghead egg sandwich shop. It’s famous because it’s absolutely delicious. No, really. This was one of the best egg sandwiches I’ve had since I ate at Eggslut in Los Angeles years ago. It was piping hot, even after we went down to order and bring the breakfast back to our room. The mix of egg, bacon and brioche bun was heaven (and I imagine the perfect hangover cure) and their coffees were delicious. Who needs posh room service when you have this just below your hotel room? You MUST try this next time you are in the city, whether you are staying at Moxy Times Square or not! 

Tacombi

I can’t eat in New York without throwing in a Mexican food experience and I have heard some pretty amazing things about Tacombi over the past few months. Mainly, I’ve heard a margarita and a taco plate here will sort you right out. So, come midday we were seated with a sheet of paper, a pencil, and a list of tacos and mixed plates to choose from. The fish tacos were a religious experience, the margarita ended up being three margaritas (that’s just for me) and the tuna tostada left me speechless. Oh, and the decor is definitely funky and fun in all three locations. 

Rooftop Royalton Park Avenue

Pre Dinner we stopped in for two cocktails on the rooftop of the Royalton Park Ave. Won’t spend too much time talking about this. The cocktails were decent but the view was outstanding. In the summer, I can imagine this is an absolutely spectacular location to visit! 

Marta

If you’re a fan of Danny Meyer, you’ll be a fan of his latest and greatest- Marta. In a city famous for it’s pizza, it’s not easy opening up a posh pizzeria with great success, but this Roman Pizzeria is hitting it out of the ballpark. While the feeling of the restaurant itself is very New York, you wouldn’t be off the mark in feeling as if you’ve been transported to a pizzeria with a view of the Trevi Fountain from the moment the food hits the table. This is real Italian cuisine at its absolute finest, with some unique pizza topping combinations that are worthy of awards all on their own. The staff are friendly, the food is fantastic and the setting is very high end New York. What more could you want in a dinner experience in Manhattan? 

Clinton Street Baking Co.

There are plenty of diners around New York City that will serve you the perfect American style breakfast. But, if you’re looking for where the locals go and queue for the experience, look no further than Clinton Street Baking Co. Go early, as this brunch and breakfast spot is hot. Their pancakes are off the charts and the breakfast sandwich is worth writing home about. The bottomless coffee and attentive service make it hard to leave the table… hence the wait! No one ever wants to leave. 

Doughnut Plant

Naturally we were still hungry after filling our faces with pancakes. I mean that’s how everyone is, right? Well, there’s a Doughnut Plant right around the corner and we couldn’t help ourselves. Maybe we weren’t so hungry, but we’re incapable of saying no to a rose doughnut from New York’s finest. So, off we went claiming we needed another coffee, when in reality we just wanted more carbs. This was all in the name of research, people. In all seriousness, Doughnut Plant is worth the hype. If only they’d come to London!!…. hint, hint. 

Legasea 

We returned to the hotel to check out and make our way to the airport, but had a few hours before it was time to go, so we settled into a booth at Legasea in Moxy Times Square. The seafood brasserie offered everything from a full on clam bake to light salads. What do you think we ordered after the morning we had? Nope, no clam bake for us sadly. With slightly full bellies, we sipped on a bottle of rose and enjoyed light salads. This was probably the only healthy thing we ate all weekend. We like to think of it as the cleanse we needed before returning to the real world. 

And there you have it, folks… your foodie weekend away in Manhattan. Hopefully there are a few places there that will be added to your must visit lists for any future New York jaunts! 

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