Best Bites of NYC, from an ASME Intern

If I move to NYC, this will be a big reason why.

By Ava Mandoli

As a certifiable Midwestern girl--I was born and raised in St. Louis and am attending college in Chicago--I was a bit nervous about moving to New York City this summer for my ASME internship at Inc. Magazine. I wondered if I’d be able to handle the noise, the hustle, the heat. People asked me all summer long if I wanted to move here after graduation. After spending two months in the city, I found my answer: I could take or leave the Financial District’s glittering high rises, SoHo’s luxury shops, or Broadway’s grand productions. But there is one thing about New York that could easily convince me to make the post-grad move: the food. 

The sheer quantity of restaurants on any given block here is staggering. And the diversity of cuisines represented within a few square miles is truly incredible. I took my taste buds on a world tour this summer, trying Ghanaian stews, Georgian pkhali, Japanese okonomiyaki, and more for the first time. I attempted making lists on Google Docs, guides on Apple Maps, folders of saved posts on Instagram, collections on The Infatuation, hoping that if I could just organize my thoughts enough, I could check off every restaurant on my bucket list this summer. Spoiler alert: it was futile. It’s nearly impossible to wrap your mind--not to mention your stomach--around the incredible diversity of cuisines represented in this singular city. But I gave it my best effort! So, here are some of my favorite bites (in no particular order) of summer 2024. 

Panzanella and French toast from Conwell Coffee Hall

An unexpectedly perfect pairing: the panzanella showed off the simple beauty of fresh summer produce, and the French toast was rich and indulgent and just the right level of sweetness.  One of the best slices I’ve ever had.

Pineapple bun with egg custard filling from Mei Lai Wah

This was the 菠萝包 of my dreams: a perfectly buttery and flaky topping, a soft bun, and an impressive amount of rich egg custard filling.

Dinner at Chama Mama

This was my first time trying Georgian food, and it was delicious. The watermelon salad included tiny cubes of a smoked cheese that contrasted intensely with the sweet watermelon. The herby tarragon mushroom soup was light and refreshing, and the pkhali (a sort of vegetable pâté with walnuts) was packed with flavor and spread so well on the soft pita.

Dal and chana masala with rice from Punjabi Grocery & Deli

The satisfaction of eating this hefty $7 bowl of dal, chana masala and rice on the sidewalk outside this tiny East Village spot was unmatched. The interior was so narrow that two people could barely pass by each other, but the tiny space was not at all reflected in the big flavor the food packed.

Tofu pudding with red beans, grass jelly and taro balls from Fong On

I had this cool, refreshing dessert in Chinatown on one of the hottest days of the summer and it single-handedly revived me as I stood outside watching a breakdancing competition happening on the street.

Plantain dumplings and cornbread from Contento

Imagine plantains, but transformed into pillowy, gnocchi-esque dumplings and topped with savory vegetables and crispy plantain chips. Incredible. The cornbread and sweet whipped butter we got to go with it was melt-in-your-mouth good.

Gelato from Superiority Burger

I don’t call things “the best [X]” very often– but I can confidently say that this was the best ice cream I’ve ever had. The weekly specials at the time (from left to right) were  tahini gelato with plum sauce, apricot sorbet, and labneh gelato. What was most impressive was the concentration of each of those flavors in every bite: I felt like I was taking a bite out of an actual apricot, or having a spoonful of tahini, except a million times better. Next time you're in New York, do yourself a favor and get a scoop of every flavor they've got behind the bar.