Last weekend was insane! What a whirlwind of a few days. I’m finally just recovering from a red eye to JFK, a few days of nonstop eating and drinking, and half a day of shooting for @ninzeey‘s wedding. We spent most of our time in the lower part of Manhattan, where I’d say most of the best food is. Below are some must-eats from my trip, both savory and sweet!

1. Taiyaki NYC

This has to be one of the most popular NYC dessert places purely because of Instagram. The tiny soft-serve ice cream joint can barely squeeze ten people inside their store, but you wait just barely a minute before you’re handed a beautiful, colorful ice cream tower swirled inside a fish-shaped cone. To grab a photo, you’ll have to be quick, because these guys start melting almost instantaneously in the hot, humid air of Manhattan. The ice cream is yummy but my favorite part is the pastry outside! For minimal messiness, I recommend dumping the ice cream into a bowl and eating it with a spoon upside down.

2. Very Fresh Noodles

This hand-pulled noodle shop comes with a long line and is nestled in a tiny corner of Chelsea Market. But, the beef noodle soup is worthy of the wait. It took about 30 minutes for us to get our food, which came in plastic to-go bowls that reminded me of the hole-in-the-wall street vendors of Taiwan. As long as you don’t mind hunkering down and finding a spot on the nearby staircases to enjoy your noodles, you’ll be fine. The tenderness of the beef and the bold flavors of the soup will be all worth it!

3. Frozen Sweet

This rolled ice cream shop tops off their desserts with a cute panda cookie! We got the lychee + mango ice cream with strawberries, mangos, and popping bubbles (not to be confused with boba). The portions are pretty big – we shared this bowl amongst 4 peoople and we were pretty full. Don’t do what I did and take too long snapping a photo because the ice cream will start melting and your panda cookie will fall on the ground :(

4. Take 31

I love Korean food. We’re spoiled in LA with the vast food-filled wonder that is Koreatown, but in Manhattan you’ll find just a street full (31st street) of authentic Korean eats. Korean fried chicken is a classic savory snack that Take 31 specializes in. We also got some chap chae and an amazing seafood hot pot!

5. Pho Bang Restaurant

When in NYC, you party. And when you party, you want hangover food… i.e. pho. You’ll find tons of delicious eats near Chinatown, but we happened upon Pho Bang in Little Italy for our post-partying morning meal. Their beef broth will fill your soul (and stomach) with warm, delicious happiness. I also love that this place gives you size options for your pho. Make sure to bring cash, because most of the best restaurants in the area don’t accept card.