Who hasn’t ever thought of visiting New York city, one of the busiest cities in the world, where streets are full of people walking up and down, trying to reach their destination. But what really do all these people eat in the morning, before leaving home? Is there enough time for them to prepare a complete meal or is street food the only choice? The answer actually lies somewhere in the middle.
1.Bagels
Photo Credits: Stas Ovsky
We can’t speak of breakfast in New York without mentioning bagels. Bagels come in varied sizes, flavors and fillings and they are commonly eaten toasted, with spreads such as butter, jam, marmite, chocolate spread, marmalade, mayonnaise or peanut butter, or ingredients like cheese, ham, lettuce, tomato, smoked salmon, onion, pickled vegetables and even slices or chicken or beef. Bagels are served everywhere, from the finest restaurants in town to the numerous food cars located on most parts of the city.
2. Doughnuts
Photo Credits: Bethany Newman
In New York you’ll find the biggest variety of doughnut flavors. They are mainly served in coffee shops and bakeries around the city where locals enjoy spending their morning hours. Choose among several flavors and fillings from the traditional sugared doughnut to the glazed ones. Some of the most popular doughnuts fillings are vanilla and cream, chocolate, marmalade, strawberry, raspberry or banana cream, cinnamon, custard, or maple syrup.
3. Pancakes
Photo Credits: Maria Mekht
What is nicer than the smell of freshly baked homemade pancakes in the morning? New Yorkers don’t really need an excuse to include this delicacy in their morning routine. They usually prefer them with a light and fluffy texture that each bite melts in your mouth! Served traditionally with maple syrup or honey and freshly cut fruit, pancakes have always been the first choice for a Sunday breakfast or brunch.
4. Eggs
Photo Credits: Joseph Gonzalez
The most popular choice of breakfast everywhere in the world is surely eggs and New Yorkers are no exception to this rule. The breakfast recipes including eggs are countless. The most popular among them are omelets with cheese, ham or vegetables, scrambled eggs, egg sandwiches, fried eggs with bacon or sausages, hard-boiled eggs, or eggs Benedict. And all these served with a big cup of coffee or a freshly squeezed glass of orange juice!
5. Chia Pudding
Photo Credits: Yanina Trekhleb
Chia seed pudding is another tasty and healthy breakfast consumed by New Yorkers. It takes just a few minutes to cook and it is full of protein and nutrients as chia seeds are so beneficial to the body due to them being rich in fiber. This kind of pudding can be served with any type of milk (almond, coconut, soya milk) and a topping such as granola, fresh fruit, coconut flakes, maple syrup or honey, cinnamon or a mixture of nuts and seeds.
6. Yogurt Parfait
Photo Credits: Brooke Lark
This morning meal of yogurt parfait includes fresh fruit, such as berries, Greek yogurt, and crunchy cereal all layered up for a simple but complete breakfast. Perfect for a healthy, low-calorie diet. You usually find it packed in a small mason jar so as to take it with you on the go or you can make it yourself.
7. Waffles
Photo Credits: Joseph Gonzalez
New York has taken this traditional Belgian food and made it its own by modernizing the way of serving it. Satisfying every craving, savory or sweet, waffles are a popular choice for breakfast. You may prefer your waffles crispy or really soft, plain with whipped cream or served with ice cream, chocolate syrup and fresh fruit. You may on the other hand want them topped with fried eggs and cheese or cheese cream and ham. Either way, waffles are part of a typical breakfast menu everywhere in New York.
8. Croissants
Photo Credits: Brigitte Tohm
As we all well know, croissants are a buttery, viennoiserie pastry and may not be a traditional food item for the New Yorkers, but they are for sure among the most favorite breakfast choices. You can find croissants in almost every café, bakery or patisserie around town and because of the competition patisseries currently are evolving their methods of preparing croissants. There are countless flavors and fillings to choose from including cookies and cream, crème brulée, chocolate, vanilla cream, cinnamon or cheese, deli products, mayonnaise, lettuce and egg.