Honing Your Cooking Ritual

Posted on: 1 December 2016

If you're planning a trip to New York City with your family and want to expose your kids to a variety of ethic restaurants, then you are in luck. New York City has lots of amazing ethnic restaurants to choose from. The city is home to many different ethnic communities, and the restaurants are definitely authentic considering they cater to immigrant communities. There's no risk of having a watered down, corporate franchise version of an authentic cuisine. Here's a sampling of the different ethnic meals and the areas where you will find them.

Indian Restaurants

Indian is a great cuisine if your kids or spouse happen to be vegetarian. Many of these restaurants cater to Indians who don't eat meat for religious reasons. And their food is delicious. It's also very affordable. You can find Indian restaurants in the East Village. There are lots of restaurants located around 6^th Street. They are small and have really cool interiors, often decorated with lights year-round and playing traditional Indian music. When you walk down the streets, the different restaurants will have men outside calling for people to come in and try the food, much like carnival barkers. It's a fun, relaxed atmosphere.

Dominican Food in The Heights and Inwood

New York City has a very large Dominican population. Most of the Dominican communities are located in Northern Manhattan and the West Bronx. If you're staying in Manhattan, the best areas to visit are Inwood and Washington Heights. They are both located in northern Manhattan and easy to get to by subway. Dominican food is delicious and affordable. In addition to pork, and rice and bean combos, you should check out mangu. This is a famous dish that is made with boiled plantains that are mashed and spiced.

Italian Food in Little Italy

If you're in New York, then you should definitely make time to visit an authentic Italian restaurant. There are two Little Italys in New York. One of them is located in The Bronx (in an area called Belmont). This is where the famous Arthur Avenue is. The Little Italy in The Bronx is a great place to stop and have lunch if you are taking your kids to see The Bronx Zoo. It's right nearby, as is the Botanical Gardens. You can take the train from Penn Station, get off near the Botancal Gardens, and then catch a cab to the Zoo and nearby Little Italy.

If you're staying in Manhattan, then you will want to head on over to Mullberry Street. The area known as Little Italy is located in the lower east side, right near Chinatown. It can be very busy, but you can tour around the neighborhood while waiting for a table.

For authentic pizzas and more a little closer to home, check out local restaurants like Buffalo Phil's Pizza & Grille.