After a week-long search across the city, I bring you this self-guided pizza tour! With this guide, you find and eat all these delicious slices on your next visit to the Big Apple! Don’t get me wrong, I love a triangle slice, but there are lots of those food tours out there! And I wanted to create something a little different. And trust me, you’ll totally fall in love with the grandma pizza if you’ve never had one before.

Table Of Contents

1. What is Grandma Pizza?
2. Anatomy of a Grandma Pizza
3. TIPS
4. Map of New York City Pizza Tour
5. Sal's Pizza, Brooklyn
6. Di Fara Pizza, Brooklyn
7. Table 87, Brooklyn
8. Gravesend, Brooklyn
9. Best Pizza, Williamsburg
10. Williamsburgh Pizza, Williamsburg
11. Screamer’s Pizzeria, Williamsburg
12. Kiss My Slice, Manhattan
13. Vito's Slices and Ices, Manhattan
14. Corner Slice, Manhattan

What is Grandma Pizza?

A Grandma Pizza is a distinctly New Yorkian invention. It made a name for itself on Long Island in the 1970s. Back then, restaurants were tired of making trendy circular pies and longed for a slice of nostalgia. So what did they do? Go back to the cookbooks and memories they cherished of their grandmother’s home-cooked pizza. 

Long Island Grandmas

A massive congregation of Italian immigrants arrived to Long Island in the 1880s. When these women landed on these new shores, they didn’t have almost anything to their name. Knowing cooking was the best way to preserve their heritage, they longed to whip up a traditional pizza to have a slice of home. But they didn’t have access to a coal pizza oven. And without the ovens, they couldn’t make the traditional round pies they used to cook back home in Italy.

But, they would not let this lack of tools defeat their quest. Instead, they used simply what they had at home. A sheet pan and a regular oven. The ingredients on top of the pizza were also humble. Homemade tomato sauce was the star of the show, along with fresh cheese and a green leaf of basil. These were the pizzas many restaurant owners grew up eating before opening their own joints. In the 1970s, they wanted to bring these slices back. And this time, sell them to everyone to let them get a taste of grandma’s delicious pizza. Hence the name. So before you tell me that these slices aren’t “traditional” New York pizza, I’d say that the grandma slice is even more hyper-local than the triangle street slices. One was brought to New York from Italy, the other was born right here in NYC.

Anatomy of a Grandma Pizza

As mentioned, grandma pizzas are made not in circular pans but in deep sheet trays. The dough for a grandma’s pizza is nice a thick! Almost like focaccia. This is the slice for you for someone who loves the bread part of pizza! The thick dough is instrumental in soaking up all that delicious tomato sauce they pile onto the pizza. You will find some grandma pizzas made in the Sicilian style, with thin crusts, but those are just as delightful.

To me, a great-tasting sauce is another key element that takes the grandma pizza to another level. Tangy and fresh, with nice dollops of sauce. Unlike regular triangular slices, the cheese is there to compliment the sauce, not overwhelm it.

Lastly, a serving of basil freshens the entire dish and lightens the heaviness you sometimes get with thick pizzas. Once cooked, the grandma’s pizza is served in rectangular slices. The corner slice is the most coveted of all the parts of the pizza as you get that nice crispy edge on two sides, a real pièce de résistance.

TIPS

Despite being one of the original dishes introduced by Italian immigrants, the grandma pizza has really only caught on throughout the city in the last 20 years. In the 70s, it stayed mainly on Long Island, but today, you can find it everywhere! And it is one of the city’s most popular slices in pizza shops. Often selling out long before the other pies. This Pizza Tour of New York will show you where to get the best grandma slices in the city. I’ve organized the different stops into their various neighbourhoods so you can plan your day around them. Spend a day in Brooklyn or an afternoon in Williamsburg. Use these locations to etch out your rough itinerary. And use the time between meals to explore the neighbourhoods more for yourselves!

Individual Slices

All the pizza stops on this list sell individual slices of pizza. I went through many other guides of the best pizza in New York that only featured whole pies. And while I’m sure they’re delicious, whole pies almost always mean a sit-down experience. Or just the need to eat an entire pizza. If you’re travelling with a big group, this might work. But smaller groups will find it harder to fit in as many stops if they’re required to eat an entire pizza every time.

Buying individual slices also means these stops on the New York City Pizza Tour can be as quick as you want. If you want to down your pizza and get on the road, so be it! But if you’d rather sit down for a bit, you can do this too! Options for all! If you’re not a huge eater, get one slice, and share it between two people. That way, you can easily fit more slices from different locations across town in one day. We would frequently order just one slice to share and almost everywhere we went offered to slice it down the middle for us!

Rating Your Pizzas

One of the things that really took our pizza tour to the next level was rating them along the way! Who had the best crust, the tastiest sauce, the perfect atmosphere, and the most unique toppings? After making a little scorecard we could determine which places were whose favourites! It’s such a fun way to get the conversation going and make more of an event out of the entire tour! Obviously, everyone will have their own opinion about their favourite kind of pizza, and these were just my favourites. But hopefully, you will love the ones we found for you!

The Prices

Another huge bonus to this type of tour is the price! New York City is an expensive best to travel. But all of these slices on tour are under $6. So it’s easy to get really full for really cheap!

Map of New York City Pizza Tour

Sal’s Pizza, Brooklyn

Brooklyn is my favourite place in the city to come for pizza. The streets are such a dream to walk around, and there is no shortage of incredible architecture, chic cafes and awesome shops. But best of all, is the pizza. Sal’s Pizzeria is one of those Brooklyn establishments that feels like it hasn’t changed in 50 years. This place is CASH ONLY; that’s how old school they really are. Sal’s is as unpretentious as it gets without compromising on quality.

The sauce here is amazingly tangy. Made with fresh, chewy tomatoes, onions and garlic. But to make the pizza that much more interesting, they add a few dollops of pesto sauce. This really amps up the flavour. Sitting outside with a couple of glass soda bottles makes you feel like stepping back to a simpler time. The perfect way to spend the afternoon.

BONUS: Walk to Court Pastry Shop across the street for an authentic cup of Italian Ice. Court Pastry Shop has been open for almost 75 years and is a slice of Brooklyn’s history!

Address: 305 Court St, Brooklyn, NY 11231
Price: $3.50

Di Fara Pizza, Brooklyn

The Di Fara Pizza shop is a bit of a trek to get to, located in the Midwood neighbourhood of Brooklyn. But it’s one of those places worth the effort to find. Thankfully the Q train has a station right outside the restaurant at Avenue J. So it’s still very accessible by public transit. Di Fara Pizza has been open here since 1965. It was started by the De Marco family, who immigrated from Italy. And ever since opening, their pies has been legendary.

Their grandma slices have the most impeccably caramelized crust with just the right amount of crunch and burn. The huge dollops of sauce are the ideal compliment to the crispy dough. This is the freshest pie you can ask for. The tomatoes tasted like they were plucked from the plant only moments before and yet embued with such herby flavours. Yes, sure, there might be a wait, but it’s worth it! And the people watching here in this quaint little neighbourhood is a great way to pass the time.

Address: 1424 Avenue J, Brooklyn
Price: $6.00

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Table 87, Brooklyn

Table 87 made a name for itself off its coal-fired oven. The super-heated range cooks pizzas at 900° in under just two minutes! The result is this flavourful char that is other worldly. And while they might have a few different locations around the city, their flagship spot in Brooklyn is my favourite place to dive into one of their incredible slices!

The margarita pizza had the best tasting cheeses of all the locations we’d been to. Salty, stretchy and stupendous! I’m someone who really loves cheese, and the fact this place lays it on thick (literally) added extra points in my book! The dough was also one of the thickest, which helped balance out the extra cheese. Their outdoor seating in the middle of one of the charmingest parts of Brooklyn is icing on the cake. But if you visit when it’s chilly they have a huge amount of indoor seating. Enjoy a slice with a glass of wine or crisp Italian soda.

Address: 87 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn
Price: $5

Gravesend, Brooklyn

The newbie on the Brooklyn block is Gravesend Pizza. Aptly named as they are located just west of the famous Greenwood Cemetery. And their pizza is truly to die for. But let’s hope not literally. Gravesend specializes in a few different grandma-style pizzas but their upside-down pizza, served with the sauce on top, is my favourite. The tomatoes get carmelized slightly more by the direct heat of the oven by being on top. Leaving you with the tastiest pizza! The staff here were immensely kind and welcoming. Making us truly wish we lived just around the block so we could visit them every week!

Address: 181 34th St, Brooklyn
Price: $4

Best Pizza, Williamsburg

Williamsburg is best known today as the centre of hipster culture. But historically, it was also home to a large Italian community. And the blend of trendy and historical cuisines results in some of the best spots in the city to get a slice! One of those places is aptly named Best Pizza! Restaurant owner Frank Pinello grew up on Long Island, where he was greatly influenced by his Sicilian grandmother’s cooking. Down in the basement, she would crank out traditional grandma-style pizzas, and Pinello wanted to bring those same delicious flavours to the public when he owned his establishment.

The pizzeria uses a 120 years old wood-burning oven to churn out some of the best slices in town. The wood they use in the oven really flavours the pizzas which come out of it. They are also well known for making their own fresh mozzarella in-house. And trust me, if you’re a cheese fan, you can really taste the difference. The crust here is both thin and bubbly, all at the same time. The flavours are simple and complex. This place truly is the definition of balance. It’s genuinely an incredible culinary experience and one you NEED to try. And honestly, the retro patio chairs out front make it feel so homely. Like you really are eating at your grandma’s house!

Address: 33 Havemeyer St, Brooklyn, NY 11211, United States
Price:

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Williamsburgh Pizza, Williamsburg

The exterior of Williamsburgh Pizza is one of the most iconic of all our destinations. Those old-fashioned red and white stripes simply call you inside! The Williamsburgh Pizza shop made a name for itself here in this trendy neighbourhood. But it wasn’t long before they started to expand to locations around the city. But their original spot in Williamsburg is my pick of places to try out these stunning slices! It just feels all the more authentic.

Williamsburg Pizza is the place to go for that delectable crunch! The dough is crispy, but the interior is chewy, fluffy and airy all at once! I also really felt like I could taste the garlic in their tomato sauce more than at other places. And I loved that addition. When we visited. they were out of the margarita grandma slices, so we got the pepperoni. I loved how the pepperonis got a little burnt just around the edges. It added such a dynamic flavour and was irresistible. Biting into this slice, the crunch echoes across the neighbourhood. Like a bat signal, calling out to other hungry pizza fanatics.

Address: 265 Union Ave, Brooklyn
Price: $5

Screamer’s Pizzeria, Williamsburg

If you only saw pictures from this place, you’d never know all the slices here are VEGAN! I wanted to include at least one vegan option on this list. Vegan food is becoming increasingly more popular and if you’ve never had a vegan pizza before, THIS is the place to try one! Screamers are undoubtedly the most modern pizzeria on the list, leaning into the needs of the clientele that makes up the neighbourhood. As soon as you step inside you are greeted by these fantastically bright pink walls. Local artisan prints hang on the walls and band stickers cover the tiles. It’s a hipster haven.

If there is one thing that vegans have perfected, it’s bread. And the bread is best savoured in its grandma slices. The crust is huge and fluffy, and the sauce they serve is wonderfully favoured with their homemade garlic oil. I don’t know much about vegan cheese, but the kinds they used to simulate the real thing was super impressive. The perfect blend of creamy and salty, brightened up by those fresh slices of basil! Absolutely magical!

Address: 620 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn
Price: $4.75

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Kiss My Slice, Manhattan

Over in Manhattan, you can barely go one block without seeing signs for pizza. While heading over to the theatre district before a Broadway show, we were on the hunt for a slice. I had monstrously low expectations as this part of town is my worst nightmare. Most of the area is just crowds of souvenir shops and tourist traps. But, I thought to myself, even bad pizza is still pretty good, so what do I have to lose?

We stopped into Kiss My Slice, thinking of it as nothing more than a stereotypical New York-style hole in the wall. No aesthetics or even a table to sit down on. It’s a standing room only! But as soon as we walked in, we were greeted with such friendly smiles. And I was really impressed with the variety of toppings on their offerings. But we went with the grandma-style pizza and were so surprised by just how delicious it was! The sauce was tangy and fresh, the crust was crispy but not dry. And the cheese had the perfect pull to it. Overall, having a good spot in the centre of town is so important. As a tourist, you’ll more than likely have to cross through this area around Times Square. And knowing where to grab a decent slice is key!

Address: 274 W 40th St, New York
Price: $4.25

Vito’s Slices and Ices, Manhattan

Vito’s Slices and Ices is a relatively new shop that came onto the pizza scene in Manhattan a few years ago. But the owners come with over 20 years of restaurant experience. They opened this place to honour old-school New York-style pizza. Made with hand stretch dough and specializing in grandma square slices! The shop gets a lot of their produce from local farmers’ markets, and this freshness is noticeable in the food! Despite being a relatively new establishment, the interior decor references old-school pizzerias of the 1930s. And I can’t get enough of it!

Their grandma’s slices are stacked! Definitely one of the fluffiest doughs we’ve had. Like biting into a pillow! The sauce here is unreal, and I think one of the best parts of the pizza. Unlike some joints that only sell one style of grandma, this place has three versions, including the upside-down Sicilian slice. I love these upside-down slices as the sauce really is allowed to sing and be the star of the show.

Address: 464 9th Ave, New York
Price: $4.25

Corner Slice, Manhattan

Okay, if you’re into bread, you need to hit up Corner Slice. Although this restaurant is deemed one of the more modern pizzerias in the city, it is doing it right. Corner Slice takes bread baking to the next level, using only artisan flour for all of its pizza. Their dough undergoes a 60-hour fermentation before it is stretched out to become the base for the pizzas. The result? A heavenly puffy and chewy crust with a depth of unrivalled flavour.

In addition, their grandma-style slice features three different kinds of tomatoes from New York, California and Sicily. The texture is rather pulpy, and while I’m NOT a pulp fan, even I was wowed by how flavourful each bite was. The pizzas are topped with sweet Sicilian oregano before they are served up to the customer, leaving you with an entirely unique-tasting slice in a chic, quick-service shop! Phenomenal.

Address: 600 11th Avenue at, W 45th St, New York
Price: $5.75

Phew, I’m full just writing all this! But has me dreaming of going back to New York to get my hands on just one of those incredible slices. Thank you for joining me on this self-guided New York City Pizza Tour. Let me know in the comments which shop was your favourite or any others you think should be added to the list! The possibilities are endless in a city like New York City but I hope my guide has helped you find a few hidden gems!

Happy Travels, Adventurers

The post 10 Best Grandma Pizzas in New York City, a Self-Guided Pizza Tour first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

But over the years, I stopped trying to see all the “top attractions” and instead started to explore smaller areas of the city. I stayed in one spot and dug in deep there. I stopped paying attention to what bothered me and instead focused on the beauty of my surroundings. While I’m never a fan of avoiding certain touristy things just because they are “popular,” some things overhyped parts of town. I’ve learned from exploring New York many times what’s worth avoiding and worth your attention, time and money.

Table Of Contents

1. Skip the Empire State Building
2. Instead, check out the Roof Garden at the Met
3. Skip Times Square
4. Instead, visit Bryant Park
5. Skip ONLY visiting the big-name museums
6. Instead, visit The Morgan Library and Museum
7. Skip the Taxis
8. Instead, grab a metro card and Ride the Subway!
9. Skip the chain coffee shops
10. Instead, visit a cute independent coffee shop
11. Skip the Boat Cruises
12. Instead, head to Staten Island or to Brooklyn Heights
13. Skip Soho
14. Instead, head to the Lower East Side
15. Skip Central Park
16. Instead, visit something a little outside the city
17. Skip those Hostels
18. Instead, plan in advance and search for deals
19. Skip on eating the latest crazy food trend
20. Instead, head to Van Leeuwen Ice Cream shop
21. Skip shopping for knock-offs
22. Instead, head to the Williamsburg Artistisan Flea Market
23. Skip Little Italy
24. Instead, visit Koreatown
25. Skip only Seeing Manhattan
26. Instead, take a self-guided historical walking tour
27. Skip wearing yourself out trying to see it all!
28. Instead, spend a day in one particular neighbourhood

Skip the Empire State Building

The Empire State building is a touchstone of great American architecture and is the star of the iconic New York skyline. There are no if, and’s or but’s about that. But do you have to wait in line for hours and pay over $40 to ride up the elevator and view it from the inside? The short answer is no. While the view from the top is great, it is missing one thing. The Empire State Building. The lines are incredibly long, and there is so much more you can do with the time rather than line up for an elevator.

Instead, check out the Roof Garden at the Met

Rockefeller Tower used to be such a good alternative to the Empire State building, but after some recent renovations and its eventual popularity, the ticket prices are exactly the same price as the Empire State building. The queues might be shorter, and you DO get a view of the Empire State building from here, but it’s still not the cheaper and easiest option. I would recommend heading to the Roof Garden at the Met. From here, it feels like you’re floating above Manhattan on top of a tree-lined canopy. At night the sparkling lights of the city twinkle all around you. Access is free with your Museum entrance ticket, and if all you want to do is gawk at the views, it won’t cost you a cent!

Skip Times Square

Times Square is one of those places that, if you’ve seen it you still have a certain image in your mind of what it’s like. “It’s bright, it’s loud, it’s vibrant and fun!” While it is technically all of those things, there are so many other aspects of Times Square which aren’t part of your idealized version. Things like crowds so dense you can barely move, hustlers and street performers trying to pressure you into giving them money, and angry New Yorkers pushing you out of their way as they TRY and make their way to the subway station.

And worst of all, in my opinion, an entire lack of character. This place has been taken over by big brands and giant advertisements. Big-name stores that you can find in any mall across America are right here just a little bigger and a lot more crowded and messy. If you HAVE to see it just to say you did, hop out of the subway station, snap a pick and head right back down.

Instead, visit Bryant Park

If you’re looking for somewhere to gawk at the city’s lights, I suggest heading to Bryant Park. It might not be as flashy or commercial as Times Square, but that’s the point. But in a lot of ways, it is very similar. It is surrounded by bright lights and has incredible views of some of New York’s most iconic structures. The park is lit from above all night long, meaning crowds of people hang out here in the evening well past when it out otherwise be too dark to be in a public park. Some musicians always entertain the crowds and kids playing on the grass. People gather here, both locals and tourists, and there is a real sense of community here, which Time Square lacks.

Skip ONLY visiting the big-name museums

The MET, the MoMA, the Guggenheim and the American Museum of Natural History are some of NYC’s largest and most popular museums. On the weekends, the lines for these places can get very long. Although I LOVE these museums, I feel like tourists always flock to them without considering all the other smaller museums, which are sometimes much less busy and often easier to explore in one go. The MET is very overwhelming if you try to do it all in one day and sometimes the modest museums are more digestible and easier to spend only a few hours in if you’re visiting NYC for just a short haul.

Instead, visit The Morgan Library and Museum

The Morgan Library and Museum is one of the city’s most incredible hidden gems. Located at 225 Madison Avenue, it was founded to house the private library of J. P. Morgan in 1906. The interiors look like something out of the Italian Renaissance, with incredible ornate wallpaper, gilded shelves, opulent tapestries and a ceiling crowned with a stunning stained glass masterpiece. The murals throughout the library were inspired by Raphael. It truly is more than a library; it is an enormous work of art. You can view various books from his collections throughout the year, and there are always different book-related exhibitions in the smaller galleries, which are often extremely well-curated and always a lot of fun.

Skip the Taxis

Taxies and Ubers in other cities are sometimes HUGE time savers and low-cost options to get around big towns. But in New York neither of those things is true. Taxies are extremely costly, and the traffic jams in the city are neverending. You’ll end up sitting in one spot for so long that you’ll wonder if you’ve even moved. Don’t waste your time on these, and you’ll save time, stress and most of all – money!

Instead, grab a metro card and Ride the Subway!

The Metro in New York is not only incredibly large but also very convenient. The subway gets you everywhere you want to go in a jiffy, and the public buses are amazingly helpful in getting you to places where the subway doesn’t go. The MET Cloisters, for instance, is located far outside the city centre but on the subway and one quick bus, you’ll get there in less time than it takes to hail a cab (ok, not really, but it’s really quick).

I recommend grabbing a metro card which you can load up with as much or as little money as you want, and then all you need to do is swipe the card when entering the subway or bus, and your card will be automatically deducted, no need to calculate the cost of each ride. Super easy. If you run out of money there are machines all over the place where you can load more money onto your card. Moovit is a great app as it will help you find out which route to take and offers live interruption notices so you can plan accordingly.

Skip the chain coffee shops

No morning is complete for most of us without a cup of coffee Yes, Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts are on every corner in NYC, but when visiting a city this dynamic and interesting, it’s a waste to drink the same ol’ coffee; you could get anywhere else. NYC has some of the best coffee shops in the world, and it would be remiss of you not to explore them!

Instead, visit a cute independent coffee shop

Cha Cha Matcha is one of the city’s most unusual and visually appealing places to get your caffeine on. While not technically a “coffee shop,” they serve up some of the most delicious macha beverages I’ve ever tried. Everyman Espresso serves up fair trade brews in a low-key setting for those not wanting to interact with the Instagramming crowds at Cha Cha Matcha. But don’t think that non-chain coffee shops mean you must spend a fortune. Diners are the bread and butter of NYC, and all of them serve amazing, simple cups of joe. While Joe Jr. Restaurant doesn’t look like much from the outside, this greasy spoon is known for its friendly service, awesome breakfast sandwiches and classic cups of coffee!

Skip the Boat Cruises

You’ll see people peddling $30-$60 sightseeing cruises all over the waterfront. These are overpriced, overcrowded and just plain unnecessary. The only real advantage of taking a sightseeing cruise is the interactive tour guide; most of these are merely recordings on a barely functioning headset.

Instead, head to Staten Island or to Brooklyn Heights

If you’re heading to Staten Island, the Ferry is free and offers amazing views of the Lower Manhattan skyline, Ellis Island, and the majestic Statue of Liberty. If you don’t want to head to Staten Island, I recommend heading over to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, a gorgeous neighbourhood east of the city that offers incredible panoramic views of the New York skyline.

Skip Soho

Soho was the go-to shopping recommendation for everyone visiting NYC years ago. It was once the place for off-the-beaten-path restaurants and boutiques, but its popularity over the years has resulted in this place is as clogged as Time square. Chain retailers and huge brands have set up shop in once unassuming storefronts, and now it feels more like an open-air Mall of America than a bohemian district.

Instead, head to the Lower East Side

The lower east side features some of the city’s most exciting and innovative shops and vintage stores. It is still pretty unpretentious and inclusive to tourists and locals alike (unlike some areas of Brooklyn…) Tokyo Rebel is one of my favourite spots as it features many brands imported from Japan that highlight the Lolita, punk, and goth fashion, which is so popular over there. Even if it’s not your style this place is definitely worth poking your head inside. Big Gay Ice Cream Shop is THE place to go for something sweet and is especially good on a hot summer’s day.

Skip Central Park

Central Park is a beautiful place for sure. It over more than 29,000 acres of parkland and even has a zoo! And while more tourists who are visiting NYC for the first time will feel the need to at least see a portion of this famous park (understandable), there are plenty of other amazing options throughout the city where you can spend a lovely morning or afternoon which are even better than this place.

Instead, visit something a little outside the city

Fort Tryon Park, north of Manhattan, near the MET cloisters is my favourite park in the city. It has incredible views across the Hudson River and has even more beautiful landscaping than Central Park. I love seeing all the ivy growing up in the brick archways connecting the fort’s walls throughout the park. Brooklyn Bridge Park is another one that combines the urban landscape with vast expanses of greenery for cozy picnics under the sun. Plus, you have that iconic Brooklyn Bridge in front of you and that stunning Manhattan skyline.

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Skip those Hostels

I hear many people chattering whenever I’m booking a trip to NYC, talking about how expensive it must be. I suppose it does have a reputation, and as such a big city, the cost of hotels might be slightly more than elsewhere in the world, but after travelling to Nashville and seeing the cost of those hotels, NYC seems like a bargain. The truth is NYC has thousands of hotels, so the competition here is fierce, and the chance of finding a sweet deal during a reasonably popular time of the year is very good. You don’t need to immediately book yourself into a hostel with shared bathrooms, no walls, or, god forbid….a chance of bed bugs.

Instead, plan in advance and search for deals

If you are booking well enough in advance, you’ll have the chance to shop around. Expedia makes it easy to make reservations and cancel them without fees until the day you arrive. This means you can jump on a good deal when you find one but cancel it if something better comes along. Korea Town is my go-to area for hotel deals. There are beautiful hotels here without the overpriced frills of more modern areas like midtown or the upper east side. Korea town is steps from the Empire State Building, so you’ll always have a great view steps from your hotel.

Skip on eating the latest crazy food trend

New York seems to be a wash with “trendy foods” rainbow bagels, cronuts, tv famous cupcakes and even those 5,000-calorie milkshakes. While these foods might make for the best Instagram photo, the things you’ll sacrifice to get it might not be worth it. Locals have the time to kill waiting in line; you are a tourist and don’t have such luxuries. Time is precious and you don’t want to spend it waiting in lines.

Instead, head to Van Leeuwen Ice Cream shop

Van Leeuwen is one of the most delicious and dynamic ice cream chains in NYC, and the fact that it’s a chain means that its locations aren’t always packed to the gills. They serve up artisanal flavours on rotators throughout the year so there’s always some new to try. With flavours like Blackberry Danish, Candied Ginger and Cookie Swirl you’ll still have something incredible to post on your feed! They also serve up Vegan and Gluten-free flavours so there’s something for everyone.

Skip shopping for knock-offs

Canal Street has long been the site for hustlers selling knock-offs purses, bags and even jewellery. These “purses” often come as low a price as $20. And while most people who come here to shop know what they’re getting is fake, you’re still supporting an underground economy, and the effects of this kind of low-level crime are much higher than you might think. Plus, the bags never last as long as they should, even for the $20 price tag.

Instead, head to the Williamsburg Artistisan Flea Market

The Artists & Fleas Williamsburg is a fantastic place to support local creators and the art community in New York. Here you’ll find one-of-a-kind pieces made by people contributing to the city’s incredible artistic nature. There are many cute stalls, everything from jewellery to vintage clothes, art, soap, candles and more. There would be something at every price range, too, so if you all wanted to spend that $20, you could find something here for that price!

Skip Little Italy

While Little Italy is still a great neighbourhood to visit with delicious food and interesting shops, it’s unfortunately become somewhat of a tourist attraction recently. And lost a little bit of its authenticity. Plus, so many lesser-known neighbourhoods in the city are crying out for your attention.

Instead, visit Koreatown

It’s no secret that Koreatown is one of my favourite parts of the city. ‘K-Town’ as it is called by locals is located on West 32nd Street, between Broadway and 5th Avenue. Here you can have a blast from dawn till dusk. Start your morning at Grace Street with some Korean doughnuts and avocado-katsuobushi waffles. Pair it with a roasted oolong milk tea. Then head to the 24-hour spa, and grab lunch at one of the many Korean BBQ restaurants (the lunch bbq you can eat is much cheaper than dinner and just as delicious).

Check out Besfren Beauty to nab some Korean face masks to quench your thirsty skin. If you’re looking for a sweet treat, head to Paris Baguette for a Parisian-Korean pastry fusion and bubble tea. For an elegant dinner, head to Hangawi for a vegetarian take on Korean cuisine. Finish the evening by singing your favourite tunes in one of the many karaoke clubs!

Skip only Seeing Manhattan

Manhattan is great, and there is SO MUCH TO DO, but don’t get caught up there and never leave. There are so many locations outside Manhattan which are fantastic and worth visiting. The lure of the big city is very strong, but escaping its clutches will usually result in fewer crowds and more local experiences.

Instead, take a self-guided historical walking tour

Brooklyn Heights is such a historical part of the city and so important to the development of New York as the superpower city it is today. You can visit some of the oldest houses in new york, the site of George Washington’s old residence and even study the names of all the different streets along the way. Each one is named after a different kind of tree which used to grow here. All in all, it’s a wonderful place to spend an afternoon, and there are a ton of incredible restaurants which lack a little of the upscale nature of the ones found inside Manhattan’s iron curtain.

Skip wearing yourself out trying to see it all!

New York is enormous. It is more vast and crowded than any other city in America, and seeing everything even in a week will result in feeling really burnt out by the end of your trip. And rushing from place to place also means you don’t have the chance to stop at places you find along the way. Some off-the-beaten-path discoveries are often the best part of the trip, so you don’t want to miss out on them!

Instead, spend a day in one particular neighbourhood

Instead of running from the east to the west and back again, over and over again. Try to group different places on your “to-see” list onto a google map and allocate different days to different neighbourhoods and districts. Even if the few items you have on the list won’t take up the entire day, don’t rush out of there. Take your time to explore the side street and get to know the lay of the land. It will be a richer and more rewarding adventure than trying to run all over the city trying to see every iconic site just to say you did.

What are your favourite things to do or explore in New York City? Let me know in the comments!

The post What You Should Skip Doing in New York City (and what to do instead) first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

Table Of Contents

1. Access and Admission
   • About Heavenly Bodies
2. Byzantine Galleries
   • Versace
   • Wedding Dress
3. Byzantine Apse
4. Apse Gallery
   • Milagros
   • Ex-Votos
   • Byzantine Cross
5. Medieval Europe Gallery
   • Chapel of Our Lady of Compassion Dress
6. Medieval Sculpture Hall
   • Monks & Nuns Garments
   • Godelieve
   • White & Gold
   • Cardinals
   • The Sound of Music
7. Saints and Angels
   • Immaculate Heart
   • Mugler
8. Medieval Treasury
   • Crown of Thorns
9. The Robert Lehman Collection
   • Rodarte

Access and Admission

The MET is open seven days a week. Sunday–Thursday: 10 am–5:30 pm and Friday and Saturday: 10 am–9 pm. To get to the MET the best way unless you’re within walking distance is to take the subway. The subway in New York is super easy to navigate and since there’s pretty much traffic 24/7 it’s much better than a taxi. The closest stations to the MET are 86 St, 77 St or  81 Street-Museum of Natural History Station.

General admission to the museum is $25 for adults; $17 for seniors; $12 for students. Your admission includes all the exhibitions and is valid for three consecutive days. It includes the Met Fifth Avenue, The Met Breuer, and The Met Cloisters. So if you’re planning on attending both the MET 5th avenue and the Cloisters just keep your sticker and receipt. That way you won’t have to pay again as long as you go within three days. You can buy your tickets online if you don’t want to wait in line. Highly recommended during these big-ticket exhibits.

About Heavenly Bodies

Heavenly Bodies explores “fashion’s ongoing engagement with the devotional practices and traditions of Catholicism.” It investigates the influence that religion has had on the cultural imagination. As well as the ways in which it directly impacted the visions of fashion designers. Throughout the exhibition, there is no audio guide or a detailed map to direct you. I’ve created my own guided tour to help you discover what you’ll see where. I’ve broken this guide up into three different parts, to read up on the other two parts of the exhibition, click the following links: MET Vatican Collection | MET Cloisters.

Byzantine Galleries

After viewing the Vatican Collection, head back upstairs to the Byzantine Gallery. The Byzantine Galleries focus on designers who were influenced by Sacred Spaces; the interior of Cathedrals and churches, and who brought elements from those spaces into the garments. The dresses are paired with fragments of floor mosaics from the 5th century as well as pieces of Byzantine jewellery and silverware. The mannequins each stand high aloft of tall plinths. The dresses are still clearly visible and yet are somewhat separated from the historical art along the walls.

The above Dolce & Gabbana collection was inspired by the brightly coloured tile mosaics found in the Cathedral of Monreale in Sicily. Some of the mosaics in the Cathedral date as far back as 547 AD. Portraits of iconic people from the Bible make up the mosaics on the dresses surrounded by large gemstones, allowing it to sparkle under the lights. The job of an architect when creating a cathedral was to create heaven on earth. The same kind of concept appears here in fashion. Gold thread was used along with real stones to create a garment which appears otherworldly and transports the wearer to another plane of existence. While the iconography might be antiquated, the shape of the dresses is modern and highly wearable. I was dying to just take one home with me. 

Versace

On the opposite hallway to the D&G collection are rows of mannequins with bright, long blonde hair, wearing what from afar might look like medieval armour. Upon closer inspection, you can make out the large gemstone crosses emblazoned on the dresses. The fabric used to create the dress mirrors the look of chain mail. These are from Versace’s last collection in 1997. Each dress is decorated with the bejewelled crucifixes.

The collection was the last one he produced before his untimely assassination later that year. Versace struggled with his health in the years before this collection debuted. And it seems understandable how his religion would play heavily on his mind. As death seemed to creep closer and closer, even unknowingly. In adorning his dresses with the symbol of the cross, one wonders if it was some kind of absolution or confessional. To purge himself of any sin before his passing. In retrospect of his murder, the dresses are even more powerful to look at. Especially all lined up together like this.

The first gold dress in the procession with a large cross spanning the entire height and width was actually based of a real Byzantine gilt silver cross from the MET. Gianni Versace saw this cross when visiting the MET years prior and was overcome with inspiration. You can see the cross still displayed in the same gallery today adjacent to the fashions.

Wedding Dress

The last dress in the room is a beautiful wedding gown. This dress is the only one designed in silver and stands as a stunning finale piece. A veil covers the head of the mannequin and a large diamond crucifix, replete with diamonds, is placed over her face. Covering her eyes.

Byzantine Apse

In between the Byzantine hallways, in a hidden alcove, is the reconstruction of a Byzantine apse containing 6th & 12th-century mosaics as well as pieces of old Byzantine cathedrals. This little area is tucked away and many people seem to miss it. Inside you’ll find three pieces from Gianni Versace’s 1991 collection. Upon these rainbow-adorned bustiers and jackets are images of the Madonna. All set against a backdrop of original religious mosaics from the period.

In the centre is an emerald green jacket featuring the mother Mary with baby Jesus in her arms. Surrounded by a rainbow halo or jewels. Gemstones in all shapes and colours cover the entire jacket. Where there aren’t jewels, they are detailed embroidery flowing up the sleeves. The level of detail that has been placed into the creation of the jacket makes it feel more like a crown jewel. Rather than a runway look.

Apse Gallery

After the Byzantine Galleries, poke your head into the small Apse Gallery, located in front of the Medieval Europe Gallery. In here is one of my favourite pieces. This is Jean Paul Gautier‘s Ex-Voto gown from his Spring/Summer collection in 2007. From afar the dress looks like a blend of fashion and armour. It is covered with copper and silver plates with the images of saints and angels, as well as different bodies parts hammered into the metal. The delicate grey tulle drapes down from the sleeves all the way to the floor. She looks almost ghostly and angelic. An “ex-voto” is a religious offering.

Milagros

These are extremely popular in Mexico, where they are called “Milagros”. You purchase a different milagro which reflects the thing you’re struggling with. Hearts for someone longing for love. Images of the mother mary for something wishing to have a child, and even images of body parts to heal injuries and illnesses. These are then pinned to images or life-size statues of patron saints in order to fulfil your desires through prayer. The dress itself feels like a walking devotional. Almost as if the model herself is a vessel for all the sins of mankind.

Surrounding the dress in glass cases are a series painted icons, cross reliquaries and metalwork from the Medieval period. Each of them feels like they could themselves be a part of her dress. And all act as inspiration for the design.

Ex-Votos

In front of the Ex-Voto dress are a series of black leather jackers. Two of them, on either end, are by a Versace, one by Gianni and the other by Donatella. Gianni Versace’s 1991 leather “Perfecto” jackets were embroidered with green, gold and ruby red Byzantine crosses. 20 years after his death, his sister, Donatella, reimagined them for her spring 2018 collection. The Byzantine cross, specifically like the ones mimicked in these jackets, are often used in processions, often during funerals. And it seems poignant to see them here, especially in Donatella’s garment as a nod to her brother after his death.

Byzantine Cross

In the centre grouping of the black jackets is my favourite, a Christian Lacroix stunner with an enormous “crux gemmata” on the front. To the right of the jacket, in a glass case, is an original crux gemmata from 1180. These crosses are covered in glass cabochons. Cabochons are rounded gemstones which have been highly polished but contain no sharp edges. The crux was the most important piece of the church’s treasury in the medieval era. These bejewelled crosses were used in large processions to usher in important parts of the Christian calendar. The use of the crux on the front of the jakcet is an impactful statment for anyone to make and the beautiful gemstones inlaid into the gold are absolutely dazzling.

Opposite the jackets are a collection of cross pendants and accessories, both from the Byzantine period and modern day. Coco Chanel owned an original copper cross pendant from the Byzantine period, lent to the MET for the exhibition, and was so inspired by its design she copied it almost identically for her collection. Chanel’s devotees loved her version of the cross pendant and wore it as a sign of their adoration for her brand. From one symbol of devotion to another, the power of the cross is universal.

Medieval Europe Gallery

Past the Apse Gallery is the Medieval Europe Gallery. This room is centred around a large marble altar canopy from the 12th century. Around the perimeter of the room are some gorgeous original stained glass windows, making you feel as if you have entered a part of the church. The Medieval Europe gallery focuses on designers who created garments for saint statues inside churches, specifically for the virgin and child.

Located beside the marble altar is a stunning dress in ivory with a sky blue cape embroidered all over with gold threads designed by Riccardo Tisci. Dressing sculptures is a tradition that dates back to the middle ages. Wooden statues made to appear like important saints were carried in ceremonial processions and adorned with costumes and votive offerings. During different times of the year, the statues would be dressed differently to signify the change in the religious calendar.

Chapel of Our Lady of Compassion Dress

The blue and cream dress was designed as a vestment for the Madonna in the Chapel of Our Lady of Compassion in Paris. It is a reworking of an original design once worn by the saint in the 1500s. The first dress was made by the Sisters of the Order of the Poor Benedictine. It was hand embroidered and took over 3,000 hours of labour to complete. This led to a papal order in 1530 to ban such lavishness and excess since it was considered immoral and indecent. Thankfully, hundreds of years later we don’t just see this lavishness as a sin but rather as a testimony to the importance and love people have for the Madonna. They want to adorn her with treasures and make even images of her form as heavenly as possible.

The other stunning figure in the room is inspired by Our Lady of Guadalupe, popular mostly in Spain. The outfit, designed by Yves Saint Laurent, was also inspired by the statue of the Virgin Mary atop the spire of Milan’s cathedral. Our Lady of Guadalupe is iconic for the presence of her ornate crown and rays of light which emanates from her body. Gold is such a highly symbolic colour for the church. It symbolizes majesty, joy, and celebration. Her crown here is made up of gold coral. During the 18th century coral was one of the most precious treasures and since the seas were as of then so unexplored, it was almost mythical. By creating the Virgin’s crown from gold coral it is elevating her majesty to an almost fantastical level.

Medieval Sculpture Hall

Walking into the sculpture hall, you truly feel like you’re walking into a Medieval Cathedral. The layout is similar to that of a traditional church with a nave, central aisle, two side aisles and an enormous three storey choir screen. These choir screens were used before reformations to create a distinct barrier between the divine and the earthly plane, where the common people prayed and where the priests preached. In this room they even have choral music playing throughout, giving the space that extra air of gravitas.

Monks & Nuns Garments

In the exhibition, the choir screen is used to divide fashions inspired by the nuns and clergymen and the garments inspired by holy saints and angels. The left aisle is dedicated to fashion inspired by priestly robes and monks garments.  One of the most iconic pieces of the ecclesiastical dress is the black cassock or soutane. This is the uniform most people would recognize as a priestly garment. These soutanes inspired many different fashion designers over the years. 

Other than the black soutane, nun’s are distinguishable by their white veils. The wearing of these veils is derived from a biblical commandment which states that “every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered disgraces her head” -First Corinthians 11:3. These veils became a source of huge inspiration for designers due to their structural shape and distinct silhouette they give to the body.

Godelieve

One of the MET’s most impressive medieval paintings is the multi-panel depiction of the life and sainthood of Godelieve. Godelieve was a pious young girl who wanted to devote her life to god and become a nun. Her mother and father, however, wanted her to marry a wealthy nobleman. She was forced into the marriage but before the wedding could take place she fled.

Two servants caught her but when they brought her back, her husband demanded the servants throw her into a pool. There she drowned and the husband pretended her death was by natural causes. Her husband married again but their first daughter was born blind, as his new wife Edith was cursed by Godelieve. To repent, they both set off on holy pilgrimages and each founded a Monastery and Abbey respectively. Many of the garments in this historic painting can be seen as almost direct references to the fashions on display.

One of my favourite outfits was designed by Jean Paul Gautier in 1997. The design is all black, much like the priest’s cassocks but in the centre of the dress, there is a small beaded image of the mother Mary. On either side of the image are two wings which can be opened and closed around the figure. This mimics the layout and function of medieval triptych paintings. Similar to the three panel layout of the painting of Godelieve above.

White & Gold

Colour is very important in the Catholic church to establish hierarchy. The pope is almost always dressed in white and gold. White symbolizes purity, holiness and virtue. Gold thread is brilliant and sparkles in the light and as such, symbolizes the presence of God. No better example of the elevated nature which white and gold embues is this brilliant piece by the House of Dior, designed by John Galliano for their haute couture collection. 

Priests, bishops and nuns all wear black as it is a symbol of repentance and simplicity. Bishops’ robes can be distinguished from the priests by the red trim. They call this colour “amaranth” named after the flower from which the dye was derived from. Amaranths are a flower which seems to bloom all year long and therefore has become a symbol for immortality.

Cardinals

Cardinals wear long red robes. Red is the colour of princes, as they act like the princes to the kingdom of God. Red also symbolizes the blood of martyrs. This Valentino gown was designed to look like the great cape or “cappa magna” worn in processions by cardinals. Valentino’s interpretation here marries modesty and sex appeal with that severe plunging neckline but use of layers upon layers of fabric.

Some of the outfits here mimic the look of the traditional monastic vestments so much, upon first glance you might assume they are the real thing, albeit with perhaps a few alterations and luxury fabrics. One such gown caused an uproar when it first came down the runway in 1956. The “Little Priest” dress was designed by Sorelle Fontana and made famous when it was worn by Ava Gardner in their Cardinal collection. It is directly influenced by a cardinal’s soutane, even down to the red trim and long gold cross.

The Sound of Music

Thom Browne‘s womenswear collection inspired by the Sound of Music plays with the monastic looks as well. It is often surprising to see these modest and relatively refined elements of these vestments in women’s fashion where dressing is often shockingly provocative and revealing. It is perhaps the departure from a more alluring look to this structured, put together appearance which made these collections so poignant for modern women.

Standing at the entrance to the choir screen, turn around and look up. The balcony inside the room is filled with mannequins, each wearing a simplistic, white choir gown. These were designed by Balenciaga in the 1960s. He was inspired by the uniforms of his seamstresses in his studio who were also members of the choir. He donated the garments to the church and they are on loan here, standing in the spotlight. Many people seem to miss this one part of the exhibit so be sure to take a moment to observe it.

Saints and Angels

Behind the choir screen, we enter the realm of the divine, with garments inspired by the cult of saints and angels. At the entrance, you’re greeted by the gold-clad angel designed by Mugler in 1984. The angel was based on iconic images of the Arch Angel Gabriel. The delicate drapery, pooling around the body feels almost ethereal. He is the perfect welcoming figure as you make your way into the heavenly realm.

In front of the choir, screen stands a heartstopping model wearing what appears to be a wedding gown, covered in flowers. In the middle of her chest is a copper heart with a dagger struck through the centre. This is a dress designed by Christian LaCroix, made to be the show-stopper in his 2009 collection. And one can understand why. Her outfit resembles the image of the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary.

Immaculate Heart

There are so many levels of symbolism in the Immaculate Heart, it is one of my favourite images in Christian symbology. The heart being visible outside Mary’s body symbolizes her undying love for the people, so powerful her heart cannot be contained in her body. A row of roses surrounds the heart, roses are a symbol of purity relating to her immaculate conception. Finally, the heart is pierced by a sword symbolizing the eternal sorrow she has for the child she lost. Whether you are religious or not, there is certainly something deeply moving about a mother’s pain for the loss of her child.  LaCroix’s dress takes elements from this symbol and threads them into the literal fabric of the dress.

Mugler

Blue and white together are traditionally the two colours associated with the Virgin Mary. In many medieval paintings, she is seen clothed in a blue robe, blue the same colour as the sky, to symbolize her position as the queen of heaven. White is also the symbol of virtue and purity which exemplify her virginity. In 1984, Mugler‘s famous runway featured an audience of over 6,000 spectators and combined fashions with theatrical sets, music, and choreography. The culmination of the show ended with actress Pat Cleveland descending from the ceiling in a wash of dry ice above a series of glass spires. She was adorned in an outfit designed as a modern-day Madonna complete with the same blue and white robes seen in medieval paintings.

On either side of the choir screen are two figures lying in repose. The one on the right is a medieval effigy of a royal knight. He is seen wearing his armour and holding his sword in his hands. On the opposite side is a dress by Jean Paul Gautier from 1994. The dress is a simple, yet beautifully constructed, linen gown with the addition of an immaculate embellished shoulder piece which resembles armour. The design of the outfit feels like a reference to Joan of Arc as well as the medieval sepulchre art found opposite.

Medieval Treasury

The Medieval treasure contains various works from the Gothic period in France. Stained-glass panels, carved ivories, manuscripts, and goldsmiths’ work are all lovingly displayed along with accessories from the Heavenly Bodies Collection. The first piece you’re greeted by is the iconic wooden angel wings by Alexander McQueen. McQueen’s angel with plywood wings is set against the backdrop of a 14th-century wooden altarpiece. Both depict angels carved out of wood, but their take on the biblical creatures each reflects the cultural sensibilities of the time.

Crown of Thorns

A gothic headpiece by Givenchy covered in garnet rosary beards is set beside a gothic stone carving of Jesus with the crown of thorns. The Gothic subculture was prevalent in modern fashion in the 80s and 90s. The connection between goths and Catholicism is actually very tightly knit. Gothic fashion derives much of their influences from Gothic Cathedrals. The ornate gold and silver crosses, the embellishments and the black-clad uniform much like the same ones worn by priests. 

The Robert Lehman Collection

After touring the rest of the accessories in the treasure head across the courtyard to Gallery 955 in The Robert Lehman Collection. The Lehman collection is home to nineteenth and twentieth-century European paintings. During Heavenly Bodies it contains a small grouping of angelic fashions in a spectrum of colours. These are a collection from Rodarte and the House of Lanvin. These women dressed in heavenly robes inspired by one of histories greatest artist, Fra Angelico. Fra Angelico was an early Italian Renaissance painter described by Vasari in his Lives of the Artists as having “a rare and perfect talent”. The colours used throughout his pieces came to define renaissance painting.

The blue dress with golden embellishments is lifted straight from the canvas of Fra Angelico’s frescos. In fact, Lanvin was so awe-inspired by Angelica that they copied some of the depictions of garments from the frescos almost exactly for their collection. Prooving that even centuries don’t separate what people see as beautiful, even in fashion.

Rodarte

To the right, is a collection of golden figures with radiating headpieces by Rodarte from 2011. This dress is an interpretation of Bernini‘s emotional “Ecstacy of Saint Thersa” in Rome. Looking at them together one can clearly see the inspiration but even without them side by side, it is impossible not to feel the brilliant power of the dresses alone.

Behind the rainbow collection is a set of dresses once more from Mugler‘s 1984 collection as well as a few pieces by Roberto Capucci in 1987. These dresses are made of delicate metallic fabrics which have been carefully pleated and draped into silhouettes of angelic figures. The peaked shoulders form the appearance of wings. They almost look like golden statuaries and yet with the slightest breath of wind their seemingly solid forms gently bend and sway.

This completes your journey through the MET 5th Avenue Collection of the Heavenly Bodies Exhibit. But the adventure is not over just yet. Andrew Bolton, the curator of the exhibit, designed it to be like a pilgrimage. And to see the entire vision, you must next travel out to the MET Cloisters to see the final instalment. Having seen the MET Cloisters exhibit I must implore you to do the same, and if you can’t make it out there, be sure to read my guide, because it truly is such a powerful and significant part of understanding the entire exhibition. The show is on until October 8th, 2018, so even if you don’t make it out there right away, be sure to see it before it ends!

The post Discover the Ethereal Beauty of the MET Heavenly Bodies Exhibition first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.