Mr. Pedantic and I spent last weekend in New York City admiring lights, fulfilling Hallmark-inspired dreams, and eating…lots of eating.

I wanted to share a few of our favorite moments with you, as well as a few tips for seeing and dining around the city!

First things first. The pizza!! This trip marked my third visit to Luzzo’s Pizza and it remains my favorite pizza of all time. It truly is the best. Do not forget an order of their Zeppole!

We did try Roberta’s pizzas while in town, but there was truly no comparison to the perfection of Luzzo’s.

The beauty of Rockefeller Center in December is just stunning. I could not stop taking pictures.

We visited this space every day and ended up spending our last evening watching the skaters in the rain. Pure magic.

We felt so incredibly lucky to be able to visit the reopening of F.A.O Schwarz! This store was so enchanting and the toys so nostalgic, that Mr. Pedantic and I found ourselves wishing we could bring some home for ourselves. Such sweet moments were spent here.

Our most surprising favorite spot was the holiday market in Bryant Park. This was roughly a three minute walk from our hotel and we were instantly smitten with the darling little shops, the bustling skating rink, and of course, all of the food.

Here we have duck poutine, featuring duck fat fries and duck bacon (oh yes!!), pierogi, and a pretty killer kielbasa. The pierogi were my choice, but were a little lackluster, so I ended up eating at least half of Mr. Pedantic’s poutine which was just incredible.

A cozy cup of cocoa by the rink.

My skating is more akin to a baby deer learning to walk, but I had my magical Manhattan moment so I am satisfied.

This is a chimney cake - an entirely new experience for me. This smokey, chewy, cone of dough held fried apples and thick, sweet, cream. Aside from the abundance of nutmeg, it was stellar, and such a fun, fresh experience. The tiny shop can be found inside The Lodge at Bryant Park.

We also discovered Eataly at the NYC Flatiron location and we were in heaven itself. We waited for a while for open seats, but snagged a few at the bar of Il Pastaio di Eataly and enjoyed the most incredible lunch.

Even the salad was perfection itself.

Later that same evening, Mr. Pedantic took me to Blue Hill, a restaurant I have had on my bucket list for over six years, ever since I heard Dan Barber speak on his vision. Their Farmer’s Feast was a truly unique and scrumptious experience, unlike any I have ever had. The service, impeccable. We were even treated to a tour of the kitchen after our meal. Unforgettable. No pictures, but lots of memories.

Grand Central Station was so pretty in all its Christmas decorations. They also have a darling little Christmas market there that we enjoyed browsing.

Our trip would not have been complete without a visit to Dominque Ansel’s Bakery for treats! We left our hotel bright and early Saturday morning to get in line for the famous cronuts and they did not disappoint. Honestly, my expectations were somewhat low. Being the hipster that I am, the shop’s fame made me a bit fearful of a Bouchon Bakery repeat (do not waste your time there!). That said, DA’s was beyond worth the wait. The pastries were on spot - every last one. Even the cronut, which I had my doubts about, was a bite of heaven. Make sure you also try the frozen s’more, you just might cry tears of joy.

Lastly, we had to give Shake Shack a go. Neither of us had ever tried it before, but being the burger lovers that we are, it was a must. Mr. Pedantic was far from impressed, but I really enjoyed it. That said, we both agreed that where burger chains are concerned, Five Guys reigns surpreme.

New York City at Christmastime was all we had hoped and so much more. That you for letting me share these moments with you. Wishing you all a wonderful Tuesday!

Sincerely,

Pedantic Foodie