9 New York Foods That Spark Endless Local Debates
Food loyalty runs deep in New York, and locals are quick to defend their favorites with serious passion. Pizza, bagels, deli classics – each one is tied to strong personal rules and traditions.
Some dishes have become downright controversial, sparking heated conversations at family tables and street corners alike.
These nine classic foods are still dividing the city in the best way possible.
1. The Plain Slice: Pizza Warfare
Nothing divides New Yorkers faster than pizza opinions. Should you fold that thin, floppy slice down the middle? Most locals say yes – it’s practically a structural necessity.
The terminology battle rages on too: ask for a “plain” slice in some neighborhoods and you’ll get confused looks from folks who call it “regular” or “cheese.”
Meanwhile, the beloved dollar slice joints face extinction as costs rise, leaving pizza purists mourning.
2. Bagel Battle Lines
Ask a native New Yorker if you should toast a fresh bagel and prepare for a lecture. The anti-toasting faction insists a properly made bagel, with its shiny exterior and chewy interior, needs no heat treatment.
Then there’s the controversial “scooping” practice, where the soft middle gets hollowed out. Some call it sacrilege, others call it calorie-conscious.
And don’t even start comparing New York bagels to Montreal-style unless you’re ready for a passionate defense of our water-boiled beauties.
3. Hot Dog Hierarchy
The cardinal sin of New York hot dog consumption? Ketchup. Just try squirting that red stuff on your dog at Nathan’s and watch the disapproving looks.
I once made this rookie mistake at Gray’s Papaya, and an elderly gentleman actually tutted at me! The proper dressing, locals insist, is mustard and maybe that tangy red onion sauce.
Meanwhile, the rivalry between Papaya King and Gray’s Papaya has divided frankfurter fans for generations, with each claiming hot dog supremacy.
4. Chopped Cheese Chronicles
Bodega royalty with humble origins, the chopped cheese sandwich sparked heated debates when it ventured beyond its Harlem birthplace. Locals fiercely defend this ground beef, onion, and cheese creation as a neighborhood treasure.
When upscale restaurants started offering $15 versions of this traditionally affordable sandwich, accusations of culinary gentrification followed.
The authentic experience, purists argue, comes wrapped in deli paper from a bodega griddle – not on fancy china with artisanal additions.
5. BEC: Breakfast Battlefield
The bacon, egg and cheese sandwich might seem simple, but New Yorkers have turned this bodega staple into contested territory. Kaiser roll or bagel? That’s just the opening skirmish.
I’ve witnessed friendship-testing arguments over whether SPK (salt-pepper-ketchup) is the only acceptable seasoning combo. Every neighborhood resident swears their corner store makes the definitive version.
The ultimate BEC blasphemy? Suggesting an avocado addition, which will earn you immediate accusations of California infiltration.
6. The Cookie Conundrum
Black-and-white cookies inspire territorial disputes that span the entire state. NYC devotees champion the flatter, fondant-topped version found in Manhattan delis and bakeries.
Meanwhile, Upstate New Yorkers, particularly from Utica, defend their dome-shaped “half-moon” cookies with buttercream frosting as the authentic article. The debate gets particularly heated when Manhattan bakeries mistakenly label half-moons as black-and-whites.
Cookie purists can identify your New York region simply by which version you pledge allegiance to.
7. Cheesecake Championship
New York cheesecake loyalties run deep and fierce. Junior’s devotees will line up for blocks in Downtown Brooklyn, while Eileen’s supporters trek to SoHo for their fix of the lighter, fluffier version.
The texture war divides families – should authentic cheesecake be dense and rich or airy and delicate? Back in the 90s, my grandmother nearly disowned my aunt for bringing a non-Junior’s cheesecake to Thanksgiving dinner.
Then there’s the crust controversy: graham cracker base or sponge cake base?
8. Halal Cart Holy Grail
The street food that launched a thousand arguments: chicken over rice with the mysterious white sauce. Midtown workers debate which cart deserves the title of “original” or “best,” with passionate defenses of their preferred vendor.
The white sauce recipe remains contested territory – is it yogurt-based or mayonnaise? How much vinegar is correct? The proper hot sauce-to-white sauce ratio ignites sidewalk debates.
Some carts have expanded into brick-and-mortar restaurants, causing purists to claim the authentic experience only comes from food served curbside.
9. Egg Cream Enigma
The egg cream, containing neither eggs nor cream, remains New York’s most puzzling beverage. Lower East Side loyalists and Brooklyn natives battle over which borough birthed this milk, seltzer, and chocolate syrup concoction.
Fox’s U-Bet syrup devotees consider any substitute chocolate flavoring an unforgivable offense. The proper preparation technique causes heated exchanges at old-school soda fountains.
I once watched my grandfather walk out of a diner when the server used chocolate sauce instead of syrup—that’s how serious egg cream standards can be.