Iconic New York Foods, Ranked

A list in list form

Postcard from Horn & Hardart/Lumitone Photography

61. cronut

60. broker’s fees

59. chef salad

58. Mallomar

57. Waldorf salad

56. build-your-own salad from chain lunch establishment hastily eaten at your desk at work

55. lobster Newberg

54. bagel with cream cheese and lox

53. cheesecake

52. blintz

51. General Tso’s chicken

50. wondering what life would be like if you’d stayed in your hometown

49. black and white cookie

48. sausage and pepper sandwich

47. The Bronx cocktail

46. kugel

45. ramen burger

44. not eating

43. piraqua

42. Pegu Club

41. soft pretzel

40. whitefish salad

39. eggs Benedict

38. Italian ice

37. chainsmoking through a Saturday afternoon

36. bagel, plain

35. Vichyssoise

34. corned beef on rye

33. chicken and waffles

32. matzo ball soup

31. strip steak

30. hot dog with brown mustard

29. reuben

28. overpriced, high-end hamburger

27. clam chowder

26. East Coast oysters

25. egg cream

24. hot sub/hero from a bodega/corner deli

23. pasta primavera

22. cold sub/hero from a bodega/corner deli while sober

21. Brooklyn Lager

20. chocolate phosphate

19. hot dog with sauerkraut, brown mustard, and (optional) relish

18. bagel with plain cream cheese

17. patrami and corned beef on rye

16. Martini

15. penne vodka

14. Manhattan

13. brisket

12. hamburger (normal price)

11. bloody Mary

10. seltzer

9. bacon, egg, and cheese on a hard roll

8. dill pickles

7. pastrami on rye

6. halal cart chicken and/or lamb over rice with hot sauce and white sauce

5. knish with brown mustard

4. pickleback

3. beer and shot special

2. pizza

1. cold sub/hero from a bodega/corner deli while drunk

Dane A. Wisher is based in Brooklyn.