There is no doubt NYC has some of the most inventive foods around. We're as innovative as we are insanely great.
Our restaurants are top notch, the flavors that come out of them are delicious, and we’re home to top chefs from around the world who have decided to grace us with their presence rather than set up home anywhere else.
So how do we compete with Michelin stars? We create edible hybrid monsters. Freaks of nature that probably shouldn’t exist, but nevertheless delight our taste buds and make our friends green with envy.
If you haven’t gotten a taste for the wacky and delicious in NYC, we’re here to show you the light. And if you want to make your friends jealous by photographing the best hybrid foods you can’t get anywhere else and probably would have never made yourself, here’s your checklist.
1. Milk & Cookie Shot (Dominique Ansel Bakery -189 Spring Street)
Many people overlook this primo dessert because it was birthed by the maker of the cronut. Yes, that cronut—a mixture of croissant and donut that comes in a new flavor every month and creates lines for blocks.
The milk and cookie shot is basically your childhood dessert made easy. A cookie shotglass lined with chocolate to keep it from crumbling, into which you pour your choice of milk. Sip, bite, repeat!
2. Cruffin (Supermoon Bakehouse - 120 Rivington Street)
The legendary Mr. Holmes Bakehouse in San Francisco now has an outpost in NYC. They searched for a space for two years and finally found a home in the LES. They’ve got your bakery staples turned up a notch, from the popular NYC Croissant covered in Everything bagel topping and stuffed with cream cheese, to smoked salmon and capers, to a variety of donuts.
But their most popular by far is the cruffin, which basically sells out as soon as they open. The croissant-muffin hybrid was likely inspired by the cronut and also changes flavors regularly—more frequently than the cronut, actually. So if you hear about a flavor that catches your eye, set your alarm and be the first in line.
3. Fried Chicken-Stuffed Waffle Cones (Chick'nCone at Gansevoort Market - 353 W 14th Street)
If you’re a fan of eating on the go, this one’s for you. Their idea is simple, chicken and waffles transformed to help those with busy schedules eat well while they commute.
They create waffle cones and stuff them with scoops of fried chicken, topped with your choice of Kick'n Ranch, Yella BBQ, Cinna-Maple, Buffalo Blue or Traditional BBQ sauce. No forks or knives needed—although they might not hurt.
4. Rice Krispie Donuts (Treat House x Kellogg’s NYC - 31 E 17th Street)
We’re sure by now you’ve all heard of Treat House. If you haven’t, you’ll want to check it out ASAP. The iconic childhood Rice Krispie treat gets a makeover there, appearing in flavors like cookies and cream, birthday cake, tiramisu and more.
Treat House is collaborating with the new Kellogg’s NYC Cafe to create Rice Krispie Treat donuts specifically for them. You literally you can’t get them anywhere else. As if we needed more of a reason to visit the new Kellogg’s Cafe!
5. Churro Ice Cream Cone (ChikaLicious: The Dessert Club - 204 E 10th Street)
ChikaLicious Dessert Club is known for pushing boundaries in sweets. Think their own version of cronuts, crepe cakes, and even—at one point—a Jack Daniel’s infused bread pudding. Especially over the summer, their churro ice cream cones were no exception.
The famously fried delicacy that is a churro takes on a new shape in the form of a cone, is dipped in cinnamon sugar and is filled with soft serve ice cream. It may not be the easiest to eat without making a mess, but isn’t that half the fun?
6. Sushi Donut (Sushi Donut Shop-754 Metropolitan Ave)
Though the shop’s name is ironically uncreative, its concept certainly is. If you’ve ever wanted sushi you could eat without chopsticks—and let’s face it, who hasn’t?—you may want to check them out.
It looks just like it sounds, but to imagine it is impossible without seeing it yourself. The base is all rice and its topped with sashimi from a variety of fish and vegetables.
There’s even an option to build your own, choosing from a brown or white rice base and fishes that range between regular and spicy salmon, tuna, yellowtail and mock crab. Then add your choice of avocado, radish, sesame seed, cucumber, sweet potato or mango. For an added charge, you can even fill it with fish too!
7. Cragel (The Bagel Store - 754 Metropolitan Ave)
The rainbow bagel from The Bagel Store was all the rage recently, garnering attention around the US. It was such a hot topic of conversation that the store had to close down and recuperate from the crowds because people just couldn’t get enough!
But the lesser known Cragel is arguably the better-kept secret. The bagel-croissant hybrid comes in several flavors, including Jalapeno And Cheddar Cheese, Cinnamon Cragel, French Toast Cragel, and Spinach Parmesan Cheese.
8. Pizza Cone (Trapizzino-144 Orchard Street)
Have you ever been wandering late at night and gotten a slice of pizza, trying to desperately juggle your plate while you eat and struggling to take a bite without accidentally chewing the paper? Just us? Ok. Well, either way, Trapizzino solves that problem!
The newish spot creates pizza cones with a variety of fillings both meat and vegetarian, bringing a well known Italian chain to the New York masses. They also have a version of arancini called suppli in various flavors that would give Arancini Bros a run for their money. Just saying… it’s worth a visit.
9. Sushi Burrito (Sushirrito-12 West 23rd Street)
The makers of this one knew it would be popular so definitively that they registered the name. Yup, no stealing this one, people. With a range of flavors similar to those you’d find in actual sushi, these big, bad burrito lookalikes are basically giant sushi rolls.
And what’s better than regular sushi? Huge sushi that you don’t have to eat with chopsticks.
10. Everything Bagel Donut (The Doughnut Project-10 Morton Street)
We don’t know when exactly everything bagels started becoming so popular as a flavor additive. Don’t get us wrong, it's phenomenal, but it’s not like the bagel flavor hasn’t been around for decades.
Regardless, we’re happy the trend is being recognized by places like The Doughnut Project. They utilize the flavor to create The Everything Doughnut topped with a cream cheese glaze, roasted poppy seeds, black and white sesame seeds, pepitas, garlic and sea salt. Basically its the fried dough, sweet-savory mash-up of your bagel-loving dreams.