48 Hours in NYC - Here’s What We Ate and Saw

I recently went on a girls’ trip to New York City for my friend Janna’s birthday. I hadn’t been to NYC in 11 years, so I was excited to eat through the city, check out new sights, and see the city decorated for the holidays for the first time.

Here’s a quick rundown of our trip:

48 hours
20 miles walked
22 food stops including
10 spots for sweets
7 spots for drinks
4 restaurants
10ish? stores

It was a packed trip and we were exhausted by the end, but we made many great memories!

Sights We Saw – Places We Visited

One of the big reasons we came in December was to experience the city in holiday decor. It was special to walk around and see lights everywhere. It was busy though, so I recommend visiting on weekdays if possible.

Bryan Park Holiday Market – This outdoor market has many booths with vendors selling art, gifts, and food.

Rockefeller Center – You have to stop and see the famous tree. This year’s was 74 feet tall and 43 feet wide with 50,000 lights and a 900 lb star on top!

5th Avenue Lights – This street is known for its storefront holiday displays. Plus you can do some shopping.

Central Park – This is a lovely spot for a morning winter stroll. Grab a coffee before you go! Stop and watch ice skaters, admire the 42 arches and bridges, and take photos of the city skyline.

Shopping in Greenwich Village and Soho – These neighborhoods have plenty of clothing stores.

Little Market NYC – We passed by and found a charm bracelet bar. Of course, we made charm bracelets with a matching charm to commemorate the trip.

Times Square – Ideally, we wouldn’t stop here because it’s so busy, but check it out if you haven’t experienced it. We came to visit two specific shops – The Fantastic World of Portuguese Sardine and Line Friends.

Vessel – This landmark opened in 2019. We didn’t go up, but if you’d like to, be sure to get tickets. The structure is 16 stories high with 2,500 steps and 80 landings for photos.

Things We Ate

Is eating at 22 spots in 48 hours…too much? We almost thought so but it was all tasty! And walking 20 miles around the city got us pretty hungry. So, here’s what we ate during the trip.

Bryant Park Market

Apple Cider Donut from Breezy Hill Orchard
Ube Mochi Cookie and Pandan Mochi Bar from The Boiis Co
Jian Bing from Jian Dumpling

The holiday market at Bryant Park was our first stop after dropping our bags at the hotel. We stopped at three different booths. There are several holiday markets around the city, and this is a fun thing to put on the schedule.

Seafood Pancake, Tofu Soup, and Woodae Galbi at Rib No. 7

The only reservation we had was at this Korean barbecue restaurant. The Woodae Galbi was excellent!

Cocktails and Basque Cheesecake at Harta

Our nightcap back at our hotel was cocktails and a slice of basque cheesecake.

Lattes at % Arabica

We needed caffeine to get our day started and these lattes were delicious!

Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie at Levain Bakery

This just might be the best cookie I’ve ever eaten! Lightly crispy on the outside, perfect flavors, and plenty of chocolate chips.

Strawberry Fruit Sando, Matcha Mochi Donuts, and Egg Sando at Postcard Bakery

One of our favorite stops, this Japanese bakery delivered three outstanding items. I loved that the fruit sando wasn’t milk bread but cake! And the egg sando had perfect filling.

Pizza at L’Industrie Pizzeria

You can’t go to New York City without eating pizza! And this spot was worth the short wait in line.

Strawberry Matcha at Boba Guys

We walked by Boba Guys and had to stop for a strawberry matcha. They were kind enough to divide it into three cups for us.

Juice at Joe and the Juice

We stopped here for a juice, mainly so we could use the restroom! But Janna said her juice was good.

Cupcake at Little Cupcake Bakeshop

I’ve seen accolades about this being one of the best bakeries but sadly we were very disappointed by our cookies and cream cupcake.

Churros at La Churreria

We stopped in for some churro bites. Good but not too special. Perhaps one of their specials or filled churros are better?

Beef Noodle Soup and Dumplings at Shu Jiao Fuzhou

This was one of our cheapest meals! A small bowl of noodle soup with beef and 12 dumplings for $13. It’s cash only.

Rooftop Cocktails at Bar Cima

This was rated one of the best rooftop bars in NYC and we could see why: very stylish decor and views of the Empire State Building. The cocktails were good too. We didn’t have reservations but got there earlier in the night.

Ube Eclair, Sugar Cookie Cruffin, Passionfruit Curd Donut, and Chocolate Croissant at Supermoon Bakeshop

We picked up pastries to eat later and these were delicious! Definitely a bakery I would return to.

Rooftop Cocktails at Daintree

While I liked Bar Cima more, Daintree is a few blocks away and also has views of the Empire State Building. I would recommend getting here before 9 pm if you don’t have a reservation.

Latte at Blue Bottle Coffee

This brand is only in four cities in the world and Janna said the shakerato is great!

Matcha Latte at Matchaful

I saw this was one of the best places for matcha in the city. It was tasty and I bought some matcha to enjoy at home.

Lox Bagel Sandwich at Russ and Daughters

I would come back for this bagel sandwich! It ticked all the boxes and was so delicious. It’s counter service, so expect a wait.

Strawberry Matcha Crepe Cake at Lady M Cakes

This slice of cake was so delicately flavorful and delightful. Perfectly flavored with strawberry and matcha.

Sandwiches from Heritage Grand Bakery

We got this to-go and ate them at the airport for a late lunch/early dinner. It hit the spot! They also have lots of baked goods and seating so it would be a solid place for lunch.

Quick Notes

Here are some things to know for your next future trip.

Go on a weekday for cheaper flights and a less busy city. But flights and hotels will be pricey – about $450 for a non-stop, roundtrip flight from Austin and $400+ a night per person for a hotel.
We stayed at Grayson Hotel (a Hyatt property). I recommend it for the Midtown location.
Dress in layers and wear a beanie or earmuffs
Getting from JFK Airport to Downtown:
- Taxis at the airport are at a fixed rate of $70 + taxes and fees to come out to $98 per car
- Rideshare is about $90-100 per car
- Subway will be $13-19 per person
If you’re serious about visiting specific places (like we were), map out those places to plan out an efficient schedule. Traveling around the city takes time.

Thanks for reading through my trip recap and I hope you enjoy some of these great eateries on your next trip to NYC!