Stuck on an extended layover in New York? Â You don’t feel like you are trapped in airport purgatory! Â If you have a layover of 4-6 hours or more, you have time to head into Manhattan for some great food!
From JFK: Â
Start by taking the air train from JFK. Â You can either take the Howard Beach Airtrain to A line of the New York Subway system, or alternatively you can take the Airtrain to the Sutphin Boulevard/Archer Avenue Station.
If you end up at Howard Beach Station, get on the A line train and take it to the Fulton Street Station where you will transfer to the Green Line (4,5,6) train. Â Take the green line north to Spring Street and exit here.
If you end up at the Sutphin Boulevard/Archer Avenue Station, take the “E” line train into Manhattan. Â Transfer at Lexington Avenue/53rd Street to the Green Line Subway (4,5,6) and take it south and exit at the Spring Street station.
Getting into Manhattan from JFK option will cost you $7.50 each way, give or take ($5 for the Airtrain and $2.50 for the subway). Â Plan for a hour each way, just to be on the safe side!
From LGA:
Take the M60 bus from LGA into Manhattan. Â Get off at the stop at 125th Street and Lexington to transfer to the Green Line Subway (4,5,6). Â Take the subway south to the Spring Street stop and exit. Â The bus ride will cost you $2.25 and if you pay for your bus fare with a metro card, you can transfer for free to the subway! Â Plan for a hour each way, just to be on the safe side!
From here, you have access to some of the best local grub that NYC has to offer – great pizza and New York style cheese cake:
View Lombardis to Eileens Cheesecake in a larger map
Lombardi’s Pizza in New York’s Little Italy lays claim to the title of the oldest pizza place in the US. Â The restaurant was opened in 1905 by an Italian immigrant and it has a longstanding reputation for good pizza.
The made from scratch crust makes a solid foundation for this pizza’s stellar reputation.  The walls consist of fresh mozzarella and sauce made from San Marzano tomatoes.  The whole thing is topped off with Romano cheese and fresh basil.
Now, to the crown jewels – the toppings. Â My mouth is watering just thinking about the sweet Italian sausage that tastes just like it came from the meat market down the street. Â Don’t even get me started about the handmade roasted red peppers or the sauteed garlic spinach.
The whole thing comes together like magic and it gets fired in their coal fired oven, giving the crust a pleasant texture and a slightly charred taste that ties all of the other flavors together.
So, to sum it all up – all of the hype about this place is absolutely true. Â If you are a fan of good pizza, you HAVE to make a point to eat here. Â Period. Â No buts…
I can’t think of a better way to follow up some incredible pizza and to wrap up your afternoon in New York City than by seeking out some New York style cheesecake, and if you are dining at Lombardi’s, you are in luck, because some of the best cheesecake in Manhattan is just around the corner!
Eileen’s Cheesecake has been praised by many as the best cheesecake in New York. Â Eileen has been making cheesecake for 35 years, and her 31 flavors of New York style cheesecake are all “made with love”. Â If you are not in the market for a whole cake, she has little individual sized cheesecakes, as well (the Maker’s Mark cheesecake sounds HEAVENLY!)
Stop by next time you are near Little Italy and let me know what you think!
With your belly stuffed to the brim, it is probably time to retrace your steps back towards the airport, content in the fact that instead of experiencing the doldrums of many hours spent waiting in the airport, you got out to eat some solid New York culinary treats!
Pingback: Travel Pinspiration: The Most Mouthwatering Photos of Pizza on Pinterest
I loooove cheese cake, and now, after seeing your pictures, I need to find a place in my area where they make it 🙂 Thanks!
The great thing about cheese cake is that there are so many different styles and regional variations…some are light and fluffy…some are heavy and sink to the bottom of your stomach dense…all are delicious! I have never met a cheese cake that I didn’t like!
Ugh….I was stuck on a 10 hour layover at JFK once. It was my first trip abroad, and although I had been to the city several times I was too afraid to leave the airport. Of course, that was a decade ago…Now I’d leave with half that amount of time:)
It is really amazing to think about ourselves when we were inexperienced travelers, just leaving on our first big international trip compared to where we are now…the point that one gets to after you have been around a little bit, more confident, less worried. Travel is an amazing learning experience!
We’re flying out of New York through JFK next month…haven’t been there in ages!
I have to admit that JFK is definitely NOT on my list of favorite airports…but it isn’t the worst, either (I think my most hated airport is Chicago O’hare…there is just something so dismal feeling and depressing about that place)! Where are you guys heading to now through JFK?
Must.Have.Cheesecake.
Having just spent the night in Little India, I could very well do with a bit of cheesecake from Little Italy.
Um, yeah, yum. Cheesecake. Drool.
Pingback: Food around the World: Foods to Travel to the Other Side of the World For
Pingback: What to do in Paris: An Evening out in ParisThere and Back Again
Went to Lombardi’s, but never made it to that cheesecake place- I was on more of a cupcake hunt during my time there 😉 I’ll have to hunt down some amazing cheesecakes next time!
MMMMMM, cheesecakes…mouth watering…
Pingback: Ideas for Spending for One Day in Austin, TX