NYC Eats if You’re Ever in a Pickle

I am known for being an unconditional lover of food, with a full appreciation for pretty much all flavors. I pride myself on having an exceptionally high spice tolerance, a strong sweet tooth, and an equally strong craving for extra salty foods — but one flavor I can never get enough of is sour. I firmly believe that all (okay most) dishes can be enhanced with a dash (or few) of vinegar and buffalo sauce, and I’ll gladly eat warhead after warhead until my tongue goes raw. It is no secret that I love all foods sour; but if I had to choose my favorite, I would have to choose pickles. They’re fresh, crunchy, low cal (not as important, but a plus), and pack a kind of flavor that makes me go wild. So without further ado, below are my favorite eats in the city that fuel my undying love for pickles:

Banh mi Saigon

The symphony of textures and flavors that go into a banh mi are truly incredible, and this place happens to do it best. My go-to sandwich is the barbecue pork — they start with a warm and soft baguette with a satisfyingly crunchy exterior, and generously pile it with barbecue pork, mayo, fresh cucumbers, cilantro, jalapeños, and most importantly, some of the most finely picked shredded daikon radish and carrot I’ve ever tried. I always tell myself I will eat half and save the rest for later but I somehow manage to make it disappear in one sitting every time.

Naya Express

I recently discovered this gem while working in Midtown — between noon and 2pm, it’s truly hard to miss as the line extends out the door with hungry and eager white collar workers. It’s a middle Eastern fast casual spot that offers pita sandwiches, salads, and rice bowls with delectable fillings such as falafel, shawarma, hummus, babaganoush, slaws, and of course, pickle strips of the perfect length and width. They are generous here with their portions, and if you ask for extra pickles they will make it happen!

The Belfry

This isn’t a food spot — it’s actually a pickleback bar and, unsurprisingly, it is my favorite bar. I have a fairly low tolerance to hard liquor — but there is something about belfry’s picklebacks (a shot of whiskey followed by a shot of pickle juice) that can keep me going the whole night — I once drank 11 in one night and lived to tell the tale (on average I’m done three shots in). The atmosphere is down to earth and old-timey, with an impressive level of enthusiasm almost every night, and their picklebacks never fail to start (or end) the night off right. The pickle juice shots come in “spicy”, “sour”, and other specialty flavors, so there’s something for any sour-tooth.

Fuku

If you ever hit up Fuku, the Koreano sandwich is the way to go. It features a soft white bun that is reminiscent of the kinds you’d use at family barbecues, with a chicken filet the size of your face deep-fried to precision. To top it off, they add a generous heap of sweet and crisp pickled daikon radish, and offer a “Ssam sauce” (Korean red pepper paste with a twist) to dress. It is on the pricier side as far as fried chicken sandwiches go, but is completely worth it.

Potbelly

During my summer internship last summer I ate at the nearby Potbelly on average three out of the five day week. These traditional sub sandwiches are well-rounded and high quality, but what makes them unparalleled to other American sandwich shops out there are their hot peppers — of course pickled to perfection. They are one choice of dozens of toppings they offer on their sandwiches, and they even sell separate jars of this amazing stuff to take home — they clearly know how to play to their strengths and keep their loyalists happy.

The List:

Bahn Mi Saigon
198 Grand St
b/t Mulberry St & Mott St
Little Italy

Naya Express
688 3rd Ave
b/t 44th St & 43rd St
Midtown East

The Belfry
222 E 14th St
b/t 2nd Ave & 3rd Ave
East Village

Fuku
Several Locations

Potbelly
Several Locations

Photo Credits: Bahn Mi Saigon, Naya Express, The Belfry, Fuku Facebook, Potbelly Facebook

Aggie Zhang is also partial to oreo cheesecake.