New York City Travel: Good Eats and Shopping Advice

Where should we go to eat and how can we get good shopping deals is a common question that comes up when you are traveling especially in a city that is unfamiliar? Here are some tips to make your quest easier.

First, a good indication of a good place is how crowded it evens at off peak hours. People will come at any time if the food is good. Look at the outside of the restaurant and see if there are any reviews or to see if the menu is posted. Don't feel funny going inside and asking to look at the menu. See if you really are getting quality for money. Also,you're your waiter about specials, early deals, or happy hour deals or if you can split entrees for a small fee.

Many hotels are also good for breakfast buffet deals that are good and hearty food that will fill you up until dinner sometimes. Even area supermarket sometimes have salad bars and lunch deals. Zabars and Whole Foods are great places to eat a hearty good lunch and breakfast deals in NYC.

Some restaurants even discount their food at the end of the day. Talbot restaurant on 50th and 8th Avenue in NYC reduce their sandwiches at 8 pm and entree at 9 pm every night, Zabars reduces their sandwiches at 6:30 each night also. You can buy some reduced sandwiches and eat them the next day for a good lunch in the park. Remember when buying the sandwiches beware that drinks can get expensive. Go in too the many 99 cent stores for cheap drink prices.

Speaking of drinks a great source for wine for your lunch in a park is Astor Wine in Greenwich Village. They have a great selection of good wines for only ten dollars. Also, if you like vegetarian this is a great area for cheap falafel. Also, go to 8th street in NYC for good hearty Indian food buffet style. On 74th and Roosevelt Avenue in Queens is another source for great Indian and well great Mexican Chinese and Columbian foods. Be sure to check some of the Chinese and Columbian bakeries. Elmhurst Avenue has the most Chinese bakeries. If you want Indian clothing then Roosevelt Avenue is a great place to shop.
Also, to experience Greek food or drink beer at a German beer garden visit Astoria.

Also, the area called Hell kitchen along Ninth Avenue is a great avenue for restaurants of all price levels. If you a hipster visit Williamsburg for great clothes that range from urban to thrift. A great thrift shop in Williamsburg is Buffalo Excange and Junk. Good mexican is all around in South Williamburg and good brunch deals on the North Side. Park Slope is great for bunch deals also.Check craigslist for information on where to find great stoop sales to go to after your brunch in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Also go to Beacon Closet on 5th Avenue in Park Slope.

Next ask college students, teachers anyone in a uniform for advice on a good restaurant or seniors about good food deals. These people who are looking out for a great food deal.

Also, while in the NYC go to the website http://newyork.citylaunch.com/ for information on sample sales in NYC and other major cities and this site has discounts coupons for eating. A another great source for shopping and eating www.dailycandy.com

If you shop remember many major department stores have restaurant on their premises. Macy in Herald Square has a great hearty place for good hearty food called Cucina. Shop until you drop and eat and relax without taking extra energy to look for a place to eat.

If you want a great street food deals get your dogs hot dog go to Gray Papaya. But to find great other great food cart eats of NYC get recommendations on the website http://kapshow.com/pushcartnyc/ on where these great carts of NYC are located. There is an annual food cart festival in May that highlights the great food carts of NYC called the Vendi Awards.

Also, see if you can get your hands on a college newspaper or locale community paper for advice to where to eat. See if the college cafeteria is open to the public so you can eat there. If you do ask some or the students while if you eat if they have any good food recommendations. Sometimes college bulletin boards also post some menu suggestions. I know Hunter College in New York City you can eat in their cafeteria.

Next watch the food network or travel channel. Rachel Ray has a show "40 Dollars a Day" that highlight where to eat for anybody that wants to enjoy a good meal without the stress of looking for it. All information from these shows is highlighted on their websites.

Also, if you tired of looking at dog eyed pages in your Fodor guide then looks online. www.fodor.com You look at the website for foodies' chow hound www.crowhound.com. Look at www.memupages.com where you can see all menus posted online and you can print it out, or look at www.citysearch.com for restaurant listing in major cities. Also check out www.finedining.com Both menu pages and city search also post comments from restaurant patrons about their experiences in different restaurants.

Also, look at some of the gourmet magazines like Bon Appetite or Gourmet where their travel writers write about all types of restaurants. Some of these food magazines even post special magazines devoted to major cities. Saveur magazine recently had a magazine devoted to Chicago. Magazines like Time Out and New York also publish specials edition on good eats. Go to your locale library and get these guides. New York magazine just published in early January their annual cheap eats guide. Remember to also look at back issues of Lucky magazine for their advice on where to shop in the major cities.

Also, remember where you work can also get discounts and not just at the car rental and hotel. Military. Teachers, union workers and hospital workers get discounts at a lot food places and shops all the time.

Whatever you do don't give up and go eat at a chain restaurant. If you come prepared with travel guide tips you won't blow your budget on high priced eating and shopping. Remember some of this guide can be your source in any major city.