Cooking classes in New York City

What to eat and drink in New York City

Classes here usually build the menu around local dishes. Ones to look for:

Pizza

The New York slice: thin, wide and foldable, sold by the slice.

Bagel

Dense ring-shaped bread, boiled then baked, often eaten with cream cheese or salt beef.

Pastrami

Spiced, smoked, steamed beef, sliced thick and piled high on rye bread.

Cheesecake

New York-style baked cheesecake: dense and rich, on a graham-cracker base.

Hot dog

A street-stand classic; in Reykjavík (pylsur) it's lamb-based, with crispy onions and remoulade.

Egg cream

An old New York soda-fountain drink of milk, chocolate syrup and seltzer, with neither egg nor cream.

How to pick a good cooking class

1. Check whether you cook every dish yourself or watch a demonstration. Hands-on classes usually cap groups at 10 to 12.
2. Morning classes often start with a market walk to buy ingredients; afternoon ones go straight to the kitchen.
3. Tell the host about allergies or a vegetarian diet when you book, not on the day.
4. Look for a class that sends the recipes home with you, so you can cook them again.

New York City month by month

Averages for New York, 1991–2020.

• January
• February
• March
• April
• May
• June
• July
• August
• September
• October
• November
• December