The best restaurants in New York City are in the Theater District, the East Side, the Upper West Side, or the trendy SoHo and TriBeCa neighborhoods. And don’t take advice on where to go this year, but weigh your options.

The city benefits greatly from being home to such a diverse mix of people. There are plenty of Italian restaurants. As for French eateries, you have to choose wisely between a few authentic (and very expensive) establishments and run-of-the-mill eateries. The Chinese places are much more expert in their field, especially in Chinatown itself. You can also find Greek, Spanish, Japanese, Jewish, Mexican, Brazilian and Indian restaurants. National cuisines are increasingly on the street, where Arab falafel sandwiches (fried peas and sesame balls in oil), spicy Indian samosas (fried triangular-shaped patties with vegetable or meat fillings) or Turkish kebabs compete with local, salt-sprinkled pretzels and hot dogs.

New York’s contribution to world gastronomy began with the hot dog, served either with sauerkraut or fried onions, but definitely with mustard, as has been the custom since the beginning. The deli sandwich is an indispensable attribute of Broadway. Its varieties include toppings such as turkey, corned beef, smoked beef, bacon, lettuce, and tomato. New York entrecote is a thin sirloin tenderloin and is best eaten undercooked. American oyster goes well with ketchup and horseradish sauce, an indispensable attribute of this dish. Manhattan clam purée soup is laced with tomatoes (unlike New England thick soup). Although the cheesecake (cottage cheese) appears to have originated in Central Europe, there is still no better taste than the Brooklyn cheesecakes and waffles sold in Broadway grocery stores.

New Englanders take pride in their cuisine. In Boston, start the day with “homemade” muffins served for breakfast. Blueberry, cranberry, apple and pecan-pheanberry muffins are most notable. Or eat pancakes floating in maple syrup for breakfast. Be sure to try Boston bean stew. Boiled over low heat in blackstrap molasses with a piece of salted pork, the beans are cooked all day, mostly in a stone oven.

Seafood lovers should opt for lobsters freshly caught off the coasts of Maine and Massachusetts. Boil them in water or steam them with butter, or broil them on a spit. The oysters here are also excellent, as are haddock, sea bass, flounder, and small cod (a type of white fish, usually young cod).

For dessert, as elsewhere in America, there is a myriad of fruit pies, but cranberry pie is invented in New England. Boston pie is actually a sponge cake with custard dipped in chocolate frosting. For a real local flavor, try the Native American custard pudding made from cornmeal, black treacle and milk.