Who has the better food scene, NY/NYC or MA/Boston?

[tarheelmjfan]

New York State overall not just NYC.

The state is a melting pot with many cultures represented in large numbers.

That can be spotty. We've had some excellent food in NY, but also been to a few places where the food scene was severely lacking.

Well, if you are in MA you might as well just come up to NH for some real LOBSTAH. Portsmouth NH has docks where you can buy it right off the boat and they will overnight it all over the world. Cheaper too with no sales tax!!

Portsmouth is a really neat town. I had a very good lobster roll there last year. It was probably the second best I've ever eaten & beat anything I've had in MA. Funnily enough, the best lobster roll I've ever had was in Mt. Dora, FL. That took me by surprise.

 

[goofyernmost]

Without any other experience, I would have to say that based on the size difference between NYC and Boston, NYC would have to be the winner. I've never even eaten in NYC unless you count Kennedy International and I would be hard pressed to define that as food. I have eaten in Boston many times and but I usually just gravitate to the Italian Section and that is great. It been 20 year and more since I last experienced either, so many things might have changed.

 

[Carouselofplanning]

Without any other experience, I would have to say that based on the size difference between NYC and Boston, NYC would have to be the winner. I've never even eaten in NYC unless you count Kennedy International and I would be hard pressed to define that as food. I have eaten in Boston many times and but I usually just gravitate to the Italian Section and that is great. It been 20 year and more since I last experienced either, so many things might have changed.

Italian is an interesting one. NY still has much better Italian than Boston overall. But Italian isn’t as good as it used to be in NY because the population of Italian-Americans in NY is decreasing as we get further away from the Ellis Island generation that came over. Their grandkids and great grandkids are increasingly moving away from NY and it’s effecting the breadth of quality you used to see. It’s still there - but not like it used to be.
Boston’s Italian dining scene is still a little too stereotypical (ie. Inauthentic). And don’t get me started on their pizza.

 

[MillauFr]

Italian is an interesting one. NY still has much better Italian than Boston overall. But Italian isn’t as good as it used to be in NY because the population of Italian-Americans in NY is decreasing as we get further away from the Ellis Island generation that came over. Their grandkids and great grandkids are increasingly moving away from NY and it’s effecting the breadth of quality you used to see. It’s still there - but not like it used to be.
Boston’s Italian dining scene is still a little too stereotypical (ie. Inauthentic). And don’t get me started on their pizza.

Really I thought there were plenty of great places on Arthur Avenue when I was there in May.

 

[Carouselofplanning]

Really I thought there were plenty of great places on Arthur Avenue when I was there in May.

That’s exactly my point. You CAN go to the one famous street in the Bronx for Italian food and yes they are very much there. But there used to be places like those everywhere. Good Italian food wasn’t primarily found on a touristy block.

 

[mjkacmom]

Really I thought there were plenty of great places on Arthur Avenue when I was there in May.

That’s the real little Italy now. In my town, 50+% of residents have Italian heritage (NJ, not me, but my kids do).

 

[MillauFr]

That’s exactly my point. You CAN go to the one famous street in the Bronx for Italian food and yes they are very much there. But there used to be places like those everywhere. Good Italian food wasn’t primarily found on a touristy block.

I don't think I'll go back again because it was a hike to Grand Concourse to catch the subway back to Manhattan.

 

[Carouselofplanning]

That’s the real little Italy now. In my town, 50+% of residents have Italian heritage (NJ, not me, but my kids do).

I also notice this - more Italian heritage in suburbs in NJ vs suburbs of NY. Used to be more in NY, then was pretty much the same. Now it’s more in NJ.

 

[Carouselofplanning]

I also notice this - more Italian heritage in suburbs in NJ vs suburbs of NY. Used to be more in NY, then was pretty much the same. Now it’s more in NJ.

Not to mention Little Italy (even the more touristy one in Manhattan) is a street now. Used to be a whole neighborhood.

 

[mjkacmom]

I also notice this - more Italian heritage in suburbs in NJ vs suburbs of NY. Used to be more in NY, then was pretty much the same. Now it’s more in NJ.

My town has had Irish and Italian for decades. The two oldest Catholic churches were built by those immigrants from the quarries (one for Irish, one for Italians). Growing up I was lucky to have several friends with grandparents who were born in Italy, Sunday dinner in the afternoon, first time I had fried zucchini flowers stuffed with ricotta. 7 fishes for Christmas Eve.