Going local in New York

Few neighbourhoods in New York are packed with as much history, culture, and life as Harlem – and in the present-day, the Manhattan neighbourhood is as vibrant as ever. Harlem residents and more distant New Yorkers alike travel here for the longstanding soul food restaurants, where staples like fried chicken and candied yams are as good as they come. And beyond the food, no trip to Harlem would be complete without a visit to the National Jazz Museum or a night at the Apollo.

Criminally underrated, New York’s northernmost borough offers up a wealth of opportunities to discover a different side of the Big Apple. There are the banner sights, like Yankee Stadium and the Bronx Zoo. But venture to the New York Botanical Garden, go on a hip hop walking tour, or explore the Bronx’s answer to Little Italy to see more of this eclectic borough.

Though Brooklyn’s many neighbourhoods each offer up their own charms, the borough is united by one thing: its exceptional culinary culture. Brooklyn pizza is, of course, one of the highlights. Dating back to the days of old New York’s coal-burning pizza ovens, the thin-crust, char-spotted specimens of today are worth crossing bridges and tunnels for. As are Brooklyn’s hipster restaurants, which also do their part to draw in the cool crowds.