Food Guide
The Best Cheesecake in NYC
Junior's and Beyond
New York cheesecake is a specific thing. It is made with cream cheese, not ricotta. It is dense and rich, not light and airy. The crust is thin. The filling is the point. Junior's invented the modern version in 1950 and remains the benchmark. Here is where to eat it.
Junior's Restaurant & Bakery
Junior's has been making the same cheesecake since 1950. Dense, creamy, with a thin graham cracker base. This is the standard that every other cheesecake in the city is measured against. Take the B or Q train to DeKalb Ave. The Brooklyn original is worth the ride.
Eileen's Special Cheesecake
Eileen's is a small NoLita shop that has been making individual cheesecakes since 1975. The slices are smaller than Junior's but the cheesecake is arguably more refined — creamier, with a more delicate crust. A strong second if you are already in lower Manhattan.
Two Little Red Hens
Two Little Red Hens is the Upper East Side's best bakery and their New York cheesecake is the real thing — properly dense, properly creamy, on a buttery graham cracker crust. Less famous than Junior's but consistently excellent.
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