In a city of never-ending menus and food trends, it can be hard to figure out the next best brunch spot, lunchtime haunt, or recipe to master. However, all those hours you spend sifting through the world of Instagram can actually result in more than just ogling of some serious #foodporn. In fact, it may be the best way to uncover new foodie finds.
There's no doubt we're always looking to expand our palette and our ideas. And sometimes, the most interesting part of discovering the next best food shots are the stories behind the 'gram: While some folks dedicate their entire lives to the culinary craft, others simply have a passion for anything involving a kitchen, or put their focus into a photo project to move past a breakup. So, among upscale brunch bites and savory street food, these professional queens (and two kings) of Instagram are making your mouths water — all while telling a personal story.
Ahead, we're rounded up 23 of New York's top foodies to follow for a daily dose of all things delicious — believe us when we say they've got everything covered, from pop-culture Rice Krispies treats to gourmet grilled cheese and, yes, even yolk porn.
A natural born food 'grammer, Laura Jung opened the flood gates of edible shots within her first year in the Big Apple. So much so, that Jung had to branch off from her own personal account to create the now over 50,000 amassed following that is her City Foodie Instagram.
When asking Jung what separates her feed from the hundreds of others out there, she said simply that she aims to keep things "relatable and realistic." Staying away from those "close-up shots of foods that...often result in the cultural loss..." City Foodie tells a story that isn't just about the "food porn" shot of a melty double-decker cheeseburger (although that's always okay by us), it also tells a story that's about the place and the people who made it and served it.
Jung says that she "particularly loves featuring restaurants that really care about the quality in their food and the sustainability behind sourcing their ingredients. I feel like that kind of holistic care really translates into the quality and success of a restaurant." And we'd have to agree that the care Jung takes with the shots on her account does exactly the same.
Photo: Via @cityfoodie.
Vivian Huang grew up in a food-loving family. And starting at a young age, she was sampling eclectic dishes from a wide array of multi-cultural cuisines. Learning just how much joy food plus people can bring, Huang took this early adopted appreciation and ran with it. She melded her artful eye for presentation with her favorite dishes and poof, La Vive NYC was born. Her wide-spanning NYC foodie shots are packed with bright, clean, and crisp dishes — all holding a certain bustling warmth.
Huang says, "I care not just [for] the various textures of the food, but also [for] the beauty and balance of the presentation...My personal photography style not only shows my aesthetic taste to make irresistible eye candy, but also to inspire people and make them happy.". We're feeling happy just thinking about sticking a fork into one of those plates. How about you?
Photo: Via @lavivienyc.
Despite a career in digital marketing, Jen Balisi pegs food as her true calling. Add that to the fact that Balisi is always thinking outside of the creative-outlet box, and what do we get? An enviable eats Insta-account.
From fresh plates of cannolis to steamy bowls of ramen, Indulgent Eats is chocked full of all the rich and eclectic dishes that NYC has to offer — and more. Balisi can also be found whipping up homemade fare from time to time, so the good eats are truly endless.
Photo: Via @indulgenteats.
Hungry Betches
A foodie from birth, Michele Mansoor transformed her lifelong obsession with grub into a burgeoning social career with the creation of the cheeky Instagram account, "Hungry Betches". And with a following of over 300,000 and counting, her devotion is tangible. Mansoor fills her feed (at least once daily) with sharpened and focused shots of delectable (dare we say provocative?) eats.
Mansoor's advice for all you blossoming foodies out there? "Come up with your thing... I'm good at styling food, and I know how I would want to see food. Most of my food I've styled—most of it I've constructed [...] and I just do what I'm good at. So figure out what you're good at. And if that's like having an Instagram dedicated to bagels, or having an Instagram dedicated to homemade crazy things, do it." she says.
Photo: Via @hungrybetches.
NYC Dining (Dining with Skyler)
Skyler Bouchard split from her hometown in Delaware and headed straight to the Big Apple, chasing her dream of one day becoming a food-focused entertainer. After graduating from NYU, taking on a few internships and various food-focused opportunities, Bouchard finally honed in on her creative love for grub. And so, NYC Dining was born! A NYC-eats account with bright and personality-packed shots (currently pulling in over 100k followers!).
And that's not all, folks — Bouchard has expanded past her Insta-fame and into the entertainment world (as previously planned). Appearing on the Food Network ( Roker's LIVE ) and creating her very own Youtube channel ( Ballsy Bites), Bouchard is proving that the sky's never the limit.
Photo: Via @nycdining.
This NYC food-stagram is different than the rest — but just as damn delicious. Instead of photographing new and hit spots to grab a bite in the big city, Lina Saber whips up her own delectably fresh (and gorgeous) creations.
Saber is not only a bonafide food stylist and kick ass Instagram photog, but she's also the soon-to-be author of upcoming cookbook, Radiant Plant Life. Her account ties into this genre with a focus on plant-based dishes that was born out of Saber's desire to meld visual creativity with healthier, and tastier, homemade meals.
"I hope to show fun and tasty ways to incorporate more fresh fruit into your lifestyles, from smoothie bowls, to juices, to nicecreams, and more." Saber says. And we have to say, the results are enviable!
Photo: Via @linasaber.
Diana Dee is a graphic designer and illustrator that's made her way from abstract art in Michigan to edible art in Manhattan. To Dee, documenting daily snapshots of her NYC food adventures “is another form of creative expression.”
And we couldn't agree more — from her shots of Mochi ice cream to green tea soba noodles, Dee's Instagrams are delectably artistic. Not to mention her punny captions are so good, you may just laugh yourself hungry.
Photo: Via @dianaeatsnyc.
Ben Hon has been growing his food appreciation and support since long before he began his dreamy Insta account. He was brought up in a restaurant family and had hopes of using his social platform as a way to bring positivity and growth to small, family-owned businesses everywhere: “I put a lot of effort into taking a picture that represents the food and establishment in the best way possible.”
His Instagram feed is a melting pot of New York cuisines, showcasing everything from linguine scampignola to Spam fries dipped in banana ketchup and pickled mango sauce. “When my photos inspire interest and a visit to the establishments, I'm inspired to do more,” Ben says. We definitely agree that he's giving us foodies something to taco-bout.
Photo: Via @stuffbeneats.
One More Dish
Alexandra Romanoff considers herself "one of the biggest foodies," so it's no surprise that her Instagram account is filled with salacious shots of bagels, pasta, pizza, and so much more. With over 40,000 followers, Alexandra works to keep herself and her audience up to date on the newest and most delicious trends that NYC cuisine has to offer.
Her posts may walk the line with being "food porn," but that makes for a majorly appetizing scroll.
Photo via @onemoredish.
DevourPower
Greg Remmey and Rebecca West are the dynamic duo behind this NYC foodie Instagram. Their shared account was started just over two years ago and has already amassed a following of 205,000 (and counting). The pair has a “passion for drool-worthy food and restaurants” and prides themselves on their “ability to discover restaurants and chefs that many people may not know about” — hitting up the best “hole-in-the-walls,” pizzerias, and sandwich shops around town.
And we can be confident that, with a name like “DevourPower,” Remmey and West will be showing us only the most delicious and desirable spots that this city has to offer.
Photo via @devourpower.
Natalie, Emily, and Gillian are the New York women behind this treasure trove of NYC fare. Starting out as high school pals with a taste for photography and good eats, these three musketeers expanded their passion into a social following of over 650,000 (in just three years). They've traveled the city with friends and families, eating and documenting its most amazing foodie finds.
They currently run the account from their separate college campuses, so these ladies can't wait to travel back and taste what's next in NYC!
Photo via @new_fork_city.
Born and bred in the Big Apple, Alexa Mehraban knows a thing or two about eating her way through NYC. Want in on this delicious journey? Follow her Instagram for some serious foodie fandom.
Alexa keeps her account fresh and engaging with a mix of tantalizing food shots and clever captions. In just two years since her start, she has amassed nearly 200,000 followers. The proof is definitely in the pudding.
From churro ice cream sundaes and Nutella-filled brioche, to everything bagel doughnuts and kimchi topped oysters — Alexa covers all the trending food spots that the big city has to offer.
Photo via @eatingnyc
Coffee 'N Clothes began after founder Ryan Glick moved to New York City. A couple of his favorite city-life pastimes ended up translating to the popular Instagram account. "When I first moved to NY I would explore the city by walking to different coffee shops. I would grab a coffee and then go shopping. It was as simple as that."
Almost 200,000 followers later, Glick is still showcasing his love for fashion and delicious-looking caffeinated beverages. Except now he receives submissions from all over the world!
Photo via @coffeenclothes.
Jessica Siskin, a.k.a food artist @mister_krisp, was working at clothing label Elizabeth & James when she spontaneously came up with the idea to make a Rice Krispies treat cheeseburger. She posted it to her personal Instagram, and naturally, all of her friends freaked out. After experimenting for about a year, she decided that her Rice Krispies treat creations — which range from Caitlyn Jenner's Vanity Fair cover to Kanye West — deserved their own home. The result? Dessert sculptures almost too pretty to eat (but we will, of course, because they're too good not to).
Photo via @mister_krisp.
In the fall of 2013, Jackie Gebel's apartment lease was ending and she had just broken up with her boyfriend. She decided she needed a new adventure in her life, so she quit her job and booked a solo flight to Tel Aviv. She came back a changed person, with a new budding career at Dash, a startup. And working from her apartment meant lots of home-cooked creations, lots of eating out, and plenty of food pictures.
With a roster of FourSquare food lists growing out of control, Gebel sought to create a place where New Yorkers could go to find trusted recommendations, as well as the best under-the-radar eats. So she established @noleftovers, its premise being “taste-tested, friend-approved dining discovery done right" — and that couldn't be more true.
Photo via @noleftovers_.
Run by MacKenzie Smith — a professional chef, food stylist, and founder of the food blog by the same name (which happens to be the world's largest collection of original grilled cheese sandwich recipes, by the way) — @grilledcheesesocial was created not only to share her own concoctions but also to document inspirational dishes, share new food discoveries and trends, and showcase the most exciting restaurants she could find during her travels.
Cheese lovers, this is the Insta-destination for you (Smith is, after all, a spokesperson for Wisconsin Cheese). Her creations are all super-gooey, super-oozy, and super...well...cheesy. Should you not be a fan of the grilled cheese sandwich (gasp!), @grilledcheesesocial is also filled with other totally delicious dishes that will leave you feeling hungry. Warning: Do not browse this account on an empty stomach.
Photo via @grilledcheesesocial.
Diana Arizpe — founder of @onceuponabite — is a 20-something food obsessive with a long culinary-career history (she's a home chef turned line cook turned sous-chef turned personal chef and cooking instructor). Through her Instagram account, she opens the doors of her kitchen to share her cooking journey (most of the food pictures posted are of recipes she has made).
But the most rewarding part of lending her craft to social media is the connections she's made along the way. "I've met tons of people through my account and have had many an awesome conversation over meals with them — I never want to lose that familial feeling. Food brings us all together; we're just a tap, like, and follow away."
Photo via @onceuponabite.
Gillie Houston's Instagram is one to seriously salivate over. By day, the recent Hofstra grad manages social media at Yahoo! Food while balancing other freelance editorial projects. In her downtime, she posts photos of delicious "old-fashioned avocado/yolk porn," bright-colored food displays, and too-funny captions. And though her account wasn't originally dedicated solely to the culinary arts, it quickly evolved into a destination for 'grammers in search of some bold and authentic #foodporn.
While some Instagram accounts may seem impersonal, Houston lets her personality shine through. "I like that people know who I am and what I'm about from my account," she explains. "While there are many gorgeous accounts with a very stark and monochromatic theme, I like to keep things colorful, lively, and fun as a contrast to the more minimalist style that I think tends to dominate a lot of feeds."
Photo via @gilliehouston.
BFFs and food-tographers Olivia McCurdy-McGee and Jennie Snyder are representative of thousands of girls nationwide who are excited by food and aren't afraid to admit it. While @hungrygrls started out on Twitter as @hungrygirlprobs, the duo quickly realized that Instagram was a more powerful outlet for sharing their food stories (and pics). As a result, the girls "moved to big cities and set out to conquer the food scene one meal (and Instagram post) at a time."
"We hope people recognize @hungrygrls as thought-leaders in the Foodstagram community," the duo says of their 'gram. "We are realistic with our food choices and conscious about what we're eating. We go out of our way to incorporate our personalities and style into photos as well, so that people feel that [they] can relate to us, and ultimately be inspired by us!"
Photo via @hungrygrls.
New Yorker Emily Sundberg grew up with healthy eating as her focus; since her dad and grandmother were both celiacs, she wanted to make desserts that they could eat. She began photographing her creations for her personal account, but as she went from snapping food for fun to landing an internship at Yahoo! Health (where she currently works), she realized it was time to give her crafts the platform they deserved.
"My whole mantra is that I want to make people feel good, however that may be," says Sundberg of @shelovesfoodnyc. "Whether it's a Paleo version of Christmas cookies or a story about how I approach eating mindfully, I just want to be someone who's relatable as a young woman in New York, whose life revolves around being creative and showing that you can always learn more and connect with cool people through social media."
Photo via @shelovesfoodnyc.
Like most New Yorkers, advertising writer and home cook David Ma realized that he was spending way too much money on Seamless and decided he would learn how to cook with more than his "George Foreman grill." Soon, Ma's personal Instagram account grew into a “foodtorium” of recipes, plating techniques, and tips. "The only downside is I can't even post a selfie anymore — unless I’m holding a plate of bacon," he jokes. In other words, things have worked out pretty well for him on the social-media-fame front. Note: We recommend digging through his feed to find the silver-dollar pancake shish kabobs he created; they received around 2,500 likes, of course, because who doesn't love brunch and mini things?
Photo via @davidwma.
Engaged (and forever hungry) couple Breann Chiero and Christian Medice began @hungryhipsters for the sheer reason that food has always been a major facet of their lives. So naturally, creating an outlet to share their obsession with all things delicious (and to, in their own words, "streamline favorite date spots to dollar pizza") seemed like the appropriate next step.
We can't decide what we love more: the colors and styling of their images, the unreal spots they eat at in the city, or the fact that, while in the midst of planning their wedding, they're still on the hunt for the next best brunch eatery. Now that's what we call dedication.
Photo via @hungryhipsters.
Up-and-coming Instagram sensation Marisel Salazar knows how to take the perfect food photo. Considering her professional career in digital branding for creative agencies, it's no surprise her work has (literally) fed into her feed. Her shots are light and bright, her styling is on point, and her collection of images clearly derives from her love of all things savory. She even admits on her blog, "Sometimes, I can’t wait to go to sleep, because I know when I wake up, I get to eat all over again." We couldn't understand that feeling more.
Photo via @breadbutternyc.
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