Street food$jackson-heightsMon-Thu 17:00-01:00, Fri 17:00-02:00, Sat 12:00-02:00, Sun 12:00-01:00
Birria-Landia is the Jackson Heights food truck that sparked New York City's birria craze, slow-cooking Tijuana-style beef served with consomme.
Try: Tijuana-style beef birria tacos with consomme
Tip: Order the beef tacos with a side of consomme and dunk each bite. Lines move fast and the truck runs late into the night on weekends.
Street food$chinatownDaily 11:30-21:30
Jason Wang's Xi'an Famous Foods has slung hand-pulled biang biang noodles in New York City since 2005. Located in Chinatown. Open daily 11:30-21:30.
Try: Spicy cumin lamb biang biang noodles
Tip: Order the spicy cumin lamb biang biang noodles. The liang pi cold-skin noodles in summer are the secondary order.
Street food$chinatownDaily 09:30-22:30
Vanessa's on Eldridge Street has sold four dumplings for $1.50 in Manhattan's Chinatown, New York City since 1999. Pan-fried, steamed or boiled.
Try: Pork chive dumplings, four for $1.50
Tip: The sesame pancake stuffed with beef is the off-the-menu cult order. Cash speeds up the line at lunch.
Street food$midtownMon-Fri 11:00-15:30
Uncle Gussy's cart at Park and 51st has grilled pork and chicken souvlaki for Midtown office workers in New York City since the 1970s. Tzatziki.
Try: Pork souvlaki platter
Tip: Lunch only, weekdays. The line moves fast at 12:30; the platter feeds two if you split.
Street food$lower-east-sideDaily 12:00-23:00
Souvlaki GR opened as a cart on the High Line then grew into a brick-and-mortar in the Lower East Side, New York City. Open daily 12:00-23:00.
Try: Lamb souvlaki pita with fries
Tip: The lamb souvlaki pita with fries inside is the order. Bigger sit-down menu in the back room if you want salad too.
Street food$midtownDaily 10:00-04:00
The Halal Guys cart at 53rd and 6th has served halal chicken and rice in Midtown New York City since 1990. At W 53rd Street and 6th Avenue New York.
Try: Chicken and rice with white sauce
Tip: The original cart sits on the southwest corner; a second cart on the southeast corner is the same kitchen. The line is shorter at the southeast.