NYC Jew Food: High Holiday Frenzy

Some would say this is the city's best bagel. Whereas my pick, H&H, sells nothing but bagels and cream cheese, here you can pick up all the fixins. Still, if you … truly want to have the ultimate bagel experience, you shouldn't need to buy meat here because you'd already have stopped by Russ & Daughter for lox and Katz's for cold cuts. However, since neither of those places are still taking Holiday orders, this is your best bet to get your hands on a complete, catered Yom Kippur meal before Saturday. Today is the last day to place an order here. [link]

H&H is entirely dedicated to the art of bagelmaking. You can get the city's best bagels at their location in on the Upper West Side, but other than a small selection … of spreads, that's all they've got. There's more to be found at the H&H in Midtown, but somehow that makes the experience much less cool. You can still get dozens of bagels here in time for break fast. [link]

Junior's is an old-school eatery that serves a mix of Jewish deli fare and soul food that could happen nowhere but Brooklyn. Their Sunday brunch is a klatsch of church … ladies and cheesecake. Don't go for any of the crazy varieties -- a big, plain slice will have your mouth watering and your eyes rolling back in your head. Beyond being the best in New York, it's one of the greatest desserts known to man. The milkshakes and egg creams are also world champions. Besides the sweet stuff, I love this place because of their extensive 1950s-style cocktail menu, and because they are the only place where I can get great blintzes with a side of bacon. It's sacri-delicious! [link]

I've never actually been here, but this is where my mom goes to pick up challah and pastries for all of our family dinners. She swears they're the best, and based on the … bread, marble cake, rugelach, and chocolate babke that I've tasted from here over the years, I'm inclined to agree. I don't know if they're still taking Holiday orders, because I called many, many times and the line stayed busy -- not a good sign. [link]

Sammy's is as authentic, eccentric, and pricey as it gets. A visit here is as much about the scene as it is about the food. The walls are covered in crazy photos, and the … late night atmosphere is famously loud, which makes sense considering they serve bottles of vodka on ice and employ a cheesy lounge singer with a keyboard to get the dancefloor moving. The menu is stocked with traditional Eastern European Jewish fare, which means it's heavy on onions, organs, and stuff you won't be able to pronounce. Go for their signature dish, the perfectly seasoned gigantic tenderloin steaks, and make sure to try the potato pancakes, mashed potatoes, and fried onions. Don't be afraid to use the bottle of schmaltz (chicken fat) that comes on your table. You're not here to eat healthy, you're here to pig out, get sloppy drunk like that first time you snuck swigs of Passover wine under the table, and rock out to a rendition of Hava Negila played on the synthesizer. L'Chaim! [link]

Now that the 2nd Avenue Deli is closed, Katz's is, by far, the best Jewish deli in New York. Famous for being the site of Meg Ryan's faked orgasm in When Harry Met Sally … , they're also renowned for their sandwiches, deli meats, and endless pickle plates. I myself am partial to their fries. Everything here is overpriced, and ordering can be a pain in the ass, but it really is a cut above the rest. You can head here for a sit down meal, but it's too late to place any large orders before break fast. Deli food this good does a number on your digestive system, so you might want to take some antacids before loading up on their legendary pastrami (wow, besides the Torah reading at my Bar Mitzvah, that may have been the most Jewish thing I have ever said). [link]

There's no better nova in New York City than the lox found at Russ & Daughters. This is the place to stock up on smoked fish. No break fast dinner is complete without … their herring, whitefish, and most importantly, the salmon. They sell pastries, cheeses, and breads too, but Russ & Daughters is really all about the life aquatic. It's too late to get them to cater your break fast, but you can stop in and snag some fish anytime before Saturday. [link]

For nearly a century, this venerable Lower East Side institution has been famous for cooking the city's best knishes -- baked balls of doughy potato pleasure. More … importantly, they also make the tastiest blintzes in New York. If you don't know what these are, I'm not even going to bother explaining; they're sweet, fried, and you need to have one. They're still taking holiday orders, although they will be closed on Saturday. [link]