10 Iconic Foods of New York City, and Where To Find Them

From: The Village Voice

 5. 

Manhattan Clam Chowder 

Once there were a dozen clam bars in Sheepshead Bay; now there's only one.

The original name for Manhattan Clam Chowder was apparently Coney Island Clam Chowder, and it appears to be an Italian-American invention. Go to the sainted Randazzo's in Sheepshead Bay and it certainly seems so, the rich red broth rife with rubbery but flavorful bivalves in an entirely Sicilian sort of way. But sample the product at the Grand Central Oyster Bar and it tastes positively Creole, with its minced onions and green peppers. You really don't have to choose; you can eat it both places. 

Randazzo's Clam Bar, 2017 Emmons Avenue, Brooklyn, 718-615-0010; Oyster Bar, Grand Central, 89 East 42nd Street, 212-490-6650