the NYC YOM KIPPUR FOOD GUIDE FOR 2025
After a full day of reflection, prayer, and (let’s be real) stomach growling, the first bite after Yom Kippur food hits different - and coming out of Rosh Hashanah, you’re going to want to have the best NYC jewish food to break the fast. Whether you’re craving old-school comfort food or an artisanal twist on Jewish classics, we’ve got your Yom Kippur food game plan covered. Here are our go-to spots to break the fast in NYC for 2025.
🐟 BARNEY GREENGRASS | BEST YOM KIPPUR FOOD FOR LOX LOVERS
📍541 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024
Barney Greengrass is the Upper West Side’s iconic smoked fish shop. Since 1908, they’ve been serving up buttery lox, whitefish salad, and chopped liver with no-nonsense deli charm. If Yom Kippur food means going classic, this is where you go. Add an egg salad or pickled herring and you’ve got yourself a legendary break-fast spread.
🥯 APOLLO BAGELS | NEW SCHOOL BAGELS, OLD SCHOOL VIBES
📍242 Broome St, New York, NY 10002
Apollo is the East Side’s shiny new bagel star—and it's worth the hype. These bagels are blistered, chewy, and baked to perfection. They're perfect on their own or slathered with your favorite schmear. When we talk about Yom Kippur food in 2025, Apollo is one of our first stops. Of course, being in NYC there are plenty of great bagel options, so might as well try them all!
🍫 MEKELBURG’S | THE BEST BABKA TO END YOUR FAST
📍325 S 4th St, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Yes, it’s in Brooklyn, and yes, it’s worth the trip. Mekelburg’s chocolate babka is gooey, flaky, and exactly what you want after a long day of fasting. They also stock all the fixings you need for a beautiful Yom Kippur food spread—from pickles to cured meats to fancy butter.
🍞 B&H DAIRY | BEST CHALLAH IN NYC
📍127 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003
This East Village kosher dairy diner is a total time capsule—in the best way. Come here for a loaf of the best challah in NYC: pillowy, eggy, and made fresh daily. Their counter is also packed with old-school Yom Kippur food like matzo brei, blintzes, and borscht. Perfect if you want to keep your break-fast meat-free and deeply nostalgic.
🍮 MOISHE’S BAKERY | KUGEL, RUGELACH & MORE
📍115 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003
Moishe’s is a Lower East Side legend. If you need Yom Kippur food that leans sweet, this is your place. Noodle kugel? Check. Chocolate rugelach? Check. That old-world bakery smell that reminds you of your grandma’s kitchen? Triple check. Get there early—stuff sells out fast.
Want to learn more about NYC’s Jewish food traditions?
Join us on our Jewish Food Tour of the Lower East Side. You’ll eat your way through over a century of Jewish history—Yom Kippur food and beyond. Even if you’re reading this after the high holidays, there are still plenty of great places to get your nosh on any time of year.
