As a Jewish New Yorker, food is always top of mind—at home, it revolves around cooking and preparing for the next Shabbat or holiday meal, and on the streets of New York City, the world of Jewish food exists vastly in the form of delicatessens, bakeries, lox counters, and steakhouses. In a city with such strong ties to Jewish heritage—namely the Lower East Side where Jewish immigrants settled in the early 1900s, and pockets of Brooklyn, home to one of the largest Orthodox Jewish communities in the world—it’s no secret that some of the city’s best and most nourishing bites have deep historical ties to Jewish culture, with influence from Eastern Europe, Morocco, Israel, and everywhere in between.

Hanukkah is around the corner, and this year, the eight-night Festival of Lights coincides with Christmas Day and New Years. In other words, there’s never been a better time to celebrate this holiday and take advantage of New York City’s Jewish food offerings. To make things easier for more observant travelers, too, we've noted which are kosher. These are the most quintessential Jewish and Jew-ish spots to visit this holiday season, and well beyond, no matter what holiday you celebrate.

The “older sister” restaurant to Gertie’s, this new Brooklyn spot brings a young spirit to Jew-ish staples, including latkes with crème fraîche and trout roe, babka french toast, and brisket hash. Aside from Getrude's brunch menu, dinner offerings resemble those of a neighborhood European bistro with dishes like steak au poivre and a cheeseburger on a toasted challah roll (hence the Jew-ish). Oh, and don’t miss the Black & White Seven Layer Cake, a mashup of two classic Jewish desserts: black and white cookies and seven-layer cake.