The Ultimate Guide to a Manhattan Chinatown Food Crawl – bring cash!


Date Published: Sept 2nd, 2025 | Last Updated: Sept 11th, 2025
Author: Abby | Category: Travel, USA

Manhattan Chinatown is full of amazing authentic Asian food but in a neighbourhood full of Chinese signage and shop keepers that barely speak English, it can be daunting to find the best food spots amongst the literal hundreds of restaurants in this neighbourhood. This food guide highlights some of my favourite places to eat in Chinatown including local must-have items! Many of these places are known for only 1 or 2 items on their menu, so we often like to jump from restaurant to restaurant, ordering only a couple things at each place to sample our way through Chinatown. Come hungry as you journey through this food crawl with me!

Contents:

  1. Before you head to Chinatown, here are a few tips to follow to ensure a good time
  2. Where is Manhattan Chinatown?
  3. My favourite Manhattan Chinatown eateries:
Manhattan Chinatown

Before you head to Chinatown, here are a few tips to follow to ensure a good time:

  1. Always bring cash. Many of these hole-in-the-wall joints only take cash and most won’t have ATMs on site. Even if they do take card, often there’ll be a discount if you pay in cash!
  2. Don’t hold up the line. Chinatown operates like many hustle and bustle places in Asia. It’s often about speed and high turnover in many of these OG places. Try and figure out what you want before you get in line (the lines can move very quickly!) or take a photo of the menu and step to the side to take your time deciding what you want to avoid holding up the line.
  3. Don’t expect good service. Time and time again so many fantastic authentic Chinese food joints get poor ratings due to poor service. In Asia, many of these authentic hole-in-the-wall eateries and old school joints are about serving up food quick and cheap and turning over as many tables as they can, street-style. Don’t expect table service, don’t expect niceties, just go in and expect good food and the rest is a bonus. Don’t take it personally, it’s just a way of life that has been ingrained in our cultures. If you prefer a good sit down service, then I’d recommend finding a larger fancy Chinese restaurant – but I have none in the recommendations below, this post is all about quick, cheap, delicious food.
  4. Be prepared to stand or take away. Not exclusive to Chinatown, many food shops in NYC are standing room only or takeaway only, so be prepared to do either. Keep this in mind especially if you’re coming from a day of walking or exploring the city and you’re looking for a place to sit for lunch.
Manhattan Chinatown after a snowstorm

Where is Manhattan Chinatown?

There are a few Chinatowns around NYC (ie Flushing and Bay Ridge), but there’s only one in Manhattan. A quick Google search will show you the outline of this neighbourhood that borders Little Italy. I’ve highlighted the neighbourhood in the maps below.

If you’re feeling like exploring the city and working up an appetite before lunch, my favourite morning route that we take visiting guests is to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge from DUMBO in Brooklyn, walk around the Financial District/Wall Street area, then head up towards Chinatown for lunch. Afterwards you could walk through Little Italy then up to SOHO. You can also consider doing a day of exploring the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island then have dinner in Chinatown afterwards.

Zoomed out map of Chinatown in Manhattan
Zoomed in map of Chinatown, Manhattan
Manhattan Chinatown after a snowstorm

Although Chinatown spans a relatively large area, many of the popular eateries are concentrated around Grand Street, Bayard Street, and Bowery. I’ve mapped out the eateries in this post below to give you an idea of where these places are located (I’m a visual learner – I like maps to orient myself when planning 😊).

My favourite Manhattan Chinatown eateries:

Without further ado, here’s a list of my favourite Chinatown eateries in Manhattan. Let me know in the comments if I’ve missed something you think should be included here!

Matcha Cafe Maiko (the best matcha soft serve we’ve ever had)

Address: 132 Bowery, New York, NY 10013 (multiple locations)
Hours: 12pm-10pm, daily
Website: https://www.matchacafe-maiko.com/eng/
Average spend per person: $5-$15
What to order: matcha and hojicha soft serve

When we first moved to New York, we stayed at an AirBnb for a few weeks until we were able to find an apartment. Matcha Cafe Maiko just happened to be right below our AirBnb. They have some of the best matcha and hojicha soft serves we’ve ever had! Matcha Cafe Maiko uses high quality matcha that allows the strong flavours to come through in all of their desserts. Highly recommend! (Although not a “Chinatown eatery”, this place is so good that I just had to include it in this post!)

Hojicha soft serve
Matcha & Hojicha swirled soft serve

Sanmiwago (a Taiwanese spot with great dumplings)

Address: 90 Bowery, New York, NY 10013
Hours: 9am-2am, daily
Website: https://sanmiwagomeals.com/menu
Average spend per person: $10-$20
What to order: signature pork and chives pan-fried dumplings

We found this place randomly because we were super hungry and it was around the corner from our AirBnb at the time. They advertise themselves as Taiwanese food which was what attracted me to them in the first place, but there are items on the menu that can be from other areas of Asia. It was a small shop and food came out quickly, I honestly can’t even remember everything we ordered, but I remembered that their signature pan-friend pork and chive dumplings were really good!

Xi’an Famous Foods (great spot for cumin lamb and noodles)

Address: 45 Bayard St, New York, NY 10013 (multiple locations)
Hours: 11am-9pm, daily
Website: http://xianfoods.com/
Average spend per person: $10-$20
What to order: spicy cumin lamb noodles, cumin lamb burger

Xi’an Famous Foods serves up delicious food with unique flavours from the Xi’an province of China (read: spicy & lots of cumin). They originally started off in a tiny hole in the wall shop and grew such a large following that they now have 16 locations across the city! A large part of their success can be attributed to a visit from Anthony Bourdain in an episode of No Reservations. Xi’an Famous Foods is known for their spicy cumin lamb noodles and the spicy cumin lamb burger. Both dishes are similar in flavour (one has the cumin lamb served over noodles and the other has the lamb stuffed inside a bun). The noodles are fresh and hand-pulled with the perfect texture so I prefer it over the burger. There’s also a side table with self-serve sauces – I would HIGHLY recommend slapping on their chilli oil and then buy a couple jars to take home. It has a great smokey flavour without being too spicy.

I first came here about 10 years ago and I’m happy to report that although their meat portions in the burger have gotten much smaller, the flavour of the food is just as delicious.

Lamb burger
Spicy cumin lamb noodles

ChiCha San Chen (the best bubble tea we’ve had)

Address: 72-74 Bayard St, New York, NY 10013
Hours: 11:30am-9:30pm daily
Website: https://chichasanchenny.com/
Average spend per person: $8-$12
What to order: bubble milk tea, dong ding oolong tea latte

This is a pretty new spot in Chinatown that only opened in May 2024. It’s a Taiwanese bubble tea company known for their high quality teas and strong flavours and they have a pretty strong fan base. As a Taiwanese person from the land of bubble teas, I’ve had more than my fair share of bubble tea so I’ve got some pretty high standards. At first glance, it’s a fancy looking shop decorated with the theme of marketing high quality Taiwanese tea. The menu is small compared to many bubble tea shops but I didn’t mind because it helps to avoid choice paralysis. We ordered the ding dong oolong tea latte and the bubble milk tea. It was pretty expensive, at about $10 per drink and only comes in the medium size. It took a while for us to get our drink but as we sat there waiting, you can appreciate how much care they take into brewing each cup of tea. The end result paid off. It was indeed one of the most tea-heavy flavourful bubble teas we’ve ever had. If you’re into quality tea, I’d highly recommend checking this place out, but be prepared to wait (it was about 15-20 minutes before we got our drink) and spend $10 per drink.

Kong Sihk Tong (Hong Kong street food)

Address: 65 Bayard St, New York, NY 10013
Hours: 8am-9pm Sun-Thurs, 8am-10pm Fri-Sat
Website: https://kongsihktong.com/
Average spend per person: $10-$20
What to order: Golden lava French toast, beef chowfun in brown sauce, baked rice

Kong Sihk Tong is a place known for serving up Hong Kong style street/fast food. We came here for the first time based on online recommendations. Food was overall average (some fantastic, some just okay) but the prices were great and the service was fast (as you’d expect from a Chinatown joint). There’s a large menu and they take cash only. We went during winter around 11:30am and we were able to be seated right away. Some reviews say that there are often lines out the door in the summer!

We got a few dishes:

  • Curry fish balls: One of their most highly reviewed dishes. It was decent, but similar to the other curry fish balls you can find in Chinatown so I didn’t feel like it was anything special.
  • Golden lava French toast: Another popular item on the menu. It tasted great, but it was definitely on the sweet side. It’s better eaten as a dessert rather than breakfast.
  • Beef chow fun in brown sauce: Fantastic. Great wok hei flavour. It was Toby’s favourite dish of the meal.
  • Baked rice with pork chop: You have an option of 3 sauces: cream, tomato, or black pepper. I ordered the cream base for nostalgia, but was pretty disappointed. I’ve definitely had way better. The pork chop in it was pretty good though! I saw many people order the baked rice – perhaps I’ll try a different sauce base last time since the waitress said it was one of their more popular dishes.

Overall, some dishes were great, some were just okay, but they’ve got a huge menu and we’re open to coming back and trying some of their other dishes!

Curry fish balls
Beef chow fun in brown sauce
Baked rice with pork chop
Golden lava French toast
Golden lava French toast

Bánh Mì Saigon (a damn good Banh Mi)

Address: 198 Grand St, New York, NY 10013
Hours: 10am -5:30pm, Tues – Sun (closed Mondays)
Website: https://banh-mi-saigon.restaurants-world.com/
Average spend per person: $6 – $10
What to order: Banh Mi Saigon (BBQ Pork sandwich)

If you’re looking for Banh Mi in NYC, you’ll be met with countless options. In the search to find the best Banh Mi NYC has to offer, two places kept popping up in my research time and time again: Bánh Mì Saigon and Saigon Vietnamese Sandwich Deli (see below).

For those that are unfamiliar what a Banh Mi is, it is a Vietnamese sandwich made with a French-style baguette-like crusty bread that is filled with a myriad of ingredients that include pickled vegetables, paté, and an option of different meats (no cilantro on mine please). This flavourful combination make it a staple in many Vietnamese restaurants in NYC.

Between the two shops, Bánh Mì Saigon is a larger shop that’s brightly lit with lots of standing room, but no place to sit. Their most popular is the “#1 Banh Mi Saigon” which includes BBQ Pork as the protein. It’s only $8 for a decent sized sandwich. They had by far the best Banh Mi bread I’ve ever had. It has such a perfect crust and texture. and there was a good balance of flavours. Highly recommend!

Saigon Vietnamese Sandwich Deli (another damn good Banh Mi)

Address: 369 Broome St, New York, NY 10013
Hours: 7am – 7pm Tues – Sat, 7am – 5pm Sun, closed Mon
Website: https://www.saigonvietnamesesandwichdeli.com/
Average spend per person: $10 – $12
What to order: #1 House Special (Grilled Pork, Vietnamese Salami, Vietnamese Ham)

Saigon Vietnamese Sandwich Deli is a much smaller shop compared to Banh Mi Saigon. This tiny shop has just enough room for their ordering counter and a large fridge with cold drinks and unlike most Chinatown shops, they actually have a small table by the window and 2 chairs for sitting. Their specialty sandwich is the “No. 1 House Special (grilled pork with Vietnamese ham and Vietnamese salami)”. Although the bread is not as perfect as the bread at Banh Mi Saigon, their filling was really flavourful. My favourite part was the Vietnamese ham 😋. Also highly recommend!

Tonii’s Fresh Rice Noodle (the best rice noodles I’ve ever had)

Address: 83 Bayard St, New York, NY 10013
Hours: 7:30am – 6:30pm
Website: none
Average spend per person:
What to order: Tonii’s special rice noodles (pork, chicken, and dry shrimp) with all the sauces

ChangFun or rice noodles are something I’ve only ever had at dim sum places. It’s usually a rolled up long white noodle dish with a protein wrapped inside and soy sauce drizzled overtop. I had never had fresh rice noodles until coming to New York and Tonii’s (yes, with 2 i’s) blew my mind! At first glance, this hole-in-the-wall shop has no seating and the inside looks a bit suss. There’s a crappy half-fallen down outdoor area with a couple of old chairs and tables that you can maybe clean off yourself if you want to sit and eat, but all the food is packaged as takeaway. I was skeptical, but upon first bite, I was in love! The fresh rice noodles here are so much softer than any dim sum place I’ve ever had. They offer a few different protein options, but their most popular (and my favourite) is the ‘Tonii’s special’ which has pork, chicken and dry shrimp. The rice noodles comes with 4 sauces that are packaged separately and you pour it on yourself: chili oil crisp, sweet soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and peanut sauce. I would highly recommend adding all 4 sauces and mix it all up. It’s seriously delicious and one of my favourite chinatown gems!

Mei Lai Wah (the best pineapple BBQ pork bun you’ll ever have)

Address: 41 Mott St, New York, NY 10013
Hours: 8:30am – 7:30pm
Website: http://meilaiwah.com/
Average spend per person: $3 – $10
What to order: Pineapple BBQ Pork Bun

Mei Lai Wah has hands down THE best BBQ pork buns (charsiu bao) in the city. They come in a regular bun or pineapple bun. The pineapple bun is a misnomer and is named due to the buttery crackled crust on top of the bun that resembles the pattern of the side of a pineapple, but has no pineapple flavour at all. I’d highly recommend getting the pineapple BBQ pork bun – it’s their number one seller. The sweet buttery topping paired with the fatty savoury charsiu pork filling is out of this world!

This place if often very busy with a line up out the door, but the line moves quickly. There’s usually 2 lines, one for cash only and the other for card payment. The cash line is usually much shorter and you can often walk right in to the counter. The shop is quite small, with very limited space and can fit about 5 or 6 people in the store at one time and it’s takeaway only. The buns are baked fresh and served right away, piping hot!

Chang Lai Fishballs Noodles (a place for fishballs and rice noodles)

Address: 55 Bayard St Store B, New York, NY 10013
Hours: 8am – 5:30pm, daily
Website: https://changlaifishballnoodles.dine.online/locations/6703032?fulfillment=pickup
Average spend per person: $10 – $15
What to order: A1. Curry fishballs with rice noodles

This fishballs and noodles shop started off as a food cart and operated on Grand Street for 30 years and only recently opened up this location in 2023. It’s run by a lovely husband and wife (?) team that are so proud of their food and so friendly. Their most popular item on the menu is the “A1 curry fishballs with rice noodles”. I thought the fishballs were just okay but Toby loved them. The rice noodles were my favourite. They’re rolled up and cut into small pieces and mixed with a combination of 4 or 5 sauces that’s a perfect portion for a snack. This is a small shop with limited seating, enough for about 3-4 people.

The Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory (ice cream with Asian flavours)

Address: 65 Bayard St, New York, NY 10013
Hours: 11am – 10pm daily
Website: http://www.chinatownicecreamfactory.com/
Average spend per person: $8 – 16
What to order: anything! Free samples of their ice cream – popular flavours are pandan and black sesame

Chinatown Ice Cream Factory is a small shop on Bayard Street that serves, you guessed it, ice cream! There are a TON of ice cream shops throughout NYC but nowhere else will you find unique Asian ice cream flavours such as durian, black sesame, matcha, pandan, lychee, ginger, red bean – that’s just to name a few. There’s usually a small line out the door in the evenings, however it moves quickly. There’s only enough room for about 5-6 people in the shop at one time and there’s no seating available. You can sample as many flavours as you like but note that popular flavours can run out earlier in the evening, so I’d recommend coming earlier if you’ve got your eyes set on something. Although a bit pricey at $8 a scoop and $11.50 for two scoops, their portions are quite generous.

We’ve been here twice now and although there’s no doubt better quality ice cream elsewhere with a creamier texture, the flavours they infuse into their ice cream knocks it out of the park and keeps us coming back.

Double Crispy Bakery (great steam buns and egg tarts)

Address: 230 Grand St, New York, NY 10013
Hours: 7am – 7pm, every day
Website: none
Average spend per person: $5 – $10
What to order: egg tarts (2 kinds), pineapple bun, mooncakes

I’m always on the hunt for a great egg tart. Double Crispy Bakery was recommended by a coworker of mine who’s a born and bred local. This bakery offers egg tarts in two different types: a “Custard egg tart” which is more traditionally Chinese with a formed crumbly crust and an intact gelatin-like eggy center, and the other a “Macau style egg tart” which is similar to the Portuguese egg tart, pastel de nata, that has a flaky crispy crust with a softer creamier eggy center. Both were delicious. The custard filling had great flavour with a boost of vanilla, but the flaky crispy crust of the “Macau-style” was preferable for me. Although not my favourite egg tart shop (that’s in Bay Ridge), it’s still pretty good here!

They also have a good pineapple bun (a misnomer that’s named for its flaky sweet crust that resembles a pineapple, but actually has no pineapple flavour at all) and mooncakes year-round in a few flavours (I don’t love mooncakes, so you can be the judge). Their large steam buns behind the counter are also pretty decent and are filled with savoury pork, egg, and Chinese sausage.

Shu Jiao FuZhou Cuisine (cheap peanut noodles)

Address: 295 Grand St, New York, NY 10002
Hours: 8am-8pm, 7 days a week
Website: none
Average spend per person: $3-$10
What to order: No. 5 peanut noodles, fried dumplings, fish ball soup

If you’re looking for great cheap Asian food in Chinatown, look no further than Shu Jiao FuZhou Cuisine. This no-flare restaurant offers street food items served at lightning fast speeds (seriously, the food was literally ready within 1 minute of us paying!) and nothing was over $6. Their most popular dish is the “No. 5 peanut noodles 拌面” for $3.25. It’s a generous portion of well-cooked soft wheat noodles over a peanut sauce mixture – no meat, no toppings, just noodles and sauce. I had my reservations when I first walked in and every other person in the restaurant was not Asian, but I love a good peanut noodle dish so I couldn’t resist. The peanut noodles are simple but indeed delicious and worth the visit! The cashier also recommended the fried dumplings (I thought was just okay, but Toby loved it), and the fish ball soup (which I also thought was okay but Toby enjoyed the vinegar addition to this classic soup). If you’re looking for a seriously quick and cheap place for decent food, check this place out!

The ZongZi/Bah-Chang lady outside of Grand Street Station

Address: Outside of Grand Street subway station (intersection of Grand Street & Christie Street) – just listen for her call of “Baaaah-chang”!
Hours: Usually 2pm-5pm most days
Website: https://maps.app.goo.gl/pVKw4RUNyq7avchf8
Average spend per person: $2-$3
What to order: Taiwan-style zongzi/”rice dumpling”

If you’re unfamiliar with the classic Chinese staple food, Zongzi (or also known as Bah-chang in the hokkien dialect) is glutinous/sticky rice filled with a choice different ingredients all wrapped in bamboo leaves in the shape of a triangle prism. The fillings can be savoury (commonly pork belly, egg yolk, mushroom, peanuts) or sweet (commonly red bean or mung bean). The Zongzi should be warmed prior to eating – most commonly via steaming, but you can also unwrap it and microwave it if you’re feeling lazy to bust out the steamer.

Like a character from a studio Ghibli movie, the beloved elderly Zongzi/Bah-chang lady has been selling zongzi for over 2 decades outside of the Grand Street subway station at the intersection of Grand and Christie. Her husband and daughter in law makes the zongzi and she sells them. You can hear her siren call of “Baaaaah-chang!” rain or shine.

Her most popular savoury zongzi is the Taiwan style (represent!) and the most popular sweet zongzi is the red bean. She sells them at a great price at $3 per meat-filled zongi and $2 for the others. Cash only!

We first heard of this lady when we first moved to New York in early 2023 and stayed in an AirBnB a few blocks away from the Grand Street station and would often hear her “Baaah-Chang” call. Unfortunately our AirBnb wasn’t equipped with a kitchen so we never had a chance to try them until recently! I bought her two most popular types and they were indeed pretty good. There was a decent amount of filling and the texture of the sticky rice was perfect. Although I’ve had better, for the price she charges and the quality of the filling, it’s a pretty good Zongzi.

Here’s a Youtube interview I found if you want to find out more about her story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJCbypba4kM&t=386s

The menu

Mee Sum Cafe (a breakfast joint with reputable Zongzi)

Address: 26 Pell St, New York, NY 10013
Hours: 5:30am – 5pm, daily
Website: none
Average spend per person: $10-$20 per person
What to order: dim sum, zong zi

Mee Sum Cafe is known as an OG local breakfast spot, open at 5:30am every single day and serves up traditional Chinese dishes including dim sum. If you’re looking for more Zong Zi (glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in leaves) recommendations, Mee Sum Cafe has a reputation for some great ones, offering up 7 different fillings. Unfortunately when we went, they only had 3 of their 7 kinds left, with the most popular ones sold out 😔. We didn’t have time to eat here so I bought a few frozen ones to go and tried it at home – it was just okay. Perhaps the ones that were sold out are much more worthy of their reputation 🤷🏻‍♀️. I debated whether or not to include them in this post since all I had was their Zongzi and wasn’t blown away, but due to their long standing reputation as an old school breakfast spot, I decided to include it so the rest of you can make your own decision on Mee Sum Cafe and also as a place marker to remind me to go back 🙃.

7 kinds of zongzi/sticky rice wrap

Golden Diner (honey butter pancakes)

Address: 123 Madison St, New York, NY 10002
Hours: 10am – 10pm most days (10am – 3pm on Thursdays) – make reservations ahead!
Website: http://www.goldendinerny.com/
Average spend per person: $20-$30 per person
What to order: Honey Butter Pancakes

Tucked away deep into the non-touristy parts of Chinatown where you need to speak some type of Chinese dialect to order food, Golden Diner is an American-Asian fusion diner that adds a twist to classic comfort foods. You may have seen this diner featured on many Tik Tok and Instagram videos lately showcasing their viral Honey Butter Pancakes – a friend of mine from Canada actually sent me a video of this place which is how we came to find it. I’m not overly excited about pancakes in general, but I am OBSESSED with honey butter chips so of course we had to come and try it. It took two trains to get to this prickly part the lower east side and without reservations, it was a 1.5 hour wait for a table at the bar. I’m glad to report that their Honey Butter Pancakes were indeed worth it. The honey butter syrup really does taste just like the chips and the thick and fluffy pancakes was the perfect light texture to carry the heavy syrup. It comes in a single or double serving. I’d recommend the single – it’s quite heavy and after a while it can be a bit much if you don’t have a sweet tooth.

I’ve written up the recipe for these pancakes that you can check out below:

Golden Diner Honey Butter Pancakes


The Honey Butter Pancakes from Golden Diner in Manhattan are the latest viral sensation! This recipe shows you how to recreate these fluffy pancakes with the unique umami honey butter sauce and a berry compote. Be warned – these heavy but luxurious pancakes may send you into a food coma!

We ordered a few other things here that unfortunately fell short. We had their special of the day which was a asian/cumin fried chicken wings with waffles – way too much cumin and the waffles were dry, and the matcha/hojicha coffee cake which had good flavour, but unfortunately was also very dry.

All-in-all, the pancakes were definitely worth it if you like honey-butter chips, but the rest of the things we ordered fell short. If you plan on visiting, make sure you make a booking, or else it could be over an hour wait for a table!

I hope you enjoyed my list of Chinatown eats! Let me know in the comments if there’s a place you think I should include on this list!

Happy eating!
Abby

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New South Wales Coastal Drive


The Great Australian Road Trip part II

*Note: this post is still in progress, but I’ve published it for anyone who’s interested in continuing the drive from the Victoria border up the NSW coast 😊*

What’s in this guide? (table of contents in progress)

  1. Sample Itinerary
  2. Eden
  3. Merimbula
  4. Bermagui
  5. Tilba Tilba
  6. Bodalla

New South Wales is the neighbouring state to Victoria (follow our trip from Eastern Victoria here). Crossing the NSW border from Victoria during COVID times was pretty uneventful. We travelled during the pandemic and at the time there were no restrictions to leave VIC and enter NSW so there wasn’t any border security (however on the opposite side of the road there were 2 police cruisers and a bus checking for permits to enter Victoria from NSW). There was only a small lit up sign at the border that warned us that if we left, we wouldn’t be able to return without a permit – a little daunting that we couldn’t turn back, but onwards with our adventure!

Dates we travelled: Jan 8th – 16th, 2021

Sample Itinerary

Day 1: Leave Lakes Entrance in the morning, arrive in Eden around noon. Head over to the visitor’s centre for some recommendations then off to the Killer Whale Museum. Spend a few hours at the museum then drive to Merimbula to spend the night and seek out some fresh seafood restaurants.

Day 2: Do an oyster tour in the morning at Merimbula and have some oysters for lunch. Continue driving north and hike to Horse Head Rock in Bermagui. Take a stroll in Tilba Tilba and check out the cute shops. Stop at Bodalla Dairy Shed for a snack and milkshake (or early dinner). Continue the drive to ACT and stay overnight (or onwards north).

Eden

Eden is the most Southerly town in NSW and sits right on the coastline, making it the first town we stopped in after leaving Victoria. It’s a 2 hour 45 min drive from Lakes Entrance, VIC and a half hour drive from the actual border between VIC and NSW. This small town has a rich history with whales and has some great whale watching spots during the whale migration season (May – November). We were only here for half a day and didn’t come during the whale migration season, but we absolutely loved the Killer Whale Museum!

Eden Visitor’s Centre

Address: Weecoon Street, Snug Cove, Eden NSW 2551
Opening times: Mon-Fr 9am-5pm, check the website for weekend hours
https://visiteden.com.au/visitor-information-centre/

Since this is the first town you’ll encounter in NSW, it’s a great place to stop at the visitor’s center for nearby recommendations. The ladies here were super helpful with recommendations of not only Eden but surrounding areas as well. There’s places to snorkel, beaches, hikes…etc. There’s plenty of brochures and pamphlets if you want more information. There’s also a toilet here if you’ve been holding it in since Lakes Entrance ;).

(They also had this random cool stuffed animal couch on display while we were there.)

Killer Whale Museum

Address: 184 Imlay Street, Eden, NSW 2551
Opening times: 7 days a week (check website for times)
Cost: $15/adult
https://killerwhalemuseum.com.au

This is the top attraction of Eden and we can see why! We didn’t think much of it at first, but the museum was full of so many interesting information of this industry. Eden had a rich whaling industry and the amazing part is that the local fishermen worked together with the wild killer whales (orcas) to hunt for whales. Old Tom was the most famous killer whale that helped with whale hunting. The locals would harvest the blubber and leave the tongue and offal for the orcas. This museum details the background of the whaling industry back in the day as well as highlights orcas and their natural history. There are also beautiful views from the upper level platform! You could easily spend a couple hours here. It’s definitely worth a visit!

Eden Lookout Point and Rotary Park

Address: 263 Imlay Street, Eden, NSW 2551
Opening times: 24hrs

Just up the street from the Killer Whale Museum is Eden Lookout Point, where the we were told is the best place in Eden for whale watching. Unfortunately whale-watching season is between May – November and at the time we were just at the start of January We still decided to check it out anyway for any scenic views, but disappointingly there’s not much to this lookout other than open water so I’d probably give it a miss if it’s not the right season.

Merimbula

Half an hour north from Eden is Merimbula, a coastal town deemed “The Heart of the Sapphire Coast”. When we arrived, the visitor’s centre was annoyingly closed even though they were meant to be open according to their website, so we relied on google searches to tell us what was popular in the area. Merimbula is another popular whale watching location and is advertised to have great local seafood and home to the famous Merimbula Oyster. Disappointingly, I actually struggled to find a well-rated seafood restaurant despite all the ads for fresh seafood. We ended up eating at a tapas bar which wasn’t bad but it was overpriced. The town was small and it took about 15mins to walk the majority of the main street. We did enjoy a nice evening stroll on the boardwalk though, which was probably the most memorable part of this town for us. We only stayed one night which is enough time if you’re looking for main tourist activities. If you’re looking to spend more time, there’s an aquarium in town, some beaches, and fishing charters that we saw advertised but didn’t attend. It was a busy time of year when we travelled so we couldn’t find any affordable hotels or AirBnBs in town so we booked a small camper van AirBnb at the next town over in Wolumla roughly 15mins away.

Our dinner at ‘Ritzy Wine Tapas Bar’, Merimbula – we struggled to find a fresh seafood restaurant in town so we headed to one of the higher rated restaurants in town. The atmosphere was great, but the food was average and kind of overpriced, to be honest.
Our cozy AirBnB in Wolumla for one night because all the accommodation was booked out in Merimbula or too expensive. This was $91 for 1 night.

The Merimbula Boardwalk

Address: Market Street, Merimbula, NSW
Open 24hrs
https://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/south-coast/merimbula-and-sapphire-coast/merimbula/attractions/merimbula-boardwalk

Our favourite part of Merimbula – a lovely boardwalk that hugs the Merimbula Lake. We had a nice evening stroll here after dinner and walked amongst the mangroves and spotting mini crabs and puffer fish!

Book an Oyster Tour!

One thing I regret during our trip was not attending an oyster tour. I didn’t even realize it was something we could do until the morning we were set to leave and by then all the tour tickets were sold out. 😦 The Merimbula Oyster (Sydney Rock Oyster) is one of the most well-known oyster in Australia and is served in many gourmet restaurants around the country. There are a few farms that offer tours and the ones that stood out were Wheelers Oyster Farm and Captain Sponge’s Magical Oyster Tour. If we ever come back around during the right season, we’ll be sure to book a tour!!

Bermagui

Continuing North on the coastal drive, you’ll pass by many small coastal towns with beautiful beaches. A few of them had caravan parks right in front of the water where lots of people were gearing up for a surf. After a while all of these towns start to seem similar. We only stopped in one of these coastal towns: Bermagui, to check out Horse Head Rock.

Horse Head Rock/Camel Rock

Address: Camel Rock Surf Beach
https://www.sapphirecoast.com.au/attraction/horse-head-rock

Horse Head Rock wasn’t a big advertised attraction nor was it highlighted in road trip itineraries, but pictures of it in passing made it look too cool to pass up. Access is at Camel Rock Surf Beach where there’s a big rock that kind of resembles a camel. Continue left following the beach over the rocks to get to Horsehead Rock. Warning, the hike does get a bit treacherous with lots of jagged rocks and uneven footing. Wear appropriate footwear such as hiking shoes or sturdy water shoes (you may get your feet wet at times). At the time we had no idea what we were in for so I had Birkenstocks on and Toby had flip flops (or as the Aussies call it: ‘thongs’ 😉) and it was a real struggle to get over the many MANY jagged rocks. But in the end, the hike was SO worth it. We climbed up a few rocks to get beautiful rugged views of the rocky beach and the actual horsehead rock looked just like a horse head, complete with a mane made of moss! We sat here for a bit just marvelling at how accurate the rock was. Definitely recommend! This hike is only accessible at low tide, so plan ahead!

The walk starts on a pristine quiet beach. You head left of the beach towards the rocks – you can see Camel Rock in the background
Camel Rock in the background to the right
Camel Rock
Beautiful rocky beach scenery along the way
We hiked up a few high rocks to get better views – wear study shoes!
Horsehead rock!
His model pose
Little pools to check out some cool creatures

Tilba Tilba

This little town wasn’t actually on our list of places to stop by, but as we continued our drive on the A1 highway North, we saw a big sign for a cheese factory so of course we had to detour. We followed the signs and ended up in an adorable little town called Tilba Tilba. This town is one main street with lovely houses and boutique shops (pictured below, but it was hard to capture the cuteness of the town). The cheese factory wasn’t actually that exciting and the cheeses were average, but the town itself was just so cute that it was worth the little detour. Also, I bought a hat.

Bodalla

We only stopped by this small town for the Dairy Shed that a friend recommended us. There was a nearby bakery that looked cute but we didn’t stop by. Maybe next time?

Bodalla Dairy Shed

Address: 52 Princes Hwy, Bodalla NSW 2545
https://www.bodalladairy.com.au/

This place was recommended by one of our old classmates who worked in the area. She told us of their incredible milkshakes and good food. We’re SO glad we stopped here. Not only were their milkshakes spot-on, they had AMAZING cheese toasty (grilled cheese) sandwiches with delicious chutney. We weren’t that hungry and only ordered one sandwich, but after a couple bites we just had to go back to get a second! They also had some great products you can bring home and a selection of cheeses and ice creams. There are also a few farm animals on site with set feeding times if you’ve got little ones. If you’re in the area, you definitely NEED to stop here.

Bateman’s Bay

From Bodalla we went straight to Canberra, ACT, passing through Bateman’s Bay. Although we didn’t stop here, it’s worth mentioning for next time since this place looked pretty cool from the car window!

Continued to Canberra, ACT

From Bateman’s Bay we detoured inland and headed for Canberra, ACT. If you’re going to go to Canberra, this is the time to detour inland. Continue onto the Canberra page (in progress) for more information on things to do there or continue reading this post for more of the NSW coast!

Skipped Sydney

During our first road trip in 2021, Sydney was in lockdown and isolation due to COVID outbreaks so we decided to skip it in fear of being stuck in a hotel room the whole time and not be able to explore, so we drove 5 hours straight from Canberra to Newcastle. We did return to Sydney for a locum job in 2022 – see the separate Sydney post (in progress).

Newcastle

Newcastle is a harbour city 2 hours north of Sydney or 5 hours northeast from Canberra. It’s a small city with a few major streets to explore. We reached Newcastle just before 2pm and had a late lunch at a nearby popular burger place called Rascal. Their burgers were indeed pretty good and their Bailey’s milkshake was A+. We stayed at the Clarendon Hotel (https://clarendonhotel.com.au/) which was a lovely place central to the main part of town. The main floor of the hotel was a popular bustling pub.

The main attraction here is the Newcastle Memorial Walk and the beaches. To be honest, there isn’t all that much “to do” here in terms of tourist things, but it seems like a nice place to live with so many beautiful beaches around. We only stayed one night here, which was enough time for us to explore the city, but you’d need more if you wanted to add on some beach time. After seeing the local sights we headed back to the hotel for a little rest and ordered dinner from the pub downstairs to our room 😜.

Newcastle Memorial Walk

The Newcastle Memorial Walk is a beautiful scenic walkway that commemorates the “100th anniversary of the ANZAC landing at Gallipoli in 1915 and the commencement of steel making in Newcastle” – fact plagiarized from their website (https://newcastle.nsw.gov.au/explore/things-to-do/walking-and-cycling/newcastle-memorial-walk) 🙃. It’s high up on the cliffs so it was pretty windy when we went, but the views were absolutely stunning. We started at Strzelecki Lookout where we parked our car, and the path led us southwest along the coast where it connects multiple beaches with walkways that lead to beach level. We didn’t end up walking the entire path since it can go quite a long way.

Walk along the Esplanade

From the start of the Newcastle Memorial Walk at Strzelecki Lookout, you can continue walking north to the Shortland Esplanade for some more beautiful ocean-side views including a popular local swimming hole called the Bogey Hole. This walk will end near Newcastle Beach where you can continue on, or head back into the main part of town (see map below of our walking path).

Our walking route from the Newcastle Memorial Walk to Shortland Esplanade
The Bogey Hole – a popular swimming spot right by the ocean
Newcastle Beach in the distance

Explore the City Streets of Newcastle

There’s not a ton to do in downtown/CBD Newcastle, but there a few streets with some shops if you feel like exploring. Lunch at Rascal was great and it was a nice little stroll by the wharf, but not a must-do if you’re short on time.

Lunch at Rascal, a popular burger place with pretty decent burgers and Bailey’s milkshake
The wharf at the northern part of town
First bubble tea shop since Melbourne. It was quite disappointing. 😅

Andy’s Cherry Pie Cafe – a stopover on the side of the highway

Address: 17 Bengal St, Coolongolook NSW 2423, Australia

Andy’s Cherry Pie Cafe is a big beautiful yellow building off the side of the highway that screamed ‘Cherry Pies!’ so loudly that we had to pull over and give it a try. The building was big on the outside but the inside was less than exciting so we sat outside. Neither Toby or I have any strong feelings towards cherries or fruit pies and wasn’t really expecting much, so we bought one slice to share. This pie was so damn good that immediately after the first few bites, we went back in and bought a second slice.

Note: When we visited this place in 2021, there was a big ‘for sale’ sign of the business. From my recent Googling, it appears that this business is still up and running, now also serving kebabs and burgers. I have no idea what the pie tastes like these days since changing owners, but I hope it’s just as good as when we had it a few years ago!

Coff’s Harbour

(in progress)

Grafton

Grafton is not the most exciting town. In fact, unless you’re coming for the annual Jacaranda trees, there’s really not much to do here and would be a miss on most people’s road trip itineraries. The main streets are not that exciting with half the shops closed, and every now and then you’ll run into some dodgy characters. Toby and I were hired as relief vets to work at a clinic here for a couple of months. We had no idea what kind of a place Grafton was and probably should’ve done more research when we signed on, however the recruiter made it sound like such a lovely place with beautiful spectacular purple trees (failing to let us know that they only bloom a few weeks in a whole year). Nevertheless, we arrived and saw for ourselves that there wasn’t much to do here, however the people we worked with were amazing and so lovely that we ended up having a fantastic time and loved working here.

There are some local gems we did discover though, like the swimming area. There are also nearby towns and cities that we’d fill our time with mini road trips (see separate posts in progress).

Jacaranda Trees (early Oct – Nov)

https://www.jacarandafestival.com/trees

The most well-known feature of Grafton are the Jacaranda trees that burst with beautiful purple flowers every year. Sadly, Toby and I didn’t get a chance to experience this when we lived in Grafton due to a mismatch of the season. The recruiter that hired us in Grafton used the trees as a selling point for us to come here, but they conveniently left out that it wouldn’t be the right season when we arrive 😒.

We’ve heard that people flock from all over the country to come see these beautiful trees every year. They’re only at peak bloom for a few short weeks (usually starting in October and by November many of the flowers will be carpeting the ground). Coming back to Grafton for the Jacaranda trees are definitely on my bucket list.

There’s even an annual Jacaranda Festival – https://www.jacarandafestival.com/

Fig Tree Avenue

Address: Breimba St, Grafton NSW 2460, Australia

This avenue is lined with gorgeous enormous fig trees in the middle of Grafton. It’s surreal to walk amongst these 17 giant trees and makes a perfect photo-op!

Sherwood Nature Reserve – Scouts Falls

Location: No actual address, but enter Scouts Falls into Google maps to get a general location. There is a small car park on Sherwood Creek Rd near the Sherwood Nature Reserve sign immediately past the bridge over the Middle Creek.

Nestled in the Sherwood Nature Reserve, Scouts Falls is a hidden gem known to locals as a popular swimming spot. The drive to reach this area is via a hilly dirt road with limited road parking and the walk itself is a bit treacherous with uneven ground, slanted steps, and exposed tree roots as a tripping hazard. Definitely bring some reliable shoes for this walk, especially if there was a recent rain to make the rocks slippery and the ground muddy. We saw a woman slip in her flip flops and get her foot cut up by the rocks (however in the same walk, we also saw children running around in their bare feet at full speed 😯). There’s limited signage so you just have to trust the trail and try not to trip on something. After all this, you’re rewarded with a beautiful waterfall that you can swim right up and under, as well as a pool that’s deep enough for some proper swimming. We’ve done this hike twice – the first was during a busy long weekend and we sadly didn’t think to bring our swim suits (we thought this would just be a waterfall viewing hike), so we sat on the edge of the rocks envious of all the people having fun in the water. The second time we came during a weekday and came prepared with our swimming gear. There was no one there the second time we went and it was so peaceful there to swim around under the waterfall.

Maclean

Maclean is a cute small town that we spotted on the map when I was looking for Asian grocery stores around the Grafton area. They did indeed have an Asian grocer, but it was super small and didn’t have what I wanted, however I’m glad we ventured out here because this town was small but cute. The main street had some nice coffee shops and stores to walk through. Maclean is also on the way to Iluka if you’re planning to go to Bluff Beach.

Iluka – Rainforest Walk & Bluff Beach

Iluka didn’t pop up on our radar when we were researching things to do around the area when we stayed in Grafton, however one of our co-workers recommended the rainforest walk connecting up to Bluff Beach. It was about an hour drive northeast of Grafton and we rented some snorkel gear at a local fishing shop. We parked our car at the side of the road and started the Iluka Rainforest Walking Track. It was an easy walk through the rainforest but it was a bit monotonous and not the most exciting scenery. It took just under an hour to reach Bluff Beach.

The beach was empty when we arrived and it was a lovely quiet spot with lots of small sea shells. We set our things down and went for a snorkel. The waters unfortunately weren’t that clear but we did see a few cool fish. I tested out my new Iphone in saltwater for the first time and it was indeed waterproof! This was the start to all my underwater photography for the rest of our Australia trip.

Thoughts on Iluka: Unless you’ve got lots of time, I’d recommend skipping Iluka. Although it’s a nice and quiet small town, the overall views weren’t mind-blowing. However, if you’re into nature walks and a quiet beach, then by all means pack a picnic lunch and a snorkel. You can actually drive to Bluff Beach instead and skip the rainforest walk if you’d rather just enjoy the water views.

Byron Bay

(in progress)

AbbyLeave a comment

BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham – The Largest Hindu Temple Outside of Asia


Date Published: April 20th, 2025 | Last Updated: April 20th, 2025
Author: Abby | Category: Travel, USA
Date of travel: March 1st, 2025

Contents:

  1. Visitor Etiquette & Dress Code
  2. How much time do I need?
  3. Get here early!
  4. When you arrive
  5. Welcome Center
  6. Mandir
  7. Akshardham – the main temple
  8. Parikrama – Red corridor walkway
  9. Shayona Cafe, Gift Shop, Back to the Welcome Center

Location: 112 N Main Street, Robbinsville, NJ 08561 USA
Opening hours: Wednesday to Monday 9am – 7:30pm (closed Tuesdays), gets busy – come early!
Website: https://usa.akshardham.org/
Entry fees: FREE, but you need to reserve a timed ticket on the weekends and on holidays
Time needed: at least 2 hours to walk through everything, more if you want to check out the cafe

BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham is the largest Hindu temple outside of Asia and it is SERIOUSLY impressive and a MUST visit in New Jersey. It opened only in October 2023 and took 7 years to build with 12000+ volunteers. Some parts are still under construction.

BAPS stands for Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha and it is a socio-spiritual Hindu faith that was revealed by Bhagwan Swaminarayan (1781-1830) in the late 18th century and established in 1907 by Shastriji Maharaj (1865-1951). Founded on the pillars of practical spirituality, the BAPS reaches out far and wide to address the spiritual, moral and social challenges and issues we face in our world. Its strength lies in the purity of its nature and purpose. – https://www.baps.org/About-BAPS/WhoWeAre.aspx

There are multiple BAPS temples globally and more than one location in New Jersey, so make sure you’re inputting the right one when travelling here!

Visitor Etiquette & Dress Code

This beautiful temple is a place of quiet worship and there are a few rules when visiting. The most important is the dress code. Your shoulders and knees need to be covered – if you forget, there may be some shawls or coverings available on the day but you’ll need to ask the information desk.

They will ask you to remove your shoes when entering the temple so be prepared to walk either barefoot or in socks for the majority of your visit. There are shoe shelves at the entrance of each temple.

Respect the silence. People worship here. You can spend as long as you like inside the temples, but be mindful of the volume of your voice.

How much time do I need?

You need at least 2 hours to walk through it all, more if you want to go to the cafe or shop at their grocery store.

Get here early!

Although this temple only opened less than 2 years ago and it’s not quite a tourist hot spot (yet), it still gets busy as the day goes on. I’d recommend coming early in the morning when it’s quieter and feels more serene and there’s also the added bonus of fewer people in your photos and better parking.

When you arrive:

Here’s an overview of the grounds from their website: https://usa.akshardham.org/explore

When you arrive, you’ll see the building from the parking lot. You’ll first walk through the garden area with large golden statue of the child yogi Nilkanth Varni, later known as Bhagwan Swaminarayan and see his 7 year path across the Indian subcontinent during his youth. Bhagwan Swaminarayan is seen as the reincarnation of God and was a spiritual leader and credited for being the founder of the BAPS religion. This statue stands 49 feet tall, to represent his 49 years on earth.

As you walk through the area, you’ll get a great view of the temple with a pool of water in front known as the Brahma Kund. Water represents life and in this pool there’s a mix of water brought from 108 holy rivers and lakes around India and also water from all 50 states in the USA!

Welcome Center

When you reach the Welcome Center on the right side of the temple, this is where they’ll scan your reserved ticket (on weekends or holidays). You’ll go through security then meet some lovely greeters that will give you a map of the grounds and explain the lay of the land.

Guided tours are offered every hour and subject to availability. Check with the information desk if you’re interested. There are also wheelchairs available if needed.

You’ll start your visit at the orientation theatre where they’ll play a 7 minute long video that gives you an overview of this place and areas to visit. There are multiple theatres here so you’re never waiting long for the next video to start. After the video, appreciate the architecture and artwork within this beautiful building.

Mandir

From the Welcome Center you’ll next come across the Mandir. The Mandir is considered the house of the god to whom it is dedicated and is a space for individual worship and personal prayers. There are no photos allowed in here, but there are beautiful marble paintings and carved marble columns similar to the inside of the Akshardham (the main temple). Their website will have photos of the inside if you’re interested in taking a peak, but I highly recommend experiencing the space yourself.

The Mandir is closed at certain times of the day, so keep an eye on the time when you visit. You can always explore the rest of the grounds and come back. It’s a smaller space, takes about 15 minutes to walk through, but there are colourful marble walls here that make it unique compared to the Akshardham.

Akshardham – the main temple

From the Mandir, walk through the centre of the campus and head straight towards the Akshardham – the main temple. You can take plenty of photos on the outside, but no photos are allowed inside.

You will need to take off yours shoes in the Akshardham at the designated shoe shelves. It takes about 30 minutes to walk through it all. The inside is full of amazing intricately carved marble everywhere you turn, including the beautiful ceilings. You get a sense of serenity in this place. The carvings are done by master carvers in India and is then shipped to the USA piece by piece and assembled like a puzzle.

Parikrama – Red corridor walkway

Surrounding the Akshardham are carved red corridor walkways called the Parikrama. These beautiful carved gates creates a trippy effect when you look through. You’ll come across these right at the start of the visit and you could have walked through them clockwise to reach the Akshardham instead of through the middle, but you’ll also come across it when you exit the Akshardham back towards the Welcome Center.

Shayona Cafe, Gift Shop, Back to the Welcome Center

Lastly you’ll enter a building next to the Akshardham that contains the gift shop, cafe, then back to the Welcome Center. There’s an express cafe that’s not always open but the main cafe is the Shayona Cafe which doesn’t open until 11am. They serve both Indian and American food (see photo below of their menu). It looks pretty nice but unfortunately we had lunch plans already so didn’t stay for a bite. Across from the cafe is also a food shop where you can pick up some groceries.

I hope you enjoyed scrolling through our trip to this amazing temple! I highly recommend anyone to visit – it’s such a unique gem in New Jersey!

AbbyLeave a comment

The Ultimate Guide to Top Philly Cheesesteak Spots


Date Published: March 25th, 2025 | Last Updated: Sept 8th, 2025
Author: Abby | Category: Travel, USA

Since moving to Brooklyn 2 years ago, Toby and I have made numerous weekend trips to explore the city of Philadelphia. There’s so much rich history and interesting things to see there, but of course being a foodie, the highlight of every trip for me is the Philly Cheesesteak. Every time we think about making a trip, the first thing on my mind is which cheesesteak are we going to try this time? You could call it an unhealthy obsession. To tide me over between our Philly trips, I’ve come up with my own Philly Cheesesteak recipe that you can check out here.

I’ve made it my personal mission to try as many popular cheesesteak spots as I can find through online research, word of mouth, and local reviews. This post is my personal take on these popular spots. I know there will be a lot of differing opinions and I’ve seen heated debates on who has the best cheesesteak, and at the end of the day the answer will depend on individual preference. There’s no one right answer – it’s like asking a New Yorker who has the best pizza. Everyone will have their own favourite and this post highlights some of my favourites and thoughts on these popular joints.

My go-to order: Whiz Wit with extra onions (cheesesteak with Cheez Whiz and extra onions). I keep my order consistent every time (where I can help it) so I have a standard of comparison between cheesesteak shops.

To skip this long detailed post, here’s a summary of my preferences:

Keep checking back, I’ll be updating this post as we continue to eat our way through this great city!

Contents:

  1. What is a Philly Cheesesteak? What makes it so special?
  2. Dissecting the Philly Cheesesteak:
    1. Bread
    2. Steak
    3. Cheese: Provolone, Cheez Whiz, American Cheese, or Cooper Sharp?
    4. Optional Toppings
  3. Philly Cheesesteak Spots
    1. #1: Jim’s South St.
    2. #2: Dalessandro’s Steaks
    3. #3: Del Rossi’s Cheesesteak & Pizza CO.
    4. #4: Donkey’s Place (across the river in Camden, NJ)
    5. #5: Miller’s Twist – a pretzel cheesesteak
    6. #6: Angelo’s Pizzeria
    7. #7: John’s Roast Pork
    8. #8: Joe’s Steaks + Soda Shop
    9. #9: Sonny’s Famous Steaks
    10. #10: Woodrow’s Sandwich Shop
    11. #11: Campo’s Philly Cheesesteaks
    12. Pat’s and Geno’s – #12 & 13
    13. A note on Fedoroff’s Roast Pork (Williamsburg, NYC)

What is a Philly Cheesesteak? What makes it so special?

A Philly Cheesesteak is a sandwich that is essentially bread, cooked steak, and cheese. The combination of these 3 ingredients don’t sound like much, but it’s the quality of the bread, the tenderness and juiciness of the beef, and the cheesy goodness all combined together that makes this sandwich magical. There’s no fancy truffle aioli, or a complex combination of marinades and spices. It’s just simple ingredients made well. Also be prepared – a good cheesesteak tends to be pretty greasy so pack your wet wipes!

Dissecting the Philly Cheesesteak:

Bread:

The traditional sandwich bread for a cheesesteak is a long Italian roll. It should be soft and chewy on the inside but with a light crust on the outside. The bread roll should have enough structure to hold up your sandwich while absorbing the delicious dripping juices without it being too soggy. It also shouldn’t be too tough that it becomes difficult to bite through.

Steak:

Rib eye is usually the go-to meat for a cheesesteak. It’s tender, somewhat fatty, and flavourful all at the same time. It’s sliced super thin before cooking on a flat top grill and comes out looking almost like ground beef (depending on how thin they slice it) with little folds that hold in all the juices. The first sounds you hear when walking into a cheesesteak shop is usually the clanging and banging of the metal spatulas on the flat top grill as they cook up the steak.

Cheese: Provolone, Cheez Whiz, American Cheese, or Cooper Sharp?

For the readers that are unfamiliar to the cheesesteak life, when you order a cheesesteak, you have to choose what kind of cheese you want. The 3 options are usually Provolone, Cheez Whiz, or American Cheese. Of these 3, provolone is the only “real” non-processed cheese, but I find it to be the most subtle in flavour compared to the others. American Cheese is processed cheddar slices (ie. Kraft singles), and Cheez Whiz is a processed liquid “cheese” sauce that tastes like a melty version of American cheese to me. In more recent years, Cooper Sharp has entered the cheesesteak game which is also another type of processed cheese but has a sharp bold flavour and melts well. Of all these options, Provolone and Cheez Whiz seem to be the two most popular choices. I’m team Cheez Whiz all the way (with Cooper Sharp coming in at a close second), but lately Toby has been leaning towards the provolone. If you’ve never had a cheesesteak before, I’d recommend getting one of each and trying it out for yourself!

Fun fact: The local Philly slang for a cheesesteak with cheez whiz and onions is called a “whiz wit”.

My first cheesesteak side story: When Toby and I went to order our first ever Philly Cheesesteak, we had no idea that there were cheese options! The guy at Jim’s didn’t specifically ask us what cheese we wanted. He instead asked “Provolone?”. In a moment of panic, we just said “yes”. Surely provolone is the most popular option, otherwise he would’ve led with a different cheese choice, right? Sad to report, I was disappointed by the provolone because I couldn’t really taste it and I expected a cheesesteak sandwich to be cheese-forward in flavour – after all, it’s in the name. Maybe we chose the wrong cheese? Maybe we should get extra cheese? After polishing off our sandwich, Toby went right back in line and ordered another one, this time with Cheez Whiz – the gooey orange cheese that you see in so many iconic photos of a cheesesteak. After taking the first bite, we were in love! This was it. The Cheez Whiz made all the difference. This gooey fake cheese product penetrated through the layers of the beef and onions and melded the flavours together into a mess of greasy cheesy delicious goodness. Ever since that visit, Cheez Whiz has been my go-to, although I was also quite impressed by Cooper Sharp at Del Rossi’s.

Optional Toppings:

Onions are optional, but essential in my opinion. They’re usually cooked to just browned and softened with a bit of a bite. I prefer the cheesesteak joints that take it a little further and slightly caramelize the onions to add a bit of sweetness to contrast the heavy sandwich. Some places will offer fried or even raw onions.

Sautéed bell peppers are another popular add-on, but I find it too distracting from the rest of my sandwich so I tend to skip it.

Sautéed mushrooms are not as popular of a topping and not always offered, but I just love mushrooms in general and I find that it adds a nice texture to the sandwich. Toby prefers it without.

Other common toppings: hot banana peppers, relish, ketchup, mayonnaise, and mustard. Some places will have a side stand of these extra toppings to add on yourself. I prefer my cheesesteak with just onions and mushrooms, but Toby will sometimes add relish for a bit of sweet vinegary kick.

Philly Cheesesteak Spots

Without further ado, here’s a list of popular cheesesteak spots around Philly that we’ve tried and my honest opinions about them. With such limited ingredients in a cheesesteak, a good cheesesteak needs to be on point with all 3 ingredients: bread, steak, and cheese.

I’ve ranked them from our favourite to least. Keep checking back, I’ll be updating this list and re-ranking as we continue to check out more cheesesteak spots! I’ve also made a handy-dandy map for an overall view of where all these spots are located. 😊

#1: Jim’s South St.

Address: 400 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Website: https://jimssouthstreet.com/
Hours: 11am-12am most days (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak: $13.49 (before tax)

Pros:

  • Always consistent
  • Moist juicy cheesesteak
  • Good pricing
  • Good location for tourists, about a 15 minute walk from the Liberty Bell
  • Onions are lightly caramelized giving it extra flavour
  • Indoor seating available
  • Takes both cash and card

Cons:

  • Smaller size sandwich (however $2-3 cheaper than most places)

Jim’s South Street is an easy local favourite. Throughout my research of finding the best cheesesteak in Philly, Jim’s came up again and again. It’s easily accessible and is located on the busy South Street with plenty of other restaurants and bars on this strip. Jim’s first opened up in 1939 and has been serving quality cheesesteaks since.

This was mine and Toby’s very first cheesesteak experience. It was everything I expected and more! We arrived at 12:45pm on a Monday in mid November and there was thankfully no line. Even if there was a line, I’m sure it’d move quick since they made our sandwich in record time. As soon as you walk in, you’re hit with the amazing aroma of caramelized onions and beef and the sounds of the banging and clanging on the flat top. Even if you weren’t hungry, watching the meat sizzle in front of you would get you salivating. The shop itself has a retro vibe with some seating available.

We got 2 cheesesteaks here: first with provolone which I struggled to find the provolone flavour, then with Cheez Whiz which made allllll the difference. The onions were perfectly cooked the way I like it – slightly caramelized for a bit of sweetness but with a bite and the steak was so juicy that it was a bit of a dripping mess, but the bread held up well without getting soggy. Delicious!

Update April 1st, 2025: After a string of disappointing cheesesteaks around Philly, we came back to Jim’s again to make sure I wasn’t overhyping this place since it was our very first cheesesteak afterall. I’m glad to report it was just as delicious as I remember it! I was watching the man behind the stove and noticed a few things that makes Jim’s stand out from the rest:

  1. They double layer their cheese – on the bread, then add the beef and toppings, and finish it with more cheez on top so you get a good amount of cheez whiz in every bite.
  2. Their onions are perfectly caramelized which adds so much more flavour with a slight sweetness. Most places will have softened onions without caramelizing them.
  3. This man has a literal kettle of melted beef oil that he pours on the beef while he cooks it to keep it moist and extra juicy as he cooks it.

#2: Dalessandro’s Steaks

Address: 600 Wendover St, Philadelphia, PA 19128
Website: https://dalessandros.com/
Hours: 11am-9/10pm most days (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak with onions: $16.00 (cash only, ATM on site)

Pros:

  • Great sandwich size
  • Good amount of steak and cooked really well, not dry at all
  • No extra charge for onions

Cons:

  • Out of the way from downtown and old town/tourist areas
  • Onions very bland and not enough of it
  • Limited seating – only 4 picnic tables outside, no indoor seating
  • Cash only (ATM on site)
  • Limited street parking

Dalessandro’s was actually one of the first cheesesteak spots recommended to us from a Philly local but due to its location all the way on the other side of the city, it took us a while to make it here since it never seemed to fit into our Philly itinerary.

We came on a Saturday lunch hour in the first week of June and although it was busy, the line went relatively quickly and it took about 10 minutes to get our sandwich. It’s a window-order and pick-up set up that takes cash only (ATM on site). Once you place your order, there’s an automated voice over a speaker and a large screen that calls you when your order is ready and you pay on pick up. There are only 4 picnic-style tables outside and no indoor seating, but luckily we were able to snag a tablet just as someone left.

At first glance, the cheesesteak was pretty hefty with a good amount of meat. The bread was soft but held up well. The steak was super juicy and cooked really well (similar to Jim’s) and there was a good amount of cheese. However, the onions were the let down for me. Even with extra onions, there wasn’t much of it and the onions themselves didn’t have much flavour – wasn’t browned, kind of just soft and bland, almost like steamed onions. Honestly, if the onions were on point, Dalessandro’s would be at the #1 spot for me purely because their cheesesteak is larger than Jim’s and everything else was great!

#3: Del Rossi’s Cheesesteak & Pizza CO.

Address: 538 N 4th St, Philadelphia, PA 19123
Website: https://delrossisrestaurant.com/
Hours: 11am-11pm most days (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak with onions: $16.48 (before tax)

Pros:

  • Fantastic bread – unique sesame artisanal bun
  • Juicy meat cooked well
  • Indoor-seating and they bring the food to your table
  • Takes both cash and card

Cons:

  • No Cheez Whiz, they carry Cooper Sharp cheese only
  • Inconsistent cook with the meat between repeat visits
  • Out of the way from downtown and old town/tourist areas

We came here on our latest Philly trip in February on the recommendation of some Philly native internet strangers. It is a little out of the way from the main city centre and touristy things (~6 mins north of the Liberty Bell for reference) so you’d need to either drive or Uber to get here. Upon first glance, it looked like an ordinary pizza shop with a bunch of pizza boxes piled high near the front, no signs of the large flat top or smells of a cheesesteak.

We ordered our usual “whiz wit” (cheesesteak with cheez whiz and onions) but to our surprise they only do Cooper Sharp cheese! This was the first place we’ve been to that didn’t have Cheez Whiz. It was a little hard to understand the cashier, but I think he said they used to do Cheez Whiz but it got too busy so they stopped offering different cheese options? Either way, the cashier was confident that we’d love their cheesesteak so we ordered one to share. Y’all… this cheesesteak was PHENOMENAL. It instantly became our new favourite cheesesteak. The bread was flavourful with a fantastic golden brown crust speckled with white sesame seeds that reminded me of an artisanal sourdough. It was our first time trying Cooper Sharp cheese and it was so bold and flavourful that it knocked our socks off. It also perfectly melted between the layers of the meat, making it a top contender to my beloved Cheez Whiz. The steak was also cooked well and the combination of everything was perfection. *chef’s kiss*

July 29th update: Del Rossi’s was originally my #1 pick for best cheesesteak, however after a couple more visits, although still delicious, there was inconsistency with the cook of the steak, being a little dry at times, so it’s now my #3 after Jim’s and Dalessandro’s.

#4: Donkey’s Place (across the river in Camden, NJ)

Address: 1223 Haddon Ave, Camden, NJ 08103
Website: https://www.donkeysplacemenu.com
Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, closed Sat & Sun (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak with onions: $15.50 (before tax)

Pros:

  • AMAZING flavourful onions! The best onions in any cheesesteak sandwich I’ve had so far.
  • Generous portion sizes
  • Good amount of indoor seating in a pub setting
  • Takes both cash and card

Cons:

  • Located in New Jersey, across the river in a slightly dodgy neighbourhood
  • Limited menu – cheesesteak, wings, fries, and onion rings (but there’s a full bar!)

Donkey’s Place was recommended by our Philly walking tour guide and claimed it to be just as good, if not better than the cheesesteaks in Philly. Although it’s not technically in Philadelphia, I’ve included it in this post anyway due to how close it is. Donkey’s Place is located in Camden, NJ, just across the river, a 10 minute drive from the Liberty Bell (the USS New Jersey is also nearby if you want to check out a battleship!). This little pub is located on a random street away from any main tourist areas in a bit of a run down neighbourhood. There’s a small parking area for 2-3 cars or street parking. There wasn’t any special advertisement or signs for their cheesesteak and just by looking at this place from the outside, you never would’ve guessed they served cheesesteaks. We hoped we were in the right place.

Upon walking in, it was a cozy bar with some friendly people. You can either grab a seat at the bar or at one of the dining tables for table service. Their little menu posted on the napkin dispenser mainly consists of pub food with the addition of a cheesesteak.

We ordered two cheesesteaks – one with American white cheddar and the other with cheez whiz (no provolone option). The cheesesteak came on an untraditional round poppy seed bun with a hefty amount of meat (I think the waitress said half a pound), and when we said ‘extra onions’, they REALLY piled on a side of caramelized onions which I’m so glad we did because it was the highlight. The sandwich was seriously SO GOOD. The bun was a bit soft for my liking, but the overall sandwich was incredible that I didn’t care. The onions were what made it for me. It had a robust rich flavour and held more moisture, not like your typical caramelized onions. My best guess is that they either cook it down with beef fat or beef stock for that flavour and moisture. I tried to ask the guy how they make their onions, but all he said was “seasoning” which seemed to be a secret. Maybe it’s beef bouillon powder 🤔.

They also had Birch beer – similar to root beer but made with birch sap and bark. A little lighter and less sweet than root beer which I appreciated.

Less traditional, but a good contender for top fave! It’s definitely worth making a trip over the bridge for this cheesesteak!

Update April 20th, 2025: I’ve recently learned that Donkey’s Place was Anthony Bourdain’s top cheesesteak pick!

#5: Miller’s Twist – a pretzel cheesesteak

Address: 51 N 12th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107 (located in Reading Terminal Market)
Website: https://www.millerstwist.com/
Hours: Mon-Wed 8am-3:30pm, Thurs-Sat 8am-5pm, closed Sundays (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak with onions: $7.50 (before tax)

Pros:

  • Unique little snack-sized cheesesteak in a pretzel dough
  • Takes both cash and card

Cons:

  • Located inside Reading Market – paid street or garage parking only
  • Closes earlier than regular cheesesteak shops
  • Sells out depending on popularity

This place didn’t show up on my cheesesteak research, but it did come up during my Reading Terminal Market must-try places to eat. I’ve got a serious weakness for soft pretzels, so of course when I saw that they had a Cheese whiz and onion cheesesteak pretzel, I just had to have it. Although small, it packs a lot of flavour. It’s essentially Cheez Whiz, onions, and steak wrapped up and baked inside a soft buttery pretzel dough. It was honestly SO GOOD. Toby said it was his favourite cheesesteak that day! This place also makes pretty great regular pretzels as well – they’re soft, buttery, and everything right.

#6: Angelo’s Pizzeria

Address: 736 S 9th St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Website: https://www.angelospizzeriasouthphiladelphia.com/
Hours: Wed – Sun 11am-7pm, closed Mon & Tues (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak with onions: $16.04 for a cheesesteak (before tax, cash only, not sure if they charged for extra onions)

Pros:

  • Hefty sandwich
  • Nice sesame bun, baked fresh daily

Cons:

  • Cash only (unsure if there’s an ATM on site)
  • Long lines all the time, they can run out of bread during the day so come early
  • Long waiting time – it took an hour from ordering to pick up
  • No seating available
  • Average cheesesteak filling

Okay, unpopular opinion here, but I think Angelo’s cheesesteak is just okay. 🫣

Angelo’s Pizzeria opened in their current location in 2019. They’re known for their pizza, hoagies, and the cooper sharp cheesesteak. They are praised for their unique fresh-baked sesame bun that is used in their cheesesteaks and hoagies. They often run out of bread during the day and stop serving cheesesteaks altogether, so if you want to try Angelo’s, get there early! Angelo’s reached superstar status when Dave Portnoy (the one-bite pizza review guy and founder of Barstool Sports) gave them a glowing review on their pizza in 2019, calling it “the best pizza in Philly”. Since then they’ve had a line-up out the door from opening to close! They take phone orders, but that’s only if you can get through. Apart from their pizza, their cooper sharp cheesesteak is also highly recommended by so many people. In 2024, Bradley Cooper, a Philadelphia native, teamed up with the owner of Angelo’s, Danny DiGiampietro, and opened up a cheesesteak shop in NYC called ‘Danny and Coop’s Cheesesteaks’, bringing over that famous sesame bun (which we’ve yet to visit – I’m waiting for the lines to die down).

From all this hype and publicity around them, I was super excited to try Angelo’s. It took a while for us to make it here since they’re always closed Mondays and Tuesdays which are the only two days off we get off from work. We arrived here just before 4pm on a Saturday and there was already at least 20 people in front of us waiting to order. This is a takeaway shop only, which means there’s no seating anywhere. There is a park across the street with limited benches, but many people were sitting on a stoop, curb, or just standing to eat. Luckily we found a parking spot directly in front of the shop so we just ate in the car.

It was a 12 minute wait for us to get to the front of the line to put in our order (cash only, pay on pick up), and it was another 40 minutes until they texted us to pick up our order. This was definitely the longest we’ve ever waited for a cheesesteak! Good thing we weren’t starving. We went for a walk on the popular South Street until they texted us to let us know our order was ready – even then, it was another 8 minute wait in the food pick-up line.

Since it took us so long to finally get here and with such a long wait, we ordered 3 sandwiches to try it all: two cheesesteaks – my classic Cheez Whiz, but since people rave so much about the Cooper Sharp, we got that one too, and also an Italian hoagie since Toby was a little sick of cheesesteaks at this point (not me, I could eat it until my dying day!). Sadly, the cheesesteaks were not worth the hype in my opinion. Although the sesame bun was good and super jam packed with sesame seeds, it wasn’t life-changing (I actually prefer the bun at Del Rossi’s better, Toby disagrees). The meat was average – not dry but not overly juicy, there wasn’t enough cheez whiz, and even though I asked for extra onions, it wasn’t enough. The onions were also kinda bland and tasted steamed rather than fried or caramelized. It was a pretty hefty sandwich though. The hoagie was also okay. Overall it wasn’t a bad cheesesteak. I’d say it was average but their sesame bread brings them up a couple points. It definitely wasn’t worth the hour-long process from ordering to pick-up. Maybe their pizzas are more worthwhile 🤷🏻‍♀️.

#7: John’s Roast Pork

Address: 14 E Snyder Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19148
Website: http://www.johnsroastpork.com/
Hours: Tues-Sat 10am-5pm, closed Sun & Mon (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak with onions: $15-16 (I can’t remember exactly, prices weren’t posted, but we paid $18 with a soda)

Pros:

  • Hefty sandwich – lots of meat
  • Indoor and outdoor seating available
  • Takes both cash and card

Cons:

  • No cheez whiz or cooper sharp, only provolone or american cheese
  • Out of the way location in an industrial area with warehouses and strip clubs around

John’s Roast Pork is another popular local spot for cheesesteaks. They won a James Beard Award for their roast pork sandwich in 2006. It’s an unassuming shop located in the middle of nowhere amongst industrial buildings and strip clubs, but despite its location and it being the middle of winter, it was still pretty busy when we arrived. There was only window service with some indoor and outdoor seating available. They call their cheesesteaks “ultimate cheesesteaks” with 12oz of meat in each sandwich (I’m not sure how much meat they normally put on a cheesesteak, but it did feel more hefty compared to the others). Disappointingly they only offer sharp provolone cheese or American cheese. No whiz or cooper sharp. 💔

Overall I thought their cheesesteak was just okay – perhaps it was the lack of Cheez Whiz or perhaps we were following it straight after Del Rossi’s cheesesteak which is tough to beat. I thought the meat was decent but the sandwich wasn’t very cheese-forward in flavour probably because the provolone gets goopy when melted rather than the melty oozy cheese from Whiz or Cooper Sharp – I just don’t think I’m a provolone fan. It’s not a bad sandwich, but I thought it was just average. Toby liked it more than I did.

#8: Joe’s Steaks + Soda Shop

Address: 1 W Girard Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19125
Website: https://www.joessteaks.com/
Hours: 11am-9pm most days, until 1am on Fri & Sat (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak with onions: Small $8.50 / Large $13.89 (before tax) (I can’t remember if they charged extra for onions)

Pros:

  • Offers both small and large cheesesteak sizes
  • Fantastic milkshakes
  • Table service
  • Good ambience, plenty of seating
  • Takes both cash and card

Cons:

  • Good average cheesesteak, wasn’t overly excited by it, not bad but not great
  • Farther out away from the city
  • Can be difficult to find street parking

Interestingly, I didn’t hear about this place from any internet reviews or recommendations. We collect souvenir magnets for all the places we visit and on our first trip to Philly, we came across a cool Philadelphia magnet at the Christmas market at JFK Plaza. At the time I hadn’t even had an official cheesesteak yet, but here in the middle of the magnet was “Joe’s Steaks”. A quick Google search revealed Joe’s to be a locally loved and OG cheesesteak joint that’s been open for more than 70 years, so of course I had to add it to my list of cheesesteaks to try.

Opened since 1949! Originally called ‘Chink’s Steaks’ due to the non-asian owner’s nickname for having “almond eyes”, the current owner took over in 1999 and after much debate, he renamed it ‘Joe’s Steaks’ in 2013 to get with the times and drop the racial slur. Keeping the same recipe over 70 years, this place has been a local staple.

This shop is located in the Northern suburbs in Fishtown. We thought it’d be in a random quiet location like many other cheesesteak shops away from the city, but it was actually right smack in the corner of a pretty busy street with plenty of cool shops and restaurants. We actually struggled to find parking and had to park a bit farther away. Joe’s is in the theme of a vintage diner with retro colours and booths. It’s table service or take away and there are plenty of cheesesteak, hotdogs, and burgers on the menu. This was the first cheesesteak place in Philadelphia that we saw offer a smaller or large size, which was nice considered we weren’t that hungry.

The cheesesteak came out quickly and overall was good, but not spectacular. The meat, cheese, bread, onions were all good – cooked well, decent flavours, but nothing to write home about. The real star of the show was the milkshakes. Toby was OBSESSED with the cookies and cream malted milk shake. Overall, the servers were lovely and the ambience was great, but I probably wouldn’t make an extra trip just for Joe’s (I’m sure Toby would say otherwise just for their milkshakes 😅).

#9: Sonny’s Famous Steaks

Address: 228 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Website: https://sonnyscheesesteaks.com/
Hours: 11am-10pm daily (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak with onions: $13.77 (before tax)

Pros:

  • Great location for tourists, right in old town across the street from many sites
  • Good amount of cheese
  • Nice flavour on the steak with a slight char

Cons:

  • Good average cheesesteak, wasn’t overly excited by it, not bad but not great

Sonny’s is located on Market Street, which is conveniently close to old down and just down the block from the Benjamin Franklin Museum. GQ magazine named it their top pick for Philly Cheesesteaks, however looking at the 10 places they tried, neither Del Rossi’s nor Jim’s was on their list, so did they really sample the best? 😜

We came on a Tuesday afternoon and there was no line. We ordered our usual whiz wit. The bread was average, the steak was cooked well with a nice char (not the juiciest, but still good), and the cheez whiz shone through the layers. Overall it’s a good sandwich with a great location, but there’s better out there. If you’re a visiting tourist without much time to travel further, then Sonny’s is a good choice for a cheesesteak and within walking distance to the heart of Phildaelphia Old Town tourism.

#10: Woodrow’s Sandwich Shop

Address: 630 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Website: http://www.woodrowsandwich.com/
Hours: 11am-8pm daily (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak with onions: $15 (online QR code ordering already – careful it automatically adds 20% tip even if takeaway)

Pros:

  • Good location on the popular South Street
  • Unique truffle cheese with good truffle flavour

Cons:

  • Grainy texture of the truffle cheese
  • Only truffle cheese option – soz if you don’t like truffle
  • Steak was a little dry
  • QR code ordering only even if no one else is there and the staff are not doing anything
  • 20% tip default added on unless you change it

I’ve seen Woodrow’s occasionally mentioned here and there but not consistent enough to make it on the top 10 list, however I just HAD to try it when I heard that they have a truffle cheesesteak. I’m OBSESSED with truffle and I can never pass up anything truffle-related on a menu, so when you mention truffle and cheesesteak together, I’m there.

Located on South Street near Jim’s Steaks, we came on a Tuesday afternoon in April and there was no one else there at the time. Annoyingly, they only do QR code ordering. All 3 staff members there were standing around waiting for me to process my order before anything was started. Had I known, I would’ve just done this from my car instead of 3 people silently and awkwardly waiting for me. Be careful when checking out. My $15 sandwich suddenly jumped up to $19 as the total and I realized that they default add a 20% tip – I nearly missed it in my rush of checking out quickly. Even if you’re ordering for takeaway, 20% is added on (which is crazy because there’s literally zero service – they won’t even take your order at the counter 😂).

Ordering complaints aside, I was still excited to try my truffle cheesesteak. Interestingly they ONLY have a truffle cheese option, no regular cheese. The sandwich didn’t take long to make and we ate it in our car to save money on street parking, lol. Overall it was a tasty sandwich and the truffle flavour definitely comes through, BUT the cheese itself was grainy. They pride themselves on making their own truffle cheese in house and not from a can which I do commend and the flavour of the truffle cheese was actually quite nice, but the graininess was very distracting and kind of ruined it for me. It was kind of like the graininess you’d get from melting pre-shredded cheese that have added caking agents instead of using blocks of fresh cheese (pro-tip: you should never make mac & cheese with pre-shredded cheese for this exact reason). Apart from the grainy cheese, the meat was also a little dry. The bread and onions were average.

#11: Campo’s Philly Cheesesteaks

Address: 214 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Website: https://camposdeli.com/
Hours: 9am-10pm daily (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak with onions: $14.85 (before tax, extra surcharge with card payment)

Pros:

  • Great location right near old town and all the touristy things

Cons:

  • Short and blunt counter service
  • Surcharge on credit card
  • Lack of cheese flavour – I can see it, but couldn’t really taste it
  • Average steak, cheese, and onions

Also located on Market Street just a few doors down from Sonny’s Famous Steaks, we visited on a Tuesday afternoon in April. There was no one else there at the time so our sandwich was made relatively quickly. The counter service was short and blunt and there was a surcharge if you’re paying with card.

I really wanted to like this place due to its great location next to old down, but unfortunately the sandwich let me down. We ordered our usual Whiz Wit. The bread was average, the onions were soft without much flavour, the beef was cooked well and juicy however there wasn’t much char or flavour on it, but the biggest disappointment was the lack of cheese flavour. I couldn’t taste it at all and actually thought maybe they forgot to put in the cheez whiz and was about to go back to the counter to check before Toby pointed out the opaque colour within the sandwich. Cheez Whiz has quite a strong flavour that’s hard to miss – perhaps they have a watered down version or a different brand or maybe they’re just skimping, but I couldn’t taste it at all and a cheesesteak is supposed to be cheese-forward in flavour – it’s in the name! If you’re looking for a convenient cheesesteak on Market Street, go to Sonny’s instead.

Pat’s and Geno’s – #12 & 13

Pat’s King of Steaks and Geno’s Steaks are two cheesesteak shops located across the street from each other at the south end of 9th Street in South Philly. Due to their location and how often they’re mentioned together, I’ve grouped them together here and compared them side by side. They both have impressive shop fronts with neon lights on the outside that make you think you’re in Vegas. When you research “Philly cheesesteaks”, undoubtedly these two shops will pop up again and again in travel guides, probably due to their close vicinity to the popular nearby Italian Market along 9th Street, but be warned, even though they both have 4+ stars on Google reviews with an impressive 10K+ reviews, they have a reputation of being tourist traps. I decided to try them both out to judge for myself – after all, a guide to Philly cheesesteaks wouldn’t be complete without at least mentioning these two places due to their popularity!

Pat’s King of Steaks and Geno’s Steaks in the background

Both shops have outdoor only seating with speedy window service and both are open 24 hours. In order to fit this into our packed Philly day, we ended up coming here at 8am. Although it wasn’t busy, we were surprised how many other people also got cheesesteaks for breakfast.

#12: Pat’s King of Steaks

Address: 1237 E Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Website: http://www.patskingofsteaks.com/
Hours: 24 hours (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak: $14.81 (before tax)

Pros:

  • Quick service
  • Lots of covered outdoor seating (no indoor seating)

Cons:

  • Slightly stale, tough, chewy bread

First up was Pat’s. The sandwich was made quickly and served hot. The flavours were actually decent and the meat was juicy and not overcooked. The big let down was the bread. It was a bit tough and chewy, almost a little stale. Overall it’s not bad a bad sandwich if you wanted a middle of the night cheesesteak, but if you’re looking for the best of Philly, this unfortunately doesn’t cut it. Next is Geno’s.

#13: Geno’s Steaks

Address: 1219 S 9th St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Website: https://www.genosteaks.com/
Hours: 24 hours (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak with onions: $13.89 (before tax) – cash only

Pros:

  • Quick service
  • Lots of covered outdoor seating

Cons:

  • Cash only
  • Meat very overcooked, dry, and tough

Geno’s is just across the street from Pat’s, also covered in neon lighting. It was a similar set up with window service and outdoor seating. The cheesesteak here is $1 less than at Pat’s, but they take cash only. Our sandwich was again made in record time, but sadly we did not like Geno’s at all. The meat was sliced thicker and was overcooked, making it dry and tough. The onions were not cooked enough for my taste with barely any browning. It was overall very disappointing and not worth the calories, making Geno’s last on my cheesesteak list.

Cheesesteak Spots on our list to try for our next Philly trip:

  • Shay’s Steaks
  • Cafe Carmela
  • Stella’s

I hope you enjoyed my rambling on cheesesteaks across Philly. Keep checking back for updates and let me know in the comments if there’s a cheesesteak spot you think we should try!

A note on Fedoroff’s Roast Pork (Williamsburg, NYC)

Address: 178 N 10th St, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Website: www.fedoroffs.com
Hours: Mon-Sun 10am-10:30pm (check the website for updated hours)
Cheesesteak with onions: $18.95 medium 6″; $21.95 large 8″ (before tax)

Although Philadelphia is only less than 2 hours away from NYC, I scoured online reviews to find a local fix between our trips and found Fedoroff’s Roast Pork in Williamsburg, NYC. Since this is a cheesesteak post, I figured that I should include it if not for other New Yorkers, but maybe more for myself to rant into the void of the internet. This is hands down THE unanimous go-to spot for cheesesteaks in NYC…according to everyone else.

I came with an open-mind, making the trek from Park Slope to Williamsburg (which is no easy feat considering how congested the BQE always is or how long the subway ride takes). I was craving a cheesesteak and I was excited. On first impressions, it’s a small shop with really old signage that made it seem like this place has been here for a long time (odd choice since they only opened in 2016).

This place is incredibly expensive. Cheesesteaks usually come in one size and often a 12 inch roll for about $13-16. At Ferdoroff’s you have a choice of “medium” (which is 6 inches) for $18.95, or “large” (which is 8 inches) for $21.95. First of all, it baffles me why a sandwich shop would even bother carrying two different sizes of bread that is only 2 inches in difference 🤨. Second of all, I get that NYC is expensive, but $19 for a sandwich that’s literally half the size as a regular cheesesteak in Philly that’s made of sliced meat, cheez whiz, and onions is beyond me. What’s even more annoying is that they don’t even post the prices on their try-too-hard-to-look-vintage sign. I had to ask the cashier when we went to order. Luckily we went on a Tuesday where they happened to have a cheesesteak special for $12.95 for a medium 6″ sandwich. The server bro asked us if we wanted to upgrade to a large 8″ for $21.95…An extra $9 for 2 inches of sandwich? – I’m good.

Despite this, I still kept an open mind and ordered my medium 6″ cheesesteak. Maybe this sandwich will be so incredible that it’ll be worth the money – after all, it’s so highly reviewed.

It definitely wasn’t worth the wait or the money. It sounds stupid, but I have seriously never been more annoyed eating a sandwich than at Fedoroff’s 😂. Their bread is so thin and soft, that it might as well not have been there. The filling was average, nothing special, but the bread was constantly falling apart and getting mushy. I couldn’t even hold onto it properly. With every bite I was dropping more and more food from my hands and by the end I felt like a child with cheese sauce all over my hands and face. It was a huge mess. It was ridiculous.

I really struggle to see why people like Fedoroff’s. They boast themselves on being the only cheesesteak shop in NYC owned by South Philadelphia natives, yet their website says they pay tribute and get inspiration to the great cheesesteaks in Philly including Pat’s and Geno’s…🤨. I’d rank Fedoroff’s even below Geno’s. At least with Geno’s you know what you’re getting at a fair price. Fedoroff’s make it seem like they’re the only legit spot for cheesesteaks in NYC, but the combination of the high prices, poor product, try-too-hard-to-look-old, and suspicious history makes this place just feel scammy. Highly do not recommend. /rant

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Discover Acadia National Park: Your Guide to Mount Desert Island


Date Published: Dec 2nd, 2024 | Last Updated: Dec 2nd, 2024
Author: Abby | Category: Travel, USA
Date of travel: Oct 13-14th, 2024

START HERE: This post has everything you need to know about visiting Acadia’s Mount Desert Island.

Acadia National Park is the “Crown Jewel” of the North Atlantic Coast providing breathtaking coastal views, mountainous hikes, scenic drives, beaches, and a town with no shortage of restaurants. This national park is a must-do in Maine!

Contents:

  1. Park Info
  2. An Overview
  3. When to travel
  4. How Many Days Do I Need?
  5. Where to Stay
  6. Getting Around Acadia – Driving vs the Bus
    1. Driving
    2. Island Explorer Bus
  7. Park Pass
  8. Travel Tips
    1. Start Early!
    2. Limited Cellphone Service Everywhere
    3. Bring good hiking gear
    4. Print your park pass before you go
  9. Best Things to Do:
  10. Overwhelmed? I got you. Here’s an ideal travel itinerary to hit all the highlights in 2 days

Park Info:

Location: Acadia National Park, Maine (Hulls Cove Visitor Center: 25 Visitor Center Road, Bar Harbor, ME 04609)
Park opening hours: Open 24 hours, year-round. There are road closures in the winter months (check the park website for updated info).
Park website: https://www.nps.gov/acad/index.htm
Park fees: $35 per car (+$6 for Cadillac Mountain vehicle reservation) – https://www.nps.gov/acad/planyourvisit/fees.htm

An Overview

Acadia National Park is made up of 3 areas: Isle au haut, Mount Desert Island, and Schoodic Peninsula. Of these three, Mount Desert Island is the most popular with the most amount of things to do and has the the iconic scenery in this national park. During our trip, we didn’t have time to make it to Schoodic nor Isle au Haut, so I will focus on Mount Desert Island only for this post. We do have plans to visit again next year, so keep a look out for updates!

There is a lot to do here, so if you’re feeling overwhelmed, I’ve done a quick 2-day itinerary to see all the main highlights here.

Although an island, Mount Desert Island is accessible by car via Bar Harbor Road. The most popular things to do are on the East side of the island, including exploring Bar Harbor downtown, Sand Beach, hiking the Beehive Trail, Thunder Hole, Ocean Path, Jordan Pond, the ‘Bubbles’, and Cadillac Mountain. I’ve made a quick map of these places below to give you a rough idea of the proximity of the main attractions. I’ll go into each place in more detail further down in this post.

Map of Mount Desert Island in Acadia National Park

When to travel:

The busy season is between Summer and Autumn. When I say busy, I mean BUSY. Plan wayyyy ahead and book your travel plans at least 3 months in advance if you can. I’d recommend visiting in Autumn for the beautiful orange and red colours of the fall foliage that adds to the already breath-taking landscape.

Photo from the South Bubble summit

If you want to time your trip to synchronize with the change in fall colours, here’s a foliage tracker/estimator that can be helpful when planning: https://www.explorefall.com/states/maine. The leaves will usually start changing colours between the end of September to middle of October, depending on the temperature that year. We went in the middle of October this year and while it was perfect for Acadia, it was too early for upstate New York, and just a touch late for New Hampshire 🤷🏻‍♀️.

Check the park website before you go, as some roads are closed during the winter months and some trails are closed during Peregrine Falcon nesting season in the spring to late summer.

How Many Days Do I Need?

To hit the highlights of Acadia in a flash, you’ll need 2-3 days, but if you want to explore more and take it easy, then I’d recommend staying here a week. Toby and I had limited vacation days and wanted to hit up New Hampshire and Vermont during the fall foliage season as well so we did the Acadia highlights in 2 days. We originally planned for 2.5 days, but we hit some bad weather on our last day and and shortened our stay, skipping a couple attractions. 😦

Check the weather ahead of time since many of the popular hiking trails are weather-dependent, so give yourself an extra day or two for wiggle room incase you need to post-pone any activities like us. Check our 2-day itinerary here.

Where to Stay

There are a TON of accommodation options around Acadia National Park. You pass by motel after motel the closer you get to Acadia but with that being said, ALL OF IT WILL GET BOOKED UP EARLY. We’ve never encountered such a busy place in our travels before. A month before planning our trip, every single (affordable) accommodation option was booked up around the national park and we snagged the only affordable one remaining all the way in Surry, a 45 mins drive from the park. Although it meant that we had to wake up earlier than planned to get to where we wanted to go, we were just grateful to get a place at all! We travelled at peak season in middle of October, so if you’re planning to do the same, BOOK EARLY. I’ve included a map of available accommodation options from booking.com for the middle of October next year as reference.

Accommodation options from booking.com

The best place (although more expensive) to stay will be in Bar Harbor town, inside Acadia National Park. Although a small town, it’s got everything you need at your fingertips, including restaurants, shops, grocery stores, bars…etc. It’s also close to the major attractions in the national park as well. I’ve included a screen cap below of available options in Bar Harbor from booking.com for reference. The downtown area is very walkable, so choose to stay closer to Main Street if you want to be in the hustle and bustle. Read more about Bar Harbor below.

Accommodation options in Bar Harbor from booking.com

If you can’t manage to get a place in Bar Harbor (like us), don’t fret. Anything nearby will be fine. You can always drive to Bar Harbour town and spend an afternoon to walk around (it’s not a big town, you can get through it in a couple hours).

Getting Around Acadia – Driving vs the Bus

You can get around Mount Desert Island by either driving or taking the free Island Explorer Bus.

Driving:

We prefer the freedom of driving our own car, however there are downfalls. Since Acadia gets extremely busy, parking can be an absolute nightmare. If you are visiting popular hikes and trailheads, make sure you arrive early (ideally before 8am) to get a parking spot, otherwise prepare to circle the lots and the side roads again and again until one frees up. We had to do this when we visited Jordan Pond and when we did eventually find a parking spot it was a 30 minute walk away from the trailhead 😭. It was the worst parking experience we’ve ever encountered. When parking lots are full, the rangers will barricade the entrance so you can’t just go in and circle around until one frees up. Therefore, if you only want to drive, start early and also consider that it will limit the number of places you go in a day and you’ll have to factor in the extra time to find a parking spot – for example, we woke up super early and got a great parking spot at Sand Beach parking, however in the afternoon when we wanted to to the Jordan Pond hikes, it was near impossible to find a spot and driving around took up a chunk of our schedule.

Also keep in mind that there is limited cellphone reception, so if you rely heavily on Google maps, maybe have a paper map with you just in case.

Island Explorer Bus:

This is a free bus service that operates only from Summer to Fall and runs roughly every 30 minutes. It takes you to the most popular places and will stop at most parking lots. Their website here has more information regarding the bus routes: https://www.exploreacadia.com/routefinder.html. The benefit of taking the bus is that it is easy and you don’t have to worry about parking, however the downfall is that you’ll have to take your whole day of hiking essentials with you and make sure you have places where you can fill up your water bottle throughout the day. The bus is also only every 30 minutes, so you’ll have to factor that in as well when you’re planning your day.

Island Explorer bus – a free bus service around Acadia National Park

What I recommend: a combination of both. Get up early and get parking at your desired lot. If you’re doing the Beehive Trail first thing (which I would recommend), park at the Sand Beach parking lot. If you’re doing the Jordan Pond trails first, then park at the lot there. When you’re ready to move on to the next location, just take the Island Explorer Bus instead of moving your car. It will save you the hassle of having to find parking for your next location. The bus will go to all the parking lots, so even if you can’t get a spot at your desired lot, just park at the next closest one and take the bus. There’s no cost for parking, so you can leave your car at the same place all day.

Park Pass

You will need to purchase a park pass to enter Acadia National Park. There’s no gated entry, but there are plenty of rangers around checking people’s cars for the pass. It’s $35 per car and must be displayed on your windshield. This park pass allows you to go anywhere within the park, however if you wish to drive up Cadillac Mountain (more on that below), you will have to purchase an additional timed vehicle reservation pass ($6 per car). The Cadillac Mountain sunrise tickets sell out quick so plan ahead of time!

The park pass and Cadillac Mountain vehicle pass can both be purchased online ahead of time on the government website: https://www.nps.gov/acad/planyourvisit/fees.htm. You can purchase the park pass in person at the visitor’s centre in town, but not the Cadillac Mountain pass. I’d highly recommend buying both online beforehand and have it printed and ready to go, so you have one less thing to worry about. In peak season, it can be incredibly busy and parking can be a huge hassle – don’t waste your trip waiting in line to look for parking just to buy a park pass!

Travel Tips

Start Early!

If there’s one piece of travel advice I can give you for visiting Acadia National Park, it’d be to start early! Ideally at sunrise. If you were looking for a relaxing getaway of sleeping in, I’m sorry to disappoint you. Because this place has so much to offer, it gets INCREDIBLY busy especially in the summer and fall season – I’m talking about having to park a half an hour away from your car busy – and everyone wants to hit up the same areas and the same iconic hikes. It gets so busy that not only will you struggle to find parking, but you’ll even have to wait in line to climb up mountains! It gets insane, trust me. Getting up early is the only way to ensure the best time away from the majority of the crowds and the frustrations of finding parking. You’ll appreciate the calmer and quieter surrounding in the early morning and take in nature without all the noise.

A benefit of starting early is that you get to see some wicked cool sunrises.
Limited Cellphone Service Everywhere

There is very limited cell reception in Acadia. You might get some pockets of good reception on top of mountains, but it’s spotty at best. There’s free wifi at Jordan Pond House and also decent wifi in Bar Harbor town, but apart from that be prepared for your service to jump in and out. I’d recommend picking up a map of the area or screenshot it on your phone before heading out and going on hikes just incase you lose reception and get lost.

Bring good hiking gear

There are plenty of rock-scrambling and cliff-side hikes to embark on in Acadia. If you plan on trekking through these popular hikes, a reliable pair of hiking shoes with good grip is a must! There’s also rock-climbing involved in some of the trails, so I’d also recommend a good pair of hiking pants that will hold up against abrasive surfaces. Hiking sticks can be useful, but depending on your hike, there are some trails that will require your hands to climb up and down rocks and hold on to iron rungs.

You need to display the Acadia park pass in your windshield when you park. Remember to have it printed and ready to go before you travel or hope that your hotel or accommodation will have a printer you can borrow.

Best Things to Do:

A summary of the best things to do:

Sand Beach

This is the largest sandy beach in Mount Desert Island and unsurprisingly is a very popular spot in the summertime. This open beach is a lovely place to relax and enjoy the views and sounds of crashing waves or to rest your legs after a long hike. We came here during the fall so the weather was a bit chilly for swimming, but there were still plenty of families here with children playing in the sand.

To access Sand Beach, park at the Sand Beach parking lot and it’s only a few steps away.

Ocean Path

Distance: 6.6km (3.3km each way)
Duration: 1.5 hours out and back, not counting time for photos
Trail type: out & back
Start: Sand Beach parking lot

Ocean Path is a lovely walking path along the coast of Maine. The path is narrow and follows along Park Loop Road, but there are multiple small paths to diverge off in the trail to get closer to the views and rocky terrain, best for that perfect Acadia photo. This path is flat and easy to walk on, popular for runners, hikers, photographers, and bird-watchers.

Getting to the start of the trailhead from the parking lot

This out and back path starts at Sand Beach parking lot and continues for 3.3km, ending at Otter Point Overlook. Apart from enjoying the views along the way, there are 4 main stopovers on this path: 1) Thunder Hole, 2) Otter Cliff Overlook, 3) Boulder Beach and 4) Otter Point Overlook (marked on the map).

Ocean Path, 6.6km, roughly 1.5 hours to walk to entirety

You can choose to walk as much or as little of this path as you like. If you don’t feel like walking, you can drive down Park Loop Road and you’ll see turn offs for small parking lots at each of the stops (but I’d recommend walking to see the views along the way). Note: Park Loop Road is a one-way road to accommodate for road-side parking, so you can only travel from North to South by car.

Some photos along Ocean Path on our way to and back from Thunder Hole:

Small paths along the trail to get closer to the coast
Small parking lots turn off at Thunder Hole
We drove to Otter Cliff Overlook (which wasn’t really worth the stopover in my opinion) – Otter Point Overlook not pictured

Thunder Hole

Thunder Hole is the most popular stop-off on Ocean Path where you can watch waves crash into the rocks, creating a burst splash of water high into the air. You have to come 2 hours before high tide to experience this. We didn’t manage to get our timing right, but it’s still neat to stop over here anyway. It’s roughly a 20 minute walk to Thunder Hole from Sand Beach via Ocean Path with beautiful views along the way.

Thunder Hole
The terrain around Thunder Hole
Thunder Hole not at high tide </3
Coast views at Thunder Hole
What it’s meant to look like if we came at the right time 😅

Beehive Trail

The Beehive Trail is one of Acadia National Park’s most popular hikes, offering breath-taking panoramic views. This hike has a reputation for being thrilling and difficult with iron rungs and vertical climbs but we personally didn’t find it bad at all, especially with good pacing. I recommend starting early, wearing good shoes, and dressing in layers. For safety, avoid this hike if it’s raining. Follow this in-depth guide about hiking the Beehive trail here.

Views on the Beehive Trail

Hiking Acadia’s Beehive Trail: A Complete Overview


The Beehive Trail in Acadia National Park is one of the most popular hiking trails known for its stunning panoramic views and challenging vertical climbs. This guide has all the information you need to tackle this trail.

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Jordan Pond Trails

There are numerous trails you can hike around the Jordan Pond, and many of them conveniently start at Jordan Pond House Restaurant. The 3 most popular hikes here are the Jordan Pond Path, Jordan Cliffs Trail, and Bubbles Trail. You can also combine all 3 hikes to get the best of all of them – which is what we did! Follow my complete guide to hiking these trails here.

View of the “Bubbles” from Jordan Path
View from Jordan Cliffs trail
View from the Bubbles Trail, at the top of South Bubble
View from Jordan Pond Path

Jordan Pond House Restaurant

Outside of Bar Harbor, there is a very limited selection of restaurants on Mount Desert Island in Acadia National Park. Jordan Pond House Restaurant is the most popular choice not only because of their good food, but also because of its convenient location where many trailheads are located. The back patio of this restaurant also offers views of Jordan Pond and the North and South “bubbles”.

They’re known for their popovers here, which is kind of like a hollow muffin made with a thin batter, served with butter and their local-made jam. It was okay, but for me the star of the meal was their meatloaf sandwich! Find out more about this restaurant here.

Cadillac Mountain at Sunrise

Cadillac Mountain is the highest point on the eastern seaboard and is famously known to be the best (and first) place to watch the sunrise in Acadia. You can get to the summit by either hiking or driving, but generally driving is the preferred option so you’re not hiking in the dark to get up the mountain by sunrise.

Due to its popularity, Cadillac Mountain is the only place in Acadia National Park where you need a vehicle reservation to drive to the top. You must pre-purchase your reservation ahead of time online on the government website: https://www.recreation.gov/timed-entry/400000. This ticket is in addition to the park pass – you must have both to drive up the mountain. You cannot buy these tickets in person unlike the park pass. 30% of the tickets are released 90 days in advance and the remaining 70% are released 2 days prior at 10am EST.

The government reservation website screenshot of the two ticket type reservations.

Tips to securing a ticket: When you get to the government website, there are 2 types of tickets to choose from: sunrise and day tickets. Not surprisingly, the sunrise tickets are the most highly sought after. Set your timer and get multiple people on multiple devices because as soon as it hits 10am (eastern time – make sure you’re in the right time zone), you must click immediately for your best chances. I tried this on two occasions and swore I clicked exactly on time and the tickets were already sold out within a SECOND. It was insane. Once you’re in, the system reserves the ticket for you for 15 minutes until you check out. Pro-tip: If you didn’t secure a ticket at 10am, keep refreshing and wait until 10:15am to see if tickets become available. All the people that didn’t check out their tickets within the 15 mins have their tickets timed out and gets put up for sale again. This was actually how I managed to snag our tickets 🤫. Once you check out, you’ll get sent a QR code that they will scan at the gate on the day.

The sunrise tickets are timed to enter between 5:30am – 7:30am, there’s no time limit on how long you can stay up there. It is recommended to arrive 1 hour prior to sunrise. It takes about 20 minutes to drive to the top and only a few minutes from the car park to walk to the views.

Map of Cadillac Mountain summit – smaller West lot on the left and East lot on the right

Sadly for us, we did everything right, but the weather was not in our favour. We woke up super early and got to the gate entry at 6:20am, about 20 mins before sunrise (a bit late). We knew visibility was going to be poor, but we had hopes of a small break in the clouds for the views so we drove up anyway – after all, we were already there and the $6 was spent. They scanned our QR code at the gate and it only took us 15 minutes to drive to the top (although I’ve heard it can take up to 30 mins due to slower people unfamiliar with driving up mountain roads and it’s single file all the way up). Once we got to the top, there are 2 parking lots. You’ll pass the smaller West lot first which is farther away (seems like the overflow lot), then you’ll reach the East lot, which is a semi-circle and is directly in front of the trail. You want to park in the East lot. When we visited, the weather was so bad that you could barely see 10 feet in front of you so we just got out to have a quick peak, then got back into our car and headed straight for a warm breakfast in Bar Harbor.

East lot with no visibility at sunrise
</3
What we shoud’ve been seeing
Toby pointing at where the view should be 😅

There’s a short and easy 500m trail around the Cadillac Summit that was supposed to be nice to see. I guess we’ll have to try again next time. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Bar Harbor

Bar Harbor is the only major town in Acadia National Park. Here you’ll find lots of cute shops, souvenirs, restaurants, hiking gear, and even a big grocery store for all your food needs. There are also tons of accommodation options in this small town that get booked out way in advance during the busy season.

Map of downtown Bar Harbor – Main Street will be the majority of the shops

You don’t need to spend a ton of time in Bar Harbor, an afternoon is enough to explore this small town. It only takes about 15 minutes to walk from one end to the other. Main Street is the street with the most shops. There are TONS of seafood restaurants around here and of course, lobster rolls – when in Maine!

Take a stroll down The Shore Path that starts at the North end of town from Agamont Park. From here, you can see a ton of lobster boats anchored in the water (we counted at least 26). Continue walking on the path that wraps around Bar Harbour Inn, a big beautiful inn with spa amenities (looked expensive). The path can go for a while but we stopped wen we reached the small beach at Balance Rock and took a right to head back onto the Main Street, weaving through the beautiful old houses in the quiet neighbourhood.

Agamont Park
View from the harbor
The many many lobster boats – we counted 26!
Bar Harbour Inn
Balancing Rock

If you need to stock up on supplies, there is a large corporate grocery store that sits at the edge of town called Hannafords.

We had breakfast at a highly rated local diner called Jordans Restaurant (conveniently located next to Hannfords). They open at 5am, which was perfect for us after our big disappointment with the gloomy weather on Cadillac Mountain. When we arrived at 7am, the diner was already half full. By the time we left an hour later, there was a line up out the door! They have a decent sized menu, boasting their wild blueberry muffin and wild blueberry pancakes – we got both (and Toby added chocolate chips to the pancake). We also got the lobster roll, clam chowder, and lobster cheese omelette – if you haven’t noticed, we often order too much food because I want to try it all 😅. Overall it was an okay meal. I liked the home fries and the lobster roll was great (soft fluffy toasted buttered bun). The pancakes with the wild blueberry sauce was good but the lobster omelette and blueberry muffin was just okay. The staff was real friendly and the place had a great buzz about it.

If you’re looking for great coffee, there’s a cool local shop called Vacationland Coffee Roasters where they roast their own beans onsite and will package it fresh for you. What actually drew me here was the super cool logo with the lobster claw pinching a coffee bean. I bought a bag of beans just for the logo 😅.

Overwhelmed? I got you. Here’s an ideal travel itinerary to hit all the highlights in 2 days:

I’ve put together an ideal sample itinerary to hit the highlights of Acadia National Park from our experience (our real itinerary was a bit more messy):

Before you go:

  • Check the tide times for Thunder Hole and estimate to arrive at Thunder Hole 2 hours before high tide. Depending on when you go, you will have to adjust your itinerary to either do Thunder Hole before or after the other activities to get there at the right time. There is a parking lot at Thunder Hole that gets pretty busy so plan accordingly. You can also walk from Sand Beach parking lot via Ocean Path – takes about 20 minutes. You really only need 10 mins at Thunder Hole to watch the waves crash.
  • Make a lunch reservation at Jordan Pond House, timing will depend on where you are able to fit Thunder Hole in.
  • *Book your Cadillac Mountain vehicle pass 2 days in advance.

Day 1: Beehive Trail, Ocean Path, Thunder Hole, Jordan Pond Trails

  • 7am (or earlier): Get to Sand Beach parking lot by 7am to secure a parking spot.
  • 7am – 9am: Hike the Beehive Trail when the sun rises to avoid the crowds. This hike takes roughly 1.5-2 hours, depending on your pace and crowds.
  • 9am-10:30am: Finish the Beehive Trail and head towards Sand Beach to take in the views of the ocean, then walk the Ocean Path (conveniently also starts from the Sand Beach parking lot). Ocean path does link up to Thunder Hole, so if the timing is right you can head there after hiking the Beehive Trail.
  • 11am – Noon: Arrive at Jordan Pond House for your lunch reservation, or if you didn’t secure a reservation, get there before 11am and line up to get seated. If you were able to make a late booking, you’ll have more freedom in your time.
  • 12-4pm: Hike the Jordan Pond Trails (takes about 3-4 hours, be mindful of the time of sunset that day).
  • 4pm onwards: The loop finishes back at the restaurant. Depending on how tired you are, you can have dinner here or head to Bar Harbor for more restaurant options. Have an early rest and wake up early the next day.
  • Note: you can also flip the hikes around and do Jordan Pond Trails first, then lunch at Jordan Pond House and Beehive Trail last, however the Beehive Trail is one of the busiest trails and it will get PACKED in the afternoon, whereas the Jordan Pond Trails are not as busy.

Day 2:

  • 5:30-7:30am: Arrive at the Cadillac Mountain summit before sunrise (make sure you have a vehicle reservation pass).
  • 7:30a – 9am: Enjoy the sunrise views and walk around the Summit Loop.
  • 9am – 10am: Breakfast in town at Bar Harbor – we went to Jordan’s Restaurant. Quick service, decent food, nice people.
  • 10am onwards: Spend the rest of the day exploring Bar Harbour
    • Browse the shops
    • Walk across the foot bridge to Bar Island at low tide to get some views of Bar Harbor from a distance (make sure you come back before the water level rises again!)
    • Book a lobster boat tour with LuLu Lobster Boat Tour (tour times are usually 9am, 11:30am, 2:30pm) – https://lululobsterboat.com/
    • Have lunch or dinner in one of the many restaurants in town
  • Sunset at Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse
    • This is optional and a VERY busy place at sunset. We did not end up doing this due to timing and weather, but other visitors have recommended coming 3 hours before sunset just to get a parking spot due to the very small lot that’s there. It’s roughly a 30 minute drive from Bar Harbor.

Less popular places that came up in my research for this trip but we didn’t get to go due time constraints, so I’ll make a list here for reference on our next trip to Acadia. You’d need at least another day to fit the rest of this into the itinerary:

  • Beech Cliff Ladder Trail – we didn’t get to go due to weather, but this hike (strenuous, roughly 2 hours) provides beautiful views over Echo Lake. It’s not as exhilarating as the Beehive Trail or Precipice Trail but there are still iron rings, ladders, and cliff-side walks. Park at the Echo Lake Beach Entrance for the trailhead.
  • Precipice Trail – I didn’t put this in my original itinerary because of the multiple warnings and thrilling things about this hike, but after doing the Beehive Trail which was also meant to be scary but wasn’t bad at all, I think we’ll give this hike a go next time. It’s the most dangerous hike in Acadia and will take you anywhere between 1-3 hours. Arrive early for a parking spot (what else is new?).
  • Walk across the foot bridge to Bar Island at low tide from Bar Harbor to get views of Bar Harbor.
  • Drive around to the other little towns (ie. Southwest Harbor and Northeast Harbor)
  • Watch the sunset at Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse
  • Visit Echo Lake
  • Visit the other two Acadia regions: Schoodic Point and a day in Isle au Haut
  • LuLu Lobster Boat Tour (9am, 11:30am, 2:30pm) – https://lululobsterboat.com/

Discover Acadia National Park: Your Guide to Mount Desert Island


Acadia National Park is the “Crown Jewel” of the North Atlantic Coast providing breathtaking coastal views, mountainous hikes, scenic drives, beaches, and a town with no shortage of restaurants. This national park is a must-do in Maine!

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