Knish
"A knish is a baked or fried dumpling of Eastern European Jewish origin: a ball of mashed potato filling wrapped in dough, either round or square. Fillings vary (potato, kasha, spinach, cheese) but potato is the classic. It's dense, filling, cheap ($3-5), and served hot. You eat it with your hands, often with mustard. It's working-class fuel—a hot, portable meal in one package."
Logistics
Affordable
Vibe
Hearty, old-school
Duration
10 minutes
Best For
Snacking
The Backstory
Brought by Jewish immigrants from Ukraine and Poland in the late 1800s. Yonah Schimmel's Knish Bakery (1910) on the Lower East Side is the oldest surviving knishery and still uses original recipes. Knishes were sold by street vendors from hot boxes throughout the 1900s. The square shape (vs. round) is a Yonah Schimmel signature.
Local Secret
"Order potato knish with mustard—this is the traditional combination. Yonah Schimmel's on Houston Street is the pilgrimage site (since 1910). The knish should be hot, dense, and filling—it's a meal, not a snack. Kasha (buckwheat) is the second most popular flavor. Found at Jewish delis and bakeries, increasingly rare outside the Lower East Side."