Russ & Daughters Cafe

The experience: Sampling fish at a Jewish appetizing store
After starting as a pushcart selling herring, more than a century later, family-run Russ & Daughters continues to be a local institution for smoked fish, bagels, schmears, and more. For New Yorkers, waking up with a craving for their fish offerings on the weekend means mobilizing quickly because there’s a good chance a line is already forming. Head to the original shop, the Russ & Daughters Cafe on Orchard Street which opened in 2014 to mark the brand’s 100th anniversary, or a Brooklyn Navy Yard locale.