The 10 Best Indie Food Companies In New York City

New York’s community of creatives has put its hand in the cookie jar, producing thoughtful and exciting products made for individuals by individuals. Offering cuisine with character, the city’s independent food companies are putting passion on the menu. From candied jalapeños to artisan pop tarts, here’s what New York’s most creative minds are cooking up.

Better Off Spread

Sticking to the classics, Better Off Spread delivers an array of unique nut butters sure to liven up your trusty PB and Js. Ranging from sweet to savory, the couple-run company offers exciting flavors such as spicy jalapeño and white chocolate cinnamon. With Better Off Spread’s organic, natural ingredients and complex flavor varieties, your favorite lunch box staple just got a tasty grown-up twist.

FIELD TRIP

Megpies

Nostalgic noshers will love Megpies, a Brooklyn business serving all natural pop tarts resembling your favorite grab-and-go breakfast from back in the day. Today’s incarnation of tart treats comes in elevated flavors including spiced pear, rich chocolate ganache, and salted caramel apple. From sidewalk bake sales to Smorgasburg stands, Megpies is one of the local indie food scene’s sweetest success stories.

Mike’s Hot Honey

Whatever cooking conundrum comes your way, Mike’s Hot Honey is the solution. From fried chicken and pizza to fruits and cheeses, this chile-infused honey is great on everything. Mike’s creative condiment has earned a superhero status amongst local restaurants and grocers and is ready to save your day — or meal — at hot spots including Paulie Gee’s, Sweet Chick, and Dean and DeLuca.

Yes Way Rosé

For those in denial of the season’s dropping temperatures, indie wine brand Yes Way Rosé is still serving up ‘summer water,’ a light yet flavorful rosé born for beating those winter blues. Thanks to the creative women behind this fashion-world favorite, you can now enjoy the taste of summer all year long.

Little Bird

Little Bird’s unexpected treats prove great things come from getting curious in the kitchen. The husband-and-wife duo behind this Queens-based operation specializes in ‘curious confections,’ including chocolate-covered candied jalapeños and sweet-and-spicy chocolate bark. Offered in dark, milk, and white chocolate varieties, Little Bird’s bite-sized snacks are the perfect purchase for adventurous appetites.

Brooklyn Brittle

Marrying tradition and innovation, Brooklyn Brittle reinvents a classic underrated snack with natural ingredients and complex flavors. The brand’s handcrafted brittle comes in both sweet and savory varieties, including espresso chocolate chip, pistachio olive, and cinnamon walnut. An all-purpose snack staple for wine pairings, cheese boards, and breakfast bites, Brooklyn Brittle’s retro treat just might be better than mom used to make.

The Kale Factory

New York’s kale craze isn’t over just yet, and Brooklyn business The Kale Factory makes a strong case for its continuation. Spicy miso kale chips, sweet chipotle ‘kale krackers,’ and coconut-date ‘greenola’ are just a sampling of the flavorful vegan fare. With its kosher, dairy-free, and gluten-free snack options, The Kale Factory makes healthy eating easier than ever.

DŌ

Knowing that the best part of baking is the batter, the passionate baker behind DŌ delivers the dish of your childhood dreams — cookie dough that’s safe to eat. Catering to both kids and kids-at-heart, this one-woman operation offers over twenty flavor varieties ranging from classic chocolate chip to inventive options such as peanut butter and jelly and trail mix. Also offering vegan, dairy-free, and organic options, DŌ ensures there’s nothing guilty about this pleasure.

Chai Mookie

Each cup from Brooklyn-based tea brand Chai Mookie is brimming with flavor and health benefits thanks to all-star ingredients like black pepper, cinnamon, and ginger. The brand’s flavored blends also feature exciting add-ons such as cacao, espresso, and green tea. Using only the freshest ingredients from Fair Trade markets, Chai Mookie encourages a healthy body and a happy conscience.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.