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Based on data from social media, pizza takes the crown as the most photographed food alongside cheesecake and sushi

Written by Gerrish LopezTime Out Contributor, USMonday January 5 2026

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Photograph: Courtesy L’Industrie Pizzeria | L’Industrie Pizzeria

In today’s world, people eat publicly. Did you even try Dubai chocolate if you didn’t post about it on social media? In New York especially, thousands of famous local foods are photographed and posted every day, from pizza and bagels to cheesecake and sushi. Turns out that, according to new social media analysis from Nations Photo Lab, some dishes are far more hashtag-worthy than than others.

Pizza, unsurprisingly, is the ruler of the NYC food feed. Across Instagram and TikTok, #nycpizza has racked up more than half a million Instagram posts alone. It’s the city’s most photographed food by a landslide. But it’s not just the pizza, it’s where it’s from. Upon further analysis, the study reveals that Brooklyn comes out on top as the most tagged pizza location, beating Manhattan more than two to one. L’Industrie Pizzeria, in Williamsburg, is the standout, name-checked repeatedly by users chasing the perfect slice and the perfect photo to go with it.

Second place in the food photo popularity contest goes to cheesecake. While it doesn’t quite match pizza’s numbers, #nyccheesecake still boasts hundreds of thousands of posts, most of them on Instagram. Queens is the top spot for cheesecake, proving that some of the city’s best food can be found outside Manhattan. Jackson Heights favorites like Lety’s Bakery and Cafe and Cannelle Patisserie are among the most tagged cheesecakes.

Sushi rounds out the top three food faves, as #nycsushi pulls in nearly 85,000 posts across platforms. Manhattan is the star when it comes to sushi. Midtown alone accounts for a hefty share, thanks to heavy-hitters like Hatsuhana, Nobu Fifty Seven and Sozai. The food is always a work of art, and the sleek dining rooms of these Manhattan restaurants clearly play well on camera.

Manhattan emerges as the city’s most tagged food borough overall. In a sample of 5,000 food-related captions, it appears in more than 500 posts tied to the top ten dishes. Sandwiches are notably popular. Nearly a quarter of all sandwich photos are tagged Manhattan, reflecting the popularity of the deli classics iconic in the borough. With just a handful fewer tags than Manhattan, Brooklyn leads the pack for pizza, burgers, ramen, tacos and hot dogs. Queens comes in third place, buoyed by its cheesecake supremacy.

These iconic NYC foods are always ready for their closeup, and diners are more than willing to share their photogenic meals.

NYC’s most photographed foods

1. #nycpizza
2. #nyccheesecake
3. #nycsushi
4. #nycbagel
5. #nycburger

Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.

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