The best matzo ball soups in NYC

2nd Ave Deli is universally regarded as one of the gold standard delis in New York City. Though the original location is no longer around, and most of its newer storefront aren’t even on Second Avenue, its bowl of matzo ball is indisputably one of the city’s greatest. With a perfect balance of veggies, dill, and a fluffy matzo ball, I used 2nd Ave’s bowl as a benchmark to compare against the rest of my picks.

Some prefer the pharmacy, I prefer Sarge’s Delicatessen and Diner. Whenever I have a scratch in my throat, I nearly rejoice in the excuse I have to call up Sarge’s Deli and order a pint of their massive matzo ball soup.

Though it opened in the mid ‘60s, it still stands out compared to many of its old-school competitors.

Most bowls are typically filled with more noodles than vegetables, and favor salt and schmaltz to dill and other herbs. Sarge’s is not pretentious; it’s heavy, filling, and downright delicious.

Katz Delicatessen is New York City in a spoon. Whether you’ve been here your whole life, or today is your first day, you’ve probably at one point eaten at Katz's. It is more famous for its pastrami and corned beef, but also been serving matzo ball soup since the 1880s. It's iconic, well-seasoned, rich in flavor and the broth is comforting.

Opened in 1938, B&H Dairy stands as one of the only old guard Kosher dairy restaurants left in lower Manhattan. Following kashrut, or kosher rules and guidelines, meat and dairy cannot be in the same meal, so typically restaurants will serve either meat dishes or vegetarian/pescetarian meals at a dairy restaurant. As such, they’re also our only entry on this list with a totally vegetarian matzoball soup as well.

B&H is the embodiment of old school. The whole restaurant is the size of a school bus, and guests have to essentially climb over others to get to their seats. But what B&H lacks in space, it makes up in charm. The staff is so friendly, chatty and serve their iconic dishes in near seconds. Though the dish has no meat, it’s still packed with umami and flavor, with a noticeably peppery broth and ball to pair.

Basically across the street from B&H is Veselka. Their consistent popularity maintains its unique Ukrainian and other Eastern European dishes in the zeitgeist of New York City dining.

The matzo ball soup is very simple, yet super flavorful. With a plain chicken broth, pair of matzo balls, and sprinkling of herbs, it’s the perfect accompaniment to their signature pierogies and stroganoff.

Located on the Upper West Side, visiting Barney Greengrass feels like spending a day in NYC from a century ago. Most people come to Barney Greengrass for its sturgeon and salmon. I, however, came for the soup. Like some of the other NYC institutions on this list, you can actually order it by the quart nationwide via Goldbelly.