The Top 10 Up-and-Coming Food Influencers in NYC
NYC food influencers who punch above their follower count: 10 up-and-coming creators with 2 to 8 times the typical engagement of their size, and how to book a visit.
These are ten up-and-coming New York food creators: smaller accounts whose audiences actually respond. The typical NYC food account we checked scores about 10 on Engagement Strength. Everyone here scores at least twice that, the top five score above 55, and all ten regularly post about local restaurants.
- 1.
Michelle, @michellesinghh84.3 - 2.
Kosher Junkie, @kosherjunkie81.2 - 3.
Foodie Elite, @foodie.elite72.2 - 4.
Ange, @brooklynfoodlady71.4 - 5.
Maggie, @nycvegana61.6 - 6.
Amanda, @foodieinsidernyc56.9 - 7.
Cheryl, @spinx1745.5 - 8.
Julia, @maochows42.9 - 9.
Rayna, @rayna_thefoodie27.3 - 10.
Julie and Ari, @twokosherfoodies21.8
1. Michelle, @michellesinghh: omakase, Korean and Thai restaurants
Omakase, Korean and Thai restaurants
- Engagement Strength
- 84.38x the typical NYC food account
- Followers
- 6,026
- Avg. views per Reel
- 6,261
- Reels, last 30 days
- 4+
Michelle covers NYC restaurants almost exclusively, with a steady run of omakase counters, Koreatown spots and Thai kitchens. Recent posts include soup dumplings at Nan Xiang near K-Town, a 15-course omakase at Omakase by Koramin for $89, and Taiwanese comfort food at Yuan in Brooklyn.
The captions name the dishes, the price and where to go, which is exactly what a restaurant wants a new guest to know. Michelle is a strong fit for a tasting menu, a set-price deal or a signature dish you want people to come in for.
2. @kosherjunkie: kosher restaurants, cafes and caterers
Kosher restaurants, cafes and caterers
- Engagement Strength
- 81.28x the typical NYC food account
- Followers
- 32,571
- Avg. views per Reel
- 72,973
- Reels, last 30 days
- 2+
Kosher Junkie is a guide to kosher dining in and around New York, and its audience is one of the most engaged in NYC food. Recent posts include Columns Wine Bar on the Upper West Side, Bean and Berry's menu of trend-driven kosher dishes, and Holy Toast's sold-out New York opening.
Followers comment heavily and ask questions, so a feature here works like a recommendation inside a close community. If your restaurant or catering business is kosher, this is one of the first accounts to consider. The account also covers kosher spots in New Jersey, including Deal and Lakewood.
3. @foodie.elite: new openings, affordable omakase and lunch deals
New openings, affordable omakase and lunch deals
- Engagement Strength
- 72.27x the typical NYC food account
- Followers
- 6,624
- Avg. views per Reel
- 12,489
- Reels, last 30 days
- 10+
Foodie Elite is a guide to what is new in NYC, with a sharp eye for value. Recent posts include Wanpaku, NYC's first Cambodian-Japanese izakaya, a 12-course omakase at Shin Takumi for $58, and Spanish dishes at Alcala in Midtown, which reached 59,531 views.
This account suits a restaurant with a clear hook: a new opening, a first-of-its-kind concept, a lunch special or a price that surprises people. Lead your invitation with that hook.
4. Ange, @brooklynfoodlady: Brooklyn neighborhood restaurants and food stories
Brooklyn neighborhood restaurants and food stories
- Engagement Strength
- 71.47x the typical NYC food account
- Followers
- 17,254
- Avg. views per Reel
- 44,868
- Reels, last 30 days
- 4+
Ange tells the stories behind Brooklyn food businesses, especially in Bay Ridge and Sunset Park. Recent posts include a food tour of Brooklyn's Little Palestine, which reached 113,847 views, tacos at Tacos Por Favor, and a cash-only rice noodle cart in Sunset Park.
These posts are longer and more personal than most food content, which suits family-owned restaurants, immigrant-owned businesses and anyone with a story worth telling. Ange has also run a sponsored series with a local business district, so paid collaborations are familiar territory.
5. Maggie, @nycvegana: vegan restaurants and vegan-friendly menus
Vegan restaurants and vegan-friendly menus
- Engagement Strength
- 61.66x the typical NYC food account
- Followers
- 26,441
- Avg. views per Reel
- 64,362
- Reels, last 30 days
- 5+
Maggie's account is a guide to vegan eating in New York, and nearly every post is a specific restaurant recommendation. Recent posts include the vegan pasta series at Soda Club in the East Village, which reached 158,373 views, Dirt Candy's summer tasting menu, and Vegan City's stand at Citi Field.
You do not need to be a vegan restaurant to work with Maggie. The account regularly features places with strong vegan options, such as Lebanese, Thai and Brazilian restaurants. If you have a real vegan menu, not just one salad, Maggie is worth contacting.
6. Amanda, @foodieinsidernyc: Upper East Side and East Village spots
Upper East Side and East Village spots
- Engagement Strength
- 56.96x the typical NYC food account
- Followers
- 6,402
- Avg. views per Reel
- 3,156
- Reels, last 30 days
- 5+
Amanda posts casual, first-person reviews of neighborhood restaurants, mostly on the Upper East Side and in the East Village. Recent posts include Skinny Louie's new East Village location, Peking duck at a Lower East Side spot, and the new Schnipper's Quality Soups.
The audience is small but engaged, and the tone reads like a friend's recommendation. Amanda is a good fit for a new location, a neighborhood cafe or a burger, sushi or comfort-food spot that wants local regulars.
7. Cheryl, @spinx17: Midtown, Queens and Asian restaurants
Midtown, Queens and Asian restaurants
- Engagement Strength
- 45.55x the typical NYC food account
- Followers
- 25,219
- Avg. views per Reel
- 8,141
- Reels, last 30 days
- 17+
Cheryl is one of the most active creators on this list, with at least 17 Reels in the past month. Recent restaurant posts include Morjan Seafood in Astoria, the $75 omakase set at Sushi Ginza in Midtown East, and a Mid-Autumn Festival menu at King's Kitchen in Flushing.
Cheryl's profile offers content for restaurants and brands, so collaborations are routine and you may be able to get video for your own account too. The feed mixes in some beauty and lifestyle posts, but restaurants are the core.
8. Julia, @maochows: hand rolls, Korean dining and matcha
Hand rolls, Korean dining and matcha
- Engagement Strength
- 42.94x the typical NYC food account
- Followers
- 7,645
- Avg. views per Reel
- 20,108
- Reels, last 30 days
- 10+
Julia reviews NYC restaurants with specific, practical detail about what to order and why. Recent posts include Matsunori Handroll Bar in Long Island City, the A5 wagyu experience at Hyun in Koreatown, which reached 60,377 views, and an ongoing series trying every matcha in NYC.
These recurring series make Julia a good fit for cafes and drink shops as well as restaurants. If you serve something Julia already covers, like matcha or hand rolls, mention that you would fit one of those series.
9. Rayna, @rayna_thefoodie: Staten Island bakeries, pizza and honest ratings
Staten Island bakeries, pizza and honest ratings
- Engagement Strength
- 27.33x the typical NYC food account
- Followers
- 5,370
- Avg. views per Reel
- 1,638
- Reels, last 30 days
- 6+
Rayna covers Staten Island and the rest of the city, and gives each place an honest rating. Recent posts include Problem Baker's cookies on Castleton Avenue, specialty slices at Nonna's Pizza in Great Kills, and Peruvian food at Urubamba in Jackson Heights.
Few creators focus this much on Staten Island, which makes Rayna useful for restaurants there that Manhattan-centered accounts overlook. The ratings are honest, including about what did not work, so extend an invitation when you are confident in what you serve.
10. Julie and Ari, @twokosherfoodies: kosher dining in NYC and Long Island
Kosher dining in NYC and Long Island
- Engagement Strength
- 21.82x the typical NYC food account
- Followers
- 11,797
- Avg. views per Reel
- 14,415
- Reels, last 30 days
- 5+
Julie and Ari are a married couple who review kosher restaurants in New York City and the Five Towns on Long Island. Recent posts include the first kosher diner in the area, baked ziti and eggplant parm at Dairy Palace, and gluten-free pasta at Ama La Vita in Chelsea.
Their audience asks them where to eat, and they answer with specific recommendations for lunch dates, family dinners and new openings. They are a natural second option alongside Kosher Junkie for kosher restaurants.
How to reach NYC food influencers and get a visit booked
Finding someone you want to work with is the start. You still need a reply, agreed terms, a visit on the calendar and the content afterward.
Find their business email, follow them and reach out
Look for the email button on their Instagram profile, a business-inquiries address in their bio or a contact page on their linked website. If they list a manager for collaborations, use that contact.
Follow the account and watch a few recent restaurant videos. Then email a specific invitation: which restaurant you run, where it is, what you would like them to try and what you are proposing in return. Mention a relevant post of theirs so they can see why you chose them.
Send a short DM pointing them to your email. If their profile asks businesses to DM rather than email, start there. The goal is to get the invitation seen through the channels they use for work.
Follow up and get your terms in writing
If you do not hear back, follow up after a few business days. If there is still no response, move on to another good fit. Stop if they decline.
Once they are interested, agree on the food credit, any cash fee, guest count, content they will produce and posting deadline. Include raw footage and commercial usage rights if you need them. Permission to advertise from the influencer's account is separate from permission to run their video from your restaurant's account.
Get those terms in writing before you book. A friendly yes does not tell you whether you are getting a Reel, a few Stories or any files you can use afterward.
Schedule the visit and tell your team what was agreed
Offer specific dates and service windows. Confirm the influencer's name, party size, arrival time, dining credit and who they should ask for when they arrive. Give your team the same information.
Send a reminder before the visit. If the date changes, update the booking and your team so the new plan is not buried in a DM.
Follow up until you have the content
After the visit, check the posting deadline, review anything that requires approval and collect the files you agreed on. Follow up if the content is late. Save the finished video, raw clips and written permissions together so you can actually use them later.
Keep track of the influencers whose content, attitude and follow-through you liked. Those are the people to invite back. You do not need to start a new search every month when you have relationships worth continuing.
Want local influencers without managing all that back-and-forth?
You can do this yourself. The work is keeping a dozen different conversations moving: who replied, who agreed to your terms, who needs a date, who rescheduled and who still owes you content.
Remy gets interested local influencers to apply to work with your restaurant on your terms. You approve the influencers and their content. Remy handles scheduling, reminders, rescheduling and content follow-up, and you keep the relationships so you can invite good people back.
Instead of chasing every person on a list, you can choose from influencers who have already applied to work with you.
Looking for another city? See our food influencer lists by city, including Boston and Las Vegas.
About the numbers
Engagement Strength is the likes and comments a typical recent Reel gets per 1,000 followers, using each account's newest Reels from the past 90 days. We screened about 1,000 NYC-area food accounts with 5,000 to 100,000 followers and checked each finalist for real NYC restaurant coverage. Data collected September 23, 2026.