How To Know If The NYC Cheesecake Slice You're Buying Is The Real Deal

There are all sorts of cheesecake styles going viral these days, whether it's wonderfully bouncy Japanese cheesecake or the two-ingredient, TikTok-famous cheesecake that's made with Biscoff cookies and Greek yogurt. But sometimes, you just can't beat classic New York City-style cheesecake: tall, creamy, and crumbly, perfect with a dollop of whipped cream. But how do you know if that cheesecake you bought from your local bakery is truly made in the style of the city that never sleeps? We asked Hector Godinez, the corporate chef at New York's famous Grimaldi's Pizzeria, and he told us to keep an eye on its flavor.

"New York cheesecake should taste creamy and smooth, with subtle citrus notes and a contrasting crunch from the crust that balances the richness," he said. New York cheesecake is traditionally made with cream cheese and flavored with a bit of lemon zest, with a crust made of crumbled shortbread or graham crackers. That means any cheesecake that has some kind of ostentatious flavoring or crust, like a chocolate chip cookie crust cheesecake with Nutella filling, is a no-go. "As New York cheesecake is delicate and subtly flavored, it is best kept simple, without overly elaborate crusts, shapes, or heavy toppings that would overpower the cheesecake itself," Godinez said. City life may be complicated, but cheesecake should be simple.

So does that mean there's absolutely no room for experimentation when it comes to New York City cheesecake? Should we not even spare a second thought with any cake that doesn't look like the New York City cheesecake you get from Trader Joe's in that box with the Statue of Liberty on it? Not at all, said Hector Godinez. For one thing, you don't necessarily need a graham cracker crust – cookie crusts are also the real deal. "We prefer to step outside traditional boundaries by using different types of cookie crusts, which is why our New York cheesecake features a sugar cookie base," he said. The goal is to keep any one decision from overwhelming the whole — so long as the flavors play together in a subtle way, it's okay.

With that said, though, there's one step that's totally non-optional. You absolutely have to bake New York City cheesecake, Godinez said. "Authentic New York cheesecake is traditionally baked because the batter contains raw eggs that must be cooked," he said. "While newer techniques allow for bake-less versions, they are not considered traditional." Just be sure to steer clear of any egg cooking mistakes in the process of baking, and you'll be good.