What are the best souvenirs to buy in NYC?

“The best souvenir” to bring home from a trip is a relative term that holds as many meanings as there are tourists wandering the Earth. Pretty vague, right? The truth is, a unique souvenir is something that evokes a memory for you, a reminder of a feeling you actually felt while on that trip. Any souvenir worth its money must have the power to transport you back; it needs the qualities of a time-traveling artifact…

‍

Travel anywhere in the world, and you’re sure to find souvenir shops selling t-shirts and caps with the location’s name printed on them, key chains, small miniature statues of famous buildings, shot glasses and, let’s not forget, the worst offenders:magnets for your gorgeous fridge of course! These trinkets often have little actual value and will start collecting dust as soon as you return home. If you love any of these items, more power to you, no judgment here, the ultimate goal of any purchase is to bring you joy. For the rest of the travelers who want to achieve that happy feeling too, this list was designed for you. 

‍

New York City is renowned for its creative spirit and eclectic culture. Below is a curated list of distinctive New York souvenirs across various categories – from artisan crafts to edible treats – each with a story that says "only in NYC".

Locally Made Crafts and Art

New York’s creative energy finds its way into countless locally made crafts. From weekend artisan markets to independent boutiques, you can discover one-of-a-kind pieces made by NYC artists that make perfect souvenirs.

• Handmade Jewelry from Local Artisans: NYC’s artisan markets (such as Brooklyn Flea and Artists & Fleas) are treasure troves of unique, handcrafted jewelry and art. You can meet local designers and pick up one-of-a-kind pieces – think necklaces made from vintage subway tokens or rings cast in the shape of the skyline – that you won’t find anywhere else​. Buying directly from a New York maker means your souvenir comes with a personal story and supports local craftsmanship.
• NYC-Themed Ceramics and Home Goods: For a functional keepsake, consider NYC-inspired dishware or decor. Beloved shops like Fishs Eddy in Manhattan specialize in five-boroughs-themed ceramics and quirky kitchenware. You’ll find everything from old-fashioned diner-style glasses to Manhattan skyline coasters, and even mugs that playfully mimic the New York accent (their famous “Cawffee” mugs). These artful home goods are both useful and radiate NYC character – a great conversation starter when you serve guests back home.

Cultural and Historical Keepsakes

Souvenirs with a cultural or historical twist help you take home a piece of NYC’s rich heritage. Rather than a made-in-China replica, these items connect to authentic New York stories.

• Vintage Subway Token Memorabilia: Long before MetroCards, New Yorkers rode the subway with charming little brass tokens. Today, those retired tokens (used from 1953 to 2003) live on as unique keepsakes​. The New York Transit Museum Store and NYC’s official CityStore sell items like keychains, cufflinks or charm bracelets crafted from authentic subway tokens, turning transit history into wearable art. Carrying one is like holding a small piece of NYC’s past in your pocket.
• “Ellis Island Immigrant Cookbook”: For a deeper cultural connection, the Ellis Island Immigrant Cookbook by Tom Bernardin is a meaningful memento. Available at the Tenement Museum gift shop, this book compiles recipes from the diverse immigrant communities that built New York City​. It allows you to discover the story of NYC through your tastebuds – each recipe comes with history, so you’re not just bringing home food ideas, but also the tales of families who passed through Ellis Island​. It’s a heartwarming keepsake that celebrates NYC’s multicultural heritage.
• Humans of New York Book: This bestselling book is a powerful snapshot of NYC’s spirit. Photographer Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York began as a street portrait project and grew into a collection of heartfelt stories and images of everyday New Yorkers​. The book is “a great gift that captures the essence of the city through moving photos and stories”​. Unlike a typical souvenir photo book, HONY’s genuine voices and faces make you feel the heartbeat of the city – a perfect keepsake for anyone who loves New York’s people.
• Local Art Prints or Photography: Another way to memorialize the city is through art. You might stroll through Central Park or Washington Square Park and buy an original watercolor of the Bethesda Fountain or a skyline sketch from a street artist. Supporting a local painter or photographer gets you a one-of-a-kind piece of art that isn’t kitschy or mass-produced​. Whether it’s a vintage-style photograph of Manhattan or a colorful canvas from a Brooklyn art market, an NYC-themed art print will let you hang a piece of the city on your wall.

A Time Capsule Postcard

With FuturePosts, you can create a custom postcard online using your own photos, add a personal message and schedule it to be delivered at a later date, whether it’s next month, next year or even a decade from now. FuturePosts keeps everything we love about traditional postcards while bringing them into the digital age. Your futurepost is still a tangible keepsake following the classic postcard format with a large image on one side and a personal message framed by colorful borders on the other. Most importantly, it still arrives in your mailbox, not your inbox.

Instead of letting your best travel photos fade into digital clutter, why not transform them into a unique souvenir? Turn them into a postcard, creating a personal time capsule for yourself or a loved one to receive in the future. One of the benefits of designing a time capsule postcard with FuturePosts is that the message on the back of the postcard takes on a deeper significance, becoming a letter to your future self, capturing your thoughts, dreams and emotions in a single moment frozen in time.

Every day, travelers search for the perfect souvenir, often settling for generic trinkets. Why not choose something more meaningful? Make a thoughtful choice on your next trip. Choose nostalgia. Choose something with lasting value. Choose FuturePosts and create your own personalized time capsule, a beautifully crafted postcard featuring your photos and words, delivered at your chosen future date. Skip the ordinary souvenirs and futurepost your travel memories today!

Artisan Food and Drink

New York’s food culture is legendary, so consider an edible souvenir that lets you savor the city back home. From sweet treats to savory icons, these gifts capture NYC’s flavors:

• Old-Factory New York Chocolate: Satisfy your sweet tooth with chocolates from one of NYC’s oldest confectioners. For example, Li-Lac Chocolates – founded in 1923 – is Manhattan’s oldest chocolate house, and they still hand-make their sweets in small batches using original recipes​. A box of Li-Lac truffles or almond bark isn’t just delicious; it’s a bite of New York history, crafted just as it was a century ago​. It’s a decadent souvenir for chocolate lovers that trumps an ordinary candy bar.
• Zabar’s Coffee (and Bagels): Bring home the taste of a classic New York breakfast. Zabar’s, an iconic Upper West Side gourmet shop, has kept New Yorkers caffeinated and fed with coffee, bagels and lox for decades​. Their legendary original Zabar’s Blend coffee beans make a great gift – the aroma will instantly transport you to a bustling NYC morning​t. You can even grab a dozen of their fresh bagels (Zabar’s or another famous bakery) to freeze and share – far more authentic than any “New York” bagels bought elsewhere.
• Artisanal Cheese from Murray’s: If you prefer savory treats, stop by Murray’s Cheese in Greenwich Village for a sampling of NYC’s cheese scene. Murray’s has been around since 1940, offering some of the best cheeses in the city, many sourced from New York State dairies​. Pick up a wedge of their cave-aged cheddar or a selection of local cheeses vacuum-packed for travel. It’s an edible souvenir with depth and character – a true New York gourmet experience you can bring home​.
  

(Other tasty options to consider include a jar of locally made dill pickles from the Lower East Side, a bottle of New York maple syrup, or even fresh bialys from Kossar’s – just be sure to eat those chewy onion rolls while they’re fresh!)​

Fashion and Style

New York’s sense of style is as unique as the city itself. Instead of an obvious tourist shirt, opt for fashionable souvenirs that let you wear a piece of NYC in a subtle, stylish way.

• Iconic NYC Tote Bags: New Yorkers love a good tote bag, and many local institutions have their own famous totes. For example, the Strand Bookstore’s canvas bag declaring “Strand – 18 miles of books” is a staple for book-lovers, and museum gift shops across the city offer artsy totes. A tote from any iconic NYC business or museum is a highly recommended non-kitschy souvenir​ – it’s practical for errands and instantly identifies you as someone with a bit of New York in their story.
• NYC Streetwear and Local Designer Gear: Tap into the city’s contemporary fashion scene with apparel from NYC-based brands. Labels like Only NY, for instance, collaborate with city agencies (parks, transit, etc.) to create cool limited-edition hats, hoodies or tees featuring NYC logos and insider references​. Sporting a t-shirt with a design from a Brooklyn artist or a cap emblazoned with the NYC Parks Department emblem is a fun way to represent the city’s culture. It’s street-smart style that beats any generic souvenir shop hoodie in quality and cred.
• Artisanal Brooklyn Perfume: For a truly unique twist on a souvenir, consider a scent. Brooklyn-based perfumer D.S. & Durga creates small-batch fragrances with imaginative names inspired by eclectic New York stories​. One sniff of their “Burning Barbershop” cologne (a mix of smoky and herbal notes evoking an old-time barbershop) or a dab of “Rose Atlantic” perfume (inspired by an Atlantic Ocean rose) can bring back memories of NYC in a way a postcard can’t. A bottle of niche NYC-made perfume is a stylish memento that lets you wear the essence of the city.

Quirky Collectibles

Finally, NYC’s offbeat side offers some quirky souvenirs that are sure to spark conversation. These fun finds capture the eccentric and unexpected aspects of New York life.

• Aura Photograph in Chinatown: Ever wondered what your aura looks like? In Chinatown, you can have your aura (energy field) photographed at a little shop called Magic Jewelry – a truly unusual NYC experience. For about $30, an aura-reader uses a special camera to snap your portrait surrounded by a rainbow of colors, then interprets what the hues mean​. Even if you’re skeptical, the resulting Polaroid-like photo – a bright, psychedelic snapshot of “your New York aura” – is a one-of-a-kind keepsake that definitely beats a snow globe for originality.
• Broadway Show Memorabilia: If you’ve enjoyed Broadway’s magic, bring a piece of it home. Skip the generic souvenir stands and look for authentic theater mementos: perhaps an original Playbill from the hit show you saw, a poster, or even a prop replica from a famous musical. Some specialty shops (and the theaters themselves) offer exclusive items, and occasionally you can find signed programs or limited-edition souvenirs that true theater fans cherish​. It’s a dramatic way to remember your NYC trip – quite literally, with a piece of New York’s world-famous theatre culture on your wall.
• Vintage NYC Nostalgia: For those who love retro treasures, NYC’s flea markets and vintage stores hold plenty of nostalgia. You might flip through old postcards of Coney Island, sift vintage subway maps, or score a funky 1980s NYC T-shirt at a shop like Fantasy Explosion in Brooklyn (known for its cache of ’80s/’90s New York memorabilia)​. At the granddaddy of flea markets, Brooklyn Flea, vendors sell everything from retro NYPD pins to antique New York knickknacks – even old tourist souvenirs that have become cool again. Hunting for these throwback items is like a treasure hunt through time, and you’ll return with a story behind every object.

Bringing Home the Essence of NYC: From handcrafted jewelry and historic tokens to delectable treats and artistic keepsakes, the best New York City souvenirs go beyond the ordinary. Each item above captures a slice of NYC – its creativity, heritage, flavor, style, or humor – in a way a mass-produced keychain simply can’t. By choosing a unique souvenir that resonates with you, you’ll keep a genuine piece of the Big Apple with you – and fond memories to share – long after you’ve left the city that never sleeps.

‍