favorites
(Feb 2008) This is where I'd like to list my favorite eateries. Unfortunately, it's HORRIBLY OUTDATED. Sorry. I will update it someday.
Bakeries
- Alice's Tea Cup - This is the only place I know that gives you jam and cream when you buy a scone. Sweeeet. Also check out the ranger cookie. (102 West 73rd St)
- Cafe Zaiya – Japanese baked goods. Lots of em. Besides some pretty cakes, they have steamed breads, huge toast things, curry pan, croissants and danishes, and a gazillion other things I can't remember. I want to eat EVERYTHING. They have some seating so it's a nice place to sit. (69 Cooper Sq) Also check out the bakery in JAS Mart on St. Mark's Place if you're into Japanese stuff..
- Chinatown – Uh...it has a lot of bakeries. Just go there and look around.
- City Bakery – Insanely good chocolate chip cookies? Yes. (3 W. 18th St)
- Egg Custard King Cafe - EGG CUSTARD TARTS! Loads of em! If you've never had one before, start here. (76 Mott Street)
- Financier – This place is just 10 minutes from my dorm or else I'd probably never go there (hey, it's way down in the Financial District), but it's a cute little place tucked away between Stone and Pearl Street that specializes in French style pastries. Early in the morning the'll have tons of croissants, muffins, scones (SCONES!!!), and other breakfast fare. I suppose you could also get cake for breakfast...hell, why not? For lunch and dinner they have soups, salads, and sandwiches. They also sell packaged sweets, including macarons, financiers (naturally), madeleines, and meringues. Take out or eat in at one of the little tables inside (I think they also have outside during warmer months).
- Golden Dragon Boat Cafe and Bakery – Spacious and has lots of stuff, especially BUNS! BUUUNS! And sammiches. And buns. (111 Bowery)
- Levain Bakery - The main draw here is the ginormous, boulder, cookie-dough-like cookie. It's awesome, but be sure to share it with someone or you'll feel sick. (167 West 74th Street)
- Life Thyme - This supermarket fit for vegans and organic-minded consumers has my favorite salad bar (yes, SALAD) and some of the most awesome baked goods I've ever had. Their ginormous vegan organic cookies (tollbooth cookie, get it!) are better than most regular ones I've eaten. They taste like cookie dough! Deeeelish. Their raw cakes are also really good, even when put up against normal cakes. Raw cakes are a lot more dense though (since they're made with dried fruit and nuts), so don't try to finish a slice in one sitting. (410 Avenue of the Americas)
- Moishe’s Bake Shop – HAMENTASHEN! HAAAMEEENTAASHEEEN! Oh, I really like their hamentashen. Why? I dunno. The first time I ever had one was from there and I think they put a stick of butter in em (they’re ginormous). That’s the way I like em. (115 2nd Ave)
- Sugar Sweet Sunshine – Anything that contains the word “sugar” has to be good. This place is great because of the colorful interior with ample seating and the MASS QUANTITIES OF CUPCAKES, of course. It’s also nicely in close proximity to the Bowery Ballroom and Pianos, if you happen to be looking for some good live music. (126 Rivington St)
- Sullivan Street Bakery – Mm, bread and super-flat “pizza”. (73 Sullivan St)
- The Donut Pub – The name says it all. Seriously. I’ve only been there twice and I’m not even that into donuts, but the donuts are good and the chocolate chip cookies are yummy in that "full of bad fat" kind of way. (203 W 14th St)
- Union Square Greenmarket – Bread, muffin, and cookie heaven. My favorite bread is from Our Daily Bread and my favorite muffins from Buon Pane & Focaccia. (Union Square North)
- Other nice places: Magnolia Bakery, Black Hound Bakery, Bouley Market, Lady M
Confectionaries
- Chinatown Ice Cream Factory - This place is almost righ across the street from Haagen Daaz. WHY WOULD ANYONE GO THERE? Get the ice cream you can only find in Chinatown, featuring "Chinese" flavors like taro, black sesame, and ginger. I especially like the coconut.(65 Bayard Street)
- Economy Candy - Candy. Piled. Everywhere. (drool) Besides loads of strange cheapo candy that I can’t believe anyone buys, they have a great selection of high-quality chocolate bars. (108 Rivington Street)
- Il Laboratorio del Gelato – Best ice cream I've ever had: dense, creamy, very flavorful. Doesn't mean you'll like it, but try it, even though it's out of the way from most places. (95 Orchard St.)
- Jacque Torres Chocolate Haven – If you like chocolate, you have to go to this place and if you love chocolate, this place might make you cry (in a happy way, of course). The store is large and has cute little seating areas alongside shelves of chocolate bars, chocolate drink mixes, and chocolate covered….things (you could get a chocolate coma just by standing still). There are also piles of chocolate bark, lots of chocolate pieces to choose from, and FREE COOKIES SAMPLES (when I was there, at least). One of the best parts is that it’s very inexpensive compared to other chocolate shops but sooo good. (350 Hudson St)
- Kee’s Chocolates – This is the cutest chocolate shop I’ve ever been to. It’s also the tinest chocolate shop I’ve ever been to, but Kee is right behind the counter making truffles while you drool over the display case. Yuuum. (80 Thompson St.)
- La Maison du Chocolat – Is it worth the super expensive prices and less-than-sunshine-filled service? Yup. Their chocolate is really good and they know it. I think I even got a free sample once but that was when I was with my mum. I don’t think the service is quite as nice when you’re a teenager there by yourself, but that’s not very surprising. (30 Rockefeller Center, 1018 Madison Avenue, which is larger than the Rockefeller one)
- Other nice places: Richart, Whole Foods (good chocolate prices), Dean and Deluca (chocolate bon bons and stuff), Payard (haven't actually been there yet but their chocolate is yummy)
Cheap eats (no table service)
- Crosby Connection - Cheapo sandwiches (most are $5), both hot and cold, veg and non-veg, made fresh to order. They're not the best sandwiches ever, but I feel like they're made with love and love is tasty. (172 Crosby St)
- Doma - They make awesome sandwiches with perfectly crisp Balthazar bread and serve it in a cozy environment conducive to hanging out for a long time. Also check out the desserts. (17 Perry St)
- Fried Dumpling – 5 fried pork dumplings for $1. They have other things but that’s why you go there. DUMPLINGS FOR SUPER CHEAP! Yeah, you probably don’t want to know what’s in em but who case? (99 Allen St)
- Shake Shack - I wouldn't want to wait in line for more than 30 minutes unlike many other people, but their juicy burgers are among the tastiest in the "fast food" cariety. (Madison Square Park, 23rd and Broadway)
- Sun Dou Dumpling Shop – I’ve gone here to get bao zi, aka yummy buns full of stuff. Vegetable is my favorite but they tend to run out of it quickly. If you don’t want buns, they’ve also got a good selection of dim sum-esque foods. (214-216 Grand Street)
- Win 49 – This is my favorite place to get a bento box. They give you so damn much for not a lot of money, meaning I always feel like a total blimp afterwards. I've only eaten here a few times, but it's so good. Tons of sides, lots of katsu (fried meat), and it all tastes fresh. Just fast before you go there, or order a few things a la carte instead of getting a bento box. (205 Allen St)
Restaurants
- Alice's Tea Cup – Their afternoon tea set The Nibble will stuff you silly. The scones are the size of a baby's head. And they're yummy. They've got lots of tempting baked goods that I have yet to try. (102 West 73rd St)
- Blue Ribbon Bakery - Their bread is the shizz. Their sandwiches (which involve their bread) are also...the shizz. I think "the shizz" is supposed to mean "really good". It's a big pricey, but even I think it's worth it despite my cheapness. Why else would I not think twice about plunking down $11 on bread pudding and ice cream? (35 Downing Street)
- Clinton Street Baking Co - Skip the milkshakes. Get biscuits and maple butter. Ohhh yeeeah. They somehow make deceptively simple pancakes really awesome. Crab cake sandwich is also yummy. (4 Clinton Street)
- Grimaldi's - Yeah, this pizza is damn good. Uber-thin crust, sweet mozzerella, and other stuff. Bring a bunch of people and share a few pies. (19 Old Fulton St, Brooklyn)
- New Green Bo – Mmmm, dumplings. Mmm, scallion pancakes. Mmm…food. People go here mainly for the soup dumplings but their beef noodle soup is great. (66 Bayard St)
- New Wonton Garden – Really fast and cheap. I'm not sure when they close but they're open past midnight if you're really hungry for some Chinese food in the middle of the night. (56 Mott St)
- Otto - Pizza is crispy thin-crust-tastic and the gelato is "HOLY CRAP I WANT A BUCKET OF THIS" delicious. (It's the best gelato I've had in NYC.) If you don't get the olive oil gelato, you're crazy. Unless you don't like olive oil...in which case you're still crazy. (1 5th Ave)
- Ridgewood Country Pancake House – OH LORDY. PANCAKES. PANCAKES TO MAKE YOU EXPLODE! OVER 100 KINDS! THis is the place to be if you like pancakes. If you don’t like pancakes, you should go away. Now. (140 E Ridgewood Ave, Ridgewood, NJ 07450)
- Sobaya – Their lunch specials are awesome, although the place can get really crowded. I didn't think I was a big fan of soba until I ate here...but then I might just like their soba. Hm. They've got plenty of non-soba items but you should get soba. (229 E 9th St.)
- Teresa's - Mm, blintzes. (103 1st Ave)
- Tiny's Giant Sandwich Shop - Lots and lots of cheap, delicious sandwiches in a somewhat spacious restaurant. The bread is awesome. (129 Rivington Street)
- Westville - Great egg sandwiches, burgers, and CAKE! It's small, but that makes it cozy. (210 W 10th St)
- wd-50 - I've only had the dessert tasting menu, but that meal was one of the best I've ever had in food and service. If you love desserts, you must check this place out. (50 Clinton Street)
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