BREAKFAST IN NEW YORK
 

MY husband and I will be spending 4 days in New York this month. I would like to know where to go for a leisurely breakfast. We are staying at the Plaza. Thanks!

THE PLAZA ITSELF HAS A FEW WONDERFUL BREAKFAST OPTIONS. Oh, sorry to yell. I'll try to calm down.

Okay, other than the expensive options in the Plaza (and other expensive options at nearby hotels), there's nothing particularly convenient to the Plaza -- but there are zillions of diners all over Manhattan. I suggest walking east to a more residential area such as Third Avenue, or west to Sixth Ave where I'm sure you'll find something.

And that's good advice for New York in general -- just walk and you'll find what you need.

If you're willing to wait and travel by cab/bus/subway for a leisurely breakfast, which I think is not necessary, but perhaps along the way to your first destination, then you'll probably have more options.

There are few options along both 5th Ave and Central Park West in the museum areas -- walk east from 5th or west from CPW to find diners etc.

Good luck and Enjoy NYC!

You have to do tea at the Plaza! Wow, that's all I have to say.

The Murray Hill area has some great cafe's. It's pretty residential, so it's not as busy as other parts of the city. It's one of my favorite walking places when I have extra time and not a strict itinerary. Although NYC diners have great food, I prefer to find the off the beaten track places. There's also some terrific places in SOHO. We had one of our best breakfasts ever there. I'm sorry - I don't remember the name of the restaurant!

I'll just say it, other than weekend brunches, most New Yorkers don't do leisurely breakfasts. I used to favor a place on 53rd between Fifth and Madison but the waitresses were surly and the ambience was well, hurried and anti Plaza in every respect.

Power breakfasts occur at the Plaza and elsewhere. If you want a break from the Plaza the Sherry Netherland is very close and probably does a nice breakfast as it has many people living there permanently ala Eloise.

LMF

Not too close for you, but at the corner of 7th Avenue and 53rd Street is Maison. They have a huge "tented" area outside. They do wonderful breakfasts, super unusual omelettes, waffles with fresh fruit, and even warm, fresh complimentary beignets with your lattes, coffee, or cappucino. I had an amazing duck confit hash with poached eggs. I was really impressed because it is one of the few "upscale" but reasonable breakfast places I've seen.

Which corner do you mean, patrick? The tented place on the southwest corner is called Martini's. The one that is normally open but tented in winter of the northwest corner is called Central Cafe, or something like that.

Patrick, we are headed to NYC later this month, your breakfast suggestion sounds like something we also might be interested in. Can you give me a genreal idea of the price range and hours they are serving? Thanks!

Grantop, not sure about the hours or when they switch to lunch only.
The first time we stopped in and I had a large latte while my partner had a large cranberry juice. They brought us the complementary beignets (a plate of about 5 of them I think). Our bill was maybe $6.00. I felt a little guilty at not eating breakfast -- we sat there a good half hour, and we left $10.00, cheap at that price.

The other time I had the duck hash and eggs with brioche toast and a latte, my partner had a Belgian waffle with fresh strawberries and a juice. I see with tax and tip it was a total of $30.00.

Sorry, didn't see earl30's question until I posted that last response. It is the place on the northwest corner, not Martini's. We were just there last month and it is now called Maison. I know I've been there before and thought it was a different name, maybe Central Cafe, I really don't know. I'm not sure when it changed. I picked up a card and it is part of a group, including my new favorite bar and after theatre spot, Marseilles at 44th and 9th. The other places all have French names.

Sounds great - I'm putting it on my list. Thanks for the information, and if we get there too late for breakfast and they are serving lunch, it probably wouldn't be a bad thing!

JUST the kind of place I was looking for! Thanks so much. Feiny

Sarabeth's Kitchen. 1295 Madison Ave @92nd, 410-7335 ,
casual, Smoke free.
Cream of tomato soup, carrot & orange soup, fettuccine w/grilled calamari, grilled sourdough bread, grilled shrimp w/creamed corn, duck breast w/spaghetti squash & pearl onions, sirloin steak sandwich, leg of lamb w/vegetables, roulade of beef w/watercress & fried onions, salmon w/crunchy soba noodles, swordfish w/buckwheat noodles, chocolate truffle cake, banana cream pie, grilled poppy seed cake w/mangoes & ice cream, mixed berry tart, creme brulee.
Brunch: soups, pumpkin waffle, omelettes, muffins, scones, preserves. chicken paillard, chicken sandwich.

<i> We had breakfast here last week and will again tomorrow! This is the one on Madison but you can also go to the Sarabeths on Amsterdam Ave. We prefer this one, then strolling along Madison to walk off those pancakes! </i>

I also recommend Sarabeth's; we had a wonderful breakfast there.

You needn't head all the way to 92nd and Madison (though Carnegie Hill is a cute NYC neighborhood to explore)--there's also a Sarabeth's in the basement of the Whitney at 75th and Madison.

And don't forget about Norma's, at Le Parker Meridien, 57th near 6th.

That's amazing, I walk by the corner at 53 and 7 all the time and never realized it was now called Maison. I asked a waitress when it changed names and she said about a year ago. I think I've even had drinks there since it changed names. I guess it shows how little we notice what's around us.

Walk down Central Park South to 7th Avenue and walk south two blocks. Corner of 57th and 7th is Pick-A-Bagel for good cheap breakfast. If you head toward 6th on 57th, Normas is on the left side of the street.

If you come across an Ess-A-Bagel, go there.

Maison is located on the northwest corner of 53rd/7th. Breakfast items are available all day, along with wonderful salads, sandwiches, dinner entrees, etc. Prices are amazingly low for Manhattan.

Note there's a subway station steps away if you need to pick up bus/subway maps or passes.

This space used to be Brasserie Centrale, address 1700 Broadway at 54th, but it's actually on the back of that building.

On the weekends, we love the brunch menu at Rue 57.