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$$$$ | Midtown East |
This Michelin-starred elegant and refined Scandinavian restaurant in the steady hands of Emma Bengtsson has prix-fixe options that include three- and five-course meals or an eight-course chef's tasting menu. The dishes may seem simple, but even familiar meats, seafood, and seasonal ingredients are gifted with fresh creativity here. Head to the sumptuous bar area to sample homemade aquavit. The elegant atmosphere features warm woods and modern Scandinavian design.
65 E. 55th St., New York, New York, 10022, USA
Known For
- Sleek bar area
- Homemade aquavit
- Seasonal Nordic cuisine
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch Sat., Reservations essential
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$ | Belmont |
Step inside this neighborhood mainstay near Arthur Avenue for a delectable selection of on-the-go snacks that include cakes, black-and-white cookies, and Italian pastries. Artuso's has been run by the same Italian American family since 1946, and the impassioned proprietors and community vibe truly add flavor to the shop's outstanding selection of sweets.
670 E. 187th St., Bronx, New York, 10458, USA
Known For
- Signature cannoli
- Multiple favors of biscotti
- Seasonal specialties including Italian ices
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$ | |
Follow the smell of fresh bread to this giant bakery with a storefront selling a variety of breads, cupcakes, cookies, danishes, and a select menu of sandwiches. It's especially convenient for picnics in Green-Wood Cemetery. The line of baked pita chips can be found all over the city.
755 5th St., Brooklyn, New York, 11232, USA
Known For
- Fresh pastries
- Picnic fixings
- Sandwiches
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$ | Boerum Hill |
Locally ground flour, hand-mixed doughs, and European recipes are among this artisanal bakery and café's secrets to success. Some regulars drop by to stock up on classic challah, French pain de mie (a sweet bread good for sandwiches or to toast) and baguettes, and Italian Pugliese loaves, but others come for the pastries, sandwiches, or quiches. It's hard to choose among the cranberry danishes, fruit tarts, chocolate pecan tortes, or the flawless croissants, the latter served plain or with various fillings.
120 Smith St., Brooklyn, New York, 11201, USA
Known For
- Artisanal pastries
- European baked goods
- Favorite neighborhood stop
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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$ | Upper East Side |
Grab a quick pick-me-up at either of Birch's two Upper East Side caffeine dealers (the other is at 171 E. 88th St.), but don't be fooled if you hear it called a chain—despite the company's now many locations, this is a local business that roasts all of its coffee beans in small batches just across the East River in Long Island City, Queens. Varieties of single-origin coffee and espresso change by the season, and as an added bonus they sell Dough Donuts, baked and delivered fresh daily.
134½ E. 62nd St., New York, New York, 10065, USA
Known For
- Different kinds of single-origin coffee
- Good cold brew
- Dough Donuts sold here
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$ | Upper West Side |
Never mind that you're in the middle of a shopping mall—soups and sandwiches don't get much more luxurious than at acclaimed chef Thomas Keller's low-key lunch spot (one floor down from his extravagant flagship, Per Se). It draws long lines for good reason; fork-and-knife open-face tartines, like the tuna niçoise, are delicious. Share a mason jar of salmon rillettes—cooked and smoked salmon folded around crème fraîche and butter. For lunch fare with this much pedigree, the price is actually a bargain. Grab dessert, a fresh macaron or éclair, from the nearby bakery window.
10 Columbus Circle, New York, New York, 10019, USA
Known For
- Chicken soup
- Croque madame
- Desserts from bakery window
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner, Credit cards accepted
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$ | Union Square |
Drop in for the famously decadent babka (a yeast bread with layers of chocolate or cinnamon), rugelach (flaky, crescent-shape cookies), or any of the other baked goods, but stay for a coffee and a light meal. The front counter is for breads, cakes, and cookies; the back counter turns out sandwiches, quiches, and salads.
18 E. 16th St., New York, New York, 10003, USA
Known For
- The famous babka
- Everything baked on-site
- Open 'til 8 pm
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$ | DUMBO |
Several of Manhattan's and Brooklyn's top restaurants—including the Ace Hotel's No. 7 Sub and the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory—have outposts along the waterfront just north of Pier 1 in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Across the street, a dine-in branch of Danny Meyer's global juggernaut Shake Shack has an entrance on Old Fulton Street.
Water St., Brooklyn, New York, 11201, USA
Known For
- Ice cream
- Burgers
- Casual outdoor dining
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$ | Carroll Gardens |
Half the fun of this 1920s-style soda fountain is the setting, with swirl-top stools and vintage apothecary drawers and penny-tile floors from the long-closed Longos Pharmacy. The other is a dream menu for sweet tooths. Nostalgia comes in classic Brooklyn egg creams and sparkling sodas, and novelty lands in supersize sundaes like Mr. Potato Head (with potato chips), Breakfast in Bed (with candied bacon) and Affugazi Affogato (with espresso).
513 Henry St., Brooklyn, New York, 11231, USA
Known For
- Classic Brooklyn desserts
- Huge sundaes
- A vintage feel, courtesy of history and a reality TV show transformation
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
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$$ | TriBeCa |
Neighborhood crowds clamoring for coffee and freshly squeezed juice line up for brunch at this TriBeCa mainstay, but Bubby's is good for lunch and dinner, too, if you're in the mood for comfort food like mac 'n' cheese or fried chicken. The dining room is homey and cozy, with big windows; in summer, patrons sit at tables outside with their dogs. Brunch options include just about everything, such as sourdough pancakes, huevos rancheros with grits, matzo-ball soup, and divine biscuits.
120 Hudson St., New York, New York, 10013, USA
Known For
- True TriBeCa neighborhood spot
- Casual atmosphere
- Comfort-food perfected
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$ | Jackson Heights |
With daily almuerzo (lunch) specials on the menu, as well as an assortment of fresh pastries, cakes, and savory baked goods, this classic panaderia has a homey vibe with festive, brightly-lit decor on the ceilings and Spanish guitar playing in the background. Try the buñuelos (cheese fritters), freshly squeezed juices, or the decadent tiramisu with a cup of Colombian coffee.
83--03 37th Ave, Queens, New York, 11372, USA
Known For
- Colombian lunch specials
- Excellent coffee
- An array of pastries and baked goods
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$ | Harlem |
If you want to kick back in a comfortable environment with lots of natural light, try this laid-back neighborhood hangout. Its beans are sourced from the Brooklyn Roasting Company (one of the city's finest coffee emporiums), and, in addition to quality java, its menu features paninis, savory crepes, and other casual fare, as well as several wines by the glass and beers in the bottle.
2104 Frederick Douglass Blvd., New York, New York, 10026, USA
Known For
- Brewing locally roasted coffee
- Space for coworking
- Sweet and savory crepes
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$ | Cobble Hill |
The folks behind Frankie's 457 and Prime Meats in Carroll Gardens operate this bustling café whose limited seating only heightens its cachet. The expert staffers pull espresso drinks and pour-overs made with the latest and greatest roasts from nearby Stumptown. If you want to try something different, look for the output of "guest roasters" like Mad Cap from Grand Rapids, Michigan, or Anchored Coffee of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. At the pastry counter you can pick up cookies, croissants, quiches, or the toothsome soft pretzels.
210 Court St., Brooklyn, New York, 11201, USA
Known For
- Expert baristas
- Guest roasters
- Pastries
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$ | Gramercy |
An updated ice-cream parlor that combines the best of American and Italian coffee and ice cream seems like a revelation: what took so long to come up with this idea? This is dessert adultified, but the kids will be happy, too.
77 Irving Pl., New York, New York, 10003, USA
Known For
- Supercreative flavors and collaborations with local restaurants
- Decadent but not over-the-top
- Part of the Danny Meyer restaurant family
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
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$ | Little Italy |
New York’s oldest Italian caffe, open since 1891, pulls espresso and serves homemade gelato, cannolis, and Sicilian pignoli cookies, in a quaint space with pressed-tin ceilings, tiled floors, and heart-shape chairs.
385 Broome St., New York, New York, 10013, USA
Known For
- Pignoli cookies with soft pine nuts
- Pressed-tin ceilings
- Home-made gelato
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues.
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$$$ | DUMBO |
Already known for its upscale eateries around the world, Cecconi's made a splash when it joined the polished DUMBO culinary and cultural scene in 2017. The Italian menu and stunning East River–facing outdoor terrace are enough to warrant a visit; but no matter the season or weather, the roomy bar, outstanding service, and inviting furnishings make this a hot spot well worth a trip to this historic district.
55 Water St., Brooklyn, New York, 11201, USA
Known For
- Elegant Italian cuisine
- Views of the Manhattan skyline
- Upscale brunch
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$ | |
If you're planning a picnic at the Pratt Institute Sculpture Park or looking for a low-key meal, this take-out counter and café will do you right. Prepared salads, sandwiches, and excellent pastries are pricier than your average corner deli, but then again, most bodegas don't have farro salad, salmon burgers, or pear brûlée cheesecake on the menu. Service can be slow.
318 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11238, USA
Known For
- Top-quality pastries
- Hot breakfast prepared to order
- Don't expect fast service
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$ | Cobble Hill |
A celebrated remnant of Cobble Hill's Italian-American past, this family-owned bakery delivers classics to savor: cannoli, pies, spumoni, custard ices, exquisitely layered Neapolitan-style sfogliatelle,and rainbow cookies by the pound. The vintage sign alone may be reason to visit, but even better is the intoxicatingly delicious interior, where you can discover everything from seasonal pastries to sugar-free cookies.
298 Court St., Brooklyn, New York, 11201, USA
Known For
- Italian pastries
- Cookies by the pound
- Neighborhood classic
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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$ | SoHo |
The cronut, a delectable cross between a doughnut and a croissant, was invented by Dominique Ansel in 2013, and the flaky pastries continue to create a hubbub, with just one inventive flavor available each month. There are plenty of other delightful creations here as well, such as decadent hot chocolate, which you can eat in the café or take with you.
189 Spring St., New York, New York, 10012, USA
Known For
- Delicate macaron cookies
- The cookie shot, a chocolate chip cookie shaped like a cup and filled with vanilla milk
- Lines frequently out the door
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$ | Flatiron District |
There’s a reason why these doughnuts in multilicious flavors have become a signature at so many cafés throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn, and at this Manhattan outpost of the Bed-Stuy original, you can get them fresh out of the oven. The ever-popular (though odd-sounding) hibiscus doughnut looks gorgeous and has just the right amount of tart fruitiness to balance the sweetness of the dough; other favorites include passion fruit, salted chocolate, and cinnamon and sugar.
14 W. 19th St., New York, New York, 10011, USA
Known For
- Creative flavors
- Good coffee
- There are a few tables
