NYC brunch moments: places for coffee, matcha, breakfast and moooore
a mini guide to living NYC style — Episode I
Breakfast at Tiffany’s? Sure… 5am on 5th avenue… or maybe more like 11am in the village… regardless, breakfast remains my favorite meal of the day. And NYC does breakfast in all sorts of shapes and forms. Avocado toast? Babka? Eggs Benedict? Matcha? Or just coffee? We have it all.
Brunch places (leaning towards the BR for breakfast)
Bluestone Lane Cafe (West Village): your classic laid-back cute breakfast place, this is probably my favourite cafe for brunch… What to get: definitely the avocado toast, best in combination with the granola (so called “brekkie board”)… and cappuccino
Bubby’s (Meatpacking & Tribeca): Bubby’s is the go-to brunch place — cozy, very American and will have something for everyone. What to get: I love the sourdough pancakes, but you can also go for the classics: Eggs Benedict…or a Burger…
The Coffee Shop (Union Square): classical American diner meets barista coffee — famously open 23 hours a day. What to get: coffee, “hangover sandwich”, avocado smash or one of the burgers
Russ & Daughters (Lower East Side): the Jewish diner has become an institution on the lower East, just like Katz… worth the wait on weekends. What to get: the Boards, the Matzo Ball soup, the Herring… and of course the house Bloody Maries
Sadelle’s (Soho): the go-to place for the most sophisticated NY salmon bagels, Sadelle’s is a great experience when in New York. What to get: Salmon bagel, salmon bagel, salmon bagel (and ask for them to refill your greens once you’re done)
Champs Diner (Brooklyn): breakfast strictly for champs at this uber-hipstery East Williamsburg diner. The stacks of vegan (!!) pancakes are insane. What to get: waffles or pancakes
Meadowsweet (Brooklyn): typical New York Burnch places do not take reservations. Well Meadowsweet does, and it’s a cool place on top of that, just underneath the Williamsburg bridge. What to get: huevos rancheros, omelets…
Brunch places (leaning towards the UNCH for lunch)
Bar Sardine (West Village): part of Happy Cooking’s West Village empire of restaurants (includes also Fedora, Jeffrey’s Grocery, Perla & Joseph Leonard), Bar Sardine is a great walk-in-at-any-time-of-the-day type of place. Try the Endive & Apple salad, and of course: the Fedora burger
Catch (Meatpacking): Catch is your typical uber cool Meatpacking restaurant. It’s great for any time of the day, but a nice lunch with a glass of sparkling in particular. What to get: the rolls and of course the truffle fries
Cafe Gitane (Nolita): Cafe Gitane has been around for a long time and is a great place for brunch or lunch (or even dinner). They serve a French style “petit dejeuner” and they have a lot of Moroccan specialties. I highly recommend the grilled eggplant
Jack’s Wife Frieda (Soho, West Village): another middle eastern influenced option, and also a classic is Jack’s Wife Frieda. The West Village location (Carmine St.) will have shorter waits than the original Soho one. Try the Shakshuka and the grilled haloumi
Seamore’s (Soho): if you’re looking for a fun and could-be-boozy brunch in Soho, and you’re into seafood, then Seamore’s is the way to go. What to get: fish tacos, breakfast burritos, and any of their brunch cocktails
Golden Unicorn (Soho / Chinatown): the Golden Unicorn is your typical cantonese dim sum — except that the waiters who come around with their densely packed pushcarts will be able to tell you in English what’s inside the Shumai (烧卖), Cha Siu Bao (叉燒包) or Har Gow (蝦餃) you’re about to eat
Mimi Cheng’s (Nolita & East Village): If you feel like starting the day with dumplings, or having a casual dumpling break, I can recommend Mimi Cheng’s. The Taiwanese dumpling place now has 2 locations, one in East Village and one in Nolita
Greenpoint Fish & Lobster Co. (Greenpoint — Brooklyn): if you’re ready to head to the Brooklyn side, this little seafood bar makes for the perfect lunch. Start with some fresh osyters, and then have their fish tacos and choose from any of their fresh fish
Five Leaves (Greenpoint — Brooklyn): This place — opened by 2 friends of Heath Ledger’s — is probably my favorite place in Brooklyn, just next to McCarren Park on the boarder of Williamsburg and Greenpoint. Grab a table outside in the sun (weather permitting) and try the Five Leaves Burger or the Grilled Haloumi Sandwich
Eataly (Flatiron & World Trade Center): Eataly is your go-to place for a proper Lavazza espresso, a good plate of Pasta or anything truly Italian that you might need in your household. I would recommend the new Eataly Downton inside Calatrava’s World Trade Center Transportation Hub for a a hearty Italian lunch, overlooking th 9/11 memorial
Coffee places, anytime, all day
Mad Man Espresso (University Place & other locations): tiny coffee place — at least the one on University Place I used to go to, with great coffee and a simple wooden decor…grab a seat at the window and watch students and teachers pass by to and from NYU land
O Cafe (Greenwhich Village): This little cafe on 12th & 6th Av is more than just a cafe, it also serves food and wine, but it’s a great place for a good Matcha, Chai or cappuccino and a couple of hours on your computer
Cha Cha Matcha (Soho): this place has become one of the favorite hang-outs of the Soho cool kids, but it also makes one of THE best matchas in town (Matcha, for those who still haven’t caught on :-) is essentially Japanese green tea leaves, mulled into a powder and then mixed with milk). For the Matcha beginners, try the sweet Matcha & white chocolate latte
Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Stumptown is a U.S. coffee roasting institution, but they also have two cafes in NYC, one in the village, close to NYU and one at the Ace Hotel on 29th St. The one at the Ace hotel is always packed, but the Village one is a great hang-out to work, have coffee and chat (in the summer they also have seats outside)
The Elk (West Village): if you’re coming back from your run on the westside, or of course from that early morning yoga class, the Elk is the perfect place to grab coffee, chai or a bite to eat, and feel hip among your fellow sporty New Yorkers
Bakeries
Breads Bakery (Union Square): Breads is not necessarily a sit-down brunch place, but it has the best Babka in town (jewish pastry filled with chocolate or raisins). They also serve coffee and quiches and a lot of delicious bread to go to or to stay
Dough (Flatiron or Brooklyn): Have at least one doughnut (donut?) while in New York. And if you do, then go to one of two places: Dough has a location at Flatiron and one in Brooklyn. If you are in Brooklyn, I would however recommend to go to my favorite Polish bakery, called Peter Pan and get one of their sourcream donuts — they are to die for
Le Vain (Upper West Side): Le Vain famously makes the very best chocolate chip cookies in NYC. When I first went there we queued for more than 20 minutes outside, before we could get our hands on the sweet little things. They’re warm, the chocolate is melting in all directions… they’re worth the wait
