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Receiving the coveted prize of being named ‘Best Cupcake in New York’ is no easy task. But, Billy’s Bakery has not only received my vote, but also a nod from celebrities like Katie Holmes, Ethan Hawke, and Mandy Moore.
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The Best Cupcakes in NYC: Billy’s Bakery
Receiving the coveted prize of being named ‘Best Cupcake in New York’ is no easy task. But, Billy’s Bakery has not only received my vote, but also a nod from celebrities like Katie Holmes, Ethan Hawke, and Mandy Moore.
New York's Best Coffee
Perk yourself up with caffeine and a pastry at these coffeeshops and espresso bars.
Abraco
This international coffeeshop and espresso bar draws on Spanish, Italian and Middle Eastern traditions. Snacks like olive-oil cake, cured-olive cookies and pain perdu with sweet ricotta are offered alongside espresso drinks made from Counter Culture Coffee beans. 86 E 7th St between First and Second Aves www.abraconyc.com. Average coffee: $2.
Cafe Grumpy
Husband-and-wife-owned Cafe Grumpy might have an extensive drink menu, but the baristas' utter dedication to the almighty bean is no less intense—they won the readers' choice Eat Out Award 2009 for best coffee no less. French-press-of-the-future Clover coffee machines at Grumpy's Chelsea, Park Slope and Greenpopint locations hum nonstop, brewing fresh individual cups off the ever-changing bean menu-the baristas will talk up a storm about the coffees if you let them-and pastries are available from Blue Sky, Balthazar and other bakeries. 224 W 20th St between Seventh and Eighth Aves (212-255-5511, www.cafegrumpy.com) • 383 Seventh Ave between 11th and 12th Sts, Park Slope, Brooklyn (718-499-4404) • 193 Meserole Ave at Diamond St, Greenpoint, Brooklyn (718-349-7623). Average coffee: $3.
Cafe Pedlar
The two Franks behind Frankies Spuntino unveil this café—a partnership with Stumptown Coffee-serving espresso drinks and homemade German and Austrian desserts, including a pretzel knot with Brie and Vermont butter. 210 Court St at Warren St, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn (718-855-7129, www.cafepedlar.com). Average coffee: $3.
Gorilla Coffee
For Park Slopers, it doesn't get any better than the funky, friendly, MacBook-loving vibe at women-owned microroastery-café Gorilla Coffee, where the rich, super-dark coffee makes a fine accompaniment for that book proposal you've been procrastinating on for months. Score a window seat and get crackin', buster. 97 Fifth Ave at Park Pl, Park Slope, Brooklyn (718-230-3244, www.gorillacoffee.com). Average coffee: $3.
Joe
Coffee devotee Jonathan Rubenstein now serves grade-A espresso at five locations of his boutique-coffee chain. In addition to espresso-based drinks, a single-cup, drip-coffee bar dispenses a rotating selection of brews, while baked goods from companies like Ceci-Cela and Donut Plant provide just the kind of snacks a coffee drinker needs. And for real bean aficionados, Joe offers classes at the Waverly Place, 13th Street and 23rd Street locations. 141 Waverly Pl at Gay St (212-924-6750, www.joetheartofcoffee.com). • 9 E 13th St between Fifth Ave and University Pl (212-924-7400). • 405 W 23rd St between Ninth and Tenth Aves (212-206-0669). • 44 Grand Central Terminal, 42nd to 44th Sts between Vanderbilt and Lexington Aves (212-661-8580). • 514 Columbus Ave at 85th St (212-875-0100). Average coffee: $2.
La Colombe
This Philadelphia-based coffee company roasts all of its beans—which are often sourced through direct trade—and sells pastries from Ceci-Cela and homemade ones from pastry chef Kate Jones. 270 Lafayette St between E Houston and Prince Sts (212-625-1717, www.lacolombe.com) • 319 Church St at Lispenard St (212-343-1515). Average coffee: $3.
Ninth Street Espresso
This bright café in Chelsea, an offshoot of the East Village original, serves barista-prepared artisanal espresso, alongside a selection of pastries from Balthazar. 700 E 9th St between Aves C and D (212-358-9225, www.ninthstreetespresso.com) • 341 E 10th St between Aves A and B (212-777-3508) • Chelsea Market, 75 Ninth Ave between 15th and 16th Sts (212-228-2930). Average coffee: $3.
Summer Restaurant Week Starts Today
The two-week dining extravaganza that is Restaurant Week is back in the Big Apple beginning Monday, July 12. With more than 200 restaurants participating, locals, tourists, and tri-state area residents can sample a three-course meal from a topnotch NYC culinary mainstay for just $24.07 for lunch and $35.00 for dinner. The city holds this deliciously budget-friendly event twice a year, once in the winter and again in the summer. This week, Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill will be serving up a selection of three appetizers and three entrées, including a Roasted Corn Soup and 16 Spice Chicken served with goat cheese smashed potatoes. Downtown at Mr. Chow on Hudson Street, diners can feast on the restaurant’s famous duo of dishes—the Mr. Chow Noodles and Velvet Chicken—all for $35.00 a person.
Back this year is the NYC Restaurant Week truck, serving up a menu of summer soups for $6 a bowl. The truck will be parked at Broadway and 50th Street from July 12-14, and it will head downtown to Fifth Avenue and 18th Street from July 15-16. A portion of the proceeds from soup sales will support Hot Bread Kitchen, an organization that bakes a variety of fresh breads while creating jobs for local immigrant women.
For a complete list of participating restaurants and to book your Restaurant Week reservation online, visit www.nycgo.com/restaurantweek. Gratuity, beverages, and taxes are not included in the promotional rate.
By Stefanie Jackowitz
www.stefaniejackowitz.wordpress.com
Photo of Mesa Grill courtesy of NYCGo.com
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