NYC Eats & Treats
Not to sound dramatic or anything, but whenever I eat in New York, I feel like my tastebuds have died and gone to Heaven. The city is a foodie’s paradise.
Now you may be asking, “why in the world are you writing about food in New York when your blog’s name is ‘PaigeInBoston.’” Great q! While I am based in Boston, I never wanted to limit myself to only writing about Boston. I love to travel around New England, the East Coast, and beyond. So Paige is in fact in Boston, but this blog will be about so much more.
Back to business! For this entry, I wanted to share some of the restaurants, bakeries, and cafes that I’ve tried—and LOVED—while I was visiting friends in NYC. Sometimes it can be overwhelming to choose from all of the restaurant options in the city, so I hope this provides you with a few ideas.
Osteria Cotta
Okay, so this may not be a "hidden gem" of NYC since the restaurant was packed, but it wasn't a place I had heard of before. Located on the Upper West Side, Osteria Cotta is a cozy and rustic Italian restaurant that serves food that is equally delicious as it is comforting. I ordered the Tartufo za, which I highly recommend. The truffle oil and mozzarella together add a smokiness to the pizza that is only heightened by the smoked prosciutto. 5/5 would recommend!
Clinton St. Baking Company & Restaurant
THESE PANCAKES ARE EVERYTHING! Sorry, but I had to declare my love for Clinton St.’s amazing pancakes—just look at those chunky chocolate chips! If I could live off of one dish for the rest of my life, it would probably be banana chocolate chip pancakes, so when I stumbled upon photos of these works of art on Instagram, I knew I had to try them. They are fluffy, filling, sweet, and warm. They are everything you could want in a pancake. Because of this, Clinton St. has become a popular breakfast spot, so make sure to reserve a table ahead of time.
Max Caffe
Max Caffe is a cozy, trendy restaurant that flies under the radar on a quiet street in Harlem. I'm not really one for ordering avocado toast because I can make that myself at home … but I ordered avocado toast (a brunch special, which is why it's not on the menu). The toast was crunchy, but I was still able to easily cut through it with a fork and knife; and the mashed avocado had a hint of lemon, which was refreshing and gave the meal a little kick. To finish the dish, the toast was topped with an over easy egg. This sounds so simple, but it was amazing, and my homemade avocado toast suddenly seems inferior.
Levain Bakery
If you haven't heard of Levain, get with the times! Kidding ... but seriously, look at these beauties! When I discovered Levain a couple of years ago, I found myself craving a cookie I had never even tried before. Since then, I have been to Levain a few times and I keep hoping and wishing that Boston will open one here. The cookies are gooey, rich, sweet, comforting, and warm ... I could go on and on. These cookies are the best. Indulge in one, or two, or a dozen next time you're in the city!
Chip NYC
In a battle of cookies, who reigns supreme? This section of this blog entry is more for people who don’t know if they should try Levain or Chip NYC. Both bakeries are the same, right? The two bakeries are similar, but to me, one of them is slightly better. Let me break some things down for you, and then I’ll tell you which bakery I believe to be superior.
Levain currently has four New York locations that offer four types of cookies, while Chip currently has three locations, with two more storefronts coming soon, that each offer 12 kinds of cookies. When I visited Chip NYC, my experience was similar to the one I had at Levain—I waited in a line that snaked out of the shop and down the street. So both bakeries are popular, and both bakeries produce gooey, delicious cookies—but I believe Levain’s cookies are better.
Levain’s cookies evoke a sense of nostalgia. One bite brings me back to my childhood. Now I know you’re probably thinking that I’m being dramatic, but when I tried the cookies at Chip NYC, they tasted strongly of butter. Maybe they don’t always taste like this, but I don’t like when one ingredient so clearly overpowers all of the other ingredients. BUT, with all of that being said, you should still try both bakeries and maybe Chip NYC will be your favorite out of the two!
Let me know in the comment section below if you have tried any of these spots and what your thoughts were. And, thanks for joining me on my foodventures around NYC!