Pictures of Dominique Ansel and Toby’s Estate Coffee Roasters as taken from my iPhone
I have found some more great dessert spots in the last couple of years (For my original list from 2014, please see /2014/01/17/local-guide-favorite-dessert-spots-new-york/). The list desserts begins with great spots in Manhattan then a few gems deep in Brooklyn. Afterwards, I have rankings of my favorite specialty coffee shops in New York.
- Dominique Ansel Bakery (189 Spring St, New York, NY 10012)
I completely passed on the cronut craze when it first hit. Standing 2-3 hours in the early morning just to eat a pastry? Preposterous. How can anything be that good to eat? While I assumed cronuts would be a fad, it is still going strong. When I mention cronuts, I am only referring to the original at Dominique Ansel. It is the one of the few pleasures in life that actually lives up to the hype. It is incredible. The crispy outside of a doughnut and the doughy layers inside of a croissant is genius. Moreover, the bakery changes the flavor every month to keep the cronut fresh. The two flavors I tried are Horchata Caramel and Toffee Coffee. Am I now willing to stand in line at 6 or 7 in the morning for them? The answer is still no. Nothing tastes that good. However, I do not have to. There is a way to pre-order six cronuts online and just go to the cash register to pick them up: http://cronutpreorder.com/products-page/cronuts/cronut/. The system opens at 11 AM EST each Monday. The only catches are you have to pre-order two weeks in advance and the system will crash at first. Nevertheless, I would much rather spend 20 minutes hitting the refresh button to try to get through to pre-order than ever stand in line for hours in the morning.
While the cronut is the crown jewel of Dominique Ansel, its other goods are awesome too. While I have not tried the cookie shots, it is the next most popular item that customers stand in line for and gets sold out every day. Another item I love is the Cow-fe Au Lait. It is a French religieuse two-tiered cream puff filled with coffee, condensed milk, and milk choclate ganache. The “Paris New York” is another great option. It is Dominique Ansel’s take on a Paris-Brest with a choux doug and chocolate, caramel, and peanut butter filling. I am allergic to peanut butter so my mouth was watering watching my friend eat it and tell me how amazing it is.
- Dough Doughnuts (14 W 19th St (at 5th Ave) New York, NY 10011)
The tres leches from Doughnut Plant is still my favorite doughnut anywhere. Doughnut by doughnut, Dough Doughnuts is probably a better doughnut shop than Doughnut Plant. The dough and the flavors are phenomenal. Each doughnut is huge. You will be stuffed after eating one. I can only eat one at a sitting. My favorite flavors are mocha almond, dulce de leche, and hibiscus.
Dough also has its original location in Bedstuy Brooklyn and another location in Urbanspace Vanderbilt just north of Grand Central. In addition, a lot of partnering coffee shops sell its doughnuts throughout the city.
- Levain Bakery (167 West 74th St New York, NY, 10023)
Levain probably features the best cookies I have ever eaten. The only place that challenges it for cookie supremacy is Insomnia Cookies. Levain’s cookies are the size and shape of scones but still maintains the softness of a great cookie. I was not overwhelmed the first time I tried it when I stopped by to buy some cookies at the end of the day and ate it immediately. When I warmed it up afterwards, the cookies were incredible. I have been to Levain two more times since and the cookies have been great both times. All the flavors are awesome. The walnut chocolate chip and the peanut butter chocolate cookies are the best flavors. There can be long lines at times due to the popularity. I did not have to wait when I went to the bakery at 4 PM and at close on weekdays and waited for a half an hour when I went at 4PM on a Saturday.
In addition to the 74th and Amsterdam location, Levain also has shops in Harlem and by the Hamptons in Long Island.
- Sundae and Cones (95 E 10th St, New York, NY 10003)
Excluding gelato, Sundae and Cones has my favorite ice cream anywhere. It is ridiculously rich and smooth. While it has exotic Asian flavors like lychee or wasabi, I keep it simple and usually get the cookies and cream or cookie dough. The sugar cones are awesome too.
- Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop (727 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222)
If artisan doughnuts are too pricey or too fancy for you and you just want a regular, old fashioned doughnut; Peter Pan in Greenpoint, Brooklyn is the place for you. I personally consider artisan doughnuts a separate category of doughnuts. In terms of regular doughnuts, Peter Pan is the best in New York in my experience. The dough is awesome and the outside has an excellent glaze to it. Every flavor I tried is good: old-fashioned, blueberry, red velvet. Moreover, they are only $1.10 per doughnut so it is much less than artisan doughnuts. The shop has an old school feel to it as it appears to be something from another time.
- 10 Below (10 Mott St, New York, NY 10013)
10 Below is a unique ice cream experience in New York. It is Thai-inspired ice cream rolls that are made fresh. A server will make the ice cream fresh for you on a cold plate. Liquid cream is poured on the plate and toppings of your choice are mixed in. The server will make the ice cream in front of you and roll up the ice cream into multiple rolls. Since it is popular and takes time to make the rolls, there can be lines and I have heard customers wait as long as 40 minutes. In terms of the quality of ice cream, it is solid but nothing incredible. I describe it as the Hibachi of ice cream. It is more about the show than the taste.
The origin of the 10 Below name is interesting. I assumed that it had to do with the temperature of the plate. However, it actually means the address, 10 Mott Street, and below the street since you go down a set of stairs to the shop.
- Veniero’s (342 E 11th St, New York, NY 10003)
Veniero’s is a famous family owned, Italian bakery that has been around since 1894. It has an incredible and large selection of cakes, cookies, and other pastries. My favorite item at Veniero’s is the Oreo cheesecake poppers. They are amazing.
- Bibble and Sip (10019, 253 W 51st St, New York, NY 10019)
The specialty coffee here is acceptable but nothing great. The main attraction here are the awesome cream puffs: Earl Grey and Matcha Green Tea. Both flavors are exceptional. The Earl Grey is definitely the one I prefer. There are lines in the afternoon and each customer is limited to 4 cream puffs per trip.
- Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream (48 E 7th St, New York, NY 10003)
Van Leeuwen is another excellent ice cream shop. The ice cream is very rich and smooth. One of the flavors it is known for is the honeycomb cereal. I tried a spoonful but the taste is too weird for me. I did not like it much. I love the pistachio. It is the best pistachio ice cream in New York.
- Underwest Donuts (638 W 47th St, New York, NY 10036)
Underwest Donuts is a doughnut shop inside a car wash. I was so confused when I tried to go there the first time. I went in the first entrance but walked out when I saw it was a car wash. When I walked in the next entrance, I realized it was a part of a car wash. The doughnuts are very good. I tried the “Carwash”, vanilla lavender. The dough and glaze is excellent. On the other hand, any doughnuts other than the old-fashioned are $3 each. At that price, I compare it to artisan doughnuts such as Dough and Doughnut Plant. In my opinion, it does not measure up to those two shops. Underwest Donuts is more comparable to Peter Doughnuts in Greenpoint, Brooklyn that go for $1.10. Nevertheless, Underwest Donuts are a solid option if you are craving a doughnut after a tour of the Intrepid or in Hell’s Kitchen and do not want to venture too far for a doughnut.
- Big Gay Ice Cream (125 East 7th Street (between 1st Avenue & Avenue A) New York, NY 10009)
It has awesome soft-serve ice cream. The names of their cones are hilarious. I got the “Salty Pimp”. They cover the soft-serve ice cream with dip (e.g. chocolate) and toppings to create the cones. In terms of the Salty Pimp, the salty covering was way too salty for me. I enjoy a little sea salt to make my sweets taste sweeter. However, the salty parts of the cone completely overpowered the sweetness of the ice cream. If you enjoy an extreme contrast in salty and sweet, I can see this spot as a great ice cream shop for you. In addition, the cones are significantly more expensive than grabbing a cone at a Mister Softee ice cream truck. For me, the marginal benefit in the taste of the soft serve ice cream is not worth the difference in price. Nevertheless, I feel Big Gay Ice Cream has a unique concept that customers either love or not. I am glad I tried it once.
Brooklyn
- Tasty Pastry Shoppe (8218 13th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11228)
It is an awesome bakery in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn. My favorite item is the Nutella cannoli. Personally, it is my favorite cannoli anywhere. A couple of other small pastries I love here are the Ferrero Rocher Mousse and Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake. On the other hand, I have tried a couple of their full sized cakes and they are nothing special. If you do not live by Dyker Heights, a perfect time to visit this bakery is in December when the neighborhood houses has the Dyker Heights Christmas Lights. It is a wealthy neighborhood so the residents go all out in decorating their homes for Christmas.
2. Audrey’s Concerto (2379 86th St, Brooklyn, NY 11214)
As the Bensonhurst Bean describes Audrey’s, it is “East Meets West”. The bakery is unique for combining Asian and western styles. In addition, the cakes are not too sweet. As such, it is one of the few cakes my mom loves to eat. I order the red bean chestnut flavor for her. The green tea cakes are very popular too. If you are travelling on the D line, it is a few blocks from the 25th avenue stop.
- 91Th Fried Ice Yogurt (9104 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11209)
If you live or are in Bay Ridge and do not want to travel to Manhattan or stand in a long line for 10below, 91Th Fried Ice Yogurt is a solid alternative. It is not as good as 10below but is comparable. You will get the experience of Thai ice cream rolls made in front of you.
Coffee
I am not a coffee expert but I am friends with one. He is a self-pronounced coffee snob who lives in Los Angeles now. When he comes back home to New York to visit, we always go on a coffee tour to try more coffee. Not surprisingly, New York is home to a lot of great specialty coffee shops. As my friend has explained to me, a barista needs to warm the milk at the correct temperature and extract coffee from the beans properly in order to be able to draw latte art. The resulting micro-foam is a pretty good indicator of whether a drink is made well. I have also noticed that almond milk provides a challenge for baristas. As such, I usually stay away from trying lattes with almond milk if I am trying a coffee shop for the first time. Below are my personal rankings of the coffee shops I have tried in New York with some notes.
1. Abraco (81 E 7th St, New York, NY 10003)
From my perspective, Abraco is on the top of my list because it tastes the best, is the richest latte/cappuccino, and has the strongest caffeine effect on me. It is literally a hole in the wall in the East Village. The line is out the door when there are more than 4 customers. There are a couple of seats inside and a couple outside. It has only one location so it is easier for it to maintain the highest quality. Interestingly, it does not make latte art in its lattes. If you want some art, order the cappuccino. In addition, please note that this shop is closed on Mondays.
- Toby’s Estate Coffee Roasters (125 North 6th Street Brooklyn, New York 11249)
When I tried Toby’s location in Williamsburg, Brooklyn; I thought I may have a new top coffee shop in New York. This location has as good or better coffee than any other coffee shop in New York. It also features an awesome selection of teas. In addition, the shop provides a nice atmosphere and plenty of space to read, study, or just sit and relax. As a side note, Toby Estate is a franchise that has been imported from Australia. I have also tried Toby’s locations in Flatiron and Urbanspace Vanderbilt north of Grand Central. They are very good but not as good as the Williamsburg location. Of course, it is impossible to maintain maximum quality when a shop expands or franchises.
- Ninth Street Espresso (Lombardy Hotel, 109 E 56th St, New York, NY 10022)
Ninth Street Espresso has multiple locations. I have only tried the one at the Lombardy Hotel in Midtown East. I have been here many times and yet to be disappointed. The taste and latte arts of the drinks are always top notch.
- The Jolly Goat Coffee Bar (515 W 47th St, New York, NY 10036)
I accidentally found this coffee shop on a quest to find Underwest Doughnuts. Fate intervened. It serves Stumptown Coffee, which is one of the top coffee shops in Portland, Oregon. The first latte I tried at Jolly Goat was perfect. The flawless richness and taste of the latte was consistent throughout the drink. I immediately placed this shop in my top 5 of New York coffee shops. My second experience at this shop was with a different barista. It was not perfect but it was still awesome. After I got past an initial bitter taste at the top of the drink, the rest of it was great.
- Bluestone Lane (805 3rd Ave New York, NY 10022 – Located in the Atrium of the Meredith Building)
Australians really know how to make great coffee. Bluestone Lane is the second Australian Coffee shop I have in my top 5 in New York. I have also tried the location a block north of Bryant Park on 43rd Street and 6th Avenue. Both locations are excellent. I have not had a bad drink at either spot. On the other hand, I see a few more locations opened or popping up throughout the city. It concerns me that Bluestone Lane may be expanding too much or quickly. It will be very challenging to maintain the quality of baristas at each location at all times.
6. Blue Bottle (1 Rockefeller Plaza Concourse Level, Suite D New York, NY 10020)
Blue Bottle originates from Oakland, California and has successfully branched out to the rest of the country. It has many locations in New York. I go to the one in the concourse below Rockefeller Center. I have always had a great latte here. It is also known for its popular New Orleans iced coffee.
- Everyman Espresso (136 E 13th St, New York, NY 10003)
It is definitely one of the better coffee shops in New York. I have had top notch lattes both times I have visited here. The one thing I do not love about this shop is that the baristas cap the drink for you. I usually like to take a moment to enjoy the latte art. During my first time here, the barista capped it, got confused who ordered the drink, and swung it around smearing her great artwork when she tried to figure out whose drink it was. On my second visit, I noticed the cashier was capping the drinks after the barista made them. My solution? I pre-emptively grabbed a cap and the latte. Of course, both lattes tasted great. I just needed a good picture for my rankings.
- Third Rail Coffee (240 Sullivan St, New York, NY 10012)
Its location by NYU is small, cozy, and hip. Of course, its coffee is excellent. The location in the East Village (159 Second Avenue (10th & Stuyvestant) New York, NY 10003) is more spacious and good but I had a better latte at the NYU location.
- Joe’s Art of Coffee (141 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10014)
I have been to multiple Joe locations which include the Upper West Side and Grand Central terminal. Waverly Place is definitely my favorite location. It is a hip looking shop with plenty of space in a cozy corner of Waverly Place. In terms of a coffee shop that has branched out a lot, Joe’s does a superb job in maintaining the quality of its baristas and coffee at multiple locations. I find their shops are very reliable. While the coffee is very good, it actually has my favorite ice tea, an iced green tea. It has a flowery taste and is probably a jasmine green tea. Accordingly, I go to Joe’s for its iced green tea more than the coffee.
- Gimme! Coffee (228 Mott St, New York, NY 10012)
Gimme! is an Ithaca based coffee shop that made its way down to New York City. It has excellent coffee but the baristas at the Mott Street location can be inconsistent on occasion. Similar to Joe’s Art of Coffee, I enjoy the iced green tea more than the coffee. Gimme! has my second favorite iced green tea in New York after Joe’s.
From left to right, Cafe Grumpy, Stumptown, Doughnut Plant, Kaffe 1668, and Etto Espresso Bar.
11. Café Grumpy (224 W 20th St, New York, NY 10011)
The Chelsea location is phenomenal and measures up to the best coffee shops in New York. The location near Times Square is very good. The shop outside of Grand Central was terrible the only time I tried it. As a result, it has probably over expanded and having trouble maintaining quality at all its location.
- Stumptown (30 W 8th St, New York, NY 10011)
Stumptown is a Portland based coffee shop. It has a cool coffee shop by NYU that has a wine cellar feel. More importantly, the coffee is very good. I have also been to the location at the Ace Hotel on 29th Street but it is not that good. In addition, I have been to the Stumptown in downtown Portland and it is amazing. Neither shop in New York compares. In fact, the coffee shop in New York that serves the best Stumptown Coffee is The Jolly Goat Coffee Bar in Hell’s Kitchen.
- Doughnut Plant (379 Grand St, New York, NY 10002)
Surprisingly, Doughnut Plant serves some of the better coffee in the city. It partners with some of the best coffee shops in the city. I could move them up my rankings but there is no way I am going to allow the coffee to upstage the Tres Leches at Doughnut Plant, my favorite doughnut anywhere.
- Kaffe 1668 (530 5th Avenue (between 44th and 45th street) New York, NY 10036)
I have only been to the small kiosk on 5th Avenue inside an office building in the lobby. Nevertheless, I have never had anything less than an excellent latte here.
15. Etto Espresso Bar (42-77 Hunter St Long Island City, NY 11101)
It is a new coffee shop in Long Island City. After my first visit in an afternoon, my impression was that is an acceptable specialty coffee shop but nothing special. When I returned in the morning a few weeks later, my latte was excellent and I was much more impressed. It also features bulletproof coffee. My co-worker explained that it is made with special butter that supposedly increases a person’s metabolism and serves as a meal substitute for breakfast. It is not my thing but it is becoming a popular trend.
16. The Mill Coffee Company (44-61 11th St Long Island City, NY 11101)
The baristas at The Mill are extremely friendly. Unfortunately, only one of the baristas is great. He makes my favorite latte with almond milk in New York. When he is not working, I have learned to just get the cold brew here.
17. Sweetleaf (10-93 Jackson Ave, Long Island City, NY 11101)
The baristas are inconsistent here. When they are on, the lattes are very good. I actually like their iced teas a lot more than the coffee.
- Brooklyn Diamond Coffee (240 E 54th St, New York, NY 10022)
It is a decent specialty coffee shop in Midtown East but nothing special. It is a hole in the wall next to a gym.
About Pat Wong
Patrick is a contributor for Rookerville. He is an avid sports fan. Before joining Rookerville, he was part of a defunct New York Yankees message board, NYYankeefans, where he was its top poster and was inducted in its Hall of Fame for his contributions. Patrick is also a passionate fan of movies. He has enjoyed reading movie reviews over the years and is excited about the opportunity to review movies. Patrick is also a passionate foodie. He is Yelp Elite for three years in a row and shares his great finds in New York and his travels.