If you’ve ever been to any of these sweet spots, you know just how good they are. If you haven’t, get on that. Check out these locations to become a true New York foodie, even if you’re only visiting for a weekend. For more foods you should try while in NYC, check out this list.
Holey Cream
Photo courtesy of Holey Cream
Holey sh*t that looks good. And guess what? It is. What could possibly be better than ice cream sandwiched between a doughnut? In Midtown, you can create your own with a choice of ice cream flavor and doughnut flavor. If you aren’t close enough to this location to pick up your own, they offer a delivery service.
Sugar Factory
Photo courtesy of miamimichblog.blogspot
This American Brasserie in the Meatpacking District serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks and some intense desserts. Most famous for its 60 oz. goblets, whether alcoholic or non-alcoholic, these drinks are practically liquefied candy. Featured above is my personal favorite, the Lollipop Passion.
Dough
Photo courtesy of doughdoughnuts.com
I had my first Dough doughnut at Smorgasburg this past summer, and let me tell you, it may have been the best glazed doughnut of a lifetime. The cinnamon sugar doughnut is to die for as well. They’re all handcrafted in small batches and this location is definitely one you don’t want to miss.
Insomnia Cookies
Photo courtesy of jocelynarndt.com
Whether triple chocolate chunk, double chocolate mint, white chocolate macadamia, or snickerdoodle tickles your fancy, these cookies definitely crumble in the right places…onto my lap, late at night. You can definitely consider me an insomniac.
Momofuku Milk Bar
Photo courtesy of afamishedfoodie.com
Momofuk-yeah this looks good. Momofuku Milk Bar has five New York City Locations and churns out some of the best cookies, cakes and pies in the city. The birthday cake truffles are a Milk Bar (and personal) favorite. They’re perfect little bites of vanilla rainbow cake mixed with white chocolate, rolled in cake crumbs. They come in packs of three, but if you’re truly obsessed, you can get an entire cake made of these things.
Magnolia Bakery
Photo courtesy of flickr.com
All of the hype you’ve probably heard about how good Magnolia Bakery is, well… it’s true. I definitely suggest the cupcake as your first #treeeeeat. The frosting literally melts in your mouth and the soft airy cake is so fluffy (yes, you were supposed to say that in the Despicable Me voice).
Gif courtesy of giphy.com
And then there’s the banana pudding. Even if you’re typically not a pudding type of person, you’ll be blown away by this treat. It’s an absolute must-order.
#SpoonTip: if you don’t make it to Magnolia, you can make the banana pudding at home. Tastes almost exactly the same.
Treat House
Photo courtesy of treathouse.com
This place takes Rice Krispies to a whole new level. Whether you want a Chocolate Pretzel, Oreo or Birthday Cake Krispie, these are all sure to snap, crackle and pop. If you can’t make it to the shop, you can order treat packs of all different varieties online here. They’re the perfect holiday gift for a friend at school.
Georgetown Cupcake
Photo courtesy of insidenewyork.com
Although this cute little cupcake business (and TV show) started in Washington D.C, they’ve expanded to SoHo, offering tons of different flavors which they can even ship worldwide. Some of their classics include chocolate, chocolate ganache, vanilla, chocolate and vanilla and red velvet. They have daily specials which can be found online here, as well as a few seasonal flavors for each month.
Max Brenner’s
Photo courtesy of washingtonpost.com
Winner of the Diner’s Choice 2015, Max Brenner’s Chocolate Bar is definitely the sweet spot for chocolate lovers. Whether you want to try a milkshake in their famous “Alice Cup,” the chocolate fondue tower, chocolate pizza, or a max i-scream, all of these decadent desserts are sure to make your mouth water.
Gif courtesy of giphy.com
If that luscious chocolate doesn’t cause a major craving, I don’t know what will.
Dominique Ansel Bakery
Photo courtesy of dominiqueansel.com
Chef Dominique Ansel, creator of the original Cronut, a croissant-doughnut hybrid, serves up his creation on Spring Street in SoHo along with many other perfect pastries. The catch is that if you want a Cronut, you might have to stand in line before the sun comes up because they usually sell out within the first 30 minutes.
Some of his other original treats include the DKA, a flaky croissant dough with a caramelized crunchy crust, and the chocolate shot, a cookie dough glass lined with chocolate and filled with vanilla milk.
Gif courtesy of giphy.com
Big Gay Ice Cream Shop
Photo courtesy of exploreyourmetro.com
This shop started as an ice cream truck in June of 2009 and then became an East Village shop in November of 2011 and a West Village location in December of 2012. They take ice cream to a whole new level, offering treats such as The Salty Pimp (vanilla ice cream, dulce de leche, sea salt and chocolate dip), The Ben Arthur (vanilla ice cream, dulce de leche and crushed Nilla wafers), and The American Globs (vanilla ice cream, pretzels, sea salt and chocolate dip).
Sprinkles Cupcakes
Photo courtesy of foodgal.com
The company that opened the first ever cupcake business in Beverly Hills now has locations in New York, including a Cupcake ATM. Yes, that totally means you can get a cupcake at all hours, in the same way you can take money out of the bank. You can check out their weekly and monthly flavors online here.
Why is this shop better than most normal cupcake bakeries? They use premium ingredients such as sweet cream butter, bittersweet Belgian chocolate and pure Madagascar Bourbon vanilla. Can I get one of these pretty please with Sprinkles on top!?
Schmackery’s
Photo courtesy of cheatdayeats.com
Why stop at a simple chocolate chip cookie when this place takes it to the next level? With cookie flavors such as Maple Bacon, Coconut Chip, Glazed Pistachio and Dirty Peppermint, Schmackery’s is sure to show you exactly how the cookie crumbles. You can find their daily flavors and their seasonal flavors online here.
Crumbs Bake Shop
Photo courtesy of popsugar.com
Some of their signature cupcakes – Blackout, Carrot, Cookie Dough, Cookies and Cream, Peanut Butter Cup and Red Velvet – are absolutely foodgasmic. To make it even better, there are ten locations in NYC alone, and if you can’t get to one of them, they offer a delivery service with a fee.
For gifts, they have an Assorted Mini Cupcake set, a Chocolate Lover’s Set, and a Signature Gourmet Cupcake Assorted Pack that you can order online here.
Emack & Bolio’s Ice Cream
Photo courtesy of yelp.com
Unlike most ice cream and froyo places, Emack & Bolio’s uses live cultures and non-fat milk to make their frozen yogurt. They have some unique flavors like Space Cake, S’moreo, Caramel Moose Prints, or Cosmic Punch. They’re most known for their outrageous cones, such as a cone covered in Rice Krispies, marshmallows and fruit loops.
Popbar
Photo courtesy of welltraveledwife.com
On a hot summer day there’s nothing better than Popbar’s handcrafted gelato and sorbet on a stick. These bars are carefully made in small batches of only 26 pops at a time. With flavors such as pistachio, hazelnut, peanut butter, coffee, blood orange, apricot and kiwi, you’re sure to become a Pop-a-holic.
Ladurée
Photo courtesy of bonappetit.com
This international company sells remarkable macarons and pastries, all inspired with French cooking and culture. They represent both luxury and flavor while also providing treats at an affordable price. You definitely want to check it out.
Whether you can make it to all of these locations on a foodie journey through the city or you only go to one place for that perfect mid-day snack, each and every one of these shops are both iconic to New York City and perfect for your #foodstagram.