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Breakfast Carts Around NYU

This article is written by a student writer from the Spoon University at NYU chapter.

If you’ve spent any time around NYU during the morning rush to class, you’ve probably noticed the plethora of breakfast carts dishing out much needed morning sustenance – from coffee to egg sandwiches – scattered all over campus. 

Breakfast carts can be lifesavers for college students! Whenever you’re running to that 8 a.m. class or internship, these carts are always stock full of goodies to power you through the morning.  

I still remember my first visit to a breakfast cart during an early morning my freshman year: While cramming for a paper due in a few hours and a midterm shortly after, I chanced upon what is now my favorite breakfast cart in front of Stern at 4:30 a.m., just past Mercer Street. (Pictured below.)  

Breakfast Cart meat
Allen Peng

The Breakfast Map

Here’s a map of breakfast carts around the NYU area for all you college students who need a quick pick-me-up:

Breakfast Cart pizza gastronomy
Allen Peng

What’s Good Here?

All breakfast carts serve a variety of baked goods, including bagels, donuts, and hot coffee.

Breakfast Cart beer pizza
Allen Peng

Some carts have grills and serve hot breakfast sandwiches. A few carts also have iced coffee. (It’s not cold brew, but it’s still cold!)

One trend I noticed while perusing cart menus is that prices seem to increase as you move away from campus. For example, iced coffee at my MVP cart is $1.50. Moving up seven blocks at East 11th Street and University Place, the iced coffee is $2.00. Three blocks later, iced coffee is $2.50 at East 14th Street and University Place. (MVP Cart’s $2.50 Sausage/Egg/Cheese Sandwich + $1.50 Iced Coffee pictured below.)

Breakfast Cart
Allen Peng

In comparison, a McDonald’s Sausage McMuffin with Egg is $3.29 and a Sausage, Egg & Cheese McGriddle is $3.39. Add on a medium ice coffee priced at $1.59 and your meal will be just over $5 with tax. 

Breakfast Etiquette

Even if you’re in a hurry and super stressed out, please be grateful to the men and women working the breakfast carts! If you’re at the carts buying food at 7 or 8 a.m., it probably means they were up hours before you to drive their carts over and set them up.

Don’t forget to check out some of our other coffee and breakfast related content:

The Best Coffee Near NYU if You’re SICK of Starbucks

$10 Brunch?! East Village Let’s Goooooooooo

My Foolproof Method for Making Insta-Worthy Overnight Oats

Dirty Chai is on Every Coffeeshop’s Unofficial Secret Menu

Yoooo ready to learn! (And I just started Skyrim, tips appreciated.)