My Favorite Things: NYC Edition

I was looking through my scribble book and found this list I forgot I was making: my favorite places in NYC, Brooklyn and Queens.

Here's some super yummy stuff that tops my list...

Coffee: Abraco (they're very serious about their espresso; try their saffron cake) and Blue Bottle (a west coast transplant)
Tea: Cha-Am (perfect Japanese tea house; their green tea float with sake ice cream is fab)
Brunch: Clinton St. Baking Co and Five Points
All-you-can-drink Brunch: Kittichai (i like their lychee martini, but my friends favor their bloody maries) and Calle Ocho (six kinds of sangria!)
Pizza: Bleecker St. Pizza, PizzaMoto and Grimaldi's (you can get it to go to avoid the lines)
Deli: Sorriso Italian Pork Store
Diner: Shopsin's and B&H (get their grilled cheese on challah; fyi, they're vegetarian)
Kosher: 2nd Avenue Deli (yum pastrami sandwich and fried chicken livers)
Middle-eastern: ilili (some of the best brussels sprouts and lamb dishes)
Italian: Morandi and Cafe Condessa
Senegalese: Joloff (try their signature dishes)
Korean: Hahn Mi Oak and Bonchon Chicken
Venezuelan: Caracas Arepas Bar
Chinese: food court in the Flushing Mall
Gastropub: The Spotted Pig (famous for their burger, but apps are great, too)
Vegetarian: Red Bamboo (awesome lunch specials)
Raw Food: Quintessence and Rockin' Raw
Fine-Dining (raw food): Pure Food & Wine
Fine-Dining: Gramercy Tavern, Jean Georges and Saul Restaurant
Bar: Little Branch (a throwback to the speakeasy era), Manhattan Inn (great decor, interesting cocktails) and Crocodile Lounge (mainly for the free pizza and skeeball)
Wine bar: Ten Degrees
Happy hour: Sushi Samba and Haru (both b/c I love cocktails and sushi)
Chocolate shop: L.A. Burdick
Supermarket: Garden of Eden and Fairway

If you're looking for something specific...

Chai: Chocolate Bar (they make theirs from chai leaves)
Donut: The Dougnut Plant
Bagel: Ess-A-Bagel (if you're on the westside, for the love of God do not go to Murray's and just go to Brooklyn Bagels instead) and Tasty Bagel
Candied bacon: The General Greene
Falafel: Oasys (open late, if you're bar-hopping in Williamsburg) and Mamoun's (it's $2.50 and on St. Marks)
Sandwich: Choice Market (their roasted salmon sammie is incredible) and Bite (i always get their Sabih Sandwich)
Gyro: food stand at the southwest corner of Penn Station
Cheese: Murray's Cheese, Bedford Cheese and Tedone Latticini Dairy Products
Cupcakes: Butterlane (love their french buttercream) and Magnolia (plain with chocolate buttercream)
BBQ wings: Samantha's Southern
Burger: Corner Bistro and BLT Bistro
Roti: Ali's Trinidad (the oxtail one is my fave)
Mussels: Chez Oskar
French fries: Five Leaves (truffle fries)
Steak: BLT Prime
Brownies: Fat Witch (peanut butter)
Shake: Stand4 (the toasted marshmallow shake is my fave)
Frozen custard: Shake Shack
Cookies: Milk & Cookies and Jacques Torres
Croissant: City Bakery (pretzel croissant)
Cheesecake: Artisanal (the crust tastes like almond roca!)
Lobster roll: Pearl Oyster Bar and Luke's Lobster
Chocolate Milk: Ronnybrook Dairy
Bread pudding: DessertTruck (only when the weather permits)
Cake: Momofuku Dessert Bar (banana cake truffles) and Baked (chocolate cake with salted caramel buttercream)
Ice cream: Go! (for fried green tea ice cream), Sundaes & Cones (they have cool flavors like corn and wasabi) and Blue Marble (organic, hormone-free and delish)

Making this list got me feeling nostalgic. So excited to be going back in a couple months. Will be packing pants with elastic waist bands 'cause I will be eating the heck out of NYC when I'm back.