Dessert Tour of the West Side

[petuniafromhell]

Foodie BFF is coming to visit from Cleveland and we are dedicating Saturday to a sweet treat appreciation trip. Not looking for restaurants, just places we can walk while snacking. We are starting south from Canal and working ourself up to have dinner at Fatty Crab on 77th street. Anything goes, cupcakes, cheesecake, ice cream, chocolate shops. Please help!

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Fatty Crab
643 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014

[Pan]

I guess you already did the tour. Where did you go, and how was it? I would have added lemon tart at Ceci Cela and perhaps a special croissant at Petrossian (not the regular one, but maybe one with pistachios and so forth).

[citysweettooth]

You may also want to check out Three Tarts and Cocoa V (vegan chocolate boutique and wine bar). They're on the way between Chelsea Market and Billy's Bakery on 9th Ave. All very close together!

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Billy's Bakery
184 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011

Three Tarts
164 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011

Cocoa V
174 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011

[mahler5]

Do not miss the cakes (coconut, devil's food, German chocolate, banana) at Good Enough to Eat, which is on Amsterdam Ave. and 83rd. Unsurpassed in NYC.

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Good Enough to Eat
483 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024

[kiworan79]

I would add Ruby et Violette -- many of the cookies rival the ones at Levain.

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Ruby et Violette
457 W 50th St, New York, NY 10019

[seal]

OK, but the chocolate chip walnut cookie at Levain is still one of my favorite things to eat in all of Manhattan and Levain is only a few blocks from Fatty Crab. Share one cookie if you have to, but get one and send me one too please.

[mahler5]

Which would you recommend?

[sgordon]

Forget those flash-in-the-pan interlopers Grom. Of the Bleeker Street options, Cones is the one to beat. The Corn ice cream is amazing, and any of their citrus sorbets (lemon or grapefruit especially) are perfection.

Magnolia = overrated. If you want to stand in a long line with a bunch of SATC tourists and new to town NYU freshmen, though, feel free.

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Cones
272 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10014

[kathryn]

I'm partial to L'Arte's gelato, especially combining the chocolate gelato with the olive oil or strawberry with mascarpone. They also have a really nice spicy chocolate.

[uwsister]

Cones does have very good ice cream. Love their corn ice cream especially.

I only go to Magnolia in UWS, no line, no tourists, no NYU students. I don't think it's even overrated anymore with all the hate it gets from Chowhound and elsewhere - say what you will about their cupcakes, but their banana pudding is still delicious.

Another love for L'Arte! Grom is OK but the portion is too stingy for the price, IMO.

[kathryn]

I love Magnolia's ice box cakes as well but will only go to the non-Bleecker St locations as the line can get ridiculous.

The Bleecker St store is open late, though, which is nice.

[uwsister]

Oh yeah, I like their ice box cakes too. I know it's so damn simple to make, except I can't seem to find those Nabisco cookies anywhere and I'm not dedicated enough to make them myself.

[JungMann]

Working my way up in my mental map:
Dan tat at Fay Da Bakery
Macarons and truffles at Kee's Chocolates
Opera cake at Pasticceria Bruno
Banana Pudding and Cupcakes at Magnolia
Banana Cake at Billy's Bakery
Baklava at Poseidon Bakery
Gelato at Grom
Compost Cookies at Momofuku Milk Bar Midtown
Macarons and cookies at Bouchon Bakery
Chocolate chip cookie at Levain Bakery
Concrete at Shake Shack

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Kee's Chocolates
80 Thompson St, New York, NY 10012

Bouchon Bakery
10 Columbus Cir, New York, NY 10019

Levain Bakery
167 W 74th St, New York, NY 10023

Poseidon Bakery
629 9th Ave, New York, NY 10036

Grom
233 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10014

Momofuku Milk Bar
15 W 56th St, New York, NY 10019

[daffyduck]

id also make a pit stop at chelsea market. my favorite sweet thing there is the ice cream sandwich at jacque torres.

[uwsister]

I also love Ronnybrook's ice cream sandwiches at Chelsea Market.

Adding Big Booty Bakery in Chelsea for their red velvet cupcakes (one of best in town) and dulce de leche cupcakes (sometimes dry, but most times good.)

Can't think of anything else new, but seconding the following: Kee's Chocolates (esp. her creme brulee and matcha truffles) Magnolia (for banana pudding) Grom, Bouchon Bakery, Shake Shack UWS, Madeleine (I think they have a different name now?) and Kyotofu.

And of course Modern Bar Room, one of the BEST in town for desserts, IMO.

[LNG212]

ditto (2nd, 3rd, ?) the Ronnybrook rec. Also, isn't there a People's Pops in Chelsea Market now? They have very interesting flavors.

In addition to the great UWS recs - J Torres, Grom, Levain, Shake Shack - you could also try Beard Papa if you like cream puffs.

Kyotofu makes amazing chocolate cupcakes. Everything at Poseidon is awesome. I very much liked the red velvet cupcake at Billy's Bakery.

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Grom
233 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10014

Beard Papa's
2167 Broadway, New York, NY 10024

Billy's Bakery
75 Franklin St, New York, NY 10013

People's Pops
75 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011

[uwsister]

I'll have to try People's Pops! I love anything cold and sweet.

Oh and of course Levain! Best walnut chocolate chip cookies money can buy.

Are you talking about miso-chocolate cupcakes at Kyotofu? Those are indeed delicious. I love almost anything there, including soy soft serve.

[kathryn]

Madeleine is still Madeleine as of a few days ago. At least that's what the awning said. I tried one of their mini croissants. It was buttery but not really flaky/shattery. Eh.

[encantada]

There's also a Jacques Torres on the UWS at Amsterdam and 74th St.

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Jacques Torres
285 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10023

[fm1963]

Adding to JungMann's list:

Balthazar Bakery - 80 Spring Street
Madeleine Patisserie (macarons) - 23rd bet, 6th & 7th
Teuscher and La Maison du Chocolat - Rockefeller Center
Modern Bar Room (chocolate dome and beignets) - 53rd bet. 5th & 6th
Soutine Bakery - 70th & Coluimbus
Jacques Torres Chocolates - 73rd & Amsterdam

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Bouchon Bakery
10 Columbus Cir, New York, NY 10019

Soutine Bakery
104 W 70th St, New York, NY 10023

La Maison du Macaron
132 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10011

La Maison du Chocolat
30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10020

Jacques Torres
285 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10023

[orthorunner]

As re midtown:
Agree with Poseidon and Bouchon Bakery
Ice Cream sandwiches made with donuts at Holey Cream
Cupcakes at Kyotofu
Biscotti at Biscolatte (can be a break from super-sweet desserts)
Monkey cake or Black and White cake at Amy's Bread
Bombolini at Sullivan Street Bakery

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Sullivan Street Bakery
533 W 47th St, New York, NY 10036

Bouchon Bakery
10 Columbus Cir, New York, NY 10019

Kyotofu
144 W 18th St, New York, NY 10011

Holey Cream
796 9th Ave, New York, NY 10019

[kathryn]

Not all of these are on the west side, but I would consider leaving yourself more open as some of the best ones are on the east side (don't forget you can take the bus or a cab across town if you find yourself ending on the UES at a place like Two Little Red Hens).

Also saying "anything goes" is leaving is REALLY wide open...do you have anything specific you want? Or a place you really want to try?

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Two Little Red Hens
1652 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10028