If you are looking for a hotel in New York City you’ve probably realized that a large portion of hotels here do not have breakfast included in the rate. And if you choose a hotel like that, you end up having an extra worry during the trip: where to have breakfast? As this is a recurring question from my readers, I decided to elaborate this little guide, with several tips, for the most diverse profiles. After all, there are plenty of nice places in NYC.
If you are traveling on a budget – can’t spend a lot of money? Check it out these tips:
- Shop for breakfast items at the grocery store – check if your hotel room has a minibar and coffee maker. These conveniences can make it easy to have a breakfast in your room. To buy the items – like fruits, juices, bread – I suggest looking for a supermarket. My favorite chain is Trader Joe’s and there are several locations scattered throughout the city. But obviously, there are other places like Whole Foods, Fairway, Key Food, among others. Also, it is worth remembering that there are several fruit stalls scattered around the streets of the city and they usually have great prices. Drugstores also sell food – but beware of those located in Times Square, as prices there are expensive.
- Breakfast carts – on the sidewalks of the avenues and busiest streets in the city, close to the subway stations, you’ll see breakfast carts. You can buy black coffee – for $1 to $1.50 – and also muffins, donuts, and bagels priced between $1 and $2. These are certainly the cheapest options in the city.
- Matto – There is a chain in New York called Matto which offers a variety of coffees, espresso, teas, cakes, muffins, cookies, sandwiches, and other snacks. Do you know the best part of this? Everything costs $2. Yes, that’s right. Matto has more than ten locations in the city and can also be a great place for that afternoon snack. Click here to check all locations.
If you want convenience – if the idea is to have maximum convenience and not spend a lot of time at breakfast, the tip is to look for the famous coffee shop chains. In addition to the famous Starbucks – which has, let’s say, thousands of locations in the city, it’s worth looking for other options like Pret A Manger and Dunkin Donuts as well. I would say that the chances of having a location of one of these chains near your hotel are 98%. All of them offer coffee, sandwiches, muffins, among other options. Among these chains, Dunkin Donuts is usually the cheapest – but the options are a bit more restricted. At Pret A Manger and at Starbucks, you’ll spend an average of $8 to $10 for a coffee and a muffin/cake/ sandwich.
If you want convenience – but you don’t want the obvious – believe me, the coffee shops options in the city go beyond those mentioned in the previous topic and if you are looking for something different, I have some suggestions of other different chains and as or more delicious as:
- Juan Valdez it is a brand from Colombia. In New York, there is only one location. In fact, Juan Valdez has only four locations in the United States. In addition to the diversity of coffee (cappuccino, espresso and the Filtered Coffee) the place also has other special drinks like frappes and milkshakes and delights from Latin cuisine as arepas and empanadas! 140 E 57th St
- Caffé bene – Korean coffee chain and is strongly present in New York. I’ve been to multiple locations, and the atmosphere is very warm and cozy. The menu includes 12 coffee varieties – among them, Espresso, Macchiato, and Cappuccino – plus frappes and smoothies. Another highlight of Caffé bene is due to the delights like waffles, served with ice cream, cream or yogurt, and also the macarons, delicious! There is also a wide variety of bread and cookies. Check out the locations.
- Irving Farm – Irving Farm was established in 1996 here in New York. One of its highlights is that the chain itself is responsible for the coffee roasting process. Another highlight is that the locations also sell beer! That’s right! In addition to the varieties of coffee, there is also lemonade, tea, hot chocolate, and hot cider. Speaking about pastries, there is a special variety of bagels and also brownie, cookies, and tarts. Check out the locations.
- Gregory’s Coffee – this chain was founded in 2006 and is known for its excellent customer service. There is also a loyalty program – every $ 50 spent, you earn $ 5 in credits to spend – which is great for those who drink too much coffee, right? There are also pastries such as muffins, cookies, and donuts! Check out the locations.
- Blue Bottle – in 2000’s, in Oakland, California, a slightly disaffected freelance musician, and coffee lunatic, weary of the commercial coffee enterprise and stale, overly roasted beans, decided to open a roaster for people who were clamoring for the actual taste of fresh coffee. Using a minuscule six-pound batch roaster, he made a historic vow: “I will only sell coffee less than 48 hours out of the roaster to my guests, so they may enjoy coffee at peak flavor. I will only use the finest, most delicious, and responsibly sourced beans.”. Check out the locations.
- Bluestone Lane – it is an Australian coffee shop chain that I love! The Avocado Toast is the best so far that I’ve tried. There are a lot of locations here in the city, but you definitely should visit the one in the Upper East Side, in front of Central Park, in a church (yes!) and also the one in the West Village, super charming. Also, try the Banana Toast as well, delicious! Check out the locations.
If you want a typical American breakfast – pancakes, waffles, bacon, eggs, jam – this is what you are looking for in order to have a classic American breakfast. Food is also culture and is part of the travel experience, so nothing better than trying, is not it?
- Diners – if you are American, you don’t need this explanation, of course. But, if you are not, diners are fairly common in the northeast and midwest of the United States. The diners are famous for the endless menus – yes, they offer everything – and many are open 24 hours. The breakfast options include all the classic dishes such as eggs, bacon, pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, and more. The dishes are generous and the prices are good – $8 to $15. To find the diner closest to you, just browse Maps by diner or use the Yelp app and do the same search. There are dozens of diners in the city – look for the nearest one to you.
- Clinton Baking – it is a highly recommended place here – and the pancakes were rated the best in NYC by New York Magazine. The restaurant is located in the East Village, a trendy neighborhood in the city. The breakfast/brunch menu includes several classic brunch options, such as omelet, eggs benedict, and, of course, pancakes. Prices range from $12 to $17. Bonus: the menu with typical brunch dishes is served every day – including at night! To check all the menus, just click here. Clinton Baking is open every day – at 8am on weekends and at 9am at weekends. If your itinerary is flexible and you do not want to wait, I suggest going during the week. 4 Clinton Street.
If you want a special experience – let’s say you want to have a special breakfast in a special place. After all, you’re in New York, right? In this case, I have some suggestions:
- Asiate – It is located on the 35th floor of the Mandarin Oriental, a hotel located in Columbus Circle, a super charming area of the city, in an outstanding location, close to Central Park. You can imagine why this restaurant is so special, right? The view of the park, of course! Few places in the city have such a privileged view of Central Park, that is one of the postcards of New York. For Breakfast (served every day from 7 a.m. to 10.30 a.m.), they offer egg dishes, which cost $25 on average, plus combos that include a plate + juice/ coffee/tea for $40 on average. Among the cheaper options, there are oats, granola, and avocado toast – prices from $15 to $30.
- The Blue Box Cafe – Tiffany’s restaurant, located on the fourth floor at Tiffany’s, Fifth Ave. The restaurant menu has a fixed price option: breakfast, which costs $29, and includes tea or coffee + fruit or croissant + waffle, eggs, avocado toast or bagel with smoked salmon; lunch, which is $39.
Did you like these suggestions? What are your favorite places to have breakfast?
Content creator and journalist in New York City. Here, I share lifestyle, beauty, NYC tips, thoughts, and the struggles about living in the most amazing city in the world! I’m not gonna pretend to be another person: I’m a Brazilian immigrant and I think this is my soul, it is part of who I am. I hope you enjoy my content! Follow me on Instagram!
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