Scarr's Pizza

 

Not much to say honestly. This is by far my favorite slice.

So consistent, perfectly cheesy, and they’ve gotta be doing something special to those pepperoni’s. They’re incredible and always the slightest bit crisp in the best way.

My best advice here: do yourself a favor and get a dough ball.

Never in my life have I felt something so light and fluffy, so beautiful and bouncy.

Get ya slice (pepperoni preferred), get ya dough ball, then go home and crank your oven to make your own. Once I made focaccia with the dough — the possibilities are endless here, trust me.

All around one of my favorite ways to spend a night and one of my most delicious indulgences.

Court Street Grocers

 

I mean this is ridiculous.

I have never considered myself a sandwich person just because I find they get boring and I’m not smart enough to make them unique.

You know who is smart enough?

Court Street Grocers.

If nothing else, you’ve gotta hand it to them that their combinations of ingredients are insane yet are everything you’ve been hoping for in a sandwich. The more “basic” sandwiches were sold out (italian, reuben, etc.) but that’s not what I was in search of. I got The Delight with corned beef (extremely vital choice) and The Ollie and HOT DAMN were they incredible.

The Delight was by far my favorite and honestly that bread looked like an art piece. The coleslaw? I hear the “corned beef” is actually corned short rib — I mean come on. Every element of these sandwiches melted together so perfectly. As for The Ollie, who would’ve thought broccoli rabe on a sandwich would be so impactful??

I want to try absolutely everything they have, especially if they have more offerings with comeback sauce. I’m a sucker for some comeback sauce. I saw they have a sandwich on garlic bread?

BREAKFAST CHORIZO?!

The Renaissance spot — they do it all.

Pane Pasta

 

This one gets a short story.

I was looking for the deliciousness that is a bombolini after seeing some unreal pictures of them on the internet. After learning they seem to have a million different names and that many in NYC are on the hunt for the best one, I stumbled upon Pane Pasta. I believe they opened sometime in 2020 and strive to give you a Sicilian experience.

I’m not well travelled by any stretch of the imagination so I cannot tell you if that reigns true, but what I do know is that the workers are an absolute delight and really seem to love their shop. It’s small, it constantly smells delicious, and my first mini bombolini’s were everything I could have hoped for.

Their desserts cabinets just about causes me to go into cardiac arrest when I arrive and I immediately want to try everything. Slowly but surely I am trying new things there, including their non-dessert items, and loving every minute of it.

Things I’ve tried and would recommend:

• chicken panini: creamy and toasty

• bombolone: not too sweet, light and airy

• calzone: small, perfect snack

Next I’m going for their chocolate cake and asking asking for a bombolone filled with nutella. I’ve seen them do it if you ask!

Doughnut Plant

 

Every day I wake up and I want a coconut creme doughnut plant doughnut.

A strong argument could be make that these are the best doughnuts in the city.

Maybe the east coast.

Maybe ever.

I’d make the argument but I think you should just trust me on this one and try them. Every flavor I’ve ever had is delicious but I’d recommend the yeast donuts the most.

Konditori

 

In my constant quest to find delicious places owned by actual people I have found what I hope to be my regular work-coffee shop and the home of my new best friend.

I’ll keep this short. But still story-like.

I wanted an afternoon coffee. Found a place. Left the office.

Forgot my wallet.

I push through hoping this one-off Swedish coffee shop has apple pay, respectfully assuming it won’t.

But they did!

Asking the welcoming, friendly older barista man if they have electronic payment strikes up a convo about how weird it is. He tells me his house is fully analogue…I would love to see it. I bet he collects something really cool. He says something insightful about living in a capitalistic society and sends me on my way with my cappucino (had to google how to spell that, I’m a phony).

I’m no coffee snob but this place and Ciao, Gloria in Brooklyn just might make me one. All I can say is the espresso wasn’t sweet but was fruity and had such dimension to it. You’d know it if you tasted it. The cappucino’s were one size and it was perfect. The baked goods were unique and really caught my eye. No way I’ll be able to pass them up next time I go.

Now I’m curious about what makes this coffee particularly swedish but I am looking forward to going back and praying my new old fashioned barista friend is working. I’m sure he’d love to teach me about it.

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OKAY SO IT’S BEEN 6 MINUTES SINCE I WROTE ALL THAT

and I’ve just found out they have a bunch of locations which - don’t get me wrong - is totally fine. I’m glad they’re popular. I just look stupid now saying it’s a one-off coffee shop above (could delete it but I won’t).

I just had this fantasy of my barista friend owning the shop and knowing everything. Just opening his little passion project on a random street in the financial district.

I’m sure something like that happened I just haven’t read their story. Just wanted to give you mine.