Breakfast at Tiffany…or a List of 4 Places to Have Breakfast in New York City.

Breakfast is one of the most important meals, especially if you are traveling, because you don’t know where the day is going to take you. One of the things I plan the most when I travel is where I am having my breakfast: if it is a business travel, I try that the hotel has A la Carte on top of the “traditional” buffet, (that is to be avoidable the most you can, for reasons you have to read Bourdain to know). But if it that is not possible, at least I try to stay im a place that has a decent one or something near that makes the trick.

But when I got to decide where to have breakfast out of the hotel, I try to make a list beforehand, if possible reservations, and the best vibes to enjoy the meal that will be opening that day.

For New York City, my suggestions:

You have to have time to have your breakfast or lunch here, not because they will take much time serving, (absolutely not), but because it is so nice that you will want to enjoy it bite to bite. The place is very classy, on Central Park South and at walking distance from the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Carnegie Hall and of course Central Park just crossing the street, the service is great and the food is awesome, of course. You can have a classic Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict or my personal favorite, Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberries. Really delicious, one of the places I always go back because I know that I will enjoy a great moment there.

Opened in 2011 by Chef Jody Williams, it is inspired by European traditions, in a charming neighborhood as the West Village in NYC. It is a place to have breakfast with your significant one, “to enjoy an expresso at any time of the day” as they say in their webpage, but most of all to enjoy the little details that make this place something to enjoy by every little bite, every single sip of your coffee or Bloody Mary. You could visit them for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner, but since this is a breakfast suggestion, go for any of the Croques (Croque Madame is my favorite with classic ham, gruyere and a sunny-side egg on top of it).

Maribel Araujo and Aristides Barrios founded this place in 2003 and their dedication and consistency is what makes this place what it is today. They began as a small arepa place in the Eats Village and now they have this full service restaurant in Brooklyn and a beachside arepa outpost that is only open during Summer, in Rockaway Beach, Queens. Although the arepa is like a maize “pocket” that you could fill with anything imaginable, Caracas Arepa Bar is not a fast food place, but a nice place to enjoy their (and our) love for arepas. We suggest to have the Reina Pepiada (“Nuestra Reina”, avocado chicken salad with onion, cilantro and mayo), the Pabellon Criollo Bowl (venezuelan national dish: shredded beef, rice, black beans, fried sweet plantains and cotija cheese), and of course Tequeños, a venezuelan classic dumpling, deep fried handmade queso blanco sticks wrapped in wheat flour dough.

This good-old Upper West Side restaurant was brought back to life in 2021 and it is the place to find breakfast classics like ham and cheese omelettes and chocolate chip waffles, among other comfort food. They will greet you with a smile and probably treat you like family. Here you can have from the classic waffles or pancakes, to delicious omelettes, huevos rancheros, avocado toast or shakshuka.