We continue the saga with our second installation: coffee. Coffee and a baked good, which I feel very compelled to add. While wandering around the neighborhood, we stumbled upon the SoHo powerhouse Balthazar. An NYC culinary scene staple since 1997, Balthazar has been serving exquisite French cuisine for over two decades.
However, what perhaps not every New Yorker is aware of is that Balthazar has a drool-worthy French bakery right next door. Exquisite loaves and perfectly-crafted French pastries (i.e. croissants, scones, and pain a chocolat) line the shelves of the cozy cafe.
We stopped in for a cafe au lait (for my dad), an iced Greek mint tea (for me), and a butter scone (to share, though perhaps not evenly). Stepping into this dreamy boulangerie makes you feel less like the Nike flagship store is a few blocks away and more like you should be hearing an old man play La Vie en Rose on the accordion down the street.
Though there is no seating, stand in the bakery and nibble your scone, or take to the streets and people watch (New Yorkers are an interesting breed) . Just promise me that you'll take a few minutes out of your day to stop and smell the cinnamon buns.