City Bakery and Locanda Verde pastries

The winter weather always seems to call upon a good cup of hot chocolate. This past week it was even sunny enough to keep my gloveless hands, out of my pockets, and around a cup of hot chocoalte from City Bakery. My friend and I deemed it a remedy to rid the winter chill from our bones.

I am not one to judge hot chocolate harshly, but I can see why some might not enjoy the thick texture of City Bakery's hot chocolate. The rich liquid coated my throat and mouth and nearly disabled me from speaking. Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed the chocolaty concoction and we walked downtown along the West Side highway pier. My hot chocolate was accompanied by a marshmallow, but by the time I finished the liquid, my marshmallow was lost at the bottom of my cup, covered with chocolate and I would have looked like a fool scooping fingers towards the bottom and attempting to scoop it into my mouth :(

By the time we walked down to Tribeca, we were hungry again. Realizing that we were on Greenwich street, we decided to go to Locanda Verde. Their to go bakery was open and my friend and I sat down for a mid afternoon snack.

The crumbly walnut topping to my fig muffin was a nice and nutty contrast to the moist cake below. Fig seeds spersed through the cake layer, added a nice texture with the crunch of almond


and sugar topping and added a nice flavor paired with a Lavender tea. My friend ordered a huge apple, cinammon bun whose fresh fruit was moist, and subtly sweet. The surrounding layers of the pastry neatly unfurled as she ate layer by layer.


We felt strange using the silverware and napkins set out on the table, but we were assured that it was completely allowed. The pastries were delicious and I hope to go back for their famed breakfast soon.