The City Bakery (3 W 18th St, New York)

The greatest hot chocolate anyone has ever made. Spectacular baked goods across the board. The cookie. The pretzel croissant. The incredibly underrated salad bar.

After a thirty year run they closed in 2019, in the process opening multiple locations in Japan and launching a spinoff, Birdbath, that opened multiple locations across Manhattan. Who knows what fell apart here but their hits will forever be sorely missed.

I try to make a big batch of their hot chocolate (my recipe coming soon to a members only collection) at least once a winter for a party.