Wine and cheese may get the most glory as a pairing, but there’s something about sipping a stiff drink while you sate your sweet tooth. That’s where these bakeries, ice cream parlors and cafés come in, proving there’s no longer a need to choose between a post-dinner nightcap and a double scoop.
8 NYC Dessert Bars Where Treats and Booze Go Hand in Hand
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Published Jul 15, 2019
Courtesy of Morgenstern's
Morgenstern's
On Fridays and Saturdays at 6 p.m., the counter at Morgenstern’s West Village flagship transforms into a boozy bar that slings sundaes and cocktails. Ice cream treats include classics like a banana split and a butter pecan sundae as well as more creative offerings such as the Vietnamese coffee tiramisu and New York–only black-and-white profiterole. Drinks also have a fanciful edge: The old-fashioned uses a salted pretzel syrup, and a highball features a banana-durian puree.
88 W. Houston St.; morgensternsnyc.com
Victor Garzon
Petee’s Cafe
The Brooklyn outpost of Petra and Robert Paredez’s much-lauded pie shop has something that their Lower East Side original doesn’t: alcohol. Choose from a selection of wines, beers and cocktails to go with a slice of pie or savory options like muffaletta on house-made bread or cheese and charcuterie board platters.
505 Myrtle Ave., Brooklyn; peteespie.com
Courtesy of Patisserie Chanson
Patisserie Chanson
There’s more to this Flatiron bakery than the croissants and colorful macarons you see in the display cases. Pastry chef Rory Macdonald shows off his fine-dining roots with a menu of composed desserts, offering seasonal selections (think a passionfruit rum baba or smoked PB&J) with cocktail pairings in the upstairs café. A whimsical six-course tasting experience happens in the evenings downstairs at the Dessert Bar.
20 W. 23rd St.; patisseriechanson.com
Courtesy of Chikalicious
Chikalicious Dessert Bar
This OG dessert bar helmed by pastry maven Chika Tillman has been doing sweets and sips since 2003. The prix fixe menu—which has an optional wine pairing—features a rotation of beautiful plates that are always changing. The exception is Tillman’s signature dish: the ethereal Fromage Blanc Island “Cheese Cake.”
203 E. Tenth St.; chikalicious.com
Butter & Scotch
Butter & Scotch got its start at Smorgsburg and became boozy once it got a brick-and-mortar in Crown Heights. Allison Kave and Keavy Landreth whip up excellent baked goods alongside cheekily named cocktails, shots and boozy shakes. (There are even pairings like a slice of birthday cake and a glass of bubbly.) You’ll be sipping for a good cause at the women-run business—a dollar from each cocktail goes to support Planned Parenthood.
818 Franklin Ave., Brooklyn; shop.butterandscotch.com
Patisserie Fouet
Pastry chef Yoshie Shirakawa fuses the flavors and techniques of Japan and France at this Union Square café. The daily offerings include a yuzu green tea chiffon cake, strawberry mochi mousse and more—until 4 p.m., when the menu expands to plated desserts (Earl Grey soufflé, hōjichacrème brûlée) with optional pairings including vermouth and Japanese whiskey.
15 E. 13th St.; fouetnyc.com
Jess Sorenson
Ues.
The Upper East Side may seem like an unlikely neighborhood for an ice cream speakeasy, but there’s one tucked away on Second Avenue. With its pink tiles and waffle-cone wallpaper, UES. looks like any average scoop shop in the front, but behind a wall of pint containers hides a full bar. Step into the back room and you’ll find tufted banquettes and drinks named after famous NYC landmarks like the Met.
1707 Second Ave.; theuesnyc.com
Courtesy of Marble Dessert Bar
Marble Dessert Bar
ChikaLicious alums Maya Sittisuntorn and Eugenio Mauro Pompili are teaming up to open their own spot later this fall. Desserts at the West Village spot will showcase their fine-dining skills and love of seasonal ingredients—for example, a pineapple and apple dessert paired with moscato, and a beet-strawberry dish matched with an Italian sparkling wine.
27 Bedford St.; mmarbledessertbar.com