Guest Post by Sarah Coniski, Upper West Side Correspondent
As a resident of the Upper West Side, one of my favorite weekend activities is going for walks in Riverside Park with a pastry in hand (and mouth) from one of the bakeries in the area. There are a number of bake shops where the quality is excellent and price isn’t an issue, particularly since they bring so much joy to my life.
One of my favorite places is Georgia’s Café-Bistro-Patisserie. Though I can’t speak for the items on the sit-down menu, I can speak for the pastries that are crafted with care and artfully displayed. My favorite item is the chocolate almond croissant, but I also enjoy the raspberry brioche and almond croissant. Priced at approximately $3.50 per item, these are a bargain.
The chocolate almond croissant contains layers of flaky pastry dough with chocolate and almond paste tucked between the layers, while on top, a buttery crumb topping full of sliced almonds adds an unusual twist. The raspberry brioche is delicious and rich and has a generous ribbon of raspberry filling twisted throughout. And the almond croissant - the item my mom goes home with boxes of when she visits - is flaky, buttery and light. Fortunately, unlike some other almond croissants I’ve sampled, the almond flavor is not overwhelming.
A visit to Georgia’s is definitely worth a trip on the cross-town bus, or better yet, a cross-town weekend stroll.
The BasicsName: Georgia’s Café-Bistro-Patisserie
Location: 2418 Broadway (at 89th Street)
Who to bring: Self, Friends, Family
Price: Even a homeless man can afford it. $
Overall: Some of the best the U.S. has to offer (France has a leg up). 5 Stars.
