Onetime truffle salesman Riccardo Romero left the gourmet game to open this 36-seat café. Inspired takes on the Venezuelan snack (try Riccardo’s Tuna, made with tuna, pico de gallo, avocado and truffle butter) are offered alongside the classics.
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The exterior of this café is covered with 2,000 wooden rolling pins. Inside, find homemade baked goods, coffee and a menu with items like a braised short-rib sandwich with charred onion.
The West Village institution, open since 1961, debuts its first spin-off. Long Island City locals will find an identical menu, including, of course, the beloved Bistro Burger (broiled beef, cheese and bacon on a sesame-seed bun), along with 12 draft beers (Guinness, McSorley's Ale and Brooklyn Lager). The decor also takes its cues from the flagship location: The laid-back 75-seat tavern features a mahogany wood bar and booths, antique brass chandeliers and a pressed-tin ceiling.
This mellow neighborhood café has more to offer than a Gossip Girl trivia connection and free Wi-Fi for its laptop-toting clientele. The organic loose-leaf teas and adorable afternoon tea service—a three-tiered spread of sandwiches, scones and pastries designed for two—is worth the trip alone.
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