Hungarian Pastry Shop

So many theses have been dreamed up, procrastinated over or tossed aside in the almost five decades of the Hungarian Pastry Shop’s existence that the Columbia University institution merits its own dissertation. In truth, the dim lighting and rickety chairs are not really conducive to grappling with Gramsci or demystifying Delillo, and you’re better off placing your order at the counter—give your name and they’ll bring it to you when it’s ready—and settling in for a coffee-fuelled schmooze with a flaneur. The java itself is strong enough to make up for the erratic array of pastries, and the Euro feel is enhanced by the view of St John the Divine cathedral from outdoor tables.