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Translating to “a little candy dish,” La Bonbonniere has been in operation since the 1930s. Maroulletis and Marina Cortez Arrieta took over the operation in the 90s, and have kept the doors open through it all—9/11, the blackout of 2003 and Hurricane Sandy. And when they struggled to stay alive during the pandemic, it was the community that showed up for them, giving funds to keep this slice of nostalgia alive for the foreseeable future.
To this day, La Bonbonniere functions like a New York diner should. The daily soundtrack includes sounds like metal spatulas clanking on the flat top, orders of pancakes and French fries yelled across the counter and the chatter of patrons squeezed tight around Formica tables. Marina flits through it all with an efficiency only learned by manning such an operation for so long, balancing three platters of club sandwiches at a time and greeting and seating all types, sometimes in English, Spanish and even French. Maroulletis mans the grill with his crew behind the counter, griddling eggs, bacon and their famous pancakes ($9.25) with a nice crispy top and fluffy center, studded with the right amount of chocolate chips, which is a lot. Is the coffee served in those classic blue cups a bit burnt? Well...yes. Do the large portions of potatoes flecked with paprika arrive a bit cold? Also yes. But can you also leave here with an omelette, a few good slices of crispy bacon and a cup of coffee for less than $15, leaving plenty of room to tip? Absolutely, yes.