For so long, the Upper East Side was in desperate need of a really good donut shop. I'm not talking…read moreabout Dunkin, although there's a time and place for that. I'm talking about an establishment that makes high-quality gourmet treats. As you can imagine, I was thrilled to see this one opening in the neighborhood last year. I have been to Caroline's several times since it opened its doors to the public. I've tried a few of their items, including the glazed twist, Boston creme, coffee donut, and strawberry filled. The glaze twist is one of my favorites. It's wonderfully sweet while not cloying, and I especially enjoy topping it with the Bon Mama berry jam I have at home. The Boston creme is truly made with love. It's sufficiently stuffed with creme and topped with a thick layer of chocolate ganache - the expensive stuff! The coffee donut is also delicious. Of everything I've tried, the strawberry filled was my favorite. You can tell their strawberry compote is homemade and not too sweet. The dough is light and fluffy and generously coated with granulated sugar. What a treat!

Another one bites the dust in the neighborhood. They are out of business. This small donut shop…read moreoffered a selection of handcrafted donuts which were tasty, from plain glazed to filled of different flavors. Yet, at $5 a donut on average it was a bit pricey for this area. I went there a few times to try it out but I could not justify paying that much.

Now and then I'm near a Dough donuts shop and have to get a few. I'm not into all their fancy…read moreartisanal donuts but I go for the simple stuff like original plain glazed and cinnamon sugar. With a cup of their coffee it makes for a nice snack. Toasted coconut is also pretty good. Their donuts are also decent sized for the price. Smaller location with no seating so its grab and go.

First off -- I'm apologizing in advance because I took zero photos. Not one. I know, I know. I…read morefailed y'all. But just know the donuts did not survive long enough for a photoshoot. Let me make this very clear though: I have been a loyal stan of Dough since they opened. Loyal. I used to trek all the way to the West Side just to get my hands on these donuts, okay? So the fact that there are locations closer to the Upper East Side now? Blessings. I put everybody onto Dough. Everybody. And one of the reasons I love them so much is because they offer vegan donuts, which is right in line with how I had to switch up my diet. And let me tell you -- they are not an afterthought. The vegan options are GOOD good. Some of my forever favorites? The Café au Lait. The Dulce de Leche. The vegan glaze. The vegan sugar. The Margarita donut? Amazing. Piña Colada? Amazing. Hibiscus? One of my top-tier favorites. Honestly, I don't think I have a non-favorite. Some just sit higher on the pedestal than others. Now let's talk about the service because that's really what stood out that day. The young man at the cashier -- I hate that I didn't grab his name because y'all know I usually do -- was so joyful. Great conversation, bubbly personality, just good energy. And listen... there is so much stuff going on in the world. You walk outside and it's heavy. So when you walk into a place and someone is genuinely pleasant? It matters. He was attentive. He was engaging. Every single person that walked in left smiling. That kind of energy isn't fake -- you can feel when it's real. The store was extremely clean (y'all know that's important to me). We didn't get there at peak selection time, so a lot of donuts were already sold out -- which, honestly, says something. But we still walked out with a few of my favorites, and every single one hit. The space itself is nice. Not huge, but you can definitely sit off to the side and enjoy your donut and coffee if you want. But truly? It was about the service for me that day. And yes, this is another January review posted in February because life has been life-ing -- between my son's birthday and everything else, I've been moving nonstop. But we really needed a smiling face that day, and he delivered that. I love Dough. Fresh donuts, tons of choices, vegan options done right, good coffee, good vibes. If you haven't tried Dough yet, go. There's a Flatiron location, one by Rockefeller Center, and one on the Upper East Side (though I think one location may have recently closed, so double-check before heading out). Highly recommend. Always.

Babka alert! Babka alert!!!!!! They have the most dangerous and delicious cinnamon Babka we have…read moreever had so far. We originally came in to check out their bagels. They don't have a large bagel sandwich or schmear section menu, they keep it simple here. But, I'm all about smoked salmon so we ordered the NY breakfast bagel sandwich. Bagel consistency was chewy and flavor profiles were light-for example I tasted a hint of the dill cream cheese schmear, hint of smoked salmon, chives, red onion , and lemon zest. Good, but would have liked stronger flavors or more of the ingredients. What shined was the cinnamon Babka! A dense bread with a soft gooey cinnamon goodness in the middle. Hard to have just one slice :D. They offer a chocolate one as well. Orwashers have a couple of locations, we happen to hit this one as it was on our way to The MET.

I tried a black and white cookie and the chocolate chip cookie. The black and white cookie was okay…read moreand the chocolate chip cookie was okay. The chocolate chip cookie tasted similar to a regular chocolate chip cookie, just a bigger size. One was enough to satisfy the sweets craving. The black and white cookie was small. Not sure if I'd return to get these. If I return, I may try something different.

I was hesitant at first because, honestly, I thought this was just a candy store. I'm so glad I…read moredecided to give it a try! They have a great selection of both candy and ice cream, with lots of fun ways to customize your treat. When you walk up to the door, you'll be greeted by a friendly gentleman who takes your order (I forgot his name). If you stop by, be sure to compliment his bowling shirt. he's had it for over 16 years and takes incredible pride in keeping it looking great. It was such a fun conversation and really showed his personality. He was incredibly friendly, welcoming, and genuinely enjoys interacting with people. You can tell he takes pride not only in his shop but also in providing outstanding customer service. Great treats, great atmosphere, and even better service. I'll definitely be back!

My daughter and her friend walked there for dessert and found the service (the son of the owner…read morehelped them) to be very friendly and they absolutely loved what they ordered (brownie, cookie and an ice cream sundae). Happy to have discovered this neighborhood spot!

Unfortunately, my sandwich was about the equivalent of airport food. The bread was incredibly…read morestale--so dry and chewy it got stuck in my teeth and honestly felt like it could crack one. It had just two slices of meat and two slices of cheese. No wonder thet asked if I wanted it heated. This was my first visit. There were six people working, but there seemed to be very little teamwork or direction. The cashier, who seemed like she might have been new, was by far the highlight of the experience. She was friendly, patient, and the only employee who made me feel welcome. The woman I believe was the manager had a noticeably aggressive attitude toward the front-end staff. After an awkward moment trying to figure out who I was supposed to order from and then asking the price of a soda, I commented that the process was confusing. She simply rolled her eyes, which was disappointing and unprofessional. I also observed employees handling food with bare hands, which wasn't reassuring. I work next door, and now I understand why so many of my coworkers told me not to eat here. I was hoping they'd be wrong, but unfortunately my experience matched what I'd been told. This version is more likely to be taken seriously because it focuses on specific observations rather than insults, while still making it clear why you were disappointed.

HUGE fan of Angelina Bakery locations and their nutella croissants have got to be one of my…read morefavorite things in NYC. We were going in to the MET for a tour and only had time for something quick. Angelina was the perfect stop except I've been spoiled with the other two locations I've tried that are much larger, appealing and has more variety. This was a pretty hole in the wall location (in comparison to the others) and I wasn't super obsessed with the quality of the doing (again, in comparison to what I already know of Angelina). I'm not sure if they bake everything in house but it does feel more like they get smaller batches of things maybe frozen and then stick them in the oven and fill them. It doesn't taste the freshest, the croissant dough isn't as pillowy, crispy on the outside and full of layers and flakes that I'm regularly used to. I'm always happy eating anything with nutella so that was still a win, wish it was more in line with the regular Angelina experience. Also, they don't have the same amount of things and as extensive of a menu, so just know before you go :) No bathrooms either it seems like!

Soft, fluffy and airy donuts, optionally filled with cream that's not too sweet. What's not to…read morelove? The inside of this shop could be described as having an Apple Store aesthetic. Upon entering this store, you're greeted by an employee that will hand you an order form. Check off the donuts you want to buy, and head to the cashier. Enjoy your delicious brioche donuts!

I have eaten a lot of doughnut around the world, and this has to be one of the best doughnut I have…read moretried. (I had a doughnut phase, like don't we all?!?! lol) Thankfully, there was no line as we went there when they opened on a weekday. There was a lady in the middle with a bunch of menus in a clipboard where you can mark up how many donuts and which donuts do you want. The process was pretty efficient however, they do have a lot of different options which was hard for me to choose. After you make your selection, she will put that into the system and you go pay up in the front. I have tried their original and glazed, which is a vegan doughnut. Their original doughnut is where it is at! Like the name of the place it doesn't really count as doughnut, but it also doesn't count as mochi. It is in between of those two textures. This place was clean and organized. And I would put this place as my Top 3 donuts I've ever had.

Krispy Kreme on Lexington is always well stocked and has fast friendly service. It has to be fast…read morebecause they don't have much space for customers to wait. I'm not a fan of Krispy Kreme Donuts but a couple flavors sounded delicious today for Independence Day. My Coach Gary told me if you wear red white and blue today you get a free donut. I was wearing the colors when he told me so I thought I'd go get one. I definitely wasn't going to eat it but I did make a homeless man very happy. He was very appreciative when I gave it to him. I try to do one good deed at least every day! Thanks Coach....Thanks Krispy Kreme!

Anytime I'm in this area of a Krispy Kreme, all of a sudden have a craving for the raspberry filled…read moredoughnut . It's been my weakness for a while now. The coffee here is also great might I add!

I've been wanting to try this place since my last visit so I had to come this time around. It's a…read morebit much since I wasn't sure what to expect. There was a long line outside and I asked the folks what they were in line for and they said the ice cream. I asked if I just wanted to go into the market to look, that was around the corner. It's like a smaller version of wholefoods so I walked around a bit. Very crowded when I went. I ended up getting a salmon cake which I asked the counter guy what he would recommend. Not very talkative or helpful so whatever. At the register, they can heat up your food. Mine fortunately was over cooked and dry. I would not get again. It was barely edible but I had walked over to the park to eat and I wasn't going back. After I paid, I realized I could also order the ice cream so the cashier let me add that. I wanted the mango but it wasn't working so I got the coffee soft serve. It was refreshing on a hot day. I guess if I lived near one, I would try other items.

Went for some frozen yogurt on one of the warmers days of winter and was met with a 20ish minute…read moreline outside for frozen yogurt and another 10 minute line inside to buy groceries. Yogurt was super rich and creamy, I ended up getting the vanilla and peanut butter with pistachio drizzle. I already had a ton before snapping the picture and it was so worth it. I also bought tortillas and they have some great ingredients with an expensive mark up but for the quality it's worth it. Great place to go for select specialty items or to up your ingredient quality

One of my new favorite breakfast spots…read more I've been wanting to try Black Star for the longest, and now that I finally have... baby, I haven't been disappointed yet. The first time I ordered, I got breakfast for me and my mom. We both got one of the breakfast plates, and it came with eggs cooked your way, a side salad with avocado, fresh berries, and toast. You also get to choose what kind of toast you want, which I always appreciate. Everything was fresh, light, and just really good. Now let's talk about the coffee. Y'all know I love me an iced cappuccino. I got the iced lavender cappuccino, and it was so good. My mom loved her coffee too. They definitely know what they're doing when it comes to coffee. Today I decided to switch it up because I'd been wanting to try a few more things on the menu. I ordered the yogurt bowl, which came with fresh berries, honey, and almond halves, and it was exactly what I was hoping for. Then I got the avocado toast. Baby... Y'all already know I love a good avocado toast. The bread was nice and sturdy, so it actually held up to all the toppings without getting soggy. It came with feta, microgreens, and cherry tomatoes, and everything worked together perfectly. Delicious. I also grabbed an iced apple cider with cinnamon for later, and I'm already excited about that. One thing I really appreciate is how well they package everything for delivery. Nothing is thrown together. Your food stays warm, everything arrives looking the way it's supposed to, and it still feels fresh when you open it. That attention to detail really goes a long way. Honestly, Black Star has quickly become one of my new favorite breakfast spots. The menu has so many things I still want to try, the food is consistently fresh, and it's one of those places that makes eating a little healthier feel easy instead of boring. If you haven't tried it yet, definitely put it on your list. I know I'll be ordering from them again.

Small little cafe in the upper east side with back door patio seating. They have great coffee and…read morefood with items like a breakfast bowl, burritos, and an assortment of pastries. On a weekend you will find this place busy with the line going out the door. It's a great place to get caffeinated and grab a bite to eat.

A lot of people come here for the breads and bagels, gluten free and vegan options, but don't sleep…read moreon the other menu items. Seasonal eats such as a pumpkin brie melt sandwich, caramel apple chai latte, hot halva latte and iced raspberry matcha latte, a variety of healthy salads, and delish melts. The place itself has a nice decor, but its kind of a narrow layout with no seating, basically an order and take out spot.

Always happy to come here! Gluten-free baked goods, bagels and pizza in the UES. Kosher. Still one…read moreof the best I've tried for gluten-free in the UES. Even non gluten-free and non Kosher friends love it! I was excited when friends recently brought takeout from here.