By: Johanna Dong
As the temperature begins its dramatic descent and the sun decides to leave us for the next five months, the days can start to drag on. Is it Thanksgiving break yet? … Is it winter break yet?
To help the long days go by faster, here are some cozy restaurants and cafes perfect to warm your soul in the fall and winter as you make your way through the rest of the semester:
1. K-Town
Korean food, especially K-BBQ or hot-stone soondubu (tofu soup), is the best balm for those blistery cold evenings. Popular restaurants in K-town (W 32nd St, between Madison Ave and 6th Ave/Broadway) include Five Senses, BCD Tofu House, Pocha 32, and Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong. Afterwards, stop by at Grace Street for coffee, tea, shaved ice, or warm desserts. The lines for all of these places get crazy long on Friday/weekend nights, so come prepared
As the temperature begins its dramatic descent and the sun decides to leave us for the next five months, the days can start to drag on. Is it Thanksgiving break yet? … Is it winter break yet?
To help the long days go by faster, here are some cozy restaurants and cafes perfect to warm your soul in the fall and winter as you make your way through the rest of the semester:
1. K-Town
Korean food, especially K-BBQ or hot-stone soondubu (tofu soup), is the best balm for those blistery cold evenings. Popular restaurants in K-town (W 32nd St, between Madison Ave and 6th Ave/Broadway) include Five Senses, BCD Tofu House, Pocha 32, and Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong. Afterwards, stop by at Grace Street for coffee, tea, shaved ice, or warm desserts. The lines for all of these places get crazy long on Friday/weekend nights, so come prepared
2. Laut
15 E 17th St
This Southeast Asian restaurant, recently featured on Buzzfeed Worth It, is located just northwest of Union Square. They specialize in Malaysian, Singaporean, and Thai dishes, and are famous for their laksa, curry-based noodle soup. Other delicious options include hand-made roti and Malaysian street food favorites such as chili crab and nasi lemak. Despite being the recipient of an NYC Michelin Star, Laut remains affordable with student-friendly prices!
3. Saigon Shack & Pho Bar
114 Macdougal St & 82 W 3rd St
Saigon Shack is a longtime student favorite—ten bucks for a huge bowl of hot noodle soup!—but they recently opened up a new location called Pho Bar, which features a similar though extended menu, and also takes card (S.S. is cash-only). Both places are located just behind campus, and a steaming bowl of pho is a fantastic way to keep warm and take a break from studying.
4. Red Fleece Cafe
901 Broadway
Between Union Square and Flatiron is Red Fleece Cafe, located in the basement of a Brooks Brothers clothing store. The cafe’s interior is wonderfully cozy, with dark leather chairs, plenty of seating and outlets, and a woodsy, plaid-fleece theme. With free wifi and no window at all to the outside world (though the high ceiling prevents the space from feeling suffocating), this is a great place to study or have a coffee chat.
15 E 17th St
This Southeast Asian restaurant, recently featured on Buzzfeed Worth It, is located just northwest of Union Square. They specialize in Malaysian, Singaporean, and Thai dishes, and are famous for their laksa, curry-based noodle soup. Other delicious options include hand-made roti and Malaysian street food favorites such as chili crab and nasi lemak. Despite being the recipient of an NYC Michelin Star, Laut remains affordable with student-friendly prices!
3. Saigon Shack & Pho Bar
114 Macdougal St & 82 W 3rd St
Saigon Shack is a longtime student favorite—ten bucks for a huge bowl of hot noodle soup!—but they recently opened up a new location called Pho Bar, which features a similar though extended menu, and also takes card (S.S. is cash-only). Both places are located just behind campus, and a steaming bowl of pho is a fantastic way to keep warm and take a break from studying.
4. Red Fleece Cafe
901 Broadway
Between Union Square and Flatiron is Red Fleece Cafe, located in the basement of a Brooks Brothers clothing store. The cafe’s interior is wonderfully cozy, with dark leather chairs, plenty of seating and outlets, and a woodsy, plaid-fleece theme. With free wifi and no window at all to the outside world (though the high ceiling prevents the space from feeling suffocating), this is a great place to study or have a coffee chat.
5. Maman
With several locations in Manhattan (SoHo, Tribeca, NoMad, Meatpacking), Maman is a combination of a cafe, bakery, brunch restaurant, and (in the case of Tribeca) stationery store. All locations feature warm, beautiful interiors and delicious baked goods, coffee, brunch fare, and more. No Wifi, so this is not quite the place to go to study, but Maman is perfect for both casual and professional meetings.
With several locations in Manhattan (SoHo, Tribeca, NoMad, Meatpacking), Maman is a combination of a cafe, bakery, brunch restaurant, and (in the case of Tribeca) stationery store. All locations feature warm, beautiful interiors and delicious baked goods, coffee, brunch fare, and more. No Wifi, so this is not quite the place to go to study, but Maman is perfect for both casual and professional meetings.