Best Ice CreamIl Laboratorio di Gelato 95 Orchard St. (Broome St.) 212-343-9922Years after selling off Ciao Bella gelato to go into the corporate world, Jon Snyder came back to the good side - he opened Il Laboratorio in August 2002. A mix of spruced up classics and truly creative flavors are intensely-flavored and handmade in small batches in the back. Try tarragon-infused dark chocolate with the pink pepper flavor or Mexican cinnamon basil. Or you could always create your own concoction. Since not every restaurant has its own ice cream machine Il Laboratorio does a lot of wholesale business. Next time your are dining out at someplace fancy and your dessert comes with a scoop of refreshing grapefruit Campari sorbet or elegant honey lavender gelato, you just might have to thank the guys at the lab.
Best BakeryCity Bakery 3 West 18th St. (btw. 5th and 6th Aves.) 212-366-1414Buttery American-style pastry is the M.O. here. The hot chocolate is so insanely rich that they dedicated the entire month of February to it. I order one hot chocolate, two homemade marshmallows, and an extra cup to split it with a friend. You can’t leave without a pretzel croissant, a fruit tart, or a melted chocolate chip cookie. Build A Green Bakery on 1st Ave and Thirteenth St. is owned by the same people and has the same recipes. Built of recycled materials the architectural concept is ahead of its time, but the chocolate chip cookies are truly timeless. Although they only have coffee, cookies, muffins and scones, nothing costs more than $2. Thank god that crazy Atkins thing is over.
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