Winter in New York

With the cold season underway and all of us well concealed in our cozy sweaters and heavy coats, now’s the best time to indulge in all the decadent, one-of-a-kind treats the city has to offer. The past few years, I’ve discovered some of the best eats to distract my mind from the bitter cold weather. From Southern cooking and gelato to espresso to vegan desserts, here are the best places to snack in New York City.

Macbar

Mac ‘n’ cheese is simply a classic -you’d be hard-pressed to find a person who doesn’t love it - but no one does this rich dish better than Macbar. With 12 varieties to choose from, this cheesy paradise in SoHo reminds me why it’s worth taking a crosstown bus. It offers what you’d expect, such as The Classic or Four Cheese, but you’ll also find gourmet creations like the Mac Quack which is baked to perfection with duck confit, fontina, and caramelized onions. Each order is baked in its own personal little tray, reminding you that Macbar makes each one individually.

Hill Country Chicken

Southern cooking is perhaps the epitome of comfort food, and this place shows us why. Founded by a Texan who was inspired by his mother’s home cooking, it’s here where you can indulge in chicken that’s crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Hill Country Chicken also has homemade pies that are impossible to stop eating, such as bourbon pecan, banana cream, and whiskey buttermilk. It’s also a great spot if you want something fun, casual, and completely stripped of any trendy pretension.

Momofuko Milk Bar

Two words: Crack Pie. This place has a best-selling pie that is so addictive and delicious the owners felt this was the only appropriate name for it. Once you try it, you’ll realize they’re just stating the facts as you bite into a gooey paradise served in an oat cookie crust. Finding the recipe to this sweet and salty treat isn’t as hard as you think, as many people have posted it on the Internet. However, I like to stay in the dark and just appreciate the culinary magic that is the Crack Pie.

Insomnia Cookie

With more than one location, this bakery encourages that inner voice that tells you what to do when you can’t sleep: eat cookies. Insomnia Cookie is the perfect enabler, because they’re not only open all hours of the night, but they also deliver! We’re not talking crunchy cookies that have been sitting in a glass case for hours. Instead these homemade cookies are always warm, always chewy, and will always put you in a sugar coma.

Felix

This downtown French Bistro has been around for 20 years, earning its reputation for exceptional cuisine like their “Le pave de saumon poti” and “Le Plat de Cote et sa Polenta.” In a sea of great items to choose from, it’s also home to the city’s best French toast, which is presented simply with powdered sugar and strawberries. This delicious dish makes this the only place I will take a friend from out of town for breakfast.

Doughnut Plant

This is the home of the jelly-filled square doughnut, which the founder created. The name says it all - when you get the craving for a doughnut why wouldn’t you go to the factory of such yummy pastries? With international locations (nine in Japan alone), you can skip the boring glazed for more cosmopolitan flavors such as tres leches churro, and pistachio. They only use all-natural ingredients, which should make you feel a little less guilty about the indulgence.

Led Zeppole

It’s not hard to find good Italian pastries in New York, but the best fried Oreo is only served here. These carnival favorites aren’t so easy to find when there isn’t a street fair in town, but at Led Zeppole they’re waiting for you all year round. They are also super reasonably priced, at only $3 for three cookies.

Chocobolo

Cake, coffee, conversation - that’s this place’s motto, and if you’re a chocolate lover, it’s perfect for just that, too. In this adorable little spot on the UWS, you can sit for hours drinking cappuccinos, eating their amazing gelato (I recommend the espresso flavor), or sipping their famous chocolate shot which is an espresso cup filled with the richest chocolate drink you could imagine. Chocobolo’s new to the neighborhood, and from the taste of things it seems it’ll be sticking around for a long time.

BabyCakes

Vegan? Allergic to soy or gluten? Or perhaps you’re just avoiding refined sugar? BabyCakes is a delicious bakery that caters to people with such dietary restrictions. I was taken there once by a vegan friend of mine, not even realizing that the amazing cupcake I was eating was made without butter cream or flour. It’s impressively delicious and makes it convenient to include everyone and every diet on your sweet adventures.

Eventually spring will creep up on us once again, and it’ll be time to cut back the snacking in time for swimsuit season. Until then, curl up with someone you love and have some hot chocolate so thick it tastes like melted candy bars. It’d be a shame to have access to the best treats in the world and to not treat ourselves. After all, walking around a city that can get as cold as 14 degrees? We’ve earned it.