La Bonbonniere

If your going to visit a proper diner is NYC make it this one. Service, food and atmosphere were all exactly what you want. 5 stars across the board. Great coffee ☕️.

After an early 7 AM arrival from Vancouver, our first stop in the Big Apple for breakfast was the legendary La Bonbonniere located in the West Village. This spot had been on my list ever since I recognized it as "The City Spoon" from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (seasons 1 & 2 for fellow fans!). We arrived around 8:45 AM on a Friday morning, and as expected for a classic New York diner, all the tables were full. We snagged seats at the bar, which gave us a front-row view of the incredibly busy staff - taking orders, cooking, and preparing everything with lightning speed. It was exactly the bustling, authentic diner experience I'd hoped for. We fueled up with a hearty vegetarian omelette (packed with veggies, a big win!), along with tea and coffee, and a classic NYC bagel with cream cheese.

Poor experience, even though I had fond memories of the place a few years back. Service was not friendly, coffee was tasteless and served in a disposable cup. The toasts were cold, potatoes hardly warm, and the sausages tasted weird. The eggs were very well cooked. Definitely not worth the steep price.

This has been on my list for a looooong time. It did not disappoint. I always love finding what I consider relics of NYC. Places that allow a peak into what this city used to be like. La Bonbonniere shows that these places are still around. New York can still be that way. I got an amazing spinach tomato feta onion omelette with home fries. Diner food done right. No bells and whistles, just straight up good eating. Support cash only businesses!!!

A NYC gem that I hope never closes down or changes. Go mid-afternoon for quietness and lovely catch ups with the staff. The challah french toast is to die for.