No, I don’t eat cake, cookies and pancakes everyday. Most of my working week involves healthy breakfasts to balance all the not so healthy food I eat in NYC. And there are plenty of healthy breakfasts in New York that don’t taste like you’d rather be eating pancakes (I promise!). These are a few of my favorites.
De Maria is about as healthy as it’s going to get, serving everything from chili-turmeric bone broth to a chicken salad with pickled goji berries and tahini yogurt with sumac and urfa bieber. If I lost you on those last ingredients, know that I wasn’t sure either. But the Dragon Bowl, made with grains in creamy coconut milk, an interesting (yet delicious) turmeric-poached egg and seasonal veggies is one of my favorite breakfast bowls in New York. Just don’t expect the service at De Maria to be super fast.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from eating breakfast in New York, it’s that I need to book a flight straight to Australia to eat all their healthy breakfasts. For now, hole in the wall coffee will have to do, serving colorful dishes such as a green bowl filled with quinoa, veggies and tortilla chips (genius!), or an acai bowl with all the toppings. And they don’t just do one, but two kinds of avocado toast (one with mushrooms, one with goat cheese). Just try and refrain from ordering the hanging bacon jerky (yes, that’s a thing).
Chalk Point Kitchen feels like the most underrated and un-talked breakfast spot in New York, but it’s my go-to place for a healthy brunch. You will find healthier takes on classics, such as brussels sprouts and beetroot hash with a fried egg on top, or toasted coconut quinoa waffles. But whatever you do, definitely try their toast, spread thickly with heavenly edamame-hummus and chunks of avocado (my favorite), ricotta and orange or pistachio butter and goji berries.
If you haven’t been to Egg Shop by now, then you seriously need to re-evaluate your life. Just kidding, or maybe I’m not. The egg shop is (obviously) dedicated to the most essential breakfast-ingredient on the planet, served on sandwiches, biscuits or in bowls. While not everything on the menu is good for you, there are some great healthy options such as the Reformer (egg whites, feta, kale and tomato), and the Warrior One (poached egg, spiced lentils, veggies, almonds and onion chutney).
The people behind Two Hands Café have swapped the famous granola and acai bowls for even healthier breakfast bowls at Two Hands Restaurant, their more spacious outpost in Tribeca. Two dishes on the menu are real stand-outs, including a hearty brassicas bowl with broccolini, brussels sprouts, egg and a wonderful smoosh of hummus, or a refreshing beet cured salmon bowl with courgetti, avocado and fennel yogurt. There’s also a gluten-free banana bread, but I’m not sure how healthy the creamy espresso mascarpone is on top. I do know it’s amazing and worth every calorie.
If you’re looking for a plant-based veggie-centric breakfast spot in New York, the Butcher’s Daughter has you covered. Expect models drinking green juices, avocado-dishes on every table and healthier pancakes, made with rice flour or matcha green tea. Don’t miss the almond-butter jelly toast, topped with bananas and grapes.
Who ever says oatmeal is boring has clearly never been to Oatmeals. This small café puts a modern twist on those ancient grains, making your own homemade oatmeal look very basic. Choose from the endless toppings to build your own bowl, or try something new with their signature bowls, topped with sundried tomatoes, pumpkin purée or fried eggs. And because the oatmeal is super healthy, it’s totally ok to add toppings like sprinkles, chocolate and cheese. There’s even a s’mores oatmeal, not that I’ve tried it while trying to eat healthy. Not at all.
