A Spotlight On New York’s Best Spring Desserts
Just as restaurants can’t wait to swap out root vegetables for ramps and asparagus come spring, they’re equally excited to drop apples and pears for delicate seasonal produce, such as strawberries and rhubarb. So here are some incredible NYC sweets that absolutely scream spring; from Nur’s inspired, yogurt and artichoke dessert (yes, really) to Union Square’s Strawberry Pavlova.
Nur
Artichokes are a classic spring veggie, but it’s not often that you find them incorporated into sweets. So credit buzzy Middle Eastern newcomer, Nur, for thinking beyond rhubarb and strawberries for their “Hills of Jerusalem” dessert; featuring pistachio cream, yogurt ice cream, cardamom, chocolate, halva, and hearts of crispy Jerusalem artichokes.
Read MoreUnion Square Café
Pastry chef Daniel Alvarez has the luxury of being within immediate striking distance of the Union Square Greenmarket, which informs desserts such as Rhubarb Sundaes with frozen yogurt and puffed grains, Strawberry Pavlova teamed with strawberry sorbet, mint ice cream and vanilla whipped ganache, and Panna Cotta flavored with citrus, strewn with granola and sided with clementine sorbet.
Read MoreYellow Magnolia Café
Staunch seasonality is a must, considering Rob Newton’s restaurant is located directly inside of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden — so look for Sheep’s Milk Ricotta Cheesecake, accented with rhubarb and pistachio crumb, and Meyer Lemon Mousse over blackberries and butter cookies.
Read MoreFour and Twenty Blackbirds
So much more than a slice shop, the newest outpost of Four and Twenty’s beloved bakery dynasty actually offers pie and booze pairings; we’re talking Lemon Cheese accompanied by grapefruit spritzers and Strawberry Streusel with IPA.
Read MoreMetta
Norberto Piattoni (a Francis Mallmann protégé) uses a flickering wood oven to cook just about everything at his buzzy, new South American-inflected spot in Fort Greene — and that even extends to dessert, such as Ash-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with elecampane cream, and Chocolate Custard with coal-smoked maple sap granita.
Read MoreVillanelle
Former Degustation chef, Nick Licata, is also raiding the vegetable bins at Greenwich Village’s Villanelle; debuting a Parsnip dessert this past winter, and making use of sugary Peas this spring, paired with soft meringue, watermelon sorbet, sour cherry and rhubarb.
Read MoreItalienne
Tuck into Gateau au Rhubarb with marjoram custard at Jared Sippel’s Northern Italian/Southern French Italienne, along with Pate Choux au Craquelin; crackle-topped cream puffs piped with basil-infused chiboust and fraises de bois — tiny, wood-foraged strawberries.
Read MoreChez Ma Tante
The husband-and-wife dream team behind Anella, Lilia and more just transformed their Jimmy’s Diner space into the utterly charming Chez Ma Tante. And they’ve commissioned two highly skilled chefs (both formerly of Café Altro Paradiso) to helm the rustic French kitchen, turning out everything from Grilled Veal with green sauce and Skate Wing slicked with sabayon, to Lemon Crostata, Green Apple Sorbet with vodka, and Rhubarb Custard Tart.
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