Our Favorite Fall Sweets in NYC
Autumn’s prominent holidays may be Halloween and Thanksgiving, but there’s a lot more to the seasonal sweets scene than candy and pie. That’s why we’re showcasing eight NYC pastry programs, making especially innovative use of fall’s bounty! From Keith McNally’s Augustine and its Poached Pear Mille-Feuilles, to the Butternut Squash Granita at Andrew Carmellini’s Leuca…
Augustine
It should come as no surprise that Keith McNally is sticking with French classics at his new Beekman Hotel stunner, Augustine. And he’s commissioned Balthazar London’s pastry chef, Regis Beauregard, to design a dessert menu to complement autumnal items, like Pave Jardinière and Duck a l’orange with turnips; think Apple Tarte Tatin topped with hazelnut streusel, Roasted Blood Oranges strewn with mint oil and crystalized mint leaves, and an Armagnac Mille-Feuilles, layered with poached pear and marinated prunes.
Read MoreLeuca
After a slow roll-out of more casual concepts inside of Brooklyn’s The William Vale hotel, Andrew Carmellini and his NoHo Hospitality crew have finally debuted Leuca; an utterly elegant Southern Italian restaurant. You’ll want to take advantage of the wood-fired oven, by ordering blistered Pizzas piled with ricotta and broccoli rabe and Lemon Chicken for Two teamed with blistered peppers, but be sure to save room for dessert — current options include a “Sophia Loren” Sundae featuring rum granita and caramel crumble, and a Fall Pumpkin Supriso; comprised of fall-spiced meringue, roasted pumpkin seed oil and butternut squash granita.
Read MoreSunday in Brooklyn
An all-star team is behind this brand new takeover of the former Isa space, with Atera chef Jaime Young, and Major Food Group higher ups — Adam Landsman and Todd Enany — following in the footsteps of Ignacio Mattos and Jose Ramirez-Ruiz. And the current menu is every bit as ambitious; both savory (Black Cod Pastrami with rye sour cream, Beef Tartare with beer whey) and sweet — including Sour Apple Sorbet with graham crumble and shiso, and Carrot and Mezcal Cake plated with sheep’s milk yogurt and ginger crisp.
Read MoreRouge Tomate
This health-conscious Upper East Side restaurant may have undergone a revamp and relocation (to a sparkling new space in Chelsea), but the menu is as seasonal as ever, with chef Andy Bennett overseeing inspired, not-too-sweet desserts, such as Roasted Pear with grapes, polenta and goats milk, Chocolate Mousse spiked with blood orange and coconut, and Lemon Verbena Parfait enlivened with tingly Szechuan peppercorn.
Read MoreKing
A trio of Brits is behind this lovely SoHo newcomer, but the bill of fare actually skews Southern Italian and French — especially evidenced by desserts such as a Baked Apple with almonds, prunes and amaretto, Pernod Parfait garnished with an anise biscuit, and an endearingly rustic Date and Cognac Tart.
Read MoreLa Sirena
Ordering dessert is a must at Batali and Bastianich’s Chelsea juggernaut, La Sirena, because top New York pastry chef, Michael Laiskonis, masterminds the sweets; such as a Pine Nut Tart with cider-plumped raisins, Vanilla-Fig Panna Cotta striped with lemon-soaked sponge, and an Autumn Semifreddo; concord grape sabayon and lemon sage gelato, pressed with strips of walnut cake.
Read MoreLe Coq Rico
You’ll find Cinnamon and Clove-Spiced Ice Cream, Mousse with Orange Salad, and a boozy Baba au Rhum on the dessert menu at Le Coq Rico, but don’t discount the cheese course when it comes to autumnal sweets. That’s because the restaurant sources a whole lot more than poultry from their stable of farm partners; look for smoky and nutty Cave-Aged Tomme, creamy and fruity Cremembert, and citrusy, oaky Delchago from Betty Acres Farm upstate, accompanied by housemade apple and pear chutneys.
Read MoreAmada
Fall makes us think of cider, which makes us think of Spanish food, which makes us think of Jose Garces’ long-anticipated outpost of Amada in Battery City, where an appealing menu of tapas (Clams cooked in chorizo, bite-sized Baby Lamb Chops), is complimented by desserts such as Tarta de Chocolate with candied chestnuts, Tocinello de Cielo featuring egg cream, pistachio sponge and orange meringue, and of course, Churros; finger-shaped donuts swirled in spiced sugar.
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