Even on a chilly, blustery November day, New Yorkers and tourists alike are gathered around the newest Instagrammable food cafe, eager to check out the newly opened Nutella Cafe on 13th Street and University Place. In order to get a fill of the tasty, hazelnut spread on some delicious food items, I decided to brave the line to see what all the hype was about.
I had to show up on three separate occasions to try and get inside the cafe, as the cafe enforces a strict capacity limit and will not allow anyone in once the cafe is filled. On the weekend, the queue can get exceptionally long, with people waiting upwards of 1 hour to grab a seat inside. On my third try, on a Thursday afternoon at 12pm, I finally was able to step inside without waiting in any line.
Once inside, I could see that the cafe was warm and inviting. The walls, chairs, and tables were adorned with splashes of red, brown, and white, representing the signature Nutella jar colors. The cafe smelled sweetly of waffles, crepes, and coffee, luring me and other customers in further to escape from the cold, winter day. Even at lunchtime, which I assumed would be an off time, the place was packed and every table was taken.
The cafe offers various pastries and desserts, from crepes and waffles, to gelato and overnight oats, smothered in the rich, chocolate-y spread. Since I could not sit down, I opted for something more mobile. I chose the “Flaky Croissant,” a pastry filled to the brim with the rich Nutella spread. As I received my croissant in a cute “to-go” bag, the warmness radiated from my bag to my palm. I had a good feeling that this croissant would live up to the hype.
The croissant was flaky, buttery, and cooked to a wonderful golden brown with Nutella oozing from the layers of pastry as I pulled it apart. The slight warmness of the Nutella spread completely took me away from the brisk, New York weather and brightened up my day. The slight salty and butteriness of the croissant complimented the sweet Nutella spread, making a perfect pair. While not the easiest food to eat (I ended up with a sticky, Nutella mess all over my hands) it’s easily very delicious; just be sure to grab extra napkins!
Overall, I’d say the experience was worth the hype, but I’d recommend visiting at not a peak time in order to enjoy your experience as best you can, and to not have to endure the winter weather too long if you wait outside. The croissant was around 6 dollars, so a little on the pricier side but the taste was well worth it. Perhaps not a cafe to frequent all the time, but for those looking to ‘treat themselves’, this place is perfect to gather at with friends.
All pictures taken by author.