Amaya Henry Amaya Henry | August 3, 2023 | Food & Drink, Feature,
Indulging in the sweet symphony of fluffy batter crisped to perfection, waffles have secured their place as an all-time favorite comfort food. With a city as diverse as its culinary offerings, discovering the best waffle spots in NYC becomes a delightful adventure. From classic Belgian-style waffles to innovative and mouthwatering creations, the city has an array of hidden gems that cater to every waffle enthusiast's palate.
With these nine waffle spots, prepare to awaken your taste buds on this waffle-filled escapade through the heart of New York City.
See Also: The 11 Best Brunch Spots in NYC
134 Ludlow St. / 917.806.6500 / Website
With an all-day everyday boozy brunch, Pig & Butter's waffles are an added bonus. In addition to their chicken and waffles, this Black and woman-owned business offers a twist on a sandwich classic: the PB&J. The PB&J waffle is their classic waffle topped with peanut butter, concord grape jelly, bacon, banana and buttery maple syrup. They also have a delicious sandwich called “The Sweet Dolores” where instead of bread they use waffles with maple turkey sausage, fried egg and cheese between these fluffy waffle pieces.
Multiple locations / Website
If you’re a fan of chicken and waffles, Sweet Chick is a restaurant that you should definitely try. After opening its first location in Williamsburg in 2013, this Black-owned business took the rest of the East Coast by storm. With the two pieces of fried chicken, you can choose from a variety of waffle flavors including a classic Belgian waffle, apple cinnamon, bacon cheddar, chocolate chip or vanilla glaze.
Multiple locations / Website
Clinton St. Baking Company has preserved the foundations of its mom-and-pop restaurant by sourcing the finest ingredients from nearby vendors. The American South, coastal New England, Jewish New York, and the Spanish chefs' rich culinary traditions from Mexico and the Southwest are all incorporated into their unique menu. Their fried chicken and waffles include cage-free chicken breast with honey-tabasco sauce, a crispy Belgian vanilla buttermilk waffle and their signature warm maple butter. The newest addition to their menu is the peach melba waffle. This summer essential takes their crispy Belgian vanilla buttermilk waffle and tops it with local peaches, fresh raspberries, vanilla bean whipped cream, raspberry sauce and candied almonds.
949 2nd Ave. / 917.877.1619 / Website
Two words: smores waffle. One sensation: deliciousness. Morning Star Cafe has deep roots in the East Midtown community since its start in 1998. By combining the traditional campfire snack with the breakfast dish, the Smores waffle is a decadent dessert for breakfast. The Smores waffle is a Belgian waffle topped with chocolate chips and toasted marshmallows. The crunchiness of the waffle and the softness of the toasted marshmallow blend together, creating a symphony of flavors on the tongue.
Multiple locations / Website
When Belgians Rossanna Figuera and Thomas DeGeest saw what Americans were calling the “Belgian waffle” they knew that an intervention was necessary. What started as selling waffles out of a ‘68 Chevy truck has turned into eight locations between NYC, Minnesota and Colorado. At Wafles & Dinges, they serve the Liège Wafel which is made from pearl sugar, a beet sugar unique to Belgium. When the dough touches the iron, the pearls burst and caramelize, creating a dense, flavorful wafel with a caramel coating. “Dinges” is Belgian slang for toppings that can be added to the top of your wafle as you build your own creation or choose a wafle (or wafles – we don’t judge!) from their list of signatures.
Multiple locations / Website
No, not that Waffle House. This is the Brooklyn Waffle House. While this joint's whole menu is full of unique options, two of their stand-out items include the Jerk chicken & waffles and the BBQ chicken and waffles. Additionally, by replacing bread with waffles, they have buttermilk and red velvet waffle chicken sandwiches. Whether you’re looking to indulge solely in a waffle or to indulge in an extensive list of flavors, there’s something for everyone at the Brooklyn Waffle House. For my fruit lovers, they have the blueberry waffle, the strawberry waffle, the tropical waffle and the cherry waffle. For those with a real sweet tooth, they have the Oreo waffle, the buttermilk pecan waffle and the chocolate chip waffle. And for those looking to try something new, they have the bacon and red velvet waffle.
17 W 32nd St. / 917.745.2125 / Website
As a Korean cafe, Grace Street offers top-quality traditional Asian desserts with a modern NYC twist. They have three waffle options: the churro waffle, the Nutella mochi waffle and the Matcha ice cream waffle. The churro waffle is their signature waffle dipped in cinnamon sugar with a side of caramel dipping sauce and vanilla ice cream. For my gluten-free people, the Nutella mochi waffle is a gluten-free mochi waffle topped with Nutella, fresh strawberries, bananas, dark chocolate drizzle and whipped cream. Lastly, their Matcha ice cream waffle is a freshly baked waffle topped with green tea ice cream, dark chocolate, condensed milk and crushed Oreos. You can’t go wrong with any of these three, so pick one and dig in!
77 Irving Pl. / 212.477.2188 / Website
With its handcrafted wooden beams, fireplace, and farm decor, Friends of a Framer brings country Southern chic to the East Coast. Whether you’re from the South or not, everyone knows that cornbread is a staple item in southern cuisine. Adding cornmeal to the standard waffle recipe creates a grainy texture mimicking that of cornbread. Served with a side of fresh strawberries and bananas, find southern comfort at Friend of a Farmer.
401 W 25th St. / 347.554.7496 / Website
Find both food and comfort at Citizens of Chelsea. Started with the idea of creating a cozy space in the big city, this community-based Australian cafe shares its love of Australian culture with the city. From local art installations to family meals, there's plenty to love about Citizens, including its house-baked Belgian waffle topped with raw berry compote, fresh banana, housemade granola, mascarpone and brown butter maple syrup. Try this with a side of scrambled eggs and you’ll never want to leave.
Whether you're craving a simple delight or an extravagant masterpiece, try these waffle havens grace the streets of the Big Apple.
Photography by: Ilya Shapovalov / iStock Photo