Description: Are you looking for one of NYC's most authentic Italian pastry shops and coffee bars? Then don't bother going to Little Italy...head instead for the East Village. Here, just off 11th St. is where you'll find Veniero's Pasticceria & Caffe.
Luckily this last time we visited the city, we were staying not too far from the area, so one morning when we were quickly researching places in the area to grab a good coffee and small pastry, we found Veniero's. Established in 1894 and is still owned and operated by the Veniero family. Their pastries have won awards throughout the years and from other "Italian" pastry shops in the city, we can see why.
When you walk inside, you're immediately greeted by an enormous glass pastry counter filled with a large variety of colorful confections. Bright miniature fruit tarts, small cheesecakes, tiramisu squares, eclairs, cannoli (plain and chocolate-dipped), Italian biscotti, cookies, rum baba', flaky sfogliatelle, and more adorn the case. Many people will be in line just buying bags to go, but there is an entire dining room towards the back and left of the entrance. Here you can sit and enjoy a cappuccino, espresso, Italian liquor, or latte.
We sat at a small window seat and ordered a cappuccino, macchiato, miniature cannolo, and "lobster tail" which is a huge cream filled flaky pastry similar to a sfogliatelle. The pastries were amazing, and I even ordered another cannolo to go before leaving. The coffee was good as well and the service was nice.
Price-wise, it was very moderate (about $1-4 per pastry and $2.50-5 per drink).
• http://www.venierospastry.com/
• 342 East 11th Street, New York
• (212) 674-7070
• Open 8pm - 1am
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