City Bakery

3 West 18th St., New York, NY 10011

Mon-Fri, 7:30-7pm; Sat, 8-7pm; Sun, 10-6pm

It's the grande dame of the new generation of bakery-restaurants. And what an engaging dame she is. City Bakery, housed in a large open space near Union Square, is an innovator: pretzel croissants (delightfully salty), liquid chocolate (scarily sweet), green offshoots (see entry for Birdbath) - City Bakery has been ahead of the pack for years.

Breakfast is a delicious cacophony of cappuccinos made to order and chatter among the creative business types who gather here daily. The baked goods have clearly been pulled from the oven a moment ago, and there's a pastry for every palate. Lunch is a vast buffet of novel salads and heartier but healthy fare. Sit at tiny tables on the main floor or spread out with your companions upstairs on the mezzanine. Solo diners may enjoy the soda fountain-style counters on both levels.

Miss Paper's pick: Chocolate Week, usually in the doldrums of February. Come inside to warm up and choose from a range of intensely chocolate treats. Marvel at the stainless steel wheel that keeps the hot chocolate smooth and silky. And sample some hot chocolate add-ins (bourbon, espresso) that justify a daily visit. -Heather Myers