Looking for a Cozy Lunch Spot in NYC

Parent Cafe
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<p>I’m coming into Manhattan in mid December (on a Friday if it matters) and planning to meet a friend for lunch in early afternoon. I have not seen her in more than 25 years when we both lived in the Chicago area. </p>

<p>I’m taking the train and coming into Grand Central. She lives in Queens. </p>

<p>I’m looking for a place that will be casual, comfortable and a great place to talk and catch up. I am probably not doing Christmas shopping on this trip – and I have dinner plans at an as yet unknown location!</p>

<p>Suggestions?</p>

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<p>I love Serendipity 3 in midtown for lunch. They are famous for their frozen hot chocolate but I love the eclectic lunch menu (everything and anything from eggs to wings to burgers). The place is kinda cool too.</p>

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<p>It’s impossible to get into Serendipity at this time of year.</p>

<p>The National is really good. [New</a> York City Midtown Restaurant | New York Dinner | The National NYC](<a href=“http://www.thenationalnyc.com/]New”>http://www.thenationalnyc.com/)</p>

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<p>Take her to high tea at the Plaza in the Palm Room.
Pricey, but you won’t be rushed.
Well worth the $$ for an afternoon to catch up.</p>

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<p>Just looked at the menu!
Pricey is an understatement … and I am oh so tempted to treat her to tea!
It looks fabulous!</p>

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<p>Pershing Square can be fun for that kind of lunch.</p>

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<p>I like Le Pain Quotidien, have eaten a number of times at on on the upper East side. I see that they have several midtown locations. I’ve only learned recently that it is a chain - it does not at all feel that way. The food is wonderful, and it’s not wildly expensive. It’s comfortable and relaxed, and there’s much more space between tables than usual in NYC restaurants (at least at the 1st Ave. location that I’ve used).</p>

<p>[Le</a> Pain Quotidien - Welcome to our bakery and communal table.](<a href=“http://www.lepainquotidien.us/#/en_US/locations]Le”>http://www.lepainquotidien.us/#/en_US/locations)</p>

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<p>check out Ammos [Ammos</a> Estiatorio](<a href=“http://www.ammosnewyork.com/]Ammos”>http://www.ammosnewyork.com/)</p>

<p>Not cheap, but if you go early (12/12:30-ish) it’s not crowded and it’s got a pleasant atmostphere. Food is good. And you are literally a hundred paces from Grand Central (depending on which track you come in on…)</p>

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<p>I work in the Grand Central area and you will be hard pressed to find something in this area at this time of year that will be relaxing and quiet. While it’s not fine dining, there are lots of ethnic places on 9th Ave in the low 50s that might be better. (had dinner at an Afgan place called Ariana a few weeks ago that was good). </p>

<p>That said, you might look into Docks at 40th & 3rd Ave.</p>

<p>I do know the chef at a cute restaurant in a small Chelsea hotel: Cafe B in the Indigo Hotel. 28th betw 6th/7th. Nothing fancy, but probably quiet. </p>

<p>If you want to checkout menus before you go to a place, here’s my favorite website:</p>

<p>[New</a> York City Restaurants, New York City Menus, Ratings, Reviews, NYC Restaurants Guide](<a href=“http://www.menupages.com/]New”>http://www.menupages.com/)</p>

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<p>You might want to check out the Bryant Park Grill, right behind the Library, on 40th between 5th and 6th. It’s just few blocks from Grand Central. Then, after lunch, you can walk in Bryant Park. There is a “Christmas Market” of stalls with interesting items for sale. If you have any time after that, go into the Library, where they have a special exhibit of treasures from their collection to celebrate their centennial. The gem of the exhibit IMHO is the original stuffed Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Kanga, Eyore and Piglet–the ones that Milne bought for Christopher Robin, and they are in magnificently “loved” condition. Quite a treat, among many other priceless books and items. Enjoy. There is nothing like NYC.</p>

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<p>Here’s one we like–funky, but reasonably comfortable:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.momou.com/restaurants/ma-peche/info/[/url]">http://www.momou.com/restaurants/ma-peche/info/</a></p>

<p>Sigh. You will have to replace those stars with an f, a u, and a k to make the link work. But it looks like a naughty word, so CC’s robot doesn’t allow it.</p>

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<p>I like Oscar’s at the Waldorf Astoria. Great Waldorf Salad and also a great Asian Chicken Salad. Service is from the 1950s.</p>

<p>Edited to add: I mean that in a good way.</p>

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<p>Hunt - you do have a way of stirring up trouble! LOL</p>

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<p>The last time I was in NYC we spent a few hours at the Frick Collection and had lunch here:</p>

<p>[url=&lt;a href=“http://www.picholinenyc.com/]Picholine[/url”&gt;http://www.picholinenyc.com/]Picholine[/url</a>]</p>

<p>Loved it!</p>