Penelope (Dessert)

159 Lexington Avenue

(between 29th Street and 30th Street)

Have wanted to try Penelope (a cute bistro-style café) for years. Every time I’ve tried though the line to get in would be out the door.

This time around, I went after the lunch rush (around 2 p.m. on a weekday) as my dining companion and I were craving some sweets. We had just finished eating lunch around the corner at a place without many dessert options.

Penelope has a very cozy and “hipster” atmosphere. From our man-bun wearing server to the labeling of their syrup (for the iced coffees we ordered) as “sizzurp,” I felt I could have easily been in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Their desserts were definitely on point—at least the ones we tried. Definitely a steal for $6 a slice!

We had the raspberry coffee cake. Good, but really dense and crumbly.

And the carrot cake. As soon as I saw the fun-looking silver sprinkles, I knew I had to order it! Super moist and delicious! Most importantly, the amount of icing was perfect (I usually find that the icing on most carrot cakes tends to overwhelm the cake).

 

Pros:

Relaxed, laid-back atmosphere.

Friendly service.

Cons:

Long waits during prime lunch and dinnertime hours.

Final Thoughts

Perfect place (during off-hours!) to have a catch-up conversation with a friend. Definitely want to return to try their lunch and/or dinner.