Clinton Street Baking Company

While my family was in town a couple weekends ago, our top priority seemed to be to stuff our faces with delicious food. One of the best spots we ate at was Clinton Street Baking Company. The Clinton Street Bakery was featured on Throwdown with Bobby Flay. If you haven't watched this Food Network show you should. Chef Bobby Flay finds local favorites from across the country and challenges them to a throw down of their most famous dish. It could be chicken pot pie, matzah ball soup, or blueberry pancakes in Clinton Street Baking Company's case.

Clinton Street Baking Company describes their menu as eclectic American. Chef and owner Neil Kleinberg says, “These are the foods I grew up on, and that I love to eat and love to cook...There’s a little Jewish deli, a little French, a little American takeout, but it’s the best quality of all those places mixed together. It’s the stuff I liked to eat when I came off the line years ago exhausted, sweaty, and starved.”

We went on a Friday morning, thinking this 32-seat restaurant might not be as crowded as I had heard. We were wrong, and waited outside along with a gathering of people for about 45 minutes. Every time people would hear how long the wait was, fellow waiting patrons would assure them that is was worth the wait. They were totally right. Most people would just hop across the street to grab a coffee and come back and wait. My friend told me that on the weekends the restaurant will bring out mini pancakes to eat while people wait.
Once inside and seated my dad started off with a black and white milkshake. He inhaled it, so I assume it was good.

My sister and I both got the brioche french toast with caramelized bananas, roasted pecans and warm maple butter. The toast had a nice buttery crust with a soft center and the bananas were rich and tasty.
My mom got the wild Maine blueberry pancakes with warm maple butter. The pancakes were unusually light and fluffy and loaded with blueberries. The best part about the french toast and pancakes was the maple butter. It doesn't really have a buttery heavy taste like I thought it was, but light and delicious. We also got a couple plates of hash browns to share and we were not disappointed.
I would definitely recommend going if you are in the city and have some time, it is the best breakfast I have had in NYC. The service was also very friendly and they didn't rush you out after you had finished your meal, despite the long line waiting outside. They also serve brunch, lunch, and dinner. Click here for the menus.