Nutella stans of the eastern seaboard, your time has finally come: the Nutella Cafe in New York City opens on Nov. 14, in all of its ridiculously decadent, Instagrammable glory. In case you have not also been tracking this cafe so intensely that employees at Google are probably concerned about your Nutella search history, a bit of background: in June, Ferrero announced the opening of a Nutella cafe in the Big Apple, marking the second such cafe in the U.S. after the original opened in Chicago in 2017. The menu at the Chicago location is already drool-worthy enough — now, many of those fan favorites are about to hit the New York location, which also includes new menu items that will make your Nutella-loving heart sing.
Before we even get into the menu, though, you need to know that this new cafe is a capital E Experience, from the decor to the merchandise to ordering the food itself. The new cafe, which is located in Union Square, is so Instagram-worthy that it has attracted crowds long before its opening. The front door is a Nutella jar; the ceiling is crafted to replicated Nutella spread; even the light fixtures are based off of the yellow flower on the iconic Nutella jar. The place is wall-to-wall Nutella, lined with unique merchandise, a gelato station, a coffee station, shelves of Nutella goods, and a massive light fixture that says "Nutella" on it that covers an entire wall.
The merchandise, too, is boggling — from mugs to cups to little gift sets, including Nutella jars that say "New York" and "I love you" on them.
But now, more importantly, the food. When we arrived at the Nutella Cafe, we sampled some of the more iconic items on the menu, including some that are new to the New York City location — and all of which left us making some PG-13 rated noises. Here are some of the menu items that you have to take part in if you're going to venture to the new cafe.
Grilled Banana Bread
This was, perhaps, the most-anticipated menu item that fellow lifestyle editor Kristin Magaldi — my partner in Nutella sampling crime — and I were most excited about. Topped with sliced bananas and chopped hazelnuts and drizzled with Nutella, this treat more than delivered on that expectation. Sorry (NOT SORRY) if you hate the word moist, but it was moist, and dense, and a perfect combo of banana and hazelnut-chocolate spread with a hint of savoriness.
Frozen Nutella Pop
I don't think there are words in the English language for the shiver that goes up your spine when this frozen Nutella goes down your throat, the closest I can get is ASJSLGHJSLFGHJS. Despite it being frozen, the texture is extremely rich and creamy. Don't slack on this one, though — it melts fast!
Hazelnut Blondie
This menu option is perfect for the person in your life who doesn't want to be overwhelmed by the hazelnut-chocolate spread; the blondie, made with chopped hazelnuts and drizzled Nutella, is probably the least chocolate-y thing we encountered on our journey, but still delicious.
Chia Hemp Seed Parfait
I need to disclose that I am an aggressive yogurt stan before I give you this opinion, but I am of the belief that this is the best thing on the menu. The tang of the greek yogurt with the richness of Nutella is otherworldly on its own, but when you add the fresh fruit, granola, and chia into the mix, it pretty much will retroactively shame any other food you dared call breakfast before today.
Create-Your-Own
Perhaps the most engaging menu offering is the Create-Your-Own option, which comes with your choice of base (i.e., pancake, croissant, crepe), your choice of filling (like apple compote and raspberries), and your choice of toppings. We ended up getting polenta pancakes with apple compote and banana, drizzled with Nutella and topped with chopped hazelnuts, which were, unsurprisingly, all a match made in heaven. But as you can see from the menu, your options are pretty much infinite.
Suffice to say, you can't really go wrong on your Nutella journey in this cafe. I could go on about how delicious everything was, but a picture says a thousand words, so instead here is one of me actively drooling mid-consumption.
And here is one of Kristin Magaldi moved to literal tears by the Nutella whipped cream on her latte.
(Related note: you can't take us anywhere.)
If you're interested in popping into the cafe or want to stay up to speed on its new offerings, you can follow them on Facebook and on Instagram — and, of course, catch them in their location at 13th Street and University Place, starting on Nov. 14. There is almost guaranteed to be a line out the door, but trust me, it is worth the wait.
