The Coffee Crawl Sipping my way through New York City…one coffee shop at a time.

The snowpocalypse of 2010 will not keep this coffee crawler down. This week’s menu brings me to Billy’s Bakery. The hugely successful coffee shop and bakery first opened its doors in Chelsea on 9th Avenue between 21st and 22nd streets. After years of their vastly popular cupcakes selling out, Billy’s Bakery went on to open a second location in TriBeCa (75 Franklin Street between Broadway and Church Street). As a frequent customer of Billy’s for years (since I used to live on the same block!) I can firmly attest to the delicious buttery goodness of this little slice of heaven.

The first thing that caught my attention as I walked through their door was the freshly baked cupcakes. But before I get to the sweets, let’s discuss the store’s ambiance. Walls decorated in an old-fashioned pale yellow and green wallpaper, antiqued light fixtures, and 50s-style tables and chairs, Billy’s Bakery achieves its goal of having that down-home southern feel. Just like grandma’s kitchen. One would think the music accompanying this delightful sight would be Patsy Cline or Loretta Lynne, but unfortunately for my ears, hard rock music was blasting in the background. This audio-visual disconnect left a lot to be desired. The staff on-shift while I visited however, was very friendly. Customer service was quick, the perfect amount of milk was poured into my coffee and everything was handled with a warm smile. Also, as I sat and enjoyed my coffee, it truly looked like every employee had fun at their job. Whether it was decorating cupcakes with frosting, steaming milk for an espresso drink, or doling out slices of pie, laughter and happy conversation dominated.

Now for the cupcakes. The cupcakes are absolutely delicious. Sugary sweet and buttery cake topped with a creamy and indulgent buttercream frosting define Billy’s Bakery. Featured on many Food Network and Bravo shows, magazines and even the Today Show, you have to be curious about the goodness of these little gems. The vanilla cupcake with vanilla buttercream frosting is my absolute favorite. The first bite is always the best. The cake is moist, so sugary and buttery that it almost melts once it hits your tongue. The icing is phenomenal. You must truly appreciate powdered sugar blended with many sticks of butter to enjoy this. It’s very decadent, to say the least. If cupcakes aren’t your thing, Billy’s Bakery offers many other treats to tempt your palette: cakes, cookies, brownies and blondies, pies, cheese cakes, muffins and assorted breads. With a list like that, I’m sure you’ll find something to dive in to.

With treats as amazing as these, I worried that the coffee quality would be overlooked. So far on my coffee crawl, I have seen places with excellent food yet the taste of the coffee was below average. This simply was not the case here. Jack’s Coffee is the bean of choice at Billy’s Bakery. With beans that are 100% organic, fair trade, and shade grown how can you go wrong? A lightly roasted bean, with no bite or bitter aftertaste, was ground and brewed into my cup. Adding a little soy milk and this cup of coffee was perfect. Priced at $2.65, although a little expensive for a cup of brewed coffee, it was well worth it. The price increase is easily explained for the high quality bean that they are roasting.

Overall, I have to say that Billy’s Bakery is a huge success. You simply must travel over for a cupcake and cup of that coffee. You will not regret it.