The 7 Best Places to Have Coffee and Dessert in the Theater District

The theater district doesn't have nearly the coffee and bakery options of Greenwich Village, which is surprising considering how caffeine and sugar (or the lack thereof) can make or break a theatergoing experience. Still, if you know where to look, you can get your fix. Here are seven of our suggestions for coffee and dessert in and around the theater district. Whether you're looking for a pre-show pick-me-up or a pleasant venue in which to hold your caffeinated post-show forum, these are the best places to go.

1. Bibble & Sip
253 W 51st Street (between Broadway and Eighth Avenue)
Conveniently located right across the street from Circle in the Square Theatre and the Gershwin Theatre, this new bakery and coffeehouse has quickly become our favorite pre-theater destination. Not only do owner Gary Chan and his team of baristas know how to make the perfect cappuccino, they've gotten quite creative with the presentation of the foam — especially with their signature Matcha Jasmine Latte, which often takes the form of a panda bear or alpaca. Bibble & Sip also offers an array of delicious baked goods. Best of all: This relaxed atmosphere café stays open until 8pm every day, just in time for your curtain.

2. FIKA
114 W 41st Street (between Sixth Avenue and Broadway); 566 10th Avenue (between 41st and 42nd Streets); 41 W 58th Street (between Fifth and Sixth Avenues); 824 10th Avenue (between 54th and 55th Streets)
This traditional Swedish coffeehouse has proudly existed in midtown since 2006, but it seems like it's experiencing something of a boom in this era of Starbucks malaise: New locations are bustin' out all over. It's a good thing, considering the quality of the roast and pleasantness of the atmosphere compared with other coffee chains. Nothing beats a cappuccino and Mackmyra bonbon (a chocolate made with single malt Swedish whiskey) before a show. For those willing to make the hike (or seeing a show at Ars Nova, Ensemble Studio Theatre, or Lincoln Center), the location on 10th Avenue near 55th Street is by far the nicest and most spacious in the city with an upstairs lounge and back patio. It also stays open later: until 9pm Monday through Friday, 7pm Saturday and Sunday.

3. Schmackary's
362 W 45th Street (between Eighth and Ninth Avenues)
Cookie monsters will want to head over to this creative specialty bakery located just one block away from the cluster of Broadway theaters on 44th and 45th Streets. It's all cookies, all the time. Some of the exotic flavors include Funfetti, Fluffer Nutter, and Maple Bacon. The store, which offers coffee as well, is regularly open until 11pm or midnight, so it's the perfect place for a post-show chat and chew.

4. Amy's Bread
672 Ninth Avenue (between 46th and 47th Streets)
Amy's generous coffees and delicious pastries have made this place a neighborhood favorite for years. It's regularly open until 11pm and has ample seating, so it's a nice option for a post-show hot chocolate, over which you can discuss the earth-shattering catharsis you just experienced. Since opening this original location in 1992, Amy's has expanded all over the city, including a new satellite at the Lincoln Center Library for the Performing Arts, where Amy's coffee and cake will forever fuel busy bookworms and "grad students" looking to see a long-closed production at the third floor video archive.

5. Myzel's Chocolate
140 W 55th Street (between Sixth and Seventh Avenues)
A visit to Myzel's is essential if you're seeing something at New York City Center. Owned and operated by Polish chocolatier Kamila Myzel since 1990, this family-run confectionary has managed to survive among some of the most expensive real estate on earth thanks to a loyal clientele who can't get enough of Myzel's delicious chocolates, cookies, and truffles. Myzel's also offers ice cream and over 100 flavors of licorice, all of which is packed into their hole-in-the-wall storefront on West 55th Street, right across from City Center (it's more of a shop-and-go experience than a place to hang out). Stop in before Encores! and Kamila will help you select the perfect bonbon to go with your viewing experience.

6. Little Pie Company
424 W 43rd Street (between Ninth and 10th Avenues)
This unimposing shop just west of Ninth Avenue offers the best pies in midtown. The Banana Coconut Cream is a particular favorite of ours. The coffee isn't bad either. Open until 8pm, Monday through Saturday, this is a great option if you're seeing something at Theatre Row, Playwrights Horizons, or the Pershing Square Signature Center. It's also just two and a half blocks from Broadway — a reasonable trek considering you'll want to walk off some of that pie before curtain.

7. Westway Diner
614 Ninth Avenue (between 43rd and 44th Streets)
Open 24/7, Westway is the classic New York diner experience, as we have noted in a previous listicle. Dress it up, dress it down, you can have a full dinner or just stop by for coffee and dessert. As far as diners go, Westway has an uncommonly extensive menu of treats and sweets. Tuck into their classic cheesecake and wash it down with a tall cappuccino if you want to go all night discussing the sociopolitical ramifications of the latest Arthur Miller revival. Whatever suits your fancy, Westway will probably have it.