Coffee on the Lower East Side? Whynot!

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Coffee on the Lower East Side? Whynot!

Fabulous coffee and tantalizing croissants summoned my taste buds back to Whynot Coffee—this time to its Lower East Side outpost on Orchard Street. Unlike the '60s Parisian motif of the original, the theme of this site is that of an art gallery. To maximize exhibit space, the barista station is situated within an island in the center of the café. The spacious interior affords a fine setting in which to enjoy coffee and the art surrounding it.

All the familiar delights from Blue Bottle coffee and Mille-Feuille bakery are here, too. Oh, and I discovered a new favorite: the raspberry croissant. Filled with a homemade raspberry preserve and dusted with dried raspberries, this bright, flaky pastry tasted of fruit, not sugar. I can't recall ever enjoying a more delectable croissant!

Raspberry croissant

The savory items were tasty as well. Both the prosciutto-and-provolone croissant and the smoked salmon quiche were satisfying, even though the latter was a bit overly farinaceous.

Ham and cheese: prosciutto-and-provolone croissant

Smoked salmon quiche

Of course, the coffee was, as ever, superb.

Espresso (left) and caffè latte (right)

The gallery's inaugural exhibit—works by Brooklyn artist Jeremy Penn—was officially launched on Thursday, 12 December. It was a splendid evening of paintings, pastries, and prosecco.