SoHo: snacks and shopping

Sometimes when you're shopping in New York City's SoHo, it's hard to find somewhere to unwind for an afternoon pick me up. However, I do shop in SoHo quite often, and I know just the places to get a mid-day snack on downtown Broadway. 

If you are looking for something refreshing, I highly recommend Bloomingdale's Forty Carrots. I first had Forty Carrots' frozen yogurt at the Bloomingdale's on 59th Street and Lexington Avenue. It was the perfect combination of creaminess and tartness. It was not too icy and not too sweet for fro-yo. It was mind-blowingly divine. They have special flavors such as mango, raspberry, coffee, chocolate, and others, but I prefer the original flavor paired with their peanut butter soft serve. The photo below is a regular-sized serving for $5. Fruits and other toppings are also available at extra cost. The SoHo Bloomingdale's is significantly smaller than the uptown location, and as is the seating area and menu selection of Forty Carrots. Perfect for snack. 

Forty Carrots at Bloomingdale's

504 Broadway, 2nd Floor

New York, NY

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Cafe Bari is half a block uptown from Bloomingdale's and surprisingly always has seating, given it's prime corner location on Broadway. I usually wouldn't go here because of all the other choices in the area, but I remember trying my first almond croissant here when I was 15, and it was addictive. So I suggested to my cousin James that we go in for some coffee and a pastry. To my dismay, the large pastry display case was missing. But, we still got our coffees and decided to try some of their appetizers instead of desserts. 

We ordered the stuffed eggplant with fresh mozzarella and tomatoes and the crispy bite-size artichoke hearts that were lightly-battered and served with a basil-mayonnaise dip. The stuffed eggplant was exactly how you would want it to taste: warm roasted eggplant served with melted mozzarella all enveloped in tomato sauce. A classic dish with a modern presentation. The artichoke hearts I found very creative, for it was prepared tempura style.

There were actually a lot of interesting choices on the menu, and I was deciding between a few others, including:
Watermelon & Feta- with fresh lemon. seasonal.

Avocado Toast- toasted baguette with lemon olive oil spread, fresh avocado, lemon and chili flakes.

All in all, I would go back to Cafe Bari again. Their menu selection was very modern yet comforting at the same time. Also, when Balthazar is too crowded for Sunday morning brunches, Cafe Bari is an easy alternative.

Cafe Bari
529 Broadway
New York, NY 10012