A breakdown of breakfast at The Mansion Diner in New York City.
There are a lot of diners I could recommend, but even when I’m halfway across the world there’s one particular meal I always miss from one particular diner… and this is it!
The Mansion Diner
A fixture on the Upper East Side since 1945, the diner has been run by the Philips family for three generations. The staff is always friendly and there’s always a wait out the door on the weekends. But don’t get discouraged at the site of the line; it moves quickly.
You know… there’s no greater example of a New York minute than watching the staff of a bustling diner operate on a weekend morning.
The Order
- Coffee with milk, no sugar
- Eggs Florentine, drizzle of Cholula Hot Sauce
- Chocolate chip pancake, buttery and syrupy
Coffee
I’m kind of stickler for brewing my own coffee, and I always drink it black because I love all the nutty, chocolate aromas from freshly roasted beans. But the coffee at The Mansion is so drinkable, it stands far apart from so many other diner coffees I’ve had. I love a dollop of cream in it because it softens the acidity. This way I can nod for refills whenever the waiter walks by without too much heartburn.
Eggs Florentine
The Eggs Florentine is unique because of its Greek twist. The Mansion mixes fresh feta with the warm spinach, almost creating a mashup of the two. By the time they layer the English muffin with the spinach-feta mixture, poached eggs and drizzle it with Hollandaise sauce, the flavors are already melded together. Served with hash browns, the crispy potatoes act as the perfect vessel when the English muffin begins to disintegrate in the Hollandaise.
And forget the Tabasco, The Mansion offers Cholula, which is a nice change from the vinegary, peppery sauce that Tabasco is. Cholula compliments the heavy flavors with a light heat rather than cutting through them. It’s the only way to go with this dish.
Along with the Eggs Florentine, my husband, Brad, often gets a side of smoked salmon to have alongside the dish. So if you’re an Eggs Atlantic type of person… I urge you to follow suit.
Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Pancake
I always sip my coffee, have my Eggs Florentine and reserve my single Buttermilk Chocolate Chip pancake for something I like to call: breakfast dessert. The Mansion’s pancakes are light and lacy with the perfect chewiness. They’re definitely not the thick, dry and flavorless cakes that I despise. A good diner has good pancakes. A fabulous diner has mastered the delicate art of searing the buttermilk batter just enough so that a paper-thin crispness forms on the edges and still leaves the center soft and chewy. Kind of like a giant chocolate chip cookie but in cake form. It’s the perfect chocolatey finish to a savory breakfast. As for breakfast dessert, pairing something so chocolatey with my coffee rounds out the meal every time.
Carl Schurz Park
After breakfast, walk off your meal along the East River at the Carl Schurz Park. The park overlooks the northern end of Roosevelt Island and is filled with flower beds, playgrounds, a dog park and of course, Gracie Mansion, the official residence of NYC’s mayor. In fact, the second generation owner of The Mansion Diner, Phil Philips, became so ingrained in the neighborhood he was affectionately known the “Mayor of 86th Street.”
So when you’re in the Upper East Side, take a walk past Gracie Mansion but then head to the real Mansion for one of the best breakfasts NYC has to offer.
The Mansion Diner
1634 York Ave
New York, NY 10028
Check out some of my other favorite spots in NYC.