It's on 1 of my list. Each entry below is what I wrote about it there, with my verdict on that list, the fullest first.
- AddressInside the Neue Galerie at 86th and Fifth Avenue
- From my guide, updated March 2026.
Inside the Neue Galerie at 86th and Fifth Avenue. Take the 4/5/6 to 86th Street.
This one is different. Cafe Sabarsky is inside a museum and it feels like you’ve been transported to Vienna circa 1910. Dark wood paneling, marble tables, Viennese pastries that look like they belong behind museum glass. You need a reservation on weekends and you need to accept that this will be a slower, more deliberate brunch. That’s the point.
The crepe with smoked salmon is wonderful. The Guglhupf cake is rich and buttery and goes perfectly with their Viennese coffee. This is the brunch I choose when I want to feel like a slightly more cultured version of myself. It always works.