Breakfast or brunch at Maialino is quite a treat with beautiful, delicious food that's complex enough for a dinner menu.

The eggs were perfectly poached over a bed of fresh vegetables and a light, creamy pecorino.

The pancakes came topped with ricotta and peach compote for a sweet and creamy taste.

Their bacon is some of the best I've ever had - the small, thick strips are juicy and chewy on the inside but crunchy on the outside. Perfection.

The pork sausage was also a unbelievable surprise - filled with spinach and pecorino, it was juicy and had just a touch of spice.

The pastries were also amazing - a toffee glazed brioche was a buttery, elevated version of a cinnamon bun.

The little bombolonis were coated in sugar with a light, not too sweet cream - a perfect breakfast dessert.

Normally I'd order hummus for a light, healthy lunch but the meat hummus at 12 Chairs is decadent and delicious. The hummus is topped with a ground beef, pine nuts and mushroom mixture that infuses the olive oil with amazing flavor. It comes with sweet olives and an Israeli pickle.

The Greek salad is less decadent but still tasty - the Mediterranean spiced pita wedges make a great addition to the seasoned tomatoes, cucumbers and feta.

I absolutely adore the baked goods from local Brooklyn confectioners whimsy & spice. Their unexpected flavor combos like earl gray and chocolate and hazelnut whisky make for great sandwich cookies and I can't resist the buttery shortbread cookies in brown sugar gingerspice and chocolate orange cardamom. These are my kind of cookie flavors!

The brownie has more familiar flavors, but it rich and moist and drizzled with dulce de leche on top.

Caffetteria Soho is the latest addition to the growing block of cafes along Sullivan Street, with San Francisco's famous Blue Bottle Coffee brewed in super-cool chic contraptions and espresso drinks made from freshly roasted beans. The flavors are incredible - rich and nutty, with more flavor than any other coffee I've had recently. It's available to take home, and there are also snacks from Ceci Cela and Grandaisy.

Independence Day is almost here and I'm gearing up for a weekend of classic Americana foods like burgers, bbq and traditional desserts like this warm brownie from Craftbar...rich and cocoa-ey topped with cream ice cream, crumbled chocolate cookies, whipped cream and chocolate sauce...yum!

Rabbits Café is another recent addition to the boom on Sullivan St. I stopped in for lunch today and tried the fish tacos. Despite looking a little bare, the fried cod was crispy and delicious and came with strips of cabbage, salsa and sour cream. I will definitely go back for these again!

Have I discussed my obsession with Mark Bittman?  I absolutely love The Minimalist.  I am always thrilled to be on Jet Blue watching him cook (this is the only time I can watch food TV!).  I read his blog and love his recipes.  This weekend I will be trying his pasta with spring vegetables and a little meat. Let me know if you try it and what you think...yum

I can't believe I've been walking past Local for years and just now made it inside. The cute little café/takeout shop uses ingredients from local purveyors and organic ingredients in their baked goods.

The egg salad sandwich is flavored with tons of delicious dill and arrives on toasted bread - I ordered it with sourdough instead of the regular 7 grain.

The ham & fig sandwich was the perfect balance of sweet and creamy with sliced ham, figs and fresh mozzarella.

They also have organic fair trade coffee in bags with their very cool logo.

It's a gloomy day in nyc today, and there's nothing better to cheer me up than adorable mini cupcakes from Baked by Melissa. These cute treats are about the size of a quarter and come in fun flavors like chocolate chip pancake, s'mores and tie-dye. Yum!

Otarian is a UK based chain that focuses on eco-sourced, vegetarian foods and is the first low-carbon restaurant - meaning a healthy lunch that's also healthy for the planet. All the earth-friendliness aside, their curried apple parsnip soup is rich and creamy with a bit of spice and topped with crunchy parsnip strips.