Loading summary
A
Our state has changed a lot in the last 140 years. We know because Multicare has been here guided by a single making our communities healthier. That comes from making courageous decisions, partnering with local communities to grow programs and.
B
Services, and expanding healthcare access to those who need it most. Together, we're building a healthier future.
A
Learn more@mycare.org.
B
This is all of It on WNYC. I'm Alison Stewart. Let's get ready for an hour of fun. As the members of the series park and Rec say, sometimes you have to treat yourself.
C
Three words for you. Treat yo self treat yourself 2011 once a year, Donna and I speak Treating ourselves.
B
What do we treat ourselves to?
A
Clothes Treat yourself Fragrances Treat yourself Massages.
B
Treat yourself Mimosas Treat yourself Fine leather goods Treat yourself.
A
It's the best day of the year. The best day of the year.
B
It seems that Gen Z agrees. Gen Z loves treats. Little treat culture is a food trend that emerged about buying cheaper, smaller portions of thanks snacks to say you did a good job turning the page. Turning. There we go. Okay. It could be a slice of cake, a cinnamon bun or a warm beverage. A little treat to accompany something. A hit of joy to keep the day going. Nikita Richardson is the editor for the New York Times food section and a lover of little treats. Nikita and her colleagues have published a list of their favorite little treats in New York, 46 in total. And you can find the list on the New York Times website. Nikita is in studio now. Welcome back.
A
Hi. Happy to be here.
B
What is your definition of a little treat?
A
Well, I it's funny because little treat has an expansive definition. But me, like, there's a story in the Times by Kailyn Rohn that came out a few months ago and a little treat was a $500 guitar. But according that's not a little treat at all. But by my standards, a little treat is usually $20 or under. $20 being the ceiling, a lot of people are like very shocked by that. But I think that's a ceiling. A lot of them are lower than that. It is. You can get it on the fly. You don't need a reservation. And you're usually going to eat it right there. It's not something that you're taking home or, you know, saving for later. You're going to finish it right then and there.
B
When did you first notice the little treats start to emerge on social media?
A
I think that the term little treat, obviously, as we just heard from a segment from 2011 on Parks and Rec, obviously, obviously, little Treat culture has been around for a while, but I think only now is it being identified as such. I think that everyone always, like, you know what? I deserve that. I always say, like, 3pm Is actual little treat time. Time for a little something sweet. Right. But I think that it's getting to this point because when you mix the fact that it is extremely hard to kind of make it right now for everyone, regardless of their generation, they don't have to be Gen Z. I think that people are always looking for that small pleasure they could afford for themselves. And especially even right now, I'm thinking about, like, SNAP benefits and all these things. Like, food insecurity is real. And I think that people are. Food is such a source of comfort for all of us. And I think, like, that was kind of at the heart of what we were trying to do with this story, is trying to touch on the comfort of a little treat.
B
My niece calls them sneaky snacks. Yeah, I'm seeing a little sneaky snack right now. What was your criteria to define what would go under your little treat? You said $20 or less. Did it have to. What else did it have to have?
A
We. So I think that a lot of little treat chat is about it being sweet. And I love sweet. Like, I actually recently learned, like, weeks ago that my mom ate a cinnamon bun every day she was pregnant with me, which explains why I am who I am. I think I have a sweet tooth. And this is. I learned this, like, a month ago. It explains everything. But I want to have a more expansive definition because not everyone likes sweets. Some people love a savory thing. Some people, you know, want something kind of in between that. So we have, you know, a cup of broth at Brodo in the East Village. We have tofu pudding from Fangan. We have, I think, what could be a more expansive definition, but the idea being that it's something that you sit down and have for a moment and you really enjoy it. And it's across all the boroughs, and it's cheap. That's the real point. It's affordable.
B
Is your mom still alive?
A
Yes, she is.
B
Okay. She'll be a guest on the show eventually.
A
I need to know more about that. Love to do that.
B
Listeners, what's your favorite little treat to get in the city? Not a meal, Something cheap. A little snack you like to get when you're out and about. Our phone lines are wide open. 212-433-W, NYC 212-433-9692. It could be a slice of cake, a Smoothie, a coffee, maybe an egg tart. A little treat for you and yourself when you want a Little pick me up. 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. My guest is Nikita Richardson, editor for the New York Times food section and creator of the where to Eat newsletter. We're discussing a new list she helped to make of The Times Editor's 46 Favorite Little Treats in New York City. Let's get into your list. Yes, Kellogg's Icebox Pie. This is in Williamsburg at kellogg's Diner at 518 Metropolitan Avenue. This is a big deal that it's reopened.
A
Yes. It closed nearly, almost about two years ago. It was purchased by another buyer and they kind of redid the entire menu but kept it diner esque. And it is actually like it was before the pandemic. 24 hours open for 24 hours, which is becoming increasingly rare in New York City. But it's, they have, they had a pastry chef named Amanda Perdomo, and she created this insane passion fruit Tajin icebox cake. And it is a huge cloud of meringue sprinkled with tyin, which everyone knows a little spice that you put on the rim of a Michelada. And underneath that is the most delicious passion fruit curd you ever had. And then believe that is a graham cracker crust. And every time I go there, if I have eaten too much and I still don't have a room, I will always take a slice to go. It is one of the best slices of pie in this city. I swear by that.
B
And it kind of is a twist on the lemon meringue you would normally find.
A
Yeah. But I find passion fruit to be such an interesting flavor. And I, I'm, I dare I say I'm more of a passion fruit person now than a mango person. Having grown up being a mango person.
B
Ooh.
A
How did that happen? I think I just, the scales fell from my eyes.
B
Well, let's say you're working at the Times and you decide that you need a treat. What's an example of a little treat you'll get yourself during the workday? You can't make it out to Williamsburg.
C
No.
A
But what's something you'll get across our office? We are obsessed with culture. Espresso, I think there's three locations of it. And there's coffee shops in the midtown area. And they have the best, best cookies. They have a really good chocolate chip cookie, but they also have a really good corn cookie. And I do not know why they have gone as hard on cookies as they have on coffee. But consistently, people go out and they'll be like, hey, can I get you a culture cookie? We're like, of course. Or they'll bring back an entire box of them because we all love them so much. But for the New York Times food section, if you want to. If you want to know where we're at, we're at the culture espresso.
B
Let's take a call. Dana is calling in from South Orange, New Jersey. Hey, Dana, thanks for taking the time to call all of it. Hi.
C
Of course. I'm so excited to call in.
B
What do you like to eat?
C
So my favorite sweet treat is the chocolate cake and a cup of tea from Alice's Teacup, which is on the Upper west side. They have three chapters, and whenever I'm in the area, we'll walk the extra couple blocks and go get me a slice of their chocolate cake. It's the most rich, decadent chocolate cake. And then a cup of tea just washes it down perfectly.
B
I love how she said, I'm gonna go get me a cup.
A
A slice of chocolate cake. There are so many slices of cake on this list, by the way. And especially chocolate cake, which I think is. It must have something to do with the movie Matilda, because Bruce Bogtrotter. Every time I see a big slice of chocolate cake, I'm like, that's Bruce Brogchotter core.
B
Let's talk to Emily, who's calling in from Short Hills, New Jersey. Hey, Emily, you're on the air.
C
Hey, there. How are you doing?
B
Okay, good.
C
So my favorite sweet treat. I make sure I'm there every day at 3 o'. Clock. When I'm in the city is my cappuccino and a fabulous ginger cookie from Clementine down in Tribeca. If I can't get there for that, I'm down for daily provisions. Oatmeal raisin cookie with cranberry and white chocolate. But I don't go a day without my sweet treat. You guys validated me. I'm so happy because my girlfriends always tease me up. We gotta stop. It's Emily's time. And now I'm real and I'm live, so I'm very happy.
B
Emily, I'm glad that we could endorse you on this.
A
Have no shame.
B
Let's talk to Sheila. She's calling from Harlem. Hey, Sheila, thanks for making the time to call. All of it. What do you like to eat?
C
I love this segment. Thank you so much. All of it. My special sweet Treat is definitely handmade, warm rugula. Every chance I get, I get some. It's made by Mr. Lee at Lee Lee's Bakery on West 118th Street. Can't miss it.
A
Wow.
B
Thanks so much for calling.
A
I'm gonna take that recommendation.
B
This text says, definitely a red velvet cupcake at Magnolia Bakery. I will wait on any line that they have that goes around the corner, because I'm coming all the way from Monmouth County, New Jersey, just to have one that brings up an interesting subject.
A
Lines, Lines. SNL did a whole thing about it.
B
Big, dumb lines.
A
Big, dumb lines. Exactly.
B
How do you feel about lines if you're waiting for a sweet treat?
A
You know, I think that it's so funny because if you think about sweet treat culture, it walks hand in hand with hype bakery culture, which was something that was touched on by Anna Heazel for. For Grub street last year. We are in boom times for bakeries.
B
Yes.
A
I love that. But also, we have so much choice here that I think that it kind of defies the logic of the sweet treat to be in a line sometimes because it's taking away your time, and you have to. I think it should be immediate. That is not to say that, you know, it's not that you shouldn't go to a place because it has a line, but I think when we talk about sweet treats being accessible, they're usually not in a line. Like, you can walk in and out. Maybe you're waiting for five minutes. But I like the mo. The more accessible, the better. And I like to save the lines for the really special occasions, like your friends coming to visit from out of town. You're like, I'm taking you to Radio Bakery. We're gonna wait in the line. It's gonna be worth it.
B
You're gonna take us to get some Vietnamese coffee at Larry's Cafe. Tell us a little bit about this place. What's the vibe like?
A
So Larry's Cafe, it's got two locations. One in Park Slope, one in the Bushwick, East Williamsburg area. And the owner is a Vietnamese adoptee, and he named it after his adoptive father who passed. And everything on the menu is Vietnamese cafe. And this is not Cafe Cafe. It's Ca Space Phe, which is very clever. And I don't know how many of y' all had. Had Vietnamese coffee. It's like rocket fuel. I love it. And then I love, like, they put condensed milk. This particular one I love there, though, is an egg custard, like coffee. And so it's the coffee at the bottom and on top is a layer of egg custard. It is.
B
Wait, egg custard on the coffee?
A
Yes.
B
Wow.
A
Just a nice, like you get this really creamy top. It's the ultimate, you know, like latte. You know, everyone loves the foam. This is foam on 100. And then underneath that you get the nice kind of like robust coffee coming through. It's a very nice balance. If you don't want that. They have an amazing matcha and coconut water drink that is a little. That is much lighter and just as delicious though.
B
Let's take some more calls. Let's talk to Rachel in Brooklyn. Hey, Rachel, thanks for making the time to call. All of it. You're on the air.
C
Hi, thanks for taking my call. This segment is amazing. Definitely. Also validating my sweet treat needs. I would recommend anti Co in Bed Stuy on Malcolm X. They're all vegan gluten free, which is kind of hard to come by for good treats. And like, I would pretty much recommend anything. But their chocolate chip banana bread fresh out of the oven is something else. And not just like any banana bread. It's really good. So highly recommend. Gotta check it out.
B
Rachel, thanks for calling. Dominique is calling from River Edge, New Jersey. Dominique, take the mic. You're on the air.
C
Okay, so this is old school, but do you know, do you guys remember the cartoon where that the dog would be like floating in the air and he'd be like wafting to the.
A
Yes high.
C
That would be sitting in the. That's how I feel right now listening to everybody talking. I mean, my mouth is watering. But again, old school because I'm in a salty mood right now, which I call a snack. I don't call it a treat, but so when I need a sweet treat in the city, I agree I have to just stop. So whatever kiosk, little like street stand is there and I gotta grab a Kit Kat or Snickers because it hits immediately and I need it then now. And, and for salty snacks, I go for like the dirty water dogs, you know, because you get that quick in three bites, it's done burp all day. And then because I'm, I do my sweet treats at 3am I typically.
A
Dominique, so real. You are so real.
B
You're the best. Thanks, Dominique. Let's talk to Natalie who's calling from California.
A
Okay. Hey, girl.
B
So, Natalie, we want to hear what's going on in California.
C
Yeah. Okay. Not a whole lot. That's why when I come to New York, I always have to get my snacks. You Guys, just do it right every time. I miss living there and I will always come back to New York. Best city in the world. My favorite treat is actually cannoli. Pistachio cannoli from Fortunato Brothers in Brooklyn on Manhattan Matt and Ave. Best spot ever. My Pisans know what they're doing every time. Wish we had Italian bakeries like that in California and we don't, so keeps me coming back every time. And then. Okay, I'm just gonna put this out there. If anyone knows, I used to live on the Upper east side and two little red hens was the best cupcakes in the city. Are they coming back? Does anyone know? I just need answers. They keep saying they are, but I don't know.
A
You know, we'll look into it for the word newsletter. Yeah, keep, keep watch. I promise you we will look into it.
B
That was Nikita Richardson making a promise. She's editor for the New York Times food section. We are discussing their little treats. They have 46 favorites listed in the New York Times. We want to hear from you as well. What's your favorite little treat to get in the city or in your town? 2124-339692-22433. WNYC. When we come back, we're going to talk cheese curds. You are listening to all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. My guest is Nikita Richardson, editor for the New York Times food section and creator of the where to Eat newsletter. We're discussing a new list she helped make of their 46 favorite little treats in New York. All right, we got a lot of text. Short rib or mushroom bacon skewers at Yakitori toto on West 55th Street. Delicious and $7. Little Red Kitchen in South Slope, Brooklyn bakes an amazing cinnamon roll. NYC Sweet treat submission. Anytime I'm in this area in Greenpoint. I love to get the brown sugar and pear latte in Rhythm Zero Coffee shop on Kent Street. And finally, chocolate mousse cake at Sunrise Marketplace in Hell's Kitchen. Words can't describe, but I'll try. The slice has three different kinds of chocolate. Perfect. Well, all right. Before the break, I teased cheese curds. Where do you find cheese curds in New York City?
A
Brooklyn. And it's a lot of Brooklyn. It's a lot of Brooklyn. I'm sorry. I live there. Me and 2.6 million of my best friends. So in Brooklyn, there's a place called Rosemary and they it's a bar restaurant. People treat it more like a restaurant, but you can go sit at the bar. And I was there a few months ago and had the best cheese curds I've ever had in my life. Most things I would say like, you know, with a cheese curds, you like hit a wall. You never hit a wall with these because they have a blackened olive ranch that is so tangy that it just cuts through the fat. And I housed the plate. It was amazing. Would do it again.
B
Let's talk to Christina from Staten Island. Oh, Christina's not there. How about Sebastian? Then we'll go to Sebastian in Gowanis.
C
Hey, am I on?
B
You are.
C
Yeah. I just wanted to give a quick shout out to when I was in graduate school getting my mba, I'm at Columbia. When I needed something to really lift me up and I'm not a sweets guy, I would go on 108 in Amsterdam to Super nice. It's a little hole in the wall, little window. And they'll give you a delicious iced Americano with some of the best donuts you'll ever have in your life. I specifically like the spicy mango one. But yeah, you can't go wrong with anything there.
B
Thanks for calling. Let's talk to Jenny in Brooklyn. Hi, Jenny, thanks for calling, all of it. You're on the air.
C
Hey, thanks for taking my call. Alison, love your show. Nikita, love what you write in the time. So I want to talk about Electric Beats in Park Slope. It's a vegan place, but don't worry, the sweets aren't healthy because sugar isn't healthy. So you don't have to feel like you're being above anyone else. They have some great stuff. They have like. Well, if you want non sweet stuff, they have like noodles, chickpea salad. You want sweet stuff, they have coconut date bars, Chia pudding, sesame tahini, cookies. I'm a person who mostly I make it myself. I don't really go out a lot. So the fact that I want to take out from there means they're really great. And honestly, there aren't enough people in this place for how good it is. I don't know anyone there. I don't work there. I don't know the owner. But it's really a treasure right in the slope on 7th Avenue.
B
Thank you for giving it a shout out. Let's talk to Basil who is calling in from Williamsburg. Hi, Basil, thanks for calling in.
C
Hey, it's Basil from Williamsburg. Thanks so much. You know what? I was going to call in to give ube cake up at Buttercup Bakery at 52nd and 2nd, the major shout. It's a beautiful, decadent purple cake that's like your grandma cooked three stir three layers high. But what I really have to say is make my cake. You think you've had red velvet cake. I know you do. You haven't.
A
You haven't.
C
And you have to find the. Make my cake where the mother bakes it. Yeah, it is amazing. And one last thing is that she occasionally does a red velvet cake where the top layer is red velvet, the bottom layer is a fluffy cheesecake.
B
Oh, my God.
A
Say less. You know, I love that. I love that he went.
B
Oh, my God.
A
Yeah. I feel like everyone is. It's all. Yes. Oh, my God.
B
Yeah, let's. One more call. Let's go to Hunan in Manhattan. Hi, Hunan. Thanks for calling all of it.
C
Hi, my name is actually Hunan. So I. Yes. I'm actually. I'm not a sweet treat person at all. And my daughter and I, we have a little tradition. When I pick up from the school bus, there's an amazing little Japanese supermarket close by. And we go and pick up onigiri, which are Japanese rice balls or very large sushi. And usually we get the shrimp tempura. And it's just our favorite thing to do once she gets off the school bus.
A
That was one of our little treats too. Yeah, we had an onigiri on there. It's. Yeah, it's. So the definition does not always have to be sweet. And I think that's like so important because everyone has a different definition of what's a treat to them. So that sounds really lovely. It's nice that you and your daughter have that tradition.
B
And one of the things I thought was so amazing in reading the comments, it talked about how diverse the list was and how great. Yes. It literally. It made you think, like, I live in the greatest city in the world that there are this many options.
A
Somebody left a comment. Eat your heart out, rest of America.
B
Let's go to Richwood, Queens. This place is salty. Lunch ladies. Little luncheonette.
A
Yes, it's a mouthful.
B
We're getting cake there, though. We are.
A
And that's what's crazy is they're an amazing sandwich shop. But the owner, Drea, I always tell her she can't keep getting away with this because she is an amazing baker as well. And the cake slices change all the time. This one was written up by Priya Krishna, actually. Cause she's a huge fan of the place as well. But it changes. It could be like a hazelnut chocolatey type thing. One Day. It could be a peanut butter cake one day. It's always changing, but it is always good. And when I. When you go there, the sandwiches take a long time to make for some reason. So I always end up just eating my dessert first, but that works for me.
B
All right, we've got some more text coming in. The Turks Inn in Brooklyn has delicious cheese curds, Wisconsin style. The next one says the best little midday treat is an espresso tonic over ice from Prima Cafe in Clinton Hill.
A
Yes, Bubb.
B
Slightly bitter and so refreshing. This says Brazilian chocolate truffles or cheese bread at. I hope I say this right. Brigaderio Bakery on Sullivan Street. Familiar with any of those?
A
I have heard of it, but haven't been. I could never get to all these places.
C
That's.
A
And that's the real tragedy.
B
Let's talk to Alex, who's calling in from Queens. Hi, Alex, you're on the air.
C
Hi. Can you hear me?
B
Hear you? Great. Okay.
C
Awesome. Yeah, my go to snack. I've been living in New York for 17 years, since college has always been the roast pork bun at Mei Laiwa in Chinatown. And I just want to shout out to people that TikTok has, like, blown up that spot. And everyone goes for the pineapple bun. You got to go for the OG baked cha siu bao roast pork bun, because the pineapple bun is just not my style. And if you're in college, it's a great spot. Load up on a dozen, put them in your freezer, and you'll be fed for quite a long time.
B
Thanks, Alex. Kit is calling in from Bloomingdale. Kit, you're on the air.
C
Thanks. This is really funny because I'm in a waiting room about to be seen by a doctor, but I just wanted to say that. And it's not from eating too many sweet treats. I love Lady M. I don't know if they still make it a matcha cake, but they do make a matcha meal toy that is absolutely delicious. The matcha cream is not too sweet. It's just really, really perfect. And my other favorite is a meringue treat that comes in different sizes. You can get a really nice small one, and it's sort of cream. Different flavors of cream on top of a meringue. It's just amazing. At Au Merveilleux de Fred, you know, the marbles of Fred and. Or the marvelous treats of Fred. And they have about three branches in Manhattan that they're all fabulous. They make everything in their bakery that you walk in and all you smell is Butter. It's heaven.
A
Yeah.
C
And their coffee is good, too.
A
We had them on our list of the best croissants in the city.
B
Well, there you go. You talk about cinnamon rolls, Nikita as well. Where's your cinnamon roll go to for sweet treats?
A
Well, as you know, I'm made of cinnamon rolls since birth.
B
You are made of cinnamon rolls.
A
But it's so funny because one of our callers was talking about vegan and gluten free. And you know, it can be very, very obviously to make really good vegan, gluten free, allergen free baked goods, but it's being done at Bub's Bakery, which is in the city right near the Broadway Lafayette stop. And that is a. They have an amazing big cinnamon roll. It's called Big Cinnamon Roll. And you would never know that it was not. It did not have gluten in it or it did not have all those things that make baked goods so delicious. They're doing true magic there. And that's Melissa Weller, who is a really beloved pastry chef in the city, and she's doing the Lord's work with that cinnamon roll.
B
Let's talk to Karen in Weehawken. Hi, Karen, you're on the air.
C
Hi. Hi, Alison. I would feel terrible if I didn't call in and tell the world about Dulce de Leche Bakery. There's one in Jersey City Heights, West New York and Englewood. And their cakes are just, oh, my God, they're so good. My go to would be like their tres leches or their chocolate cake with dulce de leche filling. Oh, and the coffee's outrageous. I mean, they're beautiful places, so I highly recommend them.
B
Thank you so much for your call. There have been critics of little Treats. One Cosmo headline said, little treat culture proves we've forgotten how to live simply without turning everything into content. How would you respond to that?
A
I think it's arguing two things, Right? One, that it's not arguing against little treat culture, it's arguing against recording it.
B
Yes.
A
Okay. I mean, for me, I just think that it's anything small businesses need, that they're going to share it. And I think that people, if this segment is anything, it's a testament to the sharing of it all. I think that we all have. We're all looking to share these small pleasures that we have, and we want to share them with one another. And these things that didn't cost us a million dollars and that we could actually share with our friends if we wanted to, whether they're people we know or complete strangers on the Internet. I think that is more of an indictment of Gen Z than it is an indictment of little tree culture.
B
There's so many we could pick from. Which one do you want to pick? I was going to pick Petey's apple Pie, but you can pick another one. If you want to wrap up the.
A
Segment with Thanksgiving coming up, I will shout them out because Petey's Pie has two locations, one in the Lower east side, believe, and then the other one's in Brooklyn. And I think that everyone should be able to walk into a shop, sit down for a slice of pie and a coffee like, and just let the day wash away. And they make a really good pie and they serve it until like 9 o' clock at night, starting at like 11 o' clock in the morning. So it's a true little treat. You can get it any time of day.
B
First thing, this entire segment will be available via transcript so you can get all of our little treat recommendations. And of course you should check out the little treats in the New York Times. The New York Times editor who has joined us has been Nikita Richardson. She's editor for the New York Times Food Section and creator of the where to Eat newsletter. We were discussing a new list she helped to make of their 46 favorite little treats in New York. Thanks for coming in.
A
Thank you so much for having me.
B
Since WNYC's first broadcast in 1924, we've been dedicated to creating the kind of content we know the world needs. In addition to this award winning reporting, your sponsorship also supports inspiring storytelling and extraordinary music that is free and accessible to all. To get in touch and find out more, visit sponsorship.wnyc.org.
All Of It with Alison Stewart – WNYC
Date: November 6, 2025
This lively episode of All Of It explores the concept of "little treats"—small, affordable snacks or experiences that offer quick, joyful pick-me-ups in the day. Host Alison Stewart interviews Nikita Richardson, editor for the New York Times Food Section and creator of the Where to Eat newsletter, about the new NYT list featuring 46 favorite little treats in New York City. The conversation includes listener call-ins, memorable food descriptions, and a celebration of NYC's diverse snackscape and what "treat culture" means today.
Timestamps: 01:59–04:56
Nikita Richardson establishes a working definition:
Social and cultural context:
Timestamps: 08:07–26:37
Timestamps: 04:03–11:48, 21:41–22:16
Timestamps: 06:02–07:30, 11:48–13:09, 17:37–23:18, 25:44–27:06
Timestamps: 27:06–28:49
The conversation is enthusiastic, communal, and mouthwatering, blending food nerdery with genuine New York pride and warmth.
"[A little treat is] $20 or under… You can get it on the fly… You're going to finish it right then and there."
— Nikita Richardson, 02:01
"Food is such a source of comfort for all of us. And I think, like, that was kind of at the heart of what we were trying to do with this story…"
— Nikita Richardson, 03:50
"You guys validated me. I'm so happy because my girlfriends always tease me… We gotta stop. It's Emily's time. And now I'm real and I'm live, so I'm very happy."
— Emily (caller), 09:14
"You think you've had red velvet cake. I know you do. You haven't."
— Basil (caller), 20:34
"The more accessible, the better… I like to save the lines for really special occasions…"
— Nikita Richardson, 11:07
"We're all looking to share these small pleasures that we have, and we want to share them with one another."
— Nikita Richardson, 27:31
| Treat | Location (Neighborhood) | Suggested By | |------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|-----------------| | Passion Fruit Tajin Icebox Pie | Kellogg’s Diner, Williamsburg | Nikita | | Chocolate Chip/Corn Cookies | Culture Espresso, Midtown | NYT Food Sect. | | Ginger Cookie & Cappuccino | Clementine, Tribeca | Emily (caller) | | Chocolate Cake & Tea | Alice’s Teacup, Upper West Side| Dana (caller) | | Warm Rugelach | Lee Lee’s Bakery, Harlem | Sheila (caller) | | Pistachio Cannoli | Fortunato Brothers, Brooklyn | Natalie (caller)| | Cheese Curds with Blackened Olive Ranch | Rosemary, Brooklyn | Nikita | | Roast Pork Buns (cha siu bao) | Mei Laiwa, Chinatown | Alex (caller) | | Cinnamon Roll (Vegan/GF) | Bub’s Bakery, Manhattan | Nikita | | Ube Cake | Buttercup Bake Shop, Midtown | Basil (caller) |
The episode is a celebration of NYC’s food landscape—a tour of the city's affordable pleasures, from its classic cakes and cookies to its most innovative and diverse snack offerings. The tone is communal, joyful, and validating; an invitation for everyone, resident or visitor, to indulge in their own "little treat" and savor the variety that New York City has to offer.
Listen for food inspiration, snack recommendations, and the shared delight in the small joys that make city living delicious.